Idle chat

Last post 23-05-2013 1:59 PM by Valerian. 6917 replies.

• 10/06/2012 10:37 PM

  In reply to

  Account deleted Location: Joined on: 08 Jun 2012 Posts: 14

  Reply | Contact Thanks Lillyrose, sort of found it in the end, but couldnt change it from the one I put there in the beginning, but will have a look tomorrow! It was lovely sitting in the garden today with my family, first time in ages.  My brother brought me a gift of geraniums and petunias in a lovely pot, perfect for my patio, which is looking quite "lived in" now - just waiting for the clematis's to flower ! My sis in law was telling me how proud she was that she has cuttings (probably great great grandchildren) of one of her mum's geraniums and one of my dad's - both given to her in the eighties  - two house moves and just retiring from 10 years running a b&b and she has managed to keep them going.  What an achievement I say!

• 10/06/2012 10:50 PM

  In reply to

  EvaInNL Location: Holland Joined on: 25 Sep 2009 Posts: 1,758

  Reply | Contact  Evenin' all, glad you're back online Sis, nice to see you again! And all the rest of you too of course! And hello Kathy, nice to meet you..  Sounds like you are still enjoying cooking (not to mention eating!) as well as your gardens!  I do the tap thing too Richard, there's a pitcher under the sink at the ready!  Congrats on getting your space back Sue, must be ncie to be back to normal again. Contrary to the weather forecast it was lovely out today, which means I haven't caught up yet with your posts because I spent the whole afternoon till early evening at the lotty. The weeds had exploded in the 2 weeks while I was away. And I thought my asparagus couldn't get any taller but I measured over 6 feet on the tallest one today!  That can't be right can it?? For the rest it was just weeding, quite therapeutic when you give into it and slowly see things transform. Anyway, off to bed for me, night night all...

• 11/06/2012 09:00 AM

  In reply to

  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 9,470

  Reply | Contact  Morning all, it's a wet one here today which has carried on since yesterday evening. I spent the whole of the day in the garden yesterday - mowed the lawn, got all the weeding done in the back garden, planted out most of the bedding plants and only have two trays left to plant out - one of those is runner beans which I'm waiting for space in one of the veg beds to put them in and the other tray is of Primula plants that I haven't made up my mind yet where they will end up being planted. As the forecast said heavy rain for overnight, I didn't water the plants in myself but the rain has done that for me That's a good idea with the water jug Richard Those cuttings have certainly done well Kath A day for being indoors today methinks sue1002

• 11/06/2012 01:58 PM

  In reply to

  Susiq Location: Northumberland Joined on: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 3,125

  Reply | Contact Hiya all, Ha ha ha I don't think asparagus is meant to replica Jack and the Beanstalk Eva Like that jug idea Richard I guess at the moment no one has got a real water shortage Just saw on the news about the flash floods in Yorkshire, poor souls. Well done on all that mowing, planting and weeding Sue, I've still got loads to do, and like you, don't know quite where they are all going to go As its dry at the moment, am going to pop out to take a few pics!

• 11/06/2012 02:21 PM

  In reply to

  richardpeeej Location: Leicestershire Joined on: 22 May 2009 Posts: 3,498

  Reply | Contact  Hi all It seemed as though most of us had a nice day yesterday Eva, what a wet and cold one it is here today, just flicked the heating on. Your geranium and petunia present from your brother sounds good  Kath. I find it difficult keeping the geraniums through the winter though. Hi Susiq..looking forward to seeing your pic. So glad you liked my water saving idea Well done in getting the grass cut yesterday Sue there would be no chance to do it today.My sunflower plants are not doing too well in the GH the leaves are curled not sure if it could be due to the cold nights. I will sow some more though and try again. The potatoes are doing really well in the bean trough they have grown so well...hope there are plenty of them below ground though. -Richard

• 11/06/2012 05:14 PM

  In reply to

  EvaInNL Location: Holland Joined on: 25 Sep 2009 Posts: 1,758

  Reply | Contact  Evenin' all, indeed what a change in the weather hey Richard  I'd planned to pick some swiss chard for tonight but it's bucketing down so badly now I've given up on it. Although I do have to admit I'm feeling rather smug about how tidy it must be out there! Same for you I guess Sue after all your hard work yesterday. By the way Sue and Susiq if you have spare plants going, send some my way I have so many empty beds still it's embarassing! Oh and get a move on with those pics Susiq! I must find Sue's monthly updates too, I love a good snoop in other peoples gardens.  Those potatoes look really healthy and happy there Richard, what did you plant them in? Do you still have the salad in the half pipes along the shed wall? Any chance of you sharing some pics of your garden too Kathy, it sounds lovely!  Does anyone know how Anthony is doing? He's not posted here or on his blog in such a while? Must be busy with school and exams I guess!

