What have you done today in the Garden?

Today I was able to start some seeds. Some are an experiment - my first attempt at my own Gazania seeds, and onion seeds. Mystery onion seeds. The only wee flower that the deer didn't eat - so we shall see. It's a bit late but nothing ventured nothing gained.

I've tried the Rhodochiton Purple Bell Flower seeds for the first time also. They look so pretty, and were offered at my Northern Seed company, so it's exciting. Fingers crossed that they germinate. I would love to see them in a hanging basket on the deck.



I used the last of my Cupid's Dart seeds up. And sowed my Sage and Parsley.

The rest of my seed sowing shenanigans will be on hold for a few weeks and see what life offers for time.

I also potted up two wee miniature roses. One for me, and one for Eileen. Fingers crossed they have a good spring indoors and have a lovely summer on the deck.

 

Thanks Melody, just over 50 bushes.
Last year hubby had both of his hips replaced so he's raring to go.

 

The garden has had to fend for itself for a few weeks as it's been too wet to do anything. I might do a bit this afternoon if it stays dry, But the garden has been doing a bit by itself. These primroses were a present to my wife from a friend. There were eight in a bowl for an indoor display. After they died off, I planted them out. This is the second year all eight have flowered, here's a couple.





There's some animal poo on the lawn, but I doubt if it's hedgehog. I am going to sort out the houses soon, which were abandoned at the end of last summer. The moss is always a problem along this border. It takes until the middle of the year for the grass to recover.

Our snowdrops are out again this year and have spread more.





I bought six of these heathers for these wooden troughs, they did so well there's only room now for two in each.




So I've put the others elsewhere. One is in this ceramic pot next to the front door. I can change it for either a rose or an azalea as they are all in plastic pots.

 

Not the type of weather to be messing to much in the garden. Since the last Artic Blast to a thaw we have gone from one extreme to another. Yesterday day sun shinning blue skies.. it won’t be long til spring.cherry trees are flowering.

 

Very, very nice posting, Riley.

Today we worked in the moisture, pruning the Buddleja’s. Carted off a huge sand bag of twigs to the HVC, our place to take garden waste.

 

I found a spell dry enough to prune the roses which are sprouting like nobody's business. If it stays dry I'll give them a go over with Sulphur Rose again tomorrow.

I've brought the second hedgehog house out of the shed and positioned it to the left of the doorway in the fence, a couple of yards away. Although it doesn't leak, I think it got too damp for them in the bottom corner of the garden. I'll set a camera up to cover the doorway in the fence and the hedgehog house. I needed some of those green metal canes to position around the entrance to prevent cats stealing the food, when I start putting it out. But as Wilko's closed, it'll have to be a trip to a garden centre tomorrow.

 

I have not gotten much done in the garden, I am still working on that quilt when I can.

However, I bought yet another blueberry bush, this one is bluecrop and planted it next to the other one (separate containers), and gave it a milk jug cover for now.

My seeds are beginning to sprout. So far the broccoli and spinach have sprouted. I did manage to put that stick thing into a pot of spider plants and it is staying put, and the grow light is aimed at my seed trays. I think it needs to be closer, but have not figured that out yet. I got a folding table to put them on, but it has a hump in the middle from not opening right. The store would exchange it, but oDS does not see the need to haul it back to the store, and yDG has an ear infection at the moment and had to get antibiotics. Anyway, my seeds are beginning to sprout. I forgot to get another USB/ac adapter or two when in town, so I can only use one at the moment.

I am still trying to figure out where to plant my new rhubarb plants. Maybe sunday or monday, I can get out there and plant onions and rhubarb?

Q. could rhubarb be planted in a 55 gallon plastic barrel? the black walnuts would not get them there.

 

Rhubarb would do great in any container. Even the deer , gopher leave that one alone. As long as it get sun shine it will do great.
Very impressed with all your seeds sprouting already. Blueberries are outstanding fresh.

Sorry to hear yDG ear infection. Sounds miserable. Sending healing blessings your way.

 

I moved some dirt. Specifically, there were some sizeable holes in the ground from a rock garden that I decommissioned last year, reverting it back to lawn. I filled most of them to levelness.

 

Nothing today I'm going out to see my friends.

 

Looking forward to more hedgehog action.

 

It was one step forward and one back today.

I went to Dobbies the nearest garden centre for some metal "canes" and some hay, I also bought three small lavender plant to replace some in a big tub that died over winter.
I positioned the second hedgehog house behind the rhodos near the doorway in the fence. The 3ft canes I cut in half and positioned around both entrances with garden twine to stop cats getting at the food when I put it out. If they come back, I think they will as they know there's food available, they'll be used to this sort of security measure.





As before, I made a tunnel with an entrance at each end, with a slate for the floor. It should stay dry under there.


When I mount the camera it will be positioned here, so will cover the doorway and the nearest entrance to the house. It's probably too early to put it out yet.





I pruned off quite a bit of a rhodo, as I need to be able to access this house.
But it's not apparent from the front.





I turned the water supplies to the two hose points, the leaky hose system, the sink in the garage and the water heater. They'd been turned off during the really cold weather.

The leaky hose has a big leak under some rhodos, something has probably chewed through it. The system is hardly ever needed, but won't be hard to fix. So I've turned that off again.

What will be slightly more difficult will be to fix this.

This was the original Santon water heater I had for forty years, it was second hand when I bought it.







It died a few years ago, so I replaced it with this. The plastic reservoir they have sprung a leak just over a year after I bought it.





I replaced it with another and I found today, that has sprung a leak from the reservoir!

It's just out of guarantee, but I can't be assed sending it back. It will be a lot of messing about.
I really didn't get what I should have, as the capacity wasn't that great, it was more for hand-washing.
I've ordered a new 2ltr capacity one.


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So I'll at least be able to fill a bucket with hot water. It'll be a doddle to fit, "I'm used to fitting them." It should arrive mid-week.

Fortunately, I provided a separate electrical supply to the heater with its own mini breaker. Its water supply is also separate from the sink. So I was able to turn both off before I ripped the heater off the wall. So all the other function of electricity and water in the garden are available.

 

Here the hedgehogs are already out but no pics I'm afraid.

Nothing today went to see my friends, tomorrow it's supposed to be showers.

 

Actually I've dug out the cameras, put new batteries in them, re-set the clocks and formatted the cards in readiness. The poo I mentioned in an earlier post may be hedgehogs. So I might put the cameras out tomorrow. There's been some bird food, peanuts and suet pellets in a big saucer in the bed next to the house, I fill daily, so maybe they've been there.

 

That's good look forward to any movement.