Late Starters

[Robinia]

Has anyone actually done anything in their gardens this year? I daresay some of you are robust all-weather troopers but as a little weed I've not braved the great outdoors yet. Five layers of fleece, three pairs of gloves & a balaclava do tend to hinder movement a bit!

[andyjevs]

Hi Robinia. Being a gardener by trade, obviously things are always happenning in the garden. But today i mowed the grass. I blew all the leaves from our two huge beech trees onto the lawn and chopped them all up with the mower.

I must admit i looked a bit of an idiot mowing in the middle of March with wooly gloves, wooly hat and a scarf on....whilst trying to dodge the fine snow flurries.

It's been a very long, cold winter. We've usually had a few days by now when we can get into the garden with T-shirt and shorts for a few hours but not this year.
I've only ventured down into the garden to feed my koi a few times too....they're usually very hungry beasts by now !!!

[brachiopod]

I've pruned my birch-type tree thingy (very botanical term there) and prepared my lawn for re-seeding by removing the sparse tufts and clumps of grass that previously constituted the 'lawn'.

I think I'm probably a bit late doing these things (any advice andy?) but over the last month or two, the weekends have been taken up with other things. (pubs to go to, 6 Nations rugby to watch....)

By the way,do you have any latest pics of your gardens, andyjevs? - or could you repost the link for the website you previously posted?

[Robinia]

Hi you two & thanks - yes it has been a very long dreary winter. Only one very keen gardener in my area has mown his grass...he loves to treat us all to his bare chest & paunch over the shorts look in the summer -lovely - but his garden is immaculate, even now.

good idea brach - come on andy lets have a refresher...

[andyjevs]

I promise i'll take some fresh photos next week....the crocus are looking superb and the little blue chinadoxia are coming out.

It's a shame that you can't post photos direct onto here.

You can seed your lawn anytime from now but i'd wait until it got warmer and wetter....April/May are usually a good time so if anything, you're a bit early

Here's a few links to some old pics

http://community.uk-aquarist.com/index.php?showtopic=13010&hl=work+pictures

http://community.uk-aquarist.com/index.php?showtopic=12204&hl=work+pictures

Enjoy

[brachiopod]

Found this old post from you, andy, which begs the question - Has anyone actually come up to you yet and said "I'm so-and-so from AB" ?

Thanks for advice re; lawn. How long will it take from the first shoots to getting fairly established (or at least 'gently walkable-on') ?

[shaneystar2]

Ooh you are all so good. My garden is dreadful .I didn't cut a lot of stuff back last year as we still had stuff like fuchsias and so on in flower in November.! Of course ..then came the cold snap and it looks like the petrified forest out there now. It's still to cold for me to go out and do anything with this east wind blasting through the place.Roll on the warmer weather.
My offer still stands Andy ...though whether there would be any cake or biscuits is doubtful !! (Dieting!).

[markja]

i've done ****** all.in a couple of weeks i may mow the lawn if i can be arsed.then a trip to b&q for a shed load of plug plants, one afternoon slapping them in and sit back, job done! i'm what's called a lazy gardener.

[WendyS]

Hi Robina, I grabbed the opportunity of an earlier sunny day to dig over my veggie patch and mix in the compost from an earlier emptied heap. I've also forked in 2 bags of composted manure into a south-facing border where I grow my climbing beans & tomatoes. Am just waiting for a warmer day before I fork in a load of water-retention crystals into these areas now we've had a hosepipe ban installed. But I agree, gardening in this cold weather, especially when the sky is so grey, is somewhat dispiriting.

[Robinia]

oh I've had some more replies thank you! I didn't get notified of any responses to this question, I don't know why.

shaney I know what you mean the flowering went on late last year & I won't cut anything down until it's well & truly done.

Bad news for you markja - the lawn will want mowing more than once this year. ;-)

hi Wendy - it looks like you take the trophy for most done so far! I wish I had the strength to grow my own veg but I don't 'do digging' anymore. Think I might do some mini veg in pots tho'. I love french beans & baby carrots.

[mullein3]

the window ledges in the house are full of seed trays have only just recieved my replacement greenhouse and mr m hasnt put it up yet i am a month behind...i have loads of chickweed emerging..how nice...NOT...and the chives are poking through..i havnt dead headed from last year yet..its been bitterly cold..fences need painting slabs need washing...seeds need starting off ...the thought of it feels me with despair...everything is going to be late all over the country without a doubt ...its forcast cold for this week coming also...when will it end..mr m will have to wrap up warm on his day off on thursday and get my greenhouse sorted..i can observe him from the window...supervise indoors!!...I have bought some magic pills from usa so i can bend again and walk without pain so gardening will be fun when i get started..

[Robinia]

hi mullein - good to hear from you and glad to see you're raring to go!

you're right this long cold winter now means everything will be late & I'm starting to despair too.... I was sorting my garden to make it easier to look after but some things need attending to & it only works if I can get out little and often. If & when it does warm up everything will start romping away & I won't catch up until September (if I'm lucky)!

I was considering buying a greenhouse this year but just haven't been inspired....the only good news is that the grass hasn't needed mowing.

hope we get some warm, sunny days very soon... :-)

[mullein3]

robina..you should get a little greenhouse ..you would love it and you could grow some nice house plants...i grow loads of things in mine...i have lost 4 in the wind so be carefull where you put one..this one i have now is going up the house wall...i only have a small one and i grow loads of salad food..tomatoes ..cucumbers..etc and millions of herbs that i cram in all over..its a nice little hobby...

[faraday]

Robinia

Those with greenhouses can usually get on with their seed planting regardless of the weather, but this year I am three weeks later than in 2005 because of illness. I am not worried because spring is correspondingly late also.

I hope you have a good gardening year.

[Robinia]

hi again mullein - I've had a plastic one & bought replacement covers but they seem to attract a lot of flies & don't last very long. They soon become brittle in the elements - bit like me haha!

thanks for your reply faraday - hope you're feeling better now & have a good year in the garden too. Let's just hope it doesn't go the other way & become blisteringly hot!

[mullein3]

robina if you see this ..why dont you come to the gardeners corner site its better than here as their are no idiots..just do a search under gardeners corner...

[Robinia]

found it mullein thanks! will have a good look round & get the feel of the place.....hope you're ok....