What have you done in the garden today? Part 5

[MereDintofPandiculation]

What have you done in the garden today? What went well? What surprises have you had? What could have gone better?

I’m disabled so struggle with any gardening (have to pay someone to do most of it) but I try to do a tiny bit at a time if and when I can.
Today I managed to pull out some creeping jenny which had crept too far by sitting on my rollator and using a rake and also tied in a couple of wayward climbing roses.
Then came indoors and bought yet another rose, Gabriel Oak for my new big planter.

I’ve cut my grass, weeded my beds and raised beds, and most excitingly, ordered a climbing star jasmine for a shady fence.

The fruit and vegetables are starting to appear now, it’s all very exciting!

Thanks for the new thread!

Someone bought me a lovely hori hori knife, so today I gave it a pre-usage treatment and it got its first use.

I also wanted some sweet peas as I'd put off sowing any because I was going to sow real peas but I forgot. Silly me.

Went to b&m, big one with a garden centre. The only sweet peas they had were 9 pots of multi-sows that were all basically dying, but they were 10p a pot so I took them all, separated the ones that were still green from the yellowing ones that were simultaneously crispy and soggy, and got those in the ground and helped them up some small obelisks.

I am also looking for a new obelisk for my grape vine, if any one has any suggestions. I got a cheapo one for my honeysuckle and it's just not the vibe any more so want something different for the grape.

Lovely new thread!

We're in France currently and I'm missing my garden. But have been delighted by some surprisingly beautiful municipal planting in the towns and villages round about, as well as enjoying the shedloads of self-seeded flowers (verbena, buddleia etc) that seem to abound in every nook and cranny. Plus, every other front garden we pass appears to be chock-full of roses and wisteria. It's rather lovely but I do want to get back to mine!

I buy leather gloves in charity shops for gardening. They are much better than any "gardening glove"

If they get super muddy or stiff I slap some leather cream on them.

We have loads of patio pots. They got no love last year as I was ill. Husband has put them all up on the table for me. I've weeded and replanted with a variety of plants. Mint in one pot, dahlias, cosmos, lavender in others,I like a cottage garden style mix.

The patio needs to be swept but the pots are looking better.

Now the garden proper needs weeding. Maybe tomorrow.

I sat in the garden with a glass of wine and noted what needs doing.

Today I netted up my blueberries and gooseberries to keep the greedy pigeons off.

I also kicked off my red pepper experiment. I’ve raised four seedlings in my hydroponic system, and today I transplanted one into a patio pot, one into the greenhouse, one into a raised bed in full sun, and left one in the hydroponic system. I want to see which, if any, is most successful.

This is genius.

I have some sensory issues and muck, mud and plant sap can be really upsetting but so can uncooperative thick dexterity limiting gloves.

I've never considered leather gloves for gardening but I do love leather gloves in winter.

Thank you for sharing this tip

Watered it topped up bird food and bird bath, sat in it drinking Pimms and eating crisps

We have too many pigeons but also have cute baby blue tits. How to keep the pigeons away. I think the bird food will stop in a couple of weeks. My gooseberries will be getting bigger then too

I cleared a bed to plant Queensland Blue. Almost finished but not quite because DGC passed on his lurgie to me and I feel sorry for myself.

Wiped scale bugs off my apple tree. I didn't even know apple trees could get scale bugs.

My newer apple tree tends to get scale bug. Being lazy, I trust the blue tits to deal with them.

Fecking snails have had all my beans. Grrrr.
The wet spring has definitely caused this to be The Year of the Snail.

The frogs seems to be keeping the slugs down but guess the snails are too crunchy a mouthful.
Rosemary going mad. My bush needs a trim!

You sat in the bird bath? what about the poor birds?

My bush needs a trim!

hear hear!

Did do a heavy prune on some roses today though. Not sure if nows the right time of year for it but they flowered in January and they were looking a bit grim.

Also tried to get over my fear of ladybirds today by getting down on my knees and observing one, then it opened its wings up and it freaked me out so much I fell backwards and the neighbour came out to ask if I'd had a fall. I'm not even 30. 😭 I didn't have a fall. I fell over, there's a difference.

@Jimmyneutronsforehead that sounds like a scene from a sitcom!

I painted my garden gate - the paint I found was amazing - it went on like a dream, second coat after an hour and guaranteed for 15 years! The shed and garden bench are getting the same treatment.
A few purchases - a gorilla cart which was a bit fiddly to put together but it works much better for us than a wheelbarrow - ordered some foldable ramps so I can get it past the steps - should make deliveries of mulch and compost a lot easier to transport around the garden..
My half whiskey barrel arrived and today we're off to the garden centre to choose some plants for my mini pond.

I'm also a Marigold gardener

being the eco warrior that I am ahem, my Marigolds have many lives. They start out in the kitchen, then when they go a bit stained and brown around the edges, out they go to the greenhouse for seedlings and potting up and on, and finally they get relegated to the garage where I wear them for cleaning my bike. Even if they've got small holes in them, they keep my hands clean when I put WD40 on my chain (messy job).

Today is dahlia day, planting out and clearing the greenhouse to create space for the growbags finallyyyyy. It's been a very slow start to the season, but I think we're there!

@daisychain01 Heading out into the wilds with my marigolds! I think they may be good for slug catching - so many this year and the frogs don't seem to be keeping on top of them.

Also love @umberelladay 's tip with leather gloves from charity shops. I shall be looking! I seem to go through so many gloves and the ones I'm currently buying from Amazon just don't seem to last.

DH (80s) got a concession from his GP that falls on mountains, while climbing, or while caving don’t count

Keep going with the ladybird therapy (says I, with a much more bizarre and irrational phobia which I’m doing nothing to overcome). It’ll make life easier. Maybe instead of observing them for a long stretch, perhaps to begin with you could look just long enough to count the spots? Hopefully the passion to add a new pattern to your “collection” would override the anxiety/nausea or whatever way your phobia manifests itself.

Marigolds are the handcovering of choice for many a bearded caver

I love growing marigolds. I infuse them.to make a gorgeous golden calendula oil,which is great got the skin.

Cut back my big rosemary. It has finished flowering now, and was threatening to take over one end of the patio and half the seat, so it had to have a trim.

Dug all the weeds out of the cracks in the patio slabs and swept up the resulting mess.

Weeded the bonsai trees on the patio, and pruned, fed or watered the ones that needed it. I'm now drinking tea and contemplating my next move, which is probably to tame the butcher's broom by the back gate, which has decided to lean over and attack anyone passing through. Prickly customer, that one.