Dick's Journal

Started dry and overcast but before long the rain arrived. Now one can see the good and bad effects of this. People usually put the bad effects first, lifting and potting Pelargoniums has to be suspended, grass ready to mow suspended also. However the good effects must be considered, the Pelargoniums potted yesterday will benefit from the rain, the plants put into the rockery will welcome the rain, other plants which had got very little rain will do well, the house which had been neglected will welcome the same rain and finally the Irish Garden which has just arrived by post will not be left aside. I am looking forward to reading same. What is ahead of me here. I must not forget that there is further growth in the tree fern from my late Niece Josefa. I had been watering it a lot thanks to Martin's advise.

The Pelargoniums are looking great at the moment and one would think that with the temperature in the 20's that one could leave them there for some time yet. However October is only around the corner, actually this week and I normally lift them and pot them around October 1. Also we don't know if we will have the weather to do that work and also winter and spring plants that will replace them should have time to settle before the frost comes. it is interesting that the real Geraniums are just gone down while the plants usually referred to as Geraniums are about to come up.

I was anxious to know if Coleus could be rooted from a cutting but none of the books gave any information about this. I took two cuttings and put them in a glass of water, probably a little over a week ago and to day found that roots had appeared on it. This method now is a faster way of propagating the plant than using seed. It also give one a dimension of choice.

On Saturday I showed three portions of the Geranium I got from Linda. Two had been planted in the rockery. To day I planted the three which were shown in a bed at the back of the house. The soil in it is good so they should do well there.

I planted out some of the plants she gave me on Saturday. It was a lovely day to be outside. I looked around for the best place for them. Eventually I chose a spot where there was Santolina growing a year ago but the cold weather in December had destroyed a large portion. I said "this is the place" Among the plants were three Verbena and two Shasta Daisies. The ground was prepared and the Verbena planted. I am still looking for a spot for the Shasta Daisies. The darkness came a bit early so the photo will be taken to morrow.

I met Noelle this evening. She was on the way from Dungarvan driving to  Dublin. We met about 1.5 miles from my house. She had a big box of plants for me.  I invited her to come along to the house but she was in a hurry. Thanks very much Noelle.

To day a further touch was given. Yesterday, the Geraniums bought on Thursday were planted. Linda's Geranium Magnificum given to me last year at Rachel's was divided. A large number of Calendulas were removed and put in stock. Weeds were removed. A few plants will be removed later viz Fatsia, Mahonia, Berberis, not suitable for a rockery.

This Geranium which I got from Linda last summer when we met at Rachel's place was divided to day. two roots went into the rockery while the others are in water and I hope to get a good place to transplant them. A lovely blue flower came this year.

Left country Market half an hour ago. Did fairly well - sold tomatoes €4, Aloe Vera €2, Coleus €2, Cookers €1.50, total €9.50. Helped to pay for the plants I bought yesterday.

Called to Woodies, this afternoon. Bought Geranium (Jolly Bee) Cupa @50c Daffidols 2 bags @ €10 and couldn't resist it an orchid Dendrobium @ €6.99 and of course got discount. There was 40% off the geranium. The gardener told me the the orchid is the national flower of his native country Guatamala. total €22.13. Perhaps having read about Rachel's Dendrobium, I went for that one.

After a great day in the garden on Saturday week, I found a change that night so had to keep away from any real work including the garden. Now I feel almost back to normal and there is plenty to be done. Did a little pruning to day and of course attended to the tomatoes every day, a great crop.

I heard from my sister in Castlebar (mother of late Josefa) of a problem with a Korean Abies. It is 18 years old  and was admired by so many. Some said it was the best they had seen. Now it is turning yellow at the bark, which had not happened before. Could somebody give advise about it.

Called to Woodies to day. Bought one Heuchera @€4.79 plus 2 Geranium Jolly Bee @€8.99 less €7.19 (40%) and discount (over 60)0.48. Total €15.10. These will go into the rockery. On my way out I noticed orchids, different varieties @ €6.99 each. with the discount they would be €6.29 each. I didnt buy this time.

