Gardening: Hints and Help!

Had a phone all from son in the NE, a sudden interest in gardening began last year when a neighbour offered him some plants. I have to say when Mum and Dad previously offered the same the poor old plants withered in a forgotten corner. The phone call was a hopeful one about seeds, had we got any? We didn't have the ones he wanted so I directed him to a few places. I had another search on line myself and found Marshalls had quite a few things so I got some small squash seeds called Festival and they still had some plug plants available.  🌱

Not much to report. Yesterday I ordered up some ‘Enviromesh’ (crop protection). Today ordered more seed. Looking around, it seems the seed companies are snowed under with orders, one or two not even taking orders! I don’t expect to get said seed for 3-4 weeks, but that’s ok. My timber is supposed to be coming tomorrow 🤞

My plants are coming on nicely in greenhouse, flowers though, not veg.

Decided to have a burn up today. Lots of old wood and hedging to burn, nice and dry, so spent three hours carefully checking it for wildlife, and then a controlled burn in incinerator. Only found one frog hiding, which I put in pond. Cleared quite a lot. It’s the last area to be sorted, a former veg patch cum compost patch. Hoping to rake it flattish, membrane down and then bark over, and put some shrubs for colour in. At least I was warm. Last weeks warmth is a distant memory at the moment. Not complaining though. It’s been a month since we had rain now. Thankfully lawns are drying out finally.

“It’s been a month since we had rain now.”

When I cleared the future veg patch (last week), it struck me how dry it was. Could do with some rain 

Don’t say that please😱

With us, we can say that it's been almost an afternoon since we last had rain. The rice crop is doing really well and we're developing ebbed feet and trench foot

Steve

We had bits of rain/sleet/snow/hail on Sunday and again yesterday but it amount to very little.

I spend Sunday and the 8 previous days on my hands and knees with a handfork digging between through our flower beds. It had to have a real concentrated effort on it because we're on Essex clay. We've had the wettest time I can recall, and I've lived a few summers! Too begin with I couldn't walk on the grass, in fact the stepping stones were puddles 😲. 

The first 4 days were great easy turning lots of worms, day 5 hurt my hand arm and neck crusty and hard and not a worm in sight, so I watered 😲😲 in the afternoon despite forecast frost. Days 6-9 were easier but transplanting had to be watered every day! It looks lovely now and I await germination of scattered seeds and the energy to plant up what I have in pots.

I'm totally saddened by the news that nursery growers are going to have to destroy their plants and stock and possibly loose their businesses 😢😢.  It seems ironic that the year many of us tourers and non-tourers will have the time to lavish on their garden not to mention enjoy their efforts at leisure! 

Stay safe and keep gardening 😃

Yes I saw that Bakers, although they don’t have to destroy them, they could simply be given away if they don’t want to tend them. Obviously not annuals. Won’t help their businesses of course, but better than destroying.

Our  local Nursery is doing veg/fruit, milk and eggs. If you have one of these delivered, they are happy to put gardening supplies on order as well, but not without. Delivery driver said their orders are booming. They are working with local farms, well organised, thinking outside of the box. It will be the Garden Centres, heavily reliant upon cafes, gifts and footfall that struggle. 

Avon Bulbs are a well known nursery in our area, they were due to exhibit at Chelsea and locals were  invited to visit and purchase their surplus stock because Chelsea was cancelled but it looks like everything is on line now. Not cheap but some unusual plants. There are still a lot of nurseries on line but it's sad for those who were supply chain only.

I'm waiting for various on line orders to arrive, most will come when it's a bit warmer but the seed packets will be here soon I hope...my excuse to keep out of the greenhouse until "someone" gives it a tidy up!!

I will take a look brue. We need more bulbs in garden now. Thanks.