Last Post 751 days 18 hours ago
30 April 2011 20:32:05
While the robins have usually been first to the bird table for some time, I have noticed that they have not come near it much recently. Why? I noticed something very interesting this evening. As I was about to depart from the compost heaps, a robin flew down and picked not an earthworm but a wireworm. It carried it in its beak up a tree and gave it to another robin. This happened twice while I was there. Obviously the second robin must have taken the worm to the young birds.
30 April 2011 20:21:59
While the front lawn had got a number of mowings, the small back lawn got its first mowing to day. Trimming followed. Bedding plants which were taken out of the greenhouse for hardening were put back this evening except Dahlias which were left out and I feel that where they are, they will be safe.
30 April 2011 20:14:50
Compost old and new
Yesterday I attacked the compost for the first time this year and turned it. Looks good, 'tis good. To day this was transported to one of the rose beds. Later in the day, at about 6.45 p.m. I got at it again and got even more, also great stuff. Retired at 8 p.m.
You may notice the word Compost on the plastic bag but it is not that material actually bits of dead wood.
28 April 2011 21:07:13
For Rachel
Rachel, you gave me this plant last summer. It is now in bloom. What is its name?
28 April 2011 20:33:02
A day we should all enjoy. Some time was taken up removing the odd weed from the rockery. I thought of Rachel's article on seeds so some seeds , those of Sedum and Alyssum (white) went in here and there The yellow Alyssum is now in bloom and adds to the colour of the rockery. Other seeds which went down in the front were Californian Poppy and Cornflower. It was a good day for taking out plants from the greenhouse to harden, included were Runner beans (again), Dahlias, Pelargoniums, Marigolds and Penstemon. Parsnips were thinned. Beefsteak Tomatoes were potted up. Some plants I brought from Castlebar were watered and my hedge trimmer is working again. The battery and connector were out of action. The battery I got in Woodies free and the connector bought in EPT (they had to send away for it) and it was charged for about 24 hours and I was able to get trimming again after a very long wait. It really was a day to be outside.
27 April 2011 22:28:02
Roses
To day was my first full day back and there was plenty to be done. The grass in the front lawn had not been mown for two weeks so this was my priority. The lawn is now mown and grass put into the compost heap. Plenty of watering was necessary. Joe who lives near me looked after the greenhouse and it was perfect. My sister had given me outdoor perennial plants and it was a question as to where they should be planted. Forget me nots were removed in a number of places to make room for them. Cacti in the greenhouse are in bloom including Epiphyllum cacti. The first of my roses are in bloom.
27 April 2011 11:19:47
Arrived this morning. I will have plenty to read to night. I naturally went for Rachel's article and I must fully agree. She mentions seeds a lot, and what on the other hand do we get on RTÉ especially on this garden competition which have said is for the birds? We do not see people talking about seeds. They can provide so many plants in the year especially the annuals. I am sure at this stage with so many new houses built and with the people who have moved in, there is very little money for a family with a big mortgage to consider buying plants in large quantities in garden centres. As I drove from Carlow to Castlebar and back, every town and village had so many new houses. I didn't travel there last year due to a hernia operation nor the previous year as my sister Nora was going to Dublin to visit her daughter Josefa who was not well and at present she is not well. Remember her in your prayers. Yes Rachel you are more with it than the people in RTÉ some of whom are earning three or four times as much as the Taoiseach.
27 April 2011 00:01:33
Back again, Is there any sense in it. I would much prefer the programme in Fota as much as I would be critical of it. This one to day (Tuesday) is for the birds.
26 April 2011 17:59:44
In my sister's garden in Castlebar
Drove to Castlebar on Wednesday 20th. We had a great time and great weather. My sister Nora and her daughter Patricia (known locally as Pipi) live there. Nora is very keen on gardening and Pipi in wild life. Pipi has computer and camera and I have asked her to join the Club.
19 April 2011 15:25:20
Evergreen Scented
This evergreen shrub gives a yellow flower and a beautiful scent now and in May.
19 April 2011 15:21:07
Kerria
This Kerria is in full bloom. It is among the plants that never failed.
19 April 2011 14:57:43
Peanut Cactus
This cactus was in flower to day for the first time this year. I have a lot and expect a lot of flowers.
19 April 2011 10:37:21
Watched the gardening programme on RTÉ last night (how to create a garden). I enjoyed it but I thought it early to be planting out the summer bedding at this stage in particular the geraniums (Pelargoniums). While I have them out at present, they are not planted into beds but are at the back of the house in pots facing the south. Perhaps the climate in Cork Harbour would be different from that inland.
