Gardening Question of the Day for Monday, March 17, 2008
(Via Gardening Question of the Day (from the Old Farmer's Almanac))
Now that the holiday season is upon us, do you have any advice regarding the best way to prolong the life of a cut evergreen Christmas tree? Is there any special solution I should place in the tree stand? (answer).
Now that the holiday season is upon us, do you have any advice regarding the best way to prolong the life of a cut evergreen Christmas tree? Is there any special solution I should place in the tree stand? (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
Squirrel Math
(Via An Iowa Garden)
I've always thought early, small crocuses are best when they are scattered here and there as if they popped up randomly on their own. Well, I (or I should say WE) have achieved that effect in the garden... the other half of this equation being the squirrels, who dig up the crocuses, and re-bury some of them in the oddest spots. It is always a delight to see various little bulbs popping up all over the garden, and guessing what they might be.
The only problem with this human-large rodent partnership is squirrel math: an even split is eat six, plant one!
The only problem with this human-large rodent partnership is squirrel math: an even split is eat six, plant one!
Squirrel Math
(Via An Iowa Garden)
I've always thought early, small crocuses are best when they are scattered here and there as if they popped up randomly on their own. Well, I (or I should say WE) have achieved that effect in the garden... the other half of this equation being the squirrels, who dig up the crocuses, and re-bury some of them in the oddest spots. It is always a delight to see various little bulbs popping up all over the garden, and guessing what they might be.
The only problem with this human-large rodent partnership is squirrel math: an even split is eat six, plant one!
The only problem with this human-large rodent partnership is squirrel math: an even split is eat six, plant one!
Our weekend off: Lolling at the Abbey Beach Resort
(Via Gardening Tips 'n' Ideas)
If I took longer than normal to respond to your emails over the weekend then I apologise profusely. Yet I had a good reason and it wasn't just because I was being slack...actually, no...it was entirely because I was being slack.
If I took longer than normal to respond to your emails over the weekend then I apologise profusely. Yet I had a good reason and it wasn't just because I was being slack...actually, no...it was entirely because I was being slack.
My wife and I scored a weekend away at our local 5 star hotel, the Abbey Beach Resort. It was actually a culmination of blessings and didn't cost us a cent. The perfect weekend, really.
Firstly, my boss gave us one night's accommodation for catering for the staff Christmas party - I was a chef in a past-life. Then, friends of ours wanted to thank us for helping them landscape their new home and so bought us another night and threw in complimentary baby-sitting for our 4 precious darlings.
So, I'm a new man as I write this post. Completely relaxed and refreshed, the tinge of jadedness from dealing with readers complaints and issues having just dissipated like water off a duck's back. The rose tinted glasses seem to fit better than ever and the air appears easier to breathe and far less polluted. What a difference a weekend makes.
We spent the days enjoying some great local art galleries, and the odd nursery, playing a spot of tennis and taking a dip in the indoor pool. Coffee, the real stuff, was never far from our lips as we poured over our magazines and newspapers just whiling away the time and savouring every moment of our break from our very busy lives. We even explored a few eateries that have been added to the TO-VISIT list over the years and they lived up to, and even exceeded, our expectations.
But, a weekend can only last for so long. So I'm here in front of my computer again having enjoyed catching up with our children's exploits and contentedly reminiscing of a time that was. Hopefully we'll get a chance to do it again, soon - and maybe even with the kids next time!
Garden Birds And Country Wines
(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)
I have one more night left before I can sleep, then get up to try to clear some more of the allotment.It has rained every day so far, so I will be wallowing in mud. The temperature has fallen again so it will be cold and wet.I hope April brings warmer weather to warm the soil up.
The other day the Collared Doves returned. These two are like little and large, the Blue Tit and the Collared Dove on the fence..
