Gardening

[Stanley]

I'm monitoring the situation very carefully...... Grounds are going out each morning.

[Stanley]

Two cat muck deliveries picked up last night but significantly not where the coffee grounds are spread. I have adjusted the target area.....
Despite the cold weather everything in the front garden is sending shoots up, the mint is tough as old boots! Small very sturdy dark green shoots. Isn't nature wonderful!

[Stanley]

I plucked a couple of chive heads and fresh mint leaves from the growing shoots last night and chewed them. Lovely fresh flavours.....

[Stanley]

The front garden at 05:45 this morning. Not ideal growing conditions!

[Sue]

Well here we are in France, 13 degrees and sun with showers. The following is a report on my veggies I planted last time.

Potatoes, hardly any showing and those that are look dehydrated, the soil is rather dry.
Runner beans and French beans carrots and parsnips, no sign of anything. Those that were there have gone.
Peas, just shooting,
Broad beans looking healthy

Horseradish no sign of anything.

Borage ... No sign of anything.

Existing plants... Chard looking very good, asaparagus looking excellent, rhubarb shooting well, leeks looking good

Herbs...sage all three plants looking very unhealthy indeed
Chives just shooting
Rosemary looking good
Mint just shooting
Lads love growing well but needs pruning back.

Fruit trees in bloom but rather late this year.
Wisteria and cherry tree thinking of flowering, again rather late this year.

All in all a bit disappointing

[Sue]

Just thought, no weeds either so it has obviously not been growing weather. There may be a chance yet

[Stanley]

The cat crapped on the coffee grounds last night...... Deep Joy!

[Sue]

Perhaps cats are like people, some like coffee and some don't!

[Stanley]

It made another delivery yesterday.... must be getting used to the coffee!

[Sue]

Oh dear, back to plan B floral disinfectant sprayed on the surface of the soil. We did that before we discovered coffee. Not too strong though, you don't want to damage the plants or kill the soil bacteria. We used a weak solution of zoflora..

[Wendyf]

Still too cold for gardening!

[Sue]

Not here Wendy, people are planting up geranium pots ( not us though) 23 degrees forecast on Thursday 18 today, nights are about 5-6 degrees. No more rain forecast this week and thank goodness the cold wind has gone

[Stanley]

I used to sell Zoflora when I was Open All Hours.... I'll look into it. Have been considering a weak solution of Jeyes Fluid......
Wendy is right, usual drill here, wait another four weeks before putting tender plants out! Second week in June is Grass Time.

[Sue]

Jeyes fluid coul be a bit strong but worth a try I suppose. I worry about the plants but yours are mainly hardy perennial herbs. Jeyes fluid could burn
I can never put tender annuals out, they just rot, can't even grow geraniums outside.

[PanBiker]

Four bags of FYM yesterday after a trip up to Wendy's. (I rang to see if you wanted a bag Stanley but got no answer). One into each of the raised beds, rest of the front garden with a bit left for Sally's pots in the back yard. Our composter will be opened up for it's internal loveliness to finish off the preparation. Sally does all the titivating, I dig stuff and shift and carry when required.

[Stanley]

Thanks for that Ian but David will be attending to me after the election. We have an arrangement that benefits Barnoldswick in Bloom......

[Stanley]

I had a change of tack yesterday and put a thin scattering of fine ash from the stove on the cat's preferred area. I noticed last night it had shifted operations to another part of the garden so I picked that up and this morning I have dusted that section as well. I wish it would get the message!

[Sue]

Don't put too much on where there are live plants. It's ok dug into soil but leaves don't like it

[Stanley]

The mint seems to stand anything! But more to the point, it didn't work, the cat crapped in the middle of the ashes last night! The things we have to do......

[Sue]

Try a sign....cat loo ...and a big arrow pointing to someone or some place you don't like. Not that I have any evidence that cats can read but anything is worth a try.

[Tizer]

How about trying this: Silent-Roar-Lion-Manure

[Sue]

We tried that, our own cat totally ignored it !

[Sue]

Remember last years project, well here is an update. I can't believe it used to be nearly 5 feet high and reach to the silver birch, the lilac and the other small tree behind the elderberry.

[Stanley]

60 Years ago when Bob Taylforth farmed Priestholme Farm at Gargrave his neighbour during the winter was Robert's Circus who always over-wintered on what was called New Brighton. Bob used to take their muck and spread it on his land. He always said that the tiger shit was the most powerful, he had to make sure it was mixed with cow muck when it was spread otherwise it burned the grass off. He had people who were bothered by deer getting into their gardens coming for tiger muck. They reckoned it deterred the deer.
Sue, that's an achievement! Just shows what can be done by a determined woman with a pick and shovel!

[Sue]

Bob has had to take over as we have found huge lumps of reinforced concrete and concrete blocks. The blocks now make a nice edge to my veggie patch, the concrete blocks have been undermined and buried as they were too big to move manually. Now there is some surface soil full of small stones left to move. Another weeks work should finish it. The new grass we sowed is lovely, and the mound no longer over shadows my veggies.