What have you done in the garden today?

[ThreeRingCircus]

I thought it would be a nice idea to share what we've been up to in our gardens.

Today I planted potatoes in buckets (with drainage holes drilled into them.) Six buckets in total, three second earlies and three main crops. I have fond memories of digging up potatoes with my dad when I was a child.... I still get excited rummaging around in the buckets when my potatoes are ready!

I also made up a herb planter from an old plant pot that had been hiding behind the shed. Mint, parsley and thyme planted in that so I'll see how that does.

I fed my pot plants with blood, fish and bone and gave them a water.

What have you been up to?

@JamMakingWannaBe 😏 yep, done that a few times too.

My grass is overrun with dandelions, what is the best way to remove them ?

I planted a couple of hyacinth bulbs. They'd been in indoor pots and have died off now so I've popped the bulbs in the garden to hopefully regrow next Spring.

I stared sadly at my Cornish Palm which is severely frost damaged and showing less and less signs of reshooting at all.

I need to clear up the fallen leaves that have accumulated in piles around the garden and tidy the pond but I'm waiting for a warmer day to do that.

IMO? Resolva / Roundup.
Others will advise you to use a manual weed remover.

Either way, when your propagation tray is free of baby seedlings, sow some grass seed (Wilko sell it by the kg). You can then use your plug to fill in the holes in your lawn where the dandelion was.

I planted some ferns at the back of a shady border in the garden and… my first ever sweet pea seedlings at the base of an obelisk. I’m in bed now listening to the rain pouring down and feeling rather sorry for them!

The rain was ridiculous here last night too! I was also wondering whether everything in the garden would be ok!

I remove dandelions in the lawn by pushing a flat headed screwdriver into the ground next to them and digging them out that way. They have a long tap root. Then I fill the hole in with a handful of compost and a sprinkle of grass seed and give it a water.

Bless him! At least he was having fun!

@JamMakingWannaBe

This is a fabulous idea. I'm going to get a couple of trays of grass going today. To try and do something about all the pee patches from the dog!

Lots of pruning , hydrangea and Roses mainly. Moved some bulb pots into a sunnier part of the garden, had a good sweep up of remaining leaves at the front. Cut back my lavender a bit more, it’s still splitting in two even though it’s short , I’m wondering if it needs replacing tbh. Any ideas?

Nothing, it’s bloody cold and been pouring with rain for days, feel as grumpy as hell 😠

It poured down all week here too! Luckily today is sunny and dry so I've made the most of it. Been round and inspected all the plants 🤣.... acer is coming into leaf and the hydrangea has buds on it. I've just cut the grass for the first time this year and I've thinned out my radishes. The good thing from all the rain is my lawn is looking very green and the water butt is almost full!

Could you dig up and divide the lavender into two separate clumps? Maybe it wants to be two plants instead of one!

Did some grafting onto rootstock...apple (old cornish varieties) and plum (purple pershore) grafts back in Jan, took them out the shed today, watered and outside but under cover, at least one looks like it taken!!
v pleased as never done grafting before, the NT at cotehele ran a workshop on how too.. also repotted a bathroom plant and an aloe vera.

But its so wet here atm, not a lot to do.

Good idea for thread @ThreeRingCircus

Managed to do some potting on today, also my recent seed sowings are germinating quite nicely.

The ground is like a bog but loads of dahlias and bare root perennials have arrived this week, so I can pot those up.

The upside of the rain is that the IBC we had installed is now full - 1000 litres of rainwater in about 3 weeks!

I had a good weed of the green shoots I am nearly certain aren't seedlings. Planted my sweet pea seeds direct in a pot and bought some grow bags in readiness for the spring. Oh, and divided up some hardy geraniums.

Pulled up 3 large trugs of the "thug" a plant with pink flowers that spreads underground and tries to take over the entire garden - leaving all my bulbs and roses getting swamped and covered.

And took the lid off my Lidl raised container on legs to let the air at the baby radish, lettuce, spinach and spring onion seedlings.

Topped up the compost on one of my raised beds, then sowed carrots, parsnips, leeks and beetroot before the rain came in again. Laid some trellis over it in an attempt to prevent the neighbours cats from using it as a toilet.

I also got all my potatoes in yesterday. Four varieties: Swift (1st), Vivaldi (2nd), Cara and Sarpo Mira (MC).

Fingers crossed for some decent dry spells tomorrow so I can get more jobs done.

Planted some carrot seeds with my son and some daffodil bulbs.
he then asked for the potatoes and onions… so I guess we’re getting them from the shop next time.

we cleaned the outdoor toys and swept the patio

but the most exciting part…. Hung laundry on the line!

Removed approximately 1 million sycamore seedlings! We've never had so many previously so I'm, hoping this is a one off bumper crop year. Every day this week I've taken out a whole bucket full of the things (makes it sound like the garden is ginormous which it isn't) as there are so many layers of them within the soil.

Peered yet again at all the new things growing - first spring in this house! Keen to get a sense of what’s here and going to emerge before doing anything too drastic.

Need to decide what’s going in the mini trugs this year. Might go to the garden centre tomorrow to top up the herby one.

Thanks for the thread, it’s giving me (potato shaped) ideas!

Oh I hear you!
I'm actually a little obsessed with digging the suckers up. The other weeds get ignored but I only have eyes for the sycamores.

I know I am going to have to succumb to the hoe soon but it's quite mindful pulling them individually!

Sycamore seedlings everywhere, lawn, borders, gutters and cracks between any stones/paving 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

I have tied my climbing rose, Constance Spry to rose arch and dug in some rose feed, tidied up some of the edges, and sat and admired my handiwork.

Yesterday I pruned my Cotinus right back to the base (I do this every year as I don't have the space for a fully grown one - it means I f do I r get the flowers but the leaves are the main for me).

Planted out a new berberis that I'm hoping will help in my battle with the local foxes, and a couple of perennial wallflowers.

Put in some plant supports (did this last year for the first time and I made a big difference to plants that flop or lean towards the light.

Lots of weeding.

Planned what I was going to do today (but haven't yet as it's tipping down!). Itching to get out and divide some alchemilla mollis (a la Monty).