Good Morning - 21 March

Morning all.  Bright and sunny here and we may get as warm as 6C!   Maybe a little cuuting back of old perennial stems for me later on.

What are you all up to?

Hi Obs - probably going to re-pot/rescue some stuff, firstly the contents of two cube-shaped thingys which have disintegrated due - I suppose - to prolonged soaking rain + frost.  I hadn't expected them (the containers) to be prone to frost damage so was surprised when they simply fell apart a couple of weeks ago.  Made from some sort of plastic-based material I think - look like lead at first glance.............. not so durable tho' !

Good morning obelixx. Need to finish pruning and start new bed. Borders need clearing up. Weather been so awful it's been difficult to do anything. But going to daughter's for weekend so won't get much time in garden. Oh and big heap of ironing awaits!

Good morning, no grdening today, this morning I will be house cleaning Ready for visitors this afternoon who are staying over night. AND it looks like a decent gardening sort of day

Bunny - A trip to a garden centre sounds good.  I've just been out to buy more bird food and came home with trays of pale lilac primulas on special offer.

HCF - I think this winter of blowing warm and cold several times has done for a lot of pots and probably plants too.  I''ve just noticed a huge spilt in an upturned plastic dustbin being used to force rhubarb.    Come the warmer weatehr I usually use it to grow a few potatoes but it'll drain too fast now.  Bummer.

Rosa - cleaning for me too before I get out there.  Just learne dthat chappy is coming round this pm to sign the contracts for our damp proofing and the floor is covered in muddy paw marks..........

Nice thread...I'm keeping my eye on the weather forecast, sometime tomorrow I'm given to understand that my plot may be under 10/15cm of snow. So I'm taking advantage of the lull before the storm (as it were) and finish dividing the last of my perennials.....hostas especially today.

A tad cool, but not a bad day here so far.

Might they not sulk if they get snowed on after being split?   No hostas visible here yet, not even in the pots which hid in the greenhouse all winter and usually get a head start.   Maybe something to do with having a foot of snow on them last week.

Lots of wet stuff due this weekend and maybe snow again on Monday so no lifting and dividing here yet.

Hi Obelixx. It'slovely and sunny here in w Manchester and my basil (sown on Sunday) is germinating!!  

However, I'm getting really worried about the snow forecast for tomorrow and Saturday. I am driving to my daughter's in Birmingham tomorrow and from there to Bolsover (near Chesterfield) on Saturday for a watercolour workshop. Hope the snow doesn't stop us going as it's been booked for a while. Maybe we need to take a douvet, flask and shovel.   

And chocolate!

obelixx wrote (see)

Might they not sulk if they get snowed on after being split?   No hostas visible here yet, not even in the pots which hid in the greenhouse all winter and usually get a head start.   Maybe something to do with having a foot of snow on them last week.

Lots of wet stuff due this weekend and maybe snow again on Monday so no lifting and dividing here yet.

Yes, worth thinking about. Just took another peek at the forecast and it gives the nighttime temps for the next 5 nights as 0c, -1c, -2c, -4c & -3c. Of course, under snow it would be warmer, but I think I'll hang fire anyway.

Cold wind and it keeps trying to snow a little, lots to do in the garden, but this weather sets off my sciatica, so it's going to have to warm up a bit first.

Chocolate is out for me as trying to go decaf due to sleep problems - although do succumb occasionally.  

Definitely chocolate for emergencies though.  Comforting when cold or sad.  I too keep caffeine low and drink decaf all day otherwise I don't sleep well but sometimes, only chocolate will do the trick.

Chocolate's pretty good when you're feeling happy too but I hope your trip isn't snowed off and you don't need any chocolate.

I've just spotted roots peeking out from my tomato seedlings which i sowed in those little coir pellets.  i'll have to pot them on but tomorrow.  Got a man coming to sign damp proofing contracts in a mo and then I have to go out and see how the Hip Hop classes have been getting on in my absence.

DK - good idea to wait a few days till you're sure teh snow is gone and not coming back. 

Hi Obs

Just popping in to say hello - not staying, I've had a wretched cold and sore throat for 2 weeks now and been stuck indoors and to say I'm bored would be an understatement.  So I come on here to see what everyone's up to (and how cold it is in Belgium) and it looks like all hell has broken loose with thousands of Good Morning and Weather threads springing up.  The whole thing is like a renactment of the old BBC board in 2008 when people pushed their luck too far by opening too many chat threads and the whole lot got closed down. Plus ca change etc.  Yoohoo Netherfield - hello to you too.  I also see Boomerang Dave is having an 'on board' period. LOL!

On a sadly rather more serious note, I don't know whether this has already been reported on here but some of the old BBC boarders may remember Supermum8 aka Elaine Rolfe who was involved with one of the Gardener of the Year programmes.  She used to post interesting stuff about her work on her garden amongst other things.  Tragically her husband is terminally ill and they have been forced to move from the mill they were renting and that beautiful garden.  It's been in the papers here so I'm not reportining anything that hasn't been made public. To make matters worse the owners of the mill they were renting were going to charge her £5000 to rip out the garden they worked so hard on.  Monty tweeted about it and there was quite a backlash so the owners will no longer charge her but nevertheless the garden is still being destroyed. An article about it here http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/gwentnews/10289981.Llanover_mum_will_not_have_to_pay___5k_on_clearing_up_garden/

I'm sure those people who remember Supermum8 will all wish her and her family  the best.  I always used to find her posts on the messageboard quite inspiring.

Too cold to garden here but not quite the -40c or whatever it is Belgium gets.

RD xx

Hi Rhoda.  Sorry you've been poorly and hope it clears up soon.  I do understand about being confined to barracks and getting bored.   I was libreated form my orthpedic boot last Thrusday and am learning to wallk agian and can drive now.  So liberating.

We had a record 17C on March 4th and then -17C only 10 days later.  Plants don't like it, nor gardeners much.

I do remember Supermum and her garden and posts.  Such a tragedy.  Shame on the mill owners who, with a bit of effort, might have found someone willing to take it on.    All my very best to her if you are in touch at all.

I saw that about the boot - sounded horrific but then you said something about going to jazz dance and I had visions of you jiving around with one foot in this enormous heavy boot.  I'm not in touch with Supermum personally but know someone who can pass on a message.  I just find it unbelievable that the landlords couldn't find someone willing to take on the upkeep of the garden although no doubt it would be a lot of work, you would have hoped that people would jump at the chance but looking at the way people have ripped out lovely gardens in the houses near mine and replaced them with concrete I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise.

RD

I don't do Jazz dance.  I just look after it.  Hip Hop too.  Not doing any of my dancing this season as having new feet means I'm incapacitated.   I have till April 15 to get loads of house and garden jobs done before the boot is literally on the other foot after it gets done too.

I'd have thought someone wanting to live in such a place as the mill would love a gorgeous garden and don't understan anyone concreting any garden when there are so many attractive and practical alternatives.

Netherfield - how long have you had sciatica?   Must be frustrating.