Zoomer44

Cutting back ferns

I usually leave mine till spring. I've a deciduous one in a pot which is currently dying back, so will be moved, when it becomes to unsightly, to a spot out of sight. The evergreen ones are in the ground, dead leaves aren't taken off until the spring for any of them.   

Talkback: How to mulch your beds and borders

There was a discussion not long ago about putting on layer after layer each year of mulch, compost, manure etc...and as no one had a bed which reached the height of their house yet  the conclusion was it rots down   have some trust   

Clocks

Didn't make a huge amount of difference to me this morning, all the clocks altered themselves apart from the one in the car and alarm clock.

What a difference now, it's pitch dark outside 

Where have all my beans gone!.

Thanks, Geoff for the reasurance. 

I've just bought some new varieties for next year, the type which can be dried for eating but wanted to sow some of this years varieties next year too and didn't want to purchase them. Saving seeds is something of a learning curve, I was hoping for lots of seeds to swap but if there's a dozen seeds from each plant, I'll be happy.

Know what you mean about the weather, beans have done really well here though and as they grow up rather than taking up ground space are ideal for a small garden veg grower.

Where have all my beans gone!.

Thought I'd try saving french/runner bean seeds for next year, how difficult can it be? Gardeners have been saving seeds aince Adam was a lad, so left some on the plants to dry. It's been so wet though some are going moldy on the plant so I've picked them all and put them in the GH to dry. 

Some pods although fairly large didn't appear to have any beans in them and so I' had a sneaky look and they don't have any beans in  and in others the beans are ever so tiny, is there anything I'm doing wrong or is it case of being patient, and, wait and see? .

What's the weather like in your area?

It's rained all day here and it's still raining, not a day for gardening. So pleased there's not much to do by way of putting things to bed for winter. I've some potting up to do, may take some more hard wood cutting and the beds want some muck on them before it gets really cold. Dahlias want lifting and a few other small jobs.

Collected some bags of muck from local farms today for next year, took my fork this time to have a delve in the bags, last year I ended up with more stable bedding and wood chip  than actual muck and had to make a trip to the tip with it. Would you just believe it, some farmers fill the bags 3/4 wth rubbish, with just a topping of muck and of course you don't know until the bags are at home being emptied.  .   

What's for tea?

Shrinking Violet, Garlic, toms, onions and chillies were home grown and herbs. Peppers were, sadly, disappointing this year  . I've just ordered some different varieties of peppers for next year, hopefully they'll prefer the British climate.

What's for tea?

Chilli and rice with garlic bread. I made a huge pan of chilli a few weeks ago trying to think of ways to use up a glut of toms and froze it.

What's the weather like in your area?

Clear skies and sun here in this part of the NW. A frosty morning though and a tad bit chilly all day but no rain.

What's the weather like in your area?

It's gone very cold here in the NW down to 3 degrees this evening and dropping.

I've not had chance to get in the garden this week, sadly the Christmas spuds have been neglected and the foilage has all but died  will see what's in the bags at the weekend.

Bolting onions....

Black spot...

Painting a trellis...

Repotting a Christmas Tree...

Veg to sow in February...

Stored home made liquid seaweed feed...

Moving flowers...

Which spuds to get...

Clearing snow...

Hard wood cuttings...

Where have all my beans gone!.

Growing fennel bulbs...

Growingspuds for Chistmas...

Saving bean seeds...

Saving tom seeds...