What have you done in the garden today? Part 6

[MereDintofPandiculation]

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

My least favourite job today- emptying the compost bins and turning them. Feel very virtuous when it's done! I need a section of fence replacing which is behind the bins so I need to make it accessible. Not actually my fence but belongs to two separate neighbours but I need to dog proof my garden and they clearly have no intention of doing anything about it.

I have picked stones out of half a bed in the back garden before giving up as my fingers were freezing.

However my new winter gardening trousers and muck boots are amazing, thank-you Father Christmas.

Moved a couple of cyclamen lurking in the back garden to the front - delighted to see hundreds of bulbs peeking through.

I read somewhere and I can't remember where now, that lavender should either be pruned in Autumn and if not then wait till early spring. It shouldn't be pruned in winter. I have lavender that needs pruning too so I'm not sure what to do now.

Oh dear, mine is being done tomorrow! Realised I'd forgotten it and it is busy growing back already.

I have started getting my vege patch ready for next year. Weeded around the garlic (I love my little onion hoe so very much) and spread some partially-decomposed compost to try to encourage the worms (the bin was full so I had to empty it). I also dug a trench to take the less decomposed stuff and covered that over again.

Am currently (hah!) trying to decide where to put my blackcurrants that are in pots atm.

And I discovered that the tree-removal people left some stumps in so I need to try to get them out. But I am weak and there is a slightly dodgy wall right beside so am not sure best course of action. It's a viburnum, so it's super-keen to regrow. Am hoping that chopping off any new growth will mean it can't make food and will thus die off eventually.

Oh, It’s a red letter day for me when I get to the bottom of a bin and can decant the half rotted stuff from the next bin! Love doing it! Probably wouldn’t enjoy just emptying out and putting back again but I never do that

I have picked stones out of half a bed in the back garden before giving up as my fingers were freezing. Always catches me out. Bright sunny day, you’re feeling warm as toast, but everything you touch, including the bushes you’re pruning, is icy!

I would imagine that the advice is linked to “don’t prune in frosty weather”. I imagine all bets are off this year.

Does pruning lavender in winter affect next year's growth? If not, I will get mine done now too.

Was going to have a garden day, but had a Call from the nursing home. Dad’s OK, but may not see his 102nd birthday. Running on autopilot at the moment (me not him)

@Rosemaryandlavender1 I live in a very warm part of the UK at the best of times. It's spring in my garden right now as it's so mild. And the tender plants I couldn't be bothered to take in, are all thriving.

So I think I can get away with it but it depends where you live.

@MereDintofPandiculation thinking of you, it's so hard as when someone reaches that age it's hard to imagine life without them.

I am in a, usually, cold part of the UK and I have three flowers on my Iceberg rose and yesterday I noticed a flower coming out on a cowslip. My indoor (cold conservatory) perlagoniums are still in flower too. I have planted a dozen tulips today, and hacked out a few more brambles with the trusty mattock!

I haven’t done any gardening. I’ve been ill and the weather is unwelcoming. But Ihave noticed that 1 of the large potted French lavenders at my front door, has died. Shall I buy a couple and replace the dead one with both, or remove both or replace both? I would welcome suggestions. It’s west facing, quite sheltered, the pots are large and they share with santolina. I dont know why it died.

Thinking of you @MereDintofPandiculation

Are you sure it’s dead and hasn’t simply lost its leaves? Cut it back gently from the tips and see whether you get away from brown dead stems into stems with a layer of green.

If it’s dead, you need to know why. Look at the soil. I doubt whether it’s drought, unless the house is sheltering it from ran. Is the soil wet and claggy?

Replace the soil in the pot. This will mean digging up the Santolina too. Look carefully at the roots, see whether they look healthy.

No need to replace both lavenders, except for aesthetics.

Thank you @MereDintofPandiculation , that’s my task for the next clear day now I have a plan. Pretty sure it’s dead though, and it’s twin is thriving in the same conditions. Plants are weird.

Yesterday I did lots more pruning and cutting back. Lonicera henryii, Vitis coignetiae, coppiced my hazels, cut back an overgrown Rosa glauca, had a go at next door’s apple which is crowding my medlar.

Your garden just sounds like an absolute dream

Whose? (Not mine, I know)

I mowed the lawn today! Raked, tidied and removed some leaves, pulled up some creeping buttercup and dead stems from the hardy geraniums. Filled two large baskets and still left lots for habitat piles.

I took the cover off my compost to add kitchen waste and found rat runs. Lots and lots of them. I know, where you have compost you will usually find rats but that does not make me relaxed about it. I also border a paddock and have chickens so no chance of going rat-less but I need to decrease the surplus population. What to do?

I don't want to poison them, not for their sake but for the sake of other wildlife. I am wary of using fenn traps because I have hedgehogs in the garden and it has been mild enough that they could possibly be out and about. I don't want to take a chance, anyway.

What can I do that only gets the rats??? Has anybody had any luck?

So sorry about the rats. I have a horror of them, due to a home infestation that cost us tens of thousands to sort. They are very sensitive to noise, so I wonder if some high pitched whiny thing would get them gone. I don’t know if such a thing is commercially available.

Lots on Amazon

Sorry I put in a link which failed and I’m going out now.

@ILikeDungs in your situation I'd get a professional vermin specialist to rid you of those rats. They will have to kill them, no getting away from that, but you need them to do a thorough job of it so you aren't overrun with them.

You can also get them to check your garden and give you advice on keeping things under control to ensure you aren't creating the environment that encourages vermin to congregate. If you're near any livestock farms in the area, that could give them food sources to thrive.