Dereks Diary Part 2

[grindle]

congratulations Derek

[derekbrooks]

Thank you,Grindle
I haven't been able to do any gardening jobs today.Went to the hut this morning and did my Blackleach walk with Janet this afternoon .It stayed fine for this but it is raining now.

[derekbrooks]

Went on the allotment this afternoon.I had weeded part of the spray chrysanth bed and planted it before.I have now weeded another section of it so today I spread some old compost on it ,raked in some fish, blood and bone and fixed up 21 canes (3 rows of 7) ready for planting.When I got home I sorted 21 plants ready for planting.I intend putting dahlias in the rest of this bed but I am short of canes for them so I went to the hut for some.
A friend brought me some tubs and baskets on Friday that she wanted me to plant so I did them this evening.

[derekbrooks]

This morning I put the 21 chrysanth plants in the car to take them to the allotment to plant.I was just ready for going when it started raining.So I went in the greenhouse.I sowed three varieties of lettuce in cell trays and potted some coleus and streptocarpus that I got from Dibleys early in the year from 4 inch pots into 5 inch.It did stop raining so I went to the allotment and planted the chrysanths and tied them up.
This afternoon I have been sorting out my hanging baskets ready for planting. Five of them had been up over winter so I emptied them and got the rest out of the shed.Put them in rows under the carport separating the 12 inch and the 14 inch(15 altogether).Also a friend has brought me six that he wants planting.Planting them is a job I can do when it is raining and because it was fine this evening I decided that it was more urgent to go to the allotment and carry on weeding the bed I planted this morning where I want to plant dahlias.

[derekbrooks]

A dry day and I have been on the allotment this morning and evening and I have finished weeding the bed I have been doing the last few days.
Last Saturday I was hoping to get a tub of swelgel to mix with compost for the hanging baskets.We hadn't any tubs left but there were so weighed out in small bags enough for two 14 inch baskets.I got 6 of these and mixed each one in my wheelbarrow with 3 gallons of compost.I part filled all the baskets with this mixture.

[derekbrooks]

Like yesterday I have been on the allotment this morning and evening.This morning I raked fish, blood and bone into the bed I have just weeded and fixed up 18 canes for dahlias. Went back this evening and planted them and tied them to the canes. Along the back of this bed which contains both spray chrysanths and dahlias I planted a row of Nicotiana sylvestris and gladioli "Essential" alternate,11 of each.

[balc2]

You have been very busy lately! 👍

[derekbrooks]

I am nearly always busy,Balc2. At present I am busy trying to catch up with jobs that I normally do several weeks ago.
This morning I started planting my hanging baskets.This is a job that I have usually finished by now.I have run short of compost to finish them off.Will have to wait till Saturday to get some more.

[derekbrooks]

Been on the allotment this morning and evening mostly weeding.In front of the rose hedge at the back of the allotment there were a lot of tall weeds including a lot of thistles.I decided to cut them down before they started seeding.Pulled up a lot more weeds on the veg beds before they seeded, mainly willowherbs. Started hand weeding the bed that I call the "others"bed.It is for any veg apart from potatoes, brassicas, runner beans and root crops.I have got climbing French beans, broad beans, sweet corn, courgettes and squashes waiting to go in here.
Did a bit more with the baskets this afternoon.

[derekbrooks]

Went to the hut this morning then spent most of the afternoon and evening planting hanging baskets but I haven't finished them yet. Got a bag of compost from the hut this morning to finish them off.I have not as many plants as usual and it takes time deciding which baskets to put them in.

[derekbrooks]

Been doing hanging baskets again this afternoon and evening and got them finished.There are 12 for me,3 for our next door neighbours and 6 for a friend called Reg.Went to the garden centre for some plants first.I will have to tidy up all the mess under the car port tomorrow.

[derekbrooks]

A nice day today.Been on the allotment this morning and evening .Putsome more weedol on the potato and root crop beds .Carried on weeding the bed I have been doing the last few days.Almost finished weeding a strip about 2 metres wide along the back of the bed.
We went a walk in the afternoon .I had hung some hanging baskets up before and I hung up the rest and tidied up under the car port

[derekbrooks]

It rained most of the morning so I went in the greenhouse.I have some Brussel sprout plants still in 3 inch pots and because the brassica bed still needs weeding I potted them on into larger pots.
It dried up in the afternoon so I went on the allotment.I raked fish, blood and bone into the bed that I have just been weeding and started fixing up a structure of canes like the runner bean one I showed you a picture of but not as big.This one is climbing French beans,tall growing peas and more runner beans.The runner beans are a different variety than the oned already sown. I don't grow two varieties of runner beans on the same structure of canes because they would cross pollinate.I went back this evening and took the plants but it started pouring down so I sat in the car for a bit.It did stop briefly so I did a bit more work on the structure but it soon started again so I came home.

[derekbrooks]

This morning I took Reg his hanging baskets which I had done for him.He lives at Bolton which is about 4 miles away.This afternoon and evening I have been doing some tidying up in the garden.I still have the border between the back lawn and the path to plant but there are still boxes of plants on it. The area in front of the shed has also got boxes of plants on it.Behind this area is a hedge of ivy and the area was covered with dead ivy leaves.I shifted the boxes to get rid of all these leaves then put them back neatly.I am hoping that there is enough room on here for the boxes from the border then I can get the border ready for planting.

[derekbrooks]

This morning I went to the allotment and finished the cane structure that I told you I was doing .This afternoon I went to Blackleach for the art club then to school.While the art club were in I went out and planted some penstemon that I had grown from seed into the border,about 30 plants.
This evening I mowed the lawns then went to the allotment and planted the plants on the cane structure,8 runner beans (Mergoles), 6 climbing Frensh beans(Rob Roy)and 10 peas (Show perfection) and tied them all to the canes.