What I did today 2012-2014

[Bigmallly]

Must remember never to make plans..........I had planned to spend the whole day shredding, did I do it?.........not on your nelly........I spent the whole day playing in the mud.............

[AllInContainers]

We live and learn eh, I have done exactly the same. I have a camelia in a very large and expensive pot that bellies out. I think I will let it flower and then perform a cameliaotomy, fetch it out in little bits. i cant face breaking that pot. But for all practical purposes they are a nuisance.

What a shame to have to smash the pots,have you tried to do a bit of relief work within in the pot first,as in,is it possible to het something like a fine fork,or one of those older type 3 pronged toaster kitchen gadgets,and give the soil a bit of a poke to try and relieve the pot a bit,so you can squeeze the roots out,then if needed you could maybe do an operation tie up of the roots to help,don't give up without a challenge,

Yes it was sad, and we'd tried everything we dare to free them without using the big hammer - but the plants have got to the level where they're now worth more than the pots (to me at least), so getting them out in one piece without causing damage was the most important thing. The one's they're now in are tapered properly, so I know I'll not have that issue with them again.

As for the pot the apple was in, I'll be sure not to do the same again, and will either use it for a plant that won't grow as large, or use it for putting a number of smaller plants in

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

The Agapanthus are a bit of a challenge. At this time of year they ought to be nearing the end of a long sleep, whereas those ones look like they've been up all night.

I think I would keep them cool but away from frost, get them outside when it warms up a bit (April, probably) and let them get over it. Probably won't get any flowers this year but if they settle down and put some healthy growth on in the summer you'll get a good show next year.[/QUOTE]

Cheers Martin! will give it a bash! See how we go!

Well I can put off no further! Propergaters plugged in! Soil I sieved a few days back n brought indoors to warm through now filling trays! Lobbed on heated base! Gunna have a a really nice relaxing day tomoz "sowing seed"

Right! A few "Sherbut's" n a nice curry in order! The working week is done!

[growerkari]

Thank you, they needed a fair bit of tlc, but after an afternoon there, they are both fixed up and good to use, they are a great bonus and I feel really lucky The plot isnt huge, I think about 70ft long by around 35ft wide, plenty for me for now. We've had a really good day up there today, 5 beds cleared and all the hedges and trees cut back. Hard work though, don't think there is a part of me that wont be aching in the morning!

[rustylady]

At last! A couple of hours at the allotment in the sunshine. Nice little harvest of leeks, kale, carrots, turnips and celeriac to take home. And the little helpers enjoyed it too

[Highlander]

Completed the final bit of digging and spread blood, fish and one as a base dressing over the whole plot. Now just waiting for the broad beans to get a bit bigger, I will put a fleece tunnel over their space tomorrow if the wind drops.
This year I am chitting my pots as usual but for the first time as an experiment I also put some into an old polystyrene cell tray with a bit of compost covering them - they are through and showing a green shoots about 20mm above the surface. Tomorrow I will pot them into my old drings cartons which will give them about 100mm cover and see how they go. the intention is to finally put them into containers but I would like to see how this compares to straight chitting.
Indoors I painted the axle and wheel rims for the trailer with a coat of tractor enamel. I noticed that the spare wheel was very badly corroded and one of the tyres was split so I took the tyre off the spare and put it onto the good rim, it was a lot easier than I remember when I helped my dad put his winter Town and Country tyres on 30 years ago. Just need a second coat of enamel and then it can all go back together.

[RaptorUK]

Took delivery of my "water butt" it's not really a water butt it's a 1000 L IBC tank. Got it off ebay and the helpful seller delivered for a tenner, very reasonable. Didn't quite realise how heavy it was going to be, good job they were happy to help me get it into position.

Very happy with it, it's a big part of my plans for my allotment.



While I was waiting for them to turn up, started the wooden edging of my main path.

[hellybore]

Beautiful sunny day, spent most of it down the allotment. Planted my new dwarf cherry tree and two cobnuts. Finished pruning the apple tree. Started shifting the collapsed turf settee to a pile in the coner. Released the broad bean plants from their plastic bottle cloches, they were all poking out of the tops. And much general happy pottering about...

[BertieFox]

Started trying to tackle a collapsed pergola, between the heavy showers. The pergola which I put up ten years ago has been completely submerged beneath neglected climbing roses and a vast wisteria, and the stems are now more like tree trunks than roses or wisteria. Not sure where to start, but it is clear that I am going to have to massively reduce them to get the rotten wood and trellis out before I can begin to put some sort of structure in to replace it. Many of the stems are also up into the quince trees I also planted at the time. May have to sacrifice most of the roses and flowers for this year to get it all back into position and shape.

[susieq100]

Finished barrowing the soil/spent compost to my new strawberry bed. Moved all the 'stuff' from the location of my new yet-to-be-built greenhouse. Forked over the first raised bed ready to plant onion sets. Progress .

[AllInContainers]

Finally managed to get my kiwi fruit bagged up, loaded into the car and handed over to GardenGayle. I'm sure it'll have a good home there

Put the patio furniture in position to see how much space there'll be around them for people getting in and out etc. Seems like it should work so long as I'm careful with plants behind the seats. Repotted my Purple Filbert and my Christmas Tree (without smashing the pots thankfully). Might have damaged the roots a bit on the Christmas tree, but there'll be enough left for a good recovery. Topped off some of the repotted plants in bark chippings.

Did some general shifting around of pots and planters to see what might fit where, and generally gave the whole thing several coats of looking at. I really ought to go to B&Q for some more seed compost seen as I dumped mine in with a load of MPC thinking it was topsoil (similar looking bags) I can feel the need for a bit of a nice lie down though. Lots of heavy work over the last couple of days, so maybe I should treat myself to an hour ...

Yeah, decision made - I'm done for this weekend!

[Snadger]

Sowed 18 broad beans in modules.

[RaptorUK]

Sowed 70x Shallot Zebrune in cells in greenhouse with plastic covers from Wilko

Sowed 10x Bhut Jolokia Chocolate and 10x Thyme in cells in the electric propagator.

[Dorothy rouse]

Broad Beans

Planted out the first Broad Beans, on plot, The Sutton, grown at home, are about 5 inches high, been adjusting outside for few days.

Was nice to be able to spend an hour or so on plot and actually do something constructive.

[veggiechicken]

I can feel the need for a bit of a nice lie down though. Lots of heavy work over the last couple of days, so maybe I should treat myself to an hour ...

Yeah, decision made - I'm done for this weekend!

Sowed 18 broad beans in modules.

Bet you need a lie down too, Snadge