18 April 2011 20:11:50
Magnolia
This Magnolia is shown complete not just one flower as was shown last week.
18 April 2011 20:07:26
Yucca
This Yucca which is among the many I have in the garden is showing a flower. It should be good next month.
16 April 2011 20:40:56
Rose bed No. 1
Edging was carried out on rose beds this evening. One was complete and half of another, so of the three only half of the job is complete.
16 April 2011 20:28:52
Tulips
Spent some time in the greenhouse potting on some plants, mainly Campanula. The plants required bigger pots while some others have not reached the stage where potting on is necessary. The greenhouse is tending to run out of space. Sometimes I ask myself why did I not have a bigger greenhouse? In the afternoon, I got at the front lawn. All of the grass cuttings from yesterday are taken to the compost heap. There were a few small areas which did not have the grass cut as branches of trees and cuttings of roses covered them so the hand mower was brought out to do the trick. The edges of the rose beds were tackled but time was running out and while one of the three beds was completed and half of another the job id not complete. At 8 p.m. I decided to call it a day. I heard Gerry Daly on Lyric FM this morning talking about the quality of Spring flowers at the moment. He attributes this to the good summer we had last year.
15 April 2011 23:42:04
Attended the Country Market this morning. Sold one tomato plant. If it continues like this, what will I do with 100 Gardeners Delight, 30 Alicante and Beefsteak which has germinated. In previous years, there seemed to be a great demand for these plants. What is wrong? In the afternoon, more leaves were removed from the Phormium which looks very bad. The front lawn (1/4 acre) was mown and looks very good. I may have to treat a portion of it again for moss. Hypericum is showing no foliage, afraid the cold weather in December was responsible.
14 April 2011 15:06:35
I heard the cuckoo this morning. I thought it a bit early for this migratory bird.
14 April 2011 14:57:56
About half of the Pelargoniums have been out for some time and are doing well mainly due to rain at times and also watering with a hose. The second lot, about the same amount were removed to day as there is no sign of frost for the present. In the place of these potted Pelargoniums, go two grow bags and into them six tomato plants. All Pelargoniums taken out were watered as were the tomatoes. Now I look forward to nature taking over in both cases. Of course the Pelargoniums are at a side of the house where they face mainly south. It will be next month before I do any more to them.
13 April 2011 22:31:44
The rhubarb shown yesterday was partly used (1kg) to give more rhubarb jam.
12 April 2011 22:32:08
Name the plant
This plant I have for some years but do not know the name of it. My sister in Castlebar gave it to me and it blooms at this time.
12 April 2011 19:36:38
The lilies which I planted last summer were attacked by red beetles. They looked like Ladybirds but did not have spots. Liga and Jacinta pointed out that they were harmful and the remedy was given by Jacinta, Pravodo Ultimate Bug Killer. The lilies which are fairly advanced at present had to be saved so I purchased the spray and gave the beetles the works. I am now looking forward to lilies free from preditors this year. Thanks for the advice.
11 April 2011 19:48:26
Not the same Freesias that I mentioned about a week ago but ones I planted in the autumn. I took them into the greenhouse and at present they are showing growth. I am hoping that they will be in bloom very soon.
11 April 2011 18:00:32
Rhubarb
Cuttings of about ten pelargoniums were taken to day in the greenhouse and they will be planted to morrow. I picked 4 kg of rhubarb. It is doing very well.
11 April 2011 17:14:05
Sowed Siberian Wallflowers and Violets in the open. Sowed Lupins in the greenhouse. The day started in an unpleasant state with a shower in the morning, later it cleared up and while it remained sunny there was a strong wind.
11 April 2011 17:00:30
Plants from Unagrant
Hello Una. You gave me these plants in Johnstown. I have planted them out. What are they?
09 April 2011 21:03:42
Roses rooting
These were cuttings I took last autumn from roses in the front.
09 April 2011 20:57:33
After yesterday's mowing the lawn is looking good. To day I got at the rose beds and removed the weeds which were coming up again. They are well checked although here and there some grass and weds are growing very close to the roses. The grass and weeds are now in the compost heap. I also did some pruning on the Hypericum hidcote. No sign of foliage in it so a good pruning is required. When my hedgetrimmer is working I will get at it.