• 11/06/2012 05:56 PM

  In reply to

  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 9,470

  Reply | Contact  It sounds like you have the better weather again Susiq, I think this north/south divide has definitely done a turn around Those spuds look like they're doing well Richard, you have loads more leaves on yours than I do on mine as mine are falling victim to the snails, I keep picking them off the buckets daily... You're definitely right there about feeling smug Eva although I am feeling it in the back today but it's getting better after having rested it for most of the day  Anthony hasn't been on here for a few months now, I think he must be busy with his exams at the moment as I believe he's a year older than my son and it would be Anthony's year group who are taking their exams as we speak.  My son's year are doing the foundation papers this year and one of their Maths exams was today and they have another one on Wednesday. sue1002

• 11/06/2012 08:38 PM

  In reply to

  Account deleted Location: Joined on: 08 Jun 2012 Posts: 14

  Reply | Contact Well you all seem to have been very busy despite the weather!  We had a lovely day yesterday, grass was cut before our visitors arrived, but it was pretty darn cool once the sun went in.... enjoyed talking gardens, rather than doing anything yesterday, and pinching all my sis-in-law's good ideas!  Me and my brother are trying to figure out how to keep an annoying woodpigeon, along with a cheeky squirrel, away from our feeders - so we are searching the internet for ideas.... hubby who took early retirement last year is at home in between golfing/cricket umpiring/exam invigilation (!) is fast losing his sanity trying to shoo them away!  Think the clear dome baffles look the best but we are sorting through the options!  Sadly I am a weekend/fine weather gardener, as I work full time in Manchester but still get a chance to sit on the terrace/patio of an evening when hubby has the tea ready - last year was so different, lovely warm evenings, we were always eating out, we have probably eaten out three times since April this year!  Am sat with my back to the patio doors, and the reflection in my laptop shows the trees swaying madly in the breezw- no rain today here in Cheshire, but boy it has been cold.  Have checked my plug plants and other pots etc, and hope to have a better look tomorrow, weather permitting.  This weekend I will be at the Gardeners World exhibition at Birmingham on Saturday, so will be enjoying other people's ideas and sampling the Pimms instead of working hard to catch up with you all in the garden!  Must get working on Sunday to catch up with you all!  Am looking forward to hearing how you are all getting on!

• 12/06/2012 09:07 AM	In reply to
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 9,470	Reply | Contact  Morning all, it's another wet one here and another day to be spend indoors. Have a lovely time at GW on Saturday Kath, it would be lovely to see some photos if you take any.  We don't have any problems with squirrels in the garden here but we do get quite a few pigeons come in, when our dog Sasha sees or hears them, she will often bark and chase them off. sue1002

• 12/06/2012 09:43 AM	In reply to
  EvaInNL Location: Holland Joined on: 25 Sep 2009 Posts: 1,758	Reply | Contact  Pimms? Pimms?! Did somebody mention Pimms? Where where? Save some for me!

• 12/06/2012 12:06 PM	In reply to
  Susiq Location: Northumberland Joined on: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 3,125	Reply | Contact Oooh and me Awwh reminds me of us at Chelsea last year

• 12/06/2012 01:35 PM

  In reply to

  Susiq Location: Northumberland Joined on: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 3,125

  Reply | Contact Hiya all, back properly now! Richard, your tatties look great Sue, I think you might just need to treat yourself to some nematodes, I know they are expensive, but they really do do the business! Kath I am SOOOO envious of your trip to Birmingham - I would love to go, but unfortunately just can't escape anywhere for the forseeable! OK Miss Naggy in Cloggyland - here's a little slideshow, just try to ignore all the weeds - they are everywhere I've even got some prize nettles in the GH! I couldn't resist getting a snap of a blackbird that had its beak crammed with worms. Double click the image to get it started.

• 12/06/2012 01:51 PM	In reply to
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 9,470	Reply | Contact  Lovelypics Susiq, are those cabbages or caulis that are doing well in the poly?  Your leeks look like they're coming on great guns too I have used nematodes before which work a treat on the garden itself and most of the stuff that's being eaten here are in pots and by snails... sue1002

• 12/06/2012 02:23 PM

  In reply to

  Susiq Location: Northumberland Joined on: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 3,125

  Reply | Contact Thanx Sue - the ones on the right hand side are the GIANT cabbages for (hopefully) our local show, then in the middle, some 'eating' cabbages for us, and the ones on the left are cauli's. It's still early doors for the leeks, I've got everything crossed that I'll get a couple of good 'un's! Ha ha the 2 'dodgy' looking plastic pots with the tatties on the patio are the ones for the competition, I've been round to my friends this morning, and his haven't as much greenery on them, but I think I might have all greenery and not many tatties Thats a damn shame re the snails - I guess its back to a torch in the dark for you then! Unbelievably, we've got another sunny day here, so I'm doing a bit more planting up.

• 12/06/2012 02:54 PM

  In reply to

  richardpeeej Location: Leicestershire Joined on: 22 May 2009 Posts: 3,498

  Reply | Contact  Good afternoon all and it has finally stopped raining. I have just been to the garden centre  with Cheryl, Dave and Nicola.  We had lunch at the GC for a change, quiche and salad. I bought a nice Primula there lillyrose called Vialii. Phot's asked me to say Hi to you all, when I was last in contact. She is so busy with everything going on at the moment and wanted to be remembered to us all. Well Sue those slugs and snails get everywhere don't they. I cover the ground with broken up eggshells as we get such a lot of them with Nicola baking the cakes.I expect your son will be glad when his exams are over. Eva I have planted lettuce in the small trough this year but it hasn't come to much yet. I have sowed pansies, violas and other flowers in the  rainwater troughing on the side of the shed and also planted some of the white lupin seeds you gave me in there too. I planted the potatoes  in garden compost at the bottom of the trough and garden soil on the top. Thanks for sharing your photos Susiq it was great walking around your garden when we were up there ...your red hot pokers seem to come up well every year and your strawberries and leeks look good too in the polytunnel. I need to replace my strawberries in the tower as they have just finished their third year. What plug plants are you growing Kath?. I hope you have a good weekend for GW  in B'ham. Let's hope the rain holds off for you. -Richard