Flighty's plot

At the end of February I hard pruned the cornus tree, which included sawing off one of the three main limbs.

I think that must have triggered the tree’s survival instinct as since then numerous stems have appeared and grown for several feet all around it, which has not happened before.

I doubt if I’ll be able to dig these out so I’m thinking about what, if anything, I can do apart from cutting most of them back to ground level, and try to keep them spreading any further.

I’ve been considering moving the asters/Michaelmas daisies between the cornus and the roadway for some time and I’ll have to have another rethink about doing this.

Thankfully I don’t grow anything else close by except the rhubarb which hasn’t done too well the past couple of years so earlier thisyear I planted a couple more by the blackberry bush as replacements.

Have a good weekend, and take care!

After an early lunch on Friday and yesterday I spent a couple of hours each day clearing the sunflower patch, then weeding and forking it over. I was surprised that the ground was okay with the soil breaking up easily, and also by the number of worms I was seeing.

Apart from a few carrots, which I’ll be lifting soon, the three vegetable patches can now be left through to the spring, apart from hoeing off any weeds that appear, and adding compost to some areas.

Here’s the top patch where I grow flowers, soft fruit and vegetables.

The cleared sunflower patch is over on the right, the strawberries along the bottom and the carrots are on the left.  As you can see the cornus, at the top of the picture still has a mix of green, red and yellow leaves.

My plot visits over the coming weeks are likely be briefer and less frequent but I’m hoping that I can now get started digging out and sieving the compost heap.

Have a good week, and take care!

this week, which has given the ground time to start drying out, and  I’ve been plotting every day except Tuesday which was really dismal.

I’ve cleared, weeded then hoed over the last part of the main flower patch opposite the shed, and yesterday I did the same on cosmos corner. That just leaves the sunflower patch to do.

I was really surprised to see that one lot of crocuses have started to appear. It’s way too early so I’ve covered them with some compost.

It’s going to get noticeably colder from tomorrow with a couple of frosty nights over the weekend and by midweek  daytime temperatures only a few degrees C above zero.

If I do any plotting it’ll be starting to dig out and sieve the compost heap which will keep me warm.

Have a good weekend, and take care!

but I’m not really in the mood for blogging, or indeed plotting, today which is mostly down the still miserable weather and the time of year.

I want to do a post about the pot marigolds Flighty’s favourites meantime how about this almost white one from May 2020.

Have a good week, and take care!

With the weather having been so unsettled recently I’ve not been to the plot as much as I would have liked.  I go most days, weather permitting, even if it’s just to have a quick look round before heading back home.  It gets me out for some exercise and fresh air for a short while which is always welcome, especially at this time of year and yesterday I did that as it was dry and sunny.

Although there’s been plenty of rain the plot is soggy but thankfully not waterlogged, as other parts of the site now are.   The rose Pretty Lady has lost most of its leaves but there are still a handful of flowers on it.

Looking closely at the sedum (iceplant) I can see new growth already starting to appear.

The cornus(dogwood) is now shedding leaves which I’ll collect and put in a couple of old compost bags for now.  Once I’ve emptied the compost bin, a job I’ve not yet started, they’ll go in that.

Having spent an hour plot pottering, and chatted with the robin, I was ready to head home for a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits.

Have a good weekend, and take care!

This morning it’s dry and sunny, although breezy and chilly, and with all the rain over the past week the ground is rather soggy.  Needless to say my plot visits have been just to take a look round to make sure that all is okay after the days when it’s been very wet and windy.

Not surprisingly the last of the annual flowers have now finally finished, with these cosmos being being the only ones left worth taking a photo of.

Once the ground has dried I’ll be clearing the flower patches, after collecting  more seeds .

The sedum is still providing plenty of interest.  It has lost most of it’s leaves exposing the very pale flower stems.

The red flower heads have all changed to a chocolate colour, except this one.

This coming week looks like being mostly dry and sunny, which will be most welcome if it is.

Have a good week, and take care!