What have you done today in the Garden?

Dianne, that Japonica is gorgeous!
About the green patches in the drive--have you tried salt? It kills, is cheap, and you don't need a truck! The drawback is that it will leach into surrounding ground, so don't use it near lawn or valued plants.

 

I decided that as we've been promised to get four of five dry days, I'd make a start on the patio.
It was in dire need of a jet wash. It was black in the corners.




Anything major attempted in our garden creates problems as there's too much stuff in it. So all the pots and the two planters had to be moved.






Down to business.
I needed my Nilfisk wet n' dry, as the amount of water used by the Karcher won't drain away through the drain holes in the bottom of the low curtilage walls.




Constantly emptying the wet n' dry is a pain as the nearest drain is through the side door in the fence and in the corner near the back door.

But as always, I found a way years ago, (the patio is 35 years old)

This bin is connected to a pipe that enters into the drain, but the fall on the patio is both left and right, so the area near the party fence wouldn't drain. I just empty the water into the bin. When the job's done I just pull out the pipe put in the bin and put it away in the garage, somewhere I can find it again.




Job done.




I'll leave it to dry out tomorrow and start on the necessary pointing on Monday.


At least I'm not having to work to a deadline.

I've noticed the two wooden planters need some attention, but that can be done later in the week.

 

Windy but sunny I dug a bit and checked my tunnels. I will transplant into a tunnel this evening.


Brassicas here.


Lots of stuff. Lettuces ready for transplanting.

 

Good postings Odif and Riley.

More work on the strawberry beds. That chore finished, we went on to the schoffeling alomg with the fence with the neighbour man.
I had to fish out some reed roots from the canal. It was collateral rubbish from when the neighbour lady removed the reed along her garden. This often happens when one cleans up the reed. Pieces just break off and float- away before you notice.

You could just leave it; however, that would be irresponsible. Never mind that it is not cool for your fellow gardeners— it is not good for you either. If that reed gets into your garden, it can be very disruptive and once established, a real pain to get rid of. Reed— I am not a fan.

 

First day spring has come. Was in the 50's today. Did some clean up today after work and marked off my new spot for watermelon. Expanding the garden by 5' wider so need to put in more t-posts and the new fencing I purchased. Got to get motivated soon it is time for peas carrots spinach outside.

 

Weather Sunny today, but such a cold wind...seeds sown and now up against the elements....

 

While my husband tilled up another raised bed, I planted sugar peas in another. I have "mesclun" mixed up to put in a planter, and that along with yellow onions, go into gardens tomorrow.

 

Hit 60 today got some fencing done but had to go visit brother in laws new house.

 

Pruning some Honeysuckles..now they are sprouting fresh growth you can see what needs to be cut out...all the brown thin straggly ones, it does take time and patience. I was surprised how long it takes each year.. about an hour on each and done two today but a through job and it really has tided them up...weeded around the area as well.weed do really grow much too fast.....Seen more bees the last few days, with the sun being around more and the various pollen plants now with flowers on, will just tempt them in..lots of large black bees, Carpenter Bees here, not sure if they are everywhere else though..like black/mauve velvet looking to the eye...

 

Heyyyy Jane, you are becoming very international with your planting. L
Have you grown that before? Bon appétite soon.

 

Thanks for that I can try a small area and see..I have a large bag of salt that was in the adjoined barn when we moved here in 2014..it is for salt water swimming pools, maybe I could use that..will have a read up first though about it....

 

Had a look at the two wooden planters in my previous photos that house three hebes in each. I had to move them yesterday when I jet-washed the patio.

They are well over ten years old and one was showing signs of rot on one side I used to keep them on either side of the steps to our tea-house, as in my avatar, but lately they've been on either side the steps up to the new patio.
One was showing a fair bit of rot and I decided not worth repairing.

So I found some new replacements on eBay with free postage. I ordered two. They are 30cms longer than the old ones, but as the hebes are growing, I can space them out a bit more.



They've slatted bases so water will run through. I'll paint them to match the rest of the wood in the garden.

They are made from Swedish redwood. The vendor has sold 527 of them, has 100% feedback on nearly 7000 sales of different products they stock. So I'm quite confident they'll be ok as they were £53 each.

Good for you!

"Necessary jobs in the garden have no respect for age."

I jet-washed the patio yesterday and I'll be re-pointing it tomorrow.
Got to get the jobs done, as I'll be back to playing golf three times a week from the 29th.

I'll be 81 next month.

 

Today was nice, up to 60°F, so I started clearing dead foliage and some kind of creeping weeds from the front bed. Crocuses and mini daffodils are all that's blooming now, but the regular daffodils and grape hyacinths aren't far behind

 

I'm re doing a border, it's got some old sage,currants, gooseberry plants in it so i cut back the sage and i Planted 3 hellebores and trimmed the grass so it's a bit wider. Going to replace the old sage with some new plants that I've started from seed.

 

I've decided that with the new planters I've ordered pictured earlier, looking at them I need to get them up off the patio, or the base could rot.

The easiest solution would be to get some round black rubber or whatever door stops, so I've ordered a dozen, one for each corner and two each side of the centre.

Spent five hours re-pointing my crazy York stone patio and the part of the path between the garage and the pergola. I use barely damp sand and cement mix, witth SBS. Hardest job, (I was making it up in batches in a bucket, saves making a mess), was getting the right amount of yellow cement dye added.
I decided not to use the cement I had in a tub in the garage. The tub was ..almost..airtight but I'd had it for a couple of years. So as I had to do some shopping I went to Homebase.

They had none, they'd run out..

"Well sir, it has to come from abroad."

"So not from the naffin' cement works 300 yards away, then?"

I had to go back to Travis Perkins.

The patio will just need a brush tomorrow. I'll then give it a few weeks then spray it with Wet n' Forget to hopefully keep the green away for longer.