What have you done today in the Garden?

She's a Beaut Daniel. Well done

 

I don't know. They continue to grow. Maybe a few more days?

 

I started raking yesterday. Cleanup from winter though more cold will come. I pruned roses and euonymus since this weekend marks the beginning of rising average temps here. It amazes me how many stones and mower mauling bits show up after winter rains. All debris is going to the burn pile in the garden for once last flame. Then I will spread the ash and begin getting the summer garden worked out.

 

Some of the seedlings have germinated.

The front two cells are basil seeds I saved two years ago. So they are still good. The middle two are RedWethersfield onion seeds from last year. Only few, so far.


Now I know, those Echinacea hybrids do not require stratification.



It's interesting, last summer I let some shallots set seeds. Those are germinating in the garden bed.



I think that at least 1/3 of the garlic plants have emerged. I was wondering if I planted them too deep. This is encouraging. I scattered slug bait around them today.


No daffys up yet. Oriental poppies look healthy.



I also hauled some of the cut firewood to the woodshed.

Chili Pepper seedlings.


It's nice to be starting some of the garden plants now.

 

Today I pruned the apple trees. It is the first time I used a lopper with a rope - and it was fabulous. A friend gave it to me 10 years ago when they moved, and I had forgotten about it.

I stayed close to the house today, so I spent the afternoon figuring out flowers for that needed stratification and when. I'm going to try the winter seeding for a few perrenials ( pasque flower, delphinium, columbine, and a couple others). Harvested free seed is a good time to learn. I will also stratify some in the fridge and see who wins. Pots were washed for the peppers and artichokes. I'm really hoping if all goes well I can plant tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed. The dirt was brought in to thaw by the woodstove.

@Daniel W - I figured out the Echinacea doesn't need stratification today too. It can be, but only like a 2% germination rate improvment. ( ermmm...mine's already in the fridge).

 

Mel, you are making me feel all excited. My fingers are crossed so tightly for you that you can begin planting.
You used the lopper, but how did you like it? Will you use it again?

Hey mate— you keep your peepers out for the blackies.

Daniël— Wow! Those germinations are impressive. It is so unimaginable seeing those oriental poppies. We will not be seeing ours for some time yet. In fact itis freezing here st the moment and snow is expected tomorrow. Burrrrrrrrrr.

 

The seedlings are looking good @Daniel W

 

Those are great tools @Melody Mc. I use mine a lot.

@Sjoerd it's interesting reading about gardens in such different areas. I think .i remember, some of your bulbs are growing. None of mine show any signs of life yet. But my poppies and irises are growing. The hellebores are swelling, too.

Today is volunteer in am and Spanish in pm.

 

It froze overnight, still only 0c

I pruned a bit more off next door's trees yesterday. But I need to borrow the green bin from the vacant house across the road for them as mine's full and it's collection day tomorrow..

 

It's -1c at the moment so not doing much outside. Keeping my eyes on the eurigeron and lupin seedlings that have come up.

 

I did some more pruning of the neighbours trees yesterday, so now no branches overhang our garden. I had to borrow the green bin from the vacant houser across the road, as I'd filled mine during the last week. Collection day is tomorrow, so everything will be back to normal after tomorrow.

Presently 0c.

 

Today I planted the peppers. Two Aruba stuffing peppers ( like an Anaheim), two Big Chilis ( for relanos), one Jalapeno hybrid ( La Bomba) that is supposed to be large and mild ( for Poppers), and four Sweet Banana. Four varieties of onions ( Spanish Candy, which we loved and are still loving this year), ( Genesis - a globe shaped storage onion) and two small sowings of Ailsa Craig, and it's hybrid sister Exhibition. It would be nice to have some large sweet onions, even if they are not keepers.

I sowed the Giant Musselburg leeks, about twice as many as last year. ( @Sjoerd hoping and planning to freeze some ). Three Echinacea (@Daniel W - you introduced me to this one) and two Artichokes. PHEW. It's done....and now it starts.

I'm using germination heat mats for the first time ( @marlingardener - you mentioned these to me as a suggestion for managing the cool room the plants are in- thank you ). Tomorrow I will bring down the tent and move the party into there. Right now I just have a bit of plastic draped over, as other tasks need the remainder of my day.

There is a little bit of all of you Stew, brewing in the growing room. Makes me happy.

 

I loved the lopper Sjoerd. It let me do the pruning without packing a step ladder into the snow, and lord only knows how stable that would be anyhow. It was really simple. I got the cord tangled up in the spurs of the apple tree a few times, and a couple times I had them backwards. hahaha. BUT once I had it broke to ride, it was fabulous.

 

Loppers that have a slip notch work well for many size branches and easy on the arms. the loppers open to several different sized branches with notches to size up or down to fit the branch and will take three or more closings to easily cut a 2-4” branch . Called anvil loppers with gears on Amazon. I have had mine over 20 years..…

 

I used my over a decade old Fiskars tree pruner on next door's trees and the big acer in the front garden.
It was operated by a cord with a ball on the end.


https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https://www.s10supplies.co.uk/product/fsk115350-fiskars-up53-anvil-tree-pruner/&psig=AOvVaw2YztlTnfA5ziljoOQY8V9H&ust=1674079369458000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA8QjRxqFwoTCJD0gePNz_wCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE

To extend it to double its original length, I rammed a length of polypipe on the end of the shaft and taped it, then bought a length of dowel of a suitable diameter to slide up the pipe to strengthen it. I extended the cord and put a wooden handle on the end.
This enabled me to bring more force to the cord. With the blade sharpened every year, it's surprising how easy it is to prune quite thick branches at a distance of twenty feet.