What have you done today in the Garden?

Found Tetters Onion seeds in the fridge and sowed them. Don't tell Tetters

 

Just one job tackled today, pruning the acer in the front garden.

At this time each year, I take about a foot off it all the way round.

I've a Barnel telescopic pruner for the smaller branches and a long Fiskars lopper for the thicker ones, so no ladder required.

It's deceptive in this photo, in that it's quite tall for a small garden, it reaches up after pruning to the level of the top of the upper bay window. It's about twelve feet in diameter.

The growth of course, is uneven, so I have to keep stepping back to make sure I'm keeping it reasonably symetrical.

There's still one or two small branches that need seeing to, as any not pruned will "bolt."

But it's a pain of a job, as you're constantly looking up and the weight of the pruners at arm's length is tiring. Still, what's left will only take a few minutes.


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Riley, that's a major pruning job. Looks great, too.

I do similar with two sweet cherry trees. The goal is to keep them short enough to harvest without a tall ladder. This year I did stand in the pickup bed for some, and a short step ladder for others. They are not as big as your Acer however.

Today I leveled the ground to rebuild my last of five raised beds. I collected steel wire fencing to lay down and see if that keeps moles out. Also collected what may be the final pickup truck load of tree leaves, mainly Sweetgum. My garden will be happy. I want to add some annual flower beds next May, so spread the leaves about a foot thick in that location. I think that will kill the grass ans soften the soil significantly by May.

 

The tree does overhang next door's garden a bit. The previous occupants were never bothered for the three decades we've had it, but we're getting new neighbours so I'm hoping as I keep it to this size, they won't be bothered.



The foliage is very attractive in the spring.



As we're only into perennials, there's not much to do in the winter (I've enough other hobbies to keep me busy).
But I will sort out the wisterias. The one on the pergola on the back of the house will need the branches re-tying in places. I'll do it when it gets it's main prune between Christmas and New Year.
It's hard to get at when it's in full leaf.



I'll also thin this one out.



We've had it about four years now and my idea is to get it to "cascade."
This was it this year, it's making an effort but there's not the symmetry I was looking for, it's actually three plants the main white one and two blue ones at either end, self- rooted bits of a huge one that died which it replaced.





I'll wait for a dry day as I need to inspect the wood of the two pergolas for any rot, which I can only check on once the leaves have fallen. Occasionally, the end of a cross beam may get a bit but a dose of Cuprinol will stop it getting any worse.
The crazy York stone patios will need a dose of, "Wet n' forget."
I try not to use the jet-wash on them, as it always leads to a bit of necessary re-pointing.

 

Doghouse Riley, those are beautiful wisterias. Im guessing your other shrubs are azaleas? Lovely from a distance. Deer eat mine so I gave up on them.

I've been watching "Grantchester". This week I noticed the vicarage has some nice wisterias too. I had one over my deck but it's too strong a grower and it grew under my siding and pulled it away from the wall. I still like them.

 

In case we get any high winds today, I drove a couple more stakes through the big tub with the mimosa in the central bed to make sure it doesn't blow over.
I also took all the rose ceramic pots off their pot movers and pushed them up against something solid. If any got blown over the pots would break and they're nearly thirty quid a time.
Same with the tree azaleas at the bottom of the garden. I took them off their pavers and pushed them hard up against the tea-house.

 

@Doghouse Riley, it sounds like storms must be headed your way.

 

A buddleja blew over with the strong wind, so I had to cut it up and take it along with other solid debris like pruned twigs, rotted bed edging planks and other refuse that floats by in the canal.

 

Spent a couple of hours getting rid of wet leaves on the two patios. I also cleaned the pot movers (all fifteen of 'em) and replaced the rose pots on them. Too wet to tackle the last of the leaves on the two lawns, but the weather is supposed to be better next week so I can get them cleared then.

 

Spent a couple of hours getting rid of wet leaves on the two patios. I also cleaned the pot movers (all fifteen of 'em) and replaced the rose pots on them. Too wet to tackle the last of the leaves on the two lawns, but the weather is supposed to be better next week so I can get them cleared then.

 

Cut off the spent fruiting canes on some of the blackberry plants. Planted 3 hellebores.

 

Wow your all still busy out in the garden. It’s to cold outside , it’s winter here rainy/snow…. I pruned wisteria in Nov… before it was way to cold here. Will prune next year in March/April .

 

I still try to do a bit in-between the bad weather, still got some things to do because having my cataract surgery but now I can do things in-between preparing for Christmas and the weather.

@Pacnorwest you haven't put which country you live in on your profile, it does help.

 

Raining here with snow predicted. Plus I've been a bit under the weather. A hen died of unknown causes, I suspect an impacted egg. I buried her in the bed that will be squash next year. Not planning much outdoors today. I have some soil samples to test, so will do that.

 

@Daniel W sorry to hear about your chicken.
It's very mild here at the moment, hope to do something in the garden tomorrow.