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Post by derekbrooks on Nov 25, 2012 21:30:31 GMT
We always have bird feeders hanging from the apple tree but I can't put out the bird table till the border between the back lawn and the path is cleared.This border is full of flowers in the summer and the bird table is hidded away in some bushes for there is no room for it anywhere else.I cleared the remaining flowers from this border and weeded and forked it over last Thursday. When I got the bird table out ,though ,the base fell to bits because it was rotten.I therefore spent this afternoon in the shed making a new base. Luckily,I had some wood in the shed that was suitable.Will try and fix it on tomorrow.
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Post by derekbrooks on Nov 26, 2012 22:00:50 GMT
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Post by derekbrooks on Nov 26, 2012 23:02:40 GMT
As you can see I managed to fix the new base onto the bird table but it needs another coat of paint .Thought I may as well get it finished because the ground is too wet to work on. It was raining this afternoon but I worked under the car port.I just called at the allotment for a cabbage and the plot next to mine was partly under water but this is nothing compared to what other people have to put up with.
For the last few weeks I have been collecting seed and plant orders from people on our allotments and in our horticultural society to send to Dobies. They have all had their catalogues for a month but there are still 4 people on the allotments who have not given me their orders.Can't understand why it takes some people so long. Anyway I have decided to send the orders that I have already because I have enough to get the full discount.I have got them ready for posting tomorrow.There are 24 altogether and the total is just over £1100. If the other people give me their orders I can send them later and they will get the same discount.
People on the allotments order mostly vegetable seeds but it was said at a recent meeting that we should grow more flowers to attract wildlife which will of course benefit our crops ,particularly pollinating insects. It was suggested that I order some from Dobies and the allotment association would pay for them. Everyone would then be encouraged to grow some of them ,free of charge.They would just be left in the cabin (or the toilet) for people to help themselves. I therefore made a suggested list of 15 types of flowers that I call "cottage garden"types and are easy to grow and will attract wild life.This afternoon I went to the house of the chair person to show her the list .I thought she might want to check it and perhaps make some changes but she didn't and she told me to go ahead and order three packets of each so I have included them with this order.
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Post by grindle on Nov 27, 2012 5:09:01 GMT
you've made a good job of the repair Derek  |
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Post by Rosie on Nov 27, 2012 9:06:30 GMT
The bird table looks good as new Derek. the top fell of ours a couple of weeks ago, Graham will repair it soon enough  |
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Post by derekbrooks on Nov 27, 2012 22:34:31 GMT
Not much gardening time today.Just painted the bird table again and potted a few geraniums that had been in tubs.
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Post by derekbrooks on Nov 28, 2012 21:29:11 GMT
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Post by derekbrooks on Nov 28, 2012 21:47:37 GMT
I have fixed the bird table in position this morning. Last winter the wind blew it down and some of the pieces of perspex broke so before I fixed it up I put some new pieces on.I hadn't a large enough piece for this nearest side so I had to cut some off another piece and join them together as you can see. As you can also see I now drive a stake into the ground and tie the bird table to it so that it won't blow over again. I have told you before what the perspex is for but it may be a long time ago so in case you don't know it is to keep squirrels off.They can climb up the pole but can't get on the table.
This afternoon I have weeded and forked over the border at the other side of the back lawn. I have also put autumn and winter fertiliser on the lawns at 2 oz. per square yard.
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Post by derekbrooks on Nov 29, 2012 20:35:11 GMT
Could have had a full day gardening today but the ground is frozen solid.All I did was take some bags of old compost and some bags of bedding plants to the allotment.
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Post by Rosie on Nov 30, 2012 9:09:58 GMT
Thats a good idea to keep the squirrels off the bird table, we don't get squirrels in our garden  |
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 1, 2012 20:55:45 GMT
Thanks,Rosie. I've only just seen your message from yesterday.
Didn,t go on my computer at all yesterday.I was out all day then out again till late at night.
Today the ground is still too frozen to do any weeding so I just went in the greenhouse this afternoon and did some tidying up of the pot plants.
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 3, 2012 22:11:51 GMT
The minister at our church yesterday told me that they were having a meal for old people at one of his churches tomorrow (Tuesday) and he asked me if I had any vegetables spare that he could take. My immediate thought was that surely whoever was doing the cooking would already have the veg that he or she needed or at least know what they were going to use .Anyway I told him that I had plenty of sprouts and cabbage and I thought of going to the allotment for some this morning.
However it was raining this morning so I stayed in hoping it would be fine later.I decided to start washing plant pots.I wash all my pots ,of which I have hundreds,every winter at the kitchen sink.It takes several weeks and it is a job I carry on with any time the weather is too bad to work outside.I started with the yoghurt pots and drinking cups.
It did brighten up this afternoon so I went to the allotment and got him a big cabbage and a bag of sprouts. I didn,t stay because the ground is far too wet to do anything.I came straight home and carried on with the pots and took the veg to the ministers house this evening.
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 4, 2012 22:51:30 GMT
Forgot to mention yesterday that in the afternoon,4 roses came that I had ordered from R.V.Roger.It was raining all morning today but this afternoon I just planted these roses temporarily.This is all I had time to do today. Planting them properly will have to wait till the ground has dried out a bit and I have more time.
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 5, 2012 22:45:17 GMT
Last night I went to the veg meeting which was the A.G.M. but I got my Pendle improved leeks that I had ordered from David Metcalfe (the raiser). Somebody had been to David's and collected them for me and several other members.
I also swapped some dahlia tubers with someone else who goes to these meetings. He had told me that he had lost his Taratahi Ruby so I took him some tubers of this and he gave me some Ruskin Diane.
This morning I had another pot washing session. One reason was that I wanted some clean 3 inch pots to pot my leeaks I got last night . I potted them later and put them on a propagator in the kitchen.When I got them yesterday they were in cell trays.
One of my next jobs is to clean my propagating greenhouse. When this is done the leeks will go in there so I have just put them in the kitchen in the meantime.I did start the cleaning process this afternoon by shifting all the empty pots that were in and seed trays and other odds and ends.
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Post by Cherry on Dec 7, 2012 7:04:53 GMT
I am not a good gardener, but I always have clean pots because I wash them when my husband is away and can't complain. I am sneaky like that.
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