I've been finding gardening hard in the heat. A bit of watering and pruning, then I'm knackered, and the allotment resembles a blasted heath, with no shade. However, rain promised for Tuesday.
Weeding and watering - the weeds of course being big and lush-leafed and going like a train. Meanwhile the early summer bedding is withered, and the acer and now the Virginia creeper (it shouldn't even be out this early) have leaf scorch. And one of the watering cans has disappeared. Stolen by squirrels I expect.
Don't give up on your fuchsia too soon @Eigon. My Dad had one that looked totally dead and it took me months to realise it wasn't just a bit of stick in a pot. It then had some hit and miss watering when I was with him regularly. It looked as though it was completely gone a couple of times.
I have it at my place now and I'm trying to remember to cover it for frost protection. The leaves are looking a bit wilty at present, but I"m persisting.
I love the sound of your plantings @quetzalcoatl. Cheery husband's strawberries are looking a bit sad at present due to the frosts, but I think they will tough it out as only a couple of months now until spring.
Alas some frost has crept under the covering of the geraniums and one looks quite bad, we'll see how it goes in spring, but I'm not cutting it back until the warmer weather in the hope of some new growth.
Scratch the stem of the fuchsia - if it's green underneath it'll grow back as lovely as ever.
My front garden is utterly neglected. I growl at it every time I come home then forget it again.
The back garden is tended ceaselessly.
My art course has finished and I have a little money that I was paying for it monthly.
So - I've employed a gardener for 20 hours. Once it's sorted I'll be able to keep on top of it. She's a proper gardener, not the 'slash and hack' type we often see.
My plan for the weekend was to sort out a neglected, overgrown and ugly corner of the back garden. No sooner had I made a start on Saturday than I came across a toad; about the size of the palm of my hand. So I left well alone, to avoid disturbing him.
I re-started yesterday, but the toad was still in situ.
He's still there today. I have no idea how he got there but I assume he lives there, along with a large number of snails.
The only solution seems to be to re-name the overgrown and ugly corner and then leave it as it is. "The Nature Patch"? "The mini-wilderness"? "Toad Hall" ? Any suggestions?
How toadily unexpected. As long as the locals don't take it to be your Familiar.
A fair amount of rain today, and more promised tomorrow- though I think it would need a steady downpour for a week to irrigate properly. The Virginia creeper is following the acer into leaf wilt sadly.
Things quite frosty overnight here, but all plants appear to be OK. I had watered my pots earlier in the week, so I might hold off doing those again for a couple of days if it's going to get really cold.
Green bin gets collected tomorrow, so lots of raking and sweeping of leaves, ready for collection tomorrow. The place isn't totally bare as I know the parrots and wrens are coming for snacks, so a little bit of leaves with seeds left for them. Just keeping the stormwater clear. Good to see that all my bulbs are putting up new leaves. So I'll be ready for spring surprises. I forget what I plant where, and I move stuff around, so I am looking forward to Sept/Oct when they'll be in bloom.
Last night for dinner, I had fried green tomatoes, from my son's garden, cucumbers and onions from my neighbor, and squash from my own patio. I also had iced tea with lemon from my tree. There is something heartwarming about eating home-grown produce.
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I have it at my place now and I'm trying to remember to cover it for frost protection. The leaves are looking a bit wilty at present, but I"m persisting.
I love the sound of your plantings @quetzalcoatl. Cheery husband's strawberries are looking a bit sad at present due to the frosts, but I think they will tough it out as only a couple of months now until spring.
Alas some frost has crept under the covering of the geraniums and one looks quite bad, we'll see how it goes in spring, but I'm not cutting it back until the warmer weather in the hope of some new growth.
My front garden is utterly neglected. I growl at it every time I come home then forget it again.
The back garden is tended ceaselessly.
My art course has finished and I have a little money that I was paying for it monthly.
So - I've employed a gardener for 20 hours. Once it's sorted I'll be able to keep on top of it. She's a proper gardener, not the 'slash and hack' type we often see.
I re-started yesterday, but the toad was still in situ.
He's still there today. I have no idea how he got there but I assume he lives there, along with a large number of snails.
The only solution seems to be to re-name the overgrown and ugly corner and then leave it as it is. "The Nature Patch"? "The mini-wilderness"? "Toad Hall" ? Any suggestions?
A fair amount of rain today, and more promised tomorrow- though I think it would need a steady downpour for a week to irrigate properly. The Virginia creeper is following the acer into leaf wilt sadly.
I was going to suggest "Toad Away", but that tops mine by some way!
Green bin gets collected tomorrow, so lots of raking and sweeping of leaves, ready for collection tomorrow. The place isn't totally bare as I know the parrots and wrens are coming for snacks, so a little bit of leaves with seeds left for them. Just keeping the stormwater clear. Good to see that all my bulbs are putting up new leaves. So I'll be ready for spring surprises. I forget what I plant where, and I move stuff around, so I am looking forward to Sept/Oct when they'll be in bloom.