jo4eyes

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Caz W wrote (see)

... and then they say "I've cleaned the oven for you" or "I've cleaned the sink for you"

Yes OH does some sort of cleaning when at little house. But I've noticed that his previous initial houseproud behaviour has deserted him. So I always sort things out on the Monday morning before I drive back home & he's at work. I refuse to mop the kitchen floor though, just sweep it.

Sorry folks, afternoon.

Daughter been for lunch- soup followed by pancakes, for her-& has filled her car with more 'stuff'. We'll go up sometime on GFriday with more things & she'll be here to eat on Easter Sunday.

It's brass monkeys outside! We've no snow left, daughter says garden covered but roads/pavements clear. OH says still snow everywhere, but as can hear traffic going into town the main road must be clear.

I've been copying recipes from one of daughter's cookbooks. She now wants it. The printer/copier running out of ink I think, sorry OH. Need to sort through them next & put into my file of recipes in the kitchen. J.

TIPS ........

I'm another that uses pieces of pegged down pea netting across prepared soil, just as TJ suggests.

I also do the same with pots of bulbs in the Autumn, thus foiling the blackbirds, who root about in the compost thus displacing small bulbs & squirrels who dig about in any uncovered pot!

My tip- when pricking out seedlings into bigger modules/pots, add a small cut off piece of coloured drinking straw as a 'label' for each seedling. Then add the same colour straw to a pot that actually has a label. That way you only use one label, but you can tell which tray of seedlings are which, simply by looking at the colour of the straw! So no surprises at flowering time. It is also saving money, ie fewer labels needed & the effort of recleaning them at the end of a season.  J.

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Ooh Becks, still got some batter in fridge...... Was planning to do my rolled up ones, filled with garlic cheese & grilled for tomorrow, but maple syrup would be yummy. J.

Plant cuttings?

Gardengirl.. wrote (see)

verbena bonariensis how do you take cuttings of that I have that one?

If you referring to your plant in the garden, then now is not the right time to try cuttings off what is probably by now a dying back stem.

If yop took cuttings last summer/autumn, then they could already be producing side shoots which are this yrs cutting material- as Lyn said. Job for me over the next couple of weeks. J.

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I see the thread has degenerated into smut again.

Am on a roll with sorting out the paperwork/folders. Ok wont touch OH's tax nor pension ones, bet I end up doing them eventually, but for now have a big pile of rest on the sofa. Can continue whilst watching TV. Unbelievable the junk papers that have stored, & get sent with whatever, so wheeely bin is filling up nicely again & shredder being hammered.

It's already below freezing out the back, no more real snow here thank goodness. I'm nice & snug & well fed. J.

Plant cuttings?

You can split/move herbaceous plants now though, providing your soil is workable.

If you've any pelargoniums that you've over-wintered, then they could provide you with cutting material about now.

If you took fuschia cuttings last season, they are sometimes now big enough to provide you with more cuttings & thus effectively pinching out the parent plant (last yrs cutting) at the same time. Ditto penstemons & verbena bonariensis.

Remember that any cuttings of those plants taken now will still need total protection from the present weather. J.

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Jam buttie time here. No wonder the weight has piled on.... paperwork getting done though.

Becks those stirfry 'kits' are fine, but just as easy to buy/grow some vegs & do your own. That way you can get what Jess likes to eat. Just use any old frying pan, hot oil & fry them! dash of soya sauce at the end, add some quick cooked noodles & it's Chinese. Do any bits of meat/chicken first in same pan before you throw in the vegs- less washing up.

It keeps trying to snow a bit out there, all this mornings' has gone. J.

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Geoff, what have you done to deserve all this attention?

Have made a start on paperwork. Been shredding stuff. Need to clear bed nxt so I can really sort out that box!! Then will need to file lots away, but then the files could do with a sort out too.......

So am having part of lunch early, well breakfast was long time ago, then more painkillers even though feel ok. Know that if I dont continue with them will not feel ok!.

Snow's melting, but maybe we'll get some more? J.

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I'm still here Bunny.....

No really will go & make a start now.

Oh no, yet another parcel for OH. He's discovered e-bay shopping. J.

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Ironing done, she says looking for something to do not involving that paerwork sort out.....

OH just phoned. Thick snow falling now there & from early on he said- NEast Derbyshire. He made it down to town, where market a bit thin & cheese shop lady said t'was just as quick to walk in as drive.

Right, am going upstairs to make a start...... J.

Care & maintenance of elderly Bramley apple trees.

Suggestions for planting in a sunny, boggy site.