Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 7 May 2017

Good Morning.  Greyer skies now, and it's rained a little in the night.

Annette - Begonias are beautiful, but when they die back in winter, you have to "lift them" and store them where it's dry and away from frost. Then you replant them in spring. Spiralisers are all the rage here: they turn your veg into pretty ribbons, nice for eating in salads or cooking up as veg spaghetti! I have a very small hand model but it's not effective on harder things like carrots, although I often use it on courgettes.

They've just been showing 15 sharks swimming off the coast right by some surfers, on our BBC News.

Off to shops with my OH, to enquire about a couple of repair jobs.

Here's today's pic:

"I'm not really fierce, I'm just laughing!"

Hello to all -

A lovely day here, so will do some more garden work. I did overdo it the other day ( see, you were right, those who advised me to take it easy!). I've sprayed some weeds today, only baby ones on the front drive. The drive is tarmac and it is almost impossible to pull weeds out. Hallyracket next door doesn't do anything about her weeds, so they are seeding freely and finding a nice home here.

The scaffolding arrived this morning, ready for the replacement of the fascia boards. Job starting on Monday. I got a bit nervous when the joiner said that what they will have to do depends on what they find once the existing boards ( around dormer windows)are removed.

LINDY - your pic of the elephant yesterday was lovely. Not so lovely was a programme that I listened to last night on the BBC World service. Elephants in Sri Lanka. I won't go into details except to say that there are many many elephants there. Some are considered sacred, and some not. Some roam wild and attack and kill people and damage houses, others are kept chained up.

Regarding the begonias - yes, they have been in the greenhouse all winter. I'm not entirely sure whether to overwinter them again. Likewise Pelargoniums. Our greenhouse is heated and given my poor knowledge about these tender plants etc, I don't think that it will be worth the money it costs to keep a heated greenhouse going through the often very cold winter months here. I could buy new plants for the same cost?

ANNETTE - Like LINDY, I was wondering about Lightening as an old cat, who cannot always remember the original training. My brother had four cats, now reduced to one. The same thing happened with two of them. They were peeing (and pooping) everywhere as they got old.

Heather -  It would be easier and cheaper in the long run, to buy new plants each year. People grow them at home for the satisfaction of it, but as you say, in your northern climate it costs a lot to heat a greenhouse. You will have plenty of gardening to keep on top of, on your own, without those kinds of things.

Been out shopping in the drizzle that we have here today. Not very successful in our mission, plus my OH took twice as long to get around Sainsburys afterwards! Did have the excitement of getting a replacement washing up bowl, though!

Morning all:

Heather:  We have a crop of weeds trying to take root too, courtesy of pesky neighbors. They have two teenagers and a couple of old ladies (the latter are at home all day and don't seem to do much) and I can't figure out how they can stand to walk out their front door every morning. Found one of them sitting on the low wall by our garage the other day, admiring our roses. Well yes, dear, but how about sitting on  your own front wall and pulling some weeds!  Argh!!   Ah yes, the hidden surprises of home remodeling/repairs....fingers crossed nothing bad is lurking.  Re the begonias, you could probably buy other plants for the same price; if so, buy ones that don't have to be babied over the winter.  Oh dear, sounds like things aren't going to get any better with Lightning.

Lindybird: A new washing up bowl?  How much fun is that!  :-))

Off to sort out the world....

Well, I am going to risk a big disapproving chorus from you all. It was simply too hot here today. There is no pleasing some folk, is there?

Tomorrow, youngest son in law is coming to prune our over tall camellia. Next door neighbour on that side is making noises about it, as it overhangs her drive somewhat and the petals drop on her side. It isn't the neighbour with weeds, it is the other side. They don't have a garden, have slabbed it all, back and front.

The blackbirds are singing happily, think they are nesting in the front hedge.

Off to watch Gardeners World and see what Monty Don is advising, this week.

We're just watching Monty Don, too. Love the dogs!  It's not been cold, here, but it's been damp. However, the gentle rain is much better than a downpour as that would probably just send the dust upwards, making everything dirty.

Have been laughing at the starlings today; there were several families of them on our lawn and the babies were as big as their mothers so looked quite comical with their beaks open, running after them.

Heather:  What!? Petals on the driveway?  Outrageous. :-))  Can't she trim it back on her side?  

LOL!!

In our street we have people who buy houses with lovely gardens and then they neglect them because they are not interested in gardening. Why not buy a garden-less house? There are plenty, named here town houses or courtyard homes. I think now we may be the oldest residents this end of the street. Another “sold” sign has appeared.