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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 7, 2021 20:12:23 GMT
Another horrible very windy and showery day so no gardening today. We went shopping this morning. This afternoon I could have gone out a bit between showers but we decided to put our Christmas tree and decorations up.
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 8, 2021 21:05:27 GMT
Showery today but not as windy. The leeks that I ordered arrived this morning. There were 27 and I potted them into small yoghurt pots. I had transferred all my plants from my propagating greenhouse to the other one and switched off the power and there is no room in the other greenhouse so I put the leeks in my spare room next to the kitchen.
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 9, 2021 20:54:18 GMT
After the walk at Blackleach this morning we had a small party ,just with mince pies and Christmas cake and a quiz. Didn't have time to do any gardening jobs when I got home this afternoon.
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 10, 2021 19:24:42 GMT
Another showery day. We went shopping this morning. Rosemary wanted some carrots for tomorrow so I went to the allotment this afternoon. I had only a few carrots left but I got these first. As soon as I got them it started raining so I sat in the car and drunk my coffee .When it stopped, I went out and finished removing the annuals from the onion bed then emptied the communal tubs. There were some geraniums and bedding begonias in here as well as annuals so I brought these home to keep till next year. It started raining again so I came straight home.
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 11, 2021 21:22:43 GMT
It was fine today till this evening. I didn't have much gardening time though but I potted the geraniums that I brought home from the allotment yesterday then did a bit more tidying up in the propagating greenhouse. I removed the sand from the warming benches (I put fresh sand in them every year) then swept the shelves and staging. Heather, our daughter from Wales, arrived at 8.00 and is staying till Tuesday.
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 12, 2021 21:44:30 GMT
Heather came to church with us this morning. Martyn then came to our house and we all went out for our lunch. Heather did some jobs for Rosemary this afternoon so I went in the greenhouse and sprayed the staging ,shelves , the propagator and warming benches with disinfectant .Left the door open to get rid of the smell. Martyn came for us again at 6.00 to take us to Dunham Massey in Cheshire to see a spectacular display of Christmas lights and I took a lot of pictures of them. Martyn had booked to go to this last year but we couldn't go because they closed it due to the lockdown so we were still able to use the tickets.
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 12, 2021 22:02:27 GMT
 This is just one of the pictures I took this evening. Rosemary in her wheelchair.We took turns to push her round
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 13, 2021 18:47:36 GMT
Been in the propagating greenhouse part of this morning and this afternoon. I have put the propagator, and the three warming benches in position. It is rather a job to get them level. I then put a bag of sand in each warming bench.
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 14, 2021 19:27:27 GMT
We didn't go shopping this morning as we usually do because Heather was here. She went home about 11.00 so we went this afternoon instead. I went in the greenhouse this morning. I had put a bag of sand in each warming bench so I levelled them and laid the warming cables on top. I had switched the power off this greenhouse but I put it back on just to warm the cables because it makes them supple so that I can lay them out better. I put another bag of sand on the top of each one and levelled them out so they are ready for use now. I won't be using them till New Year though so I switched the power off again. I then swept the floor.
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 14, 2021 20:28:23 GMT
 Cable in position on warming bench
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 15, 2021 20:47:06 GMT
Yesterday was the first day without rain since Dec 1st (13 days) and it hasn't rained today either. So, this morning, instead of carrying on with my greenhouse I decided to go to the allotment and do some weeding. I started weeding the bed where the runner beans and sweet peas had been. It was still rather wet but I worked from the path rather than walking on the soil. I also took 4 bags of old compost and put them on some of the beds.
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 16, 2021 19:58:28 GMT
Another dry day but I have had no gardening time. On the way home from Blackleach this afternoon I had some errands to do and there was no time after.
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 17, 2021 19:35:57 GMT
This morning we went to the funeral of a man we have known for a long time, at one of our local churches. There was a minister there who used to be our minister up to 2004, 18 years ago. I hadn't seen him since so I didn't recognise him. He recognised me though and after the ceremony he said just one word to me. "Chrysanthemums" . I said "Yes, and dahlias and vegetables too" .I asked him how he knew me , then somebody told me who he was!.
Before it was time to go this morning and again this evening I have been in the greenhouse. I planted 24 shallots in three and a half inch pots. I washed the pots first. I then started transferring plants back into the propagating greenhouse from the other one. This meant that I had to switch the power on because many of the plants are tender, but I haven't switched the warming benches on.
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 18, 2021 18:56:14 GMT
We couldn't go shopping yesterday morning due to the funeral and I had to take my car to a garage in the afternoon so we had to go this morning. This afternoon I just went to the allotment for some sprouts then went to Blackleach to do the bird count.
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Post by derekbrooks on Dec 19, 2021 19:44:11 GMT
Our carol service today at church wasn't till 3.00 PM so I had time this morning in the garden and part of the afternoon and I have pruned my H.T. roses in the back garden. Just managed to get them finished. I still have the floribundas to do which are in the front garden.
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