08 April 2011 19:27:59
The first mowing was early in February. To day was the second. I had planned for Wednesday when the grass was dry but due to other comitments I deferred it a day. Yesterday there was plenty of time and even though no rain, there was no sun or wind to dry things. To day conditions were ideal and out with the mower in the afternoon and I must say the place looks good. If you got a day like this in May or June, you would not complain. This is also the time when the daffodils need to be deheaded as the tulips begin to take over. Plenty flowers on Kerria and Berberis as the Forsythia begins to lose its flowers and this can be a time to prune the Forsythia. Forget me not is really good now. It lives up to its name I sowed it only once, never fails.
07 April 2011 22:46:13
My greenhouse is almost full as a result of potting up so many plants. I have 90 Campanulas potted up, added to the 100 tomatoes and quite a lot of Petunias and Marigolds. I called to Woodies to day, bought two grow bags, a black grass which goes into the rockery and a packet of Calendulas which will go direct into the ground. I had a problem with the battery of the hedge trimmer. It had been failing for some time and would last for only a few minutes and I was given one gratis. I had a problem with the grass margin outside the gate. Cars had been driving over it. The County Council provided plenty of soil early in the week so having given it some fertilizer yesterday, I finished the job to day, firstly walking on it then spreading grass seed and raking it in and finally tapping it down with a spade, very different from what our friend on Monday's gardening programme did using specially prepared sods of grass. I finished at 8.40 p.m.
07 April 2011 21:05:15
Poor Phormium
After the very cold January of last year, this Phormium which i prided so much recovered and at this time looked quite good but in the same year we had it very cold in December. I thought it would recover again but alas.
07 April 2011 14:36:53
Magnolia
Magnolia, first bloom on the shrub. There are many more on the way.
06 April 2011 00:14:59
These were sown to day. About 20 are in compost in the greenhouse and the ground is ready for them but it will be over a month before I plant them out.
05 April 2011 23:11:56
Due to other comitments, I was not available to do any gardening. I had a look at the Dahlias and Begonias which were covered for some time in the greenhouse with peat and compost. Nearly all of the Begonias are sound and most of them are sprouting. Some of the Dahlias were not sound and were disposed of. All were taken out of the cardboard boxes and put into flower pots and I look forward to seeing more growth within the next few days. Pelargoniums in the greenhouse are coming on well. I may slip some of them within the next few days. The Pelargoniums which were in the lean to are out now and considering the fact that we will not have frost in the near future, I left them to the elements of the weather. As I enter this report, it is raining so they will benefit. Parsnips, beet root and radishes are now appearing and should benefit from this weather. I had a look at the grass in the front lawn which had its first mowing in February and fertilizer late in March. It is coming on well and pending suitable weather, it should get its second mowing to morrow.
04 April 2011 22:20:14
I had a packet of freesias which I bought in Woodies on Thursday. I was to plant them to day. After checking different sites, I decided to put then don in a bed which had miniature roses for some years but are now in the newly reclaimed ground. I had some of them down when it seemed as if the rain was on the way. The clothes were on the line and there had been good drying, so I went to the line and brought in the clothes. Then I looked everywhere for the freesias. I searched the house, kitchen, dining room, bedroom, bathroom, greenhouse, lean to at the back of the house and in and out to all of these places again. At one stage when I had nearly given up hope, I put my hand in my pocket and what did I find but the packet of freesias! They were planted at this stage but how much time was lost?
04 April 2011 20:28:33
I hope you haven't forgotten
02 April 2011 19:21:27
New Look
What was displayed recently has had some more plants added. Some Aubretia (4 plants) which I bought in Woodies on Thursday and a few more are in it now while some of the plants already in it have grown, partly due to the rain.
02 April 2011 19:14:12
Tomatoes
To day although there were a few showers, the morning and most of the afternoon were sunny and warm. I spent most of the time in the greenhouse potting up. One hundred tomatoes (Gardeners Delight) were potted up. These were sown probably in February. The job was a bit tedious but worth it. i also potted up some Campanulas, Petunias and Marigolds. I had some Campanulas and Petunias potted up earlier on and looking at the Campanulas that were left, one might ask how many trays would be required. The greenhouse is tending to fill up and one may ask where will the rest go. I have a third packet of tomatoes Beefsteak and they would have been sown but I will have to search and see where I put them.
01 April 2011 21:22:25
Attended the Country Market this morning. I sold three of my tomato plants at €1.50 each. The rest of the day was taken up with other items. i hope to get at the garden to morrow.