Humph's Happy Horti-cult: harvesting, preserving, mulching, leaf-gathering, bulb-dibbing, seed catalogue-surfing and hunkering down for winter

[Lexilicious]

Following on from the original March to August thread. For all - whether still gardening through the winter or planning to sweep the shed, hibernate, sharpen the tools and get started again in the spring.

Happy gardening again!

re- garden gate sales... info about egg sales can be found on a small holders web iste... I'll go and see if I can find a link.
here Nothing obvious about bread tho.

I fell asleep in GW I am too old for this pg lark. Really hoping I start to feel better in a couple of weeks, I feel that gardening days are being STOLEN from me.

I am living vicariously through all your gardening work.

I am deeply, deeply impressed by the farrow and ball potting table.

I found out that goose eggs are going for £2.25 each in Abergavenny!

Oh dear, Humphrey. Perhaps you need to make yourself a soothing tisane from safe garden herbs?

I have been eyeing up potting benches online as part of my new-patio-and-shed fantasy.

Oh dear Humph, hope it gets easier very soon - thank goodness for iplayer. How much for a goose egg ?!

My potting table is nearly finished . I wanted something like this but bought this. I'll decide tomorrow if I'm actually sad enough to post a picture of it after a couple of coats of paint. It has made a big difference and not used much of the paint. Hopefully I can do two coldframes and a bench with the rest, though the bench might be pushing it. Found a little cupboard someone gave me so took the front off and chucked paint over that too. The flower crate fits nicely underneath and DS's Grassy head thing (currently bald) he did at cubs has pride of place. I'm pathetically pleased with myself !

Worselswife I would definitely buy from you . Was thinking of putting some plants outside myself.

Lexi, am impressed you have peas and beans to tie in, mine haven't germinated yet !

Bertha please enjoy Wisley for me, I'd love to go one day. You've put me to shame, my Oca are still in an envelope.

Maud, are Agapanthus easy from seed ? Did you find any good potting table porn ?

UniS, I like the phrase 'garden gate sales', makes me really want to sell something immediately, just sounds so wholesome!

Gah! I didn't bookmark where I saw the potting bench. It was pretty much like the one you've bought, Wynken. Is it big enough, do you find?

I have no idea how easy the agapanthus will be, but as the seeds were free at the seed swap I thought I'd take the chance. Let's say I never rely on my seeds germinating.

Maud you don't really think I'm going to get dirty compost on my potting table do you ?

When the paint dries properly I'll try it out. It possibly isn't big enough but have earmarked a camping table that can live behind it to give extra space if need be.

I thought one might do a bit of artistic and bijou potting with a lovely trowel from the 99p Store Burgon and Ball. ::wink::

Wynken my legumes are overwintered so quite big now. Apart from those lost to snow/frost... Didn't go out for hazels but I found enough bamboo canes in the shed for now.

This afternoon me and my friend, "helped" occasionally by one, two or all three 2/3 year olds, dug out almost all the gravel and clay where shed 2 is going to be sited. DH has a 10x7 foot tongue and groove monstrosity palace arriving a week on Monday and we need to have created the space and levelled the footing points somehow. I have a feeling my Mothering Sunday is going to involve a mortar trowel.

I found my Wilko's 99p potting scoop today finally, was in the compost bag. Obvious when you think about it. So I didn't need my Burgeon and Ball scoop after all. But will put it and the table to good use sticking strawberry runners in a hanging basket tomorrow.

What with potting table and DS working on his entry to the allotment scarecrow competition, I didn't get much gardening done. Did plant some snowdrops I bought recently and transplant some Japanese anemone seedlings but that was it. Will try harder tomorrow.

Lexi you are organised, please can you prod me this autumn, I always been to over winter them but don't.

Don't you mean you will be directing the proceedings with a mortar trowel from the comfort of your chair ? Lovely size shed, you can half each !

Lex - have put my spare borage seeds on the side in the kitchen so will try and remember to take them with me tomorrow. I'll PM you my mobile number so that you don't have to approach random people and ask if they have borage seeds...

Oh but that would be fun!! Ta, hope to see you there. Early pm most likely for us.

By the way - for those of you thinking of selling stuff, I'm currently trying to find a car boot sale that allows you to sell plants. Taking the idea for the car boot by my MILs that I went to and loads of people were selling plants. Unfortunately the one I usually do near here (to get rid of the annual cull of DDs crap toys) is attached to a garden centre/farm shop and they don't allow plants to be sold. I can't do a roadside thing as we're not on the road but will seriously consider a car boot or two if all my seedlings thrive.

Thanks Unis!

I just came back from a friend's house for supper. They just moved there. It's divided into flats but they all get to share five acres of land and a wood. She said they plant so many vegetables. I couldn't see it as it was dark but I'm going back there another time, and know I'm going to have a big attack of jealousy.

I finished moving the forgetmenots, and had a new lawn laid yesterday. I am so so happy. I am watching the edges of each piece eagerly to see if they knit together. I have watered the new lawn twice already.
The hellebores are flowering beautifully with the warm weather. I have gone for a geometric shape and as the garden is small, this has worked. So pleased I got the apple and plum and clematis in before the lawn arrived.

I am sitting amongst the camellias on battlesbury hill in wisley in warm afternoon sunshine and could not actually be happier at this moment. My boy has just told me I will get a sticker because I said thank you when he shared his raisins. Met bertha briefly for borage (thank you!) and now about to drive around and give friends some plants out of my garden.

awww

May I join this thread? I'm really excited about our garden this year. I'm a complete novice to gardening but last year (after completing our house extension) I started work on the garden. Pretty much took everything out & started again. This is its first full year and I didn't realise just how excited I would be at the prospect of all the bulbs, flowers & shrubs growing & developing

Lexi

Hello Freezing - it IS exciting, I totally agree. This is the first proper year for lots of bits of our garden, like the herb beds and the cottage border. DH is cutting the lawn and we have just bought a swing seat (old one broke) so I am really happy.

What a FANTASTIC day. I transplanted some more geraniums to the front garden and counted to see if most of the 350 tulips had come up. They have! Then I planted out all the aqueligia seedlings from MIL's garden, there were loads so that was pleasing.

Am feeling loads better after resting all day yesterday and have really enjoyed my day.

I had paragraphs in that

No gardening done today, but had a very pleasant day with friends, with a walk in a lovely park, counting the herons and smelling the mahonias!

Hello, Freezing. Welcome!

Hello Freezing. Be warned, it is addictive !

Beach for us today, warm enough for children and dog to paddle. Managed to sow a few small pots of wildflowers and plant up a hanging basket with strawberry runners. I am sad enough to post a picture of my potting table

Wynken, it looks FABULOUS.

Now I want a potting table! That looks lovely (and wouldn't look out of place in my hall with that paint job).

Wisley was lovely today - the sun was shining and the hellebores were out everywhere. A couple more weeks I think and it will be a lot more colourful though as still loads of daffs coming up and the magnolias will be out shortly too. Unlike mine which is still struggling and may yet not survive.

Welcome Freezing

Thank you both ! Shows what a pot of paint can do. I ordered two cold frames that were half price at the same time as the potting table so am doing them plus hoping there will just be enough left for the old bench that was here when we moved in.

Bertha, am very jealous of you and Lexi being at Wisley and you've reminded me that my Tesco Clubcard RHS membership hasn't turned up. I'll keep my fingers crossed for your Magnolia, one of my favourites.