I now have two Robins who come into the garden throughout the day. A small one, and a plumper one.Im guessing the Plump one has been feeding since December in the Garden.The Garden is on the birds tour of the neighbourhood. They come and go almost every hour for a snack. They are spoilt by choice with sunflower seeds, peanut kernels, bird seed mix, and fatballs.They often sit on the outside branches of the Privet and wait for five minutes, deciding what is best to eat.Its true in restaurants the bigger the Menu the harder it is to choose sometimes!
The acrobatic Blue Tit examining the fatballs on the fence post.I have been rotating the food between the posts.Next week I will add further posts on the other side of the garden so I can keep them guessing where the food is.They watch me in the garden, then come out when I'm sat in the kitchen watching from the blue chair.
I planted some Beetroot seed two days ago in a mini propogator. The seedlings have come up now, with flourescent pink stems and almost orange leaves. Hil's wants me to grow lots so she can make Beetroot chutney.
I am thinking of all the country wines I can make this year from my soft fruit.The allotment has masses of Brambles..so thats Blackberry (the garden fruit bush is going to be relocated to the sunny allotment as it is not doing well alongside the Viburnum), Strawberrys, Raspberrys (the Bush is growing really well in the right hand border), and maybe Blueberrys..
I have fifty demijohns now in the cellar.I just need about four pounds weight worth of soft fruits to start the wines off.
Once they are matured I will give them away as I rarely drink alcohol!I will have to collect dandelions too from near Frans house for more Dandelion wine.
The other seed are planted were some Carex Comans Bronze, a reddish/brown Carex grass to compliment the green and yellow ones I have already, and the Black mondo grasses.
The grasses give the garden movement and soft noise!
The garden birds always relax me, watching their frenetic activity and listening to their songs as they sing throughout the day.I hope to watch them next week when I'm not knee deep in mud or planting seeds, or potting up seedlings!
I hope all your weekends have been nice wherever you garden.
I have one more night left before I can sleep, then get up to try to clear some more of the allotment.It has rained every day so far, so I will be wallowing in mud. The temperature has fallen again so it will be cold and wet.I hope April brings warmer weather to warm the soil up.The other day the Collared Doves returned. These two are like little and large, the Blue Tit and the Collared Dove on the fence..
I now have two Robins who come into the garden throughout the day. A small one, and a plumper one.Im guessing the Plump one has been feeding since December in the Garden.The Garden is on the birds tour of the neighbourhood. They come and go almost every hour for a snack. They are spoilt by choice with sunflower seeds, peanut kernels, bird seed mix, and fatballs.They often sit on the outside branches of the Privet and wait for five minutes, deciding what is best to eat.Its true in restaurants the bigger the Menu the harder it is to choose sometimes!
The acrobatic Blue Tit examining the fatballs on the fence post.I have been rotating the food between the posts.Next week I will add further posts on the other side of the garden so I can keep them guessing where the food is.They watch me in the garden, then come out when I'm sat in the kitchen watching from the blue chair.I planted some Beetroot seed two days ago in a mini propogator. The seedlings have come up now, with flourescent pink stems and almost orange leaves. Hil's wants me to grow lots so she can make Beetroot chutney.
I am thinking of all the country wines I can make this year from my soft fruit.The allotment has masses of Brambles..so thats Blackberry (the garden fruit bush is going to be relocated to the sunny allotment as it is not doing well alongside the Viburnum), Strawberrys, Raspberrys (the Bush is growing really well in the right hand border), and maybe Blueberrys..
I have fifty demijohns now in the cellar.I just need about four pounds weight worth of soft fruits to start the wines off.
Once they are matured I will give them away as I rarely drink alcohol!I will have to collect dandelions too from near Frans house for more Dandelion wine.
The other seed are planted were some Carex Comans Bronze, a reddish/brown Carex grass to compliment the green and yellow ones I have already, and the Black mondo grasses.
The grasses give the garden movement and soft noise!
The garden birds always relax me, watching their frenetic activity and listening to their songs as they sing throughout the day.I hope to watch them next week when I'm not knee deep in mud or planting seeds, or potting up seedlings!
I hope all your weekends have been nice wherever you garden.