Not as windy as in other parts of the country. Very little or nothing done since Saturday. I was feeling great  when I retired late on Saturday. Then As I was about to retire to bed I felt a head cold coming on. The result was that to day I did nothing in the garden. There was no structural damage done here D.G. I noticed some cooking apples had come to tera firma. 

Last Sunday it was all about the cats (Kilkenny). Now it seems to be the mice. I caught two of them to day, probably the parents coming in to make a home for themselves for the winter. Some member of the Club remarked that the winter was near. I have often felt that when I find the small rodents coming in but the temperature we have had for the last three days suggest otherwise. By the way we never see Tom & Jerry now on TV. Is it because of the success of the cats, after all we usually like to see Jerry win out.

Having been told on garden.ie about the great bargains in Woodies for geraniums, I was in to day. I was lucky that some of the plants were still available. Actually only one geranium was available although I thought all three were geraniums. Two were geums. All plants were priced  at €4.79 (7.99 with 40% off). The geranium was Rosanne and the geums were Mrs. Bradshaw. I got a shock at the check out to be told that the total was a mere €9.58. I had expected to be paying almost double that.

I have been collecting seeds for years but I plan to do it in style this autumn. Seeds can be costly. Some years ago one could get a packet for £1. Then the Euro came in and all of a sudden the price went sky high. It is so easy to remove the seed pods and allow the seeds to ripen and when dry put them away. The number I saved in the past was limited. I got good results from tree lupins this month. The original plants were supplied by a former colleague of mine. I have some seeds at present from foxgloves, the original plants were supplied by unagrant at Johnstown when we had the get together in March. To day after the rain had cleared I removed the seed pods from Lynchnis coronata. I got that from a member possibly at the same time this year. Envelopes were suggested by a number but I have found that pill boxes are just as good. 

Thank God the rain has come. It was impossible to water the garden up to now especially that I had transplanted some flowering plants yesterday. Now these plants, even though they had been watered it was not enough but to day how they stand up. Gerry Daly this morning on Lyric FM stated that the rainfall was quite low this summer and that what came had not penetrated very much. Going to bed last night it seemed as it the forecast would be wrong again but what a relief to look out this morning and see the ground wet. an interesting point was that here at least we had no rain to day, at least from 8 a.m. onward. Some ground was dug and how easy. Spring onions which I sowed last month are now up and with the ground moist and warm should make good progress. The cabbage I sowed is showing the true leaves. Some roses are beginning to open. I have been headhedding the roses for some time now.

After the Country Market where my total sales were one pound of tomatoes and one Hydrangea. The sales are low compared with other years. Some say the recession but wait. The schools are open again. Adjacent to where the building is, the one where we have the market there are two large car parks most of the cars are those of the parents of the children back at school and if you were to see the cars, the type of car they have and none apparently are old, you might say what recession? It seems that there is some other reason. In the afternoon I drove to Tullow for a meeting, then back to my garden where most of the work was again cutting up dead wood (Griselinia). Much more space in the back garden now. I am now looking forward to the rain which has been forecast. It is badly needed.

Wasn't it lovely to day with a rise in temperature. It was possible to get working at areas where perhaps it was not so pleasant before. I got at the rockery where there was a very large Geranium which was choking a lot of the other plants. I got the spade under it and levered, then tackled it from other angles and eventually it was uprooted. It had been a small plant not so long ago. Now it was taken away from the rockery and moved to a bed which had become idle. In that bed there had been plants which had been hit by frost last year. Some weeding was done in the rockery. A small portion of the Geranium was left behind. Some Alyssum (perennial) was put into the rockery and they should be good next spring. By degrees it is taking shape and some plants which were not given the chance to grow can do so now. A piece of ground at the back where I had grown beetroot was dug and I hope to be able to plant something there soon. No photos to day, maybe to morrow. I have plants ready for the Country Market to morrow morning.