The days are lengthening, apparently, although with the frost and fog and dull skies there is not a big difference yet. Today is supposed to be fine but it’s not very promising at the moment. Never mind, there’s plenty to report on in the garden.
1)
The red pansies I bought with the cyclamen are coming into flower and I am pleased with the colour. I had feared they would be more scarlet. They are in the hanging baskets with the remnants of the lobelias I planted alongside the pelargoniums in the summer. There are masses of seedlings I assume are lobelias.
2)
Look away if you are having your breakfast/morning coffee. I have planted out the clematis (see later) that I bought from Aldi a few months ago and when I released it from its pot, I saw this awful sight! Yes, another vine weevil 🥚. Aarrgh! I checked for more but couldn’t find any any. As Jim says, they do turn brown so are well disguised.
3)
The raised bed and the overcrowded “currant” bed. I decided to rehome 2 of each of the red and black currants in the raised bed but unless I prune back the branches, I can’t get at the roots to dig them out without breaking yet another fork, I did try but even the spade was not effective.
4)
So, I decided to do as I had done a few years ago and chop off a few twigs of each type and plant them straight into the soil then hope for the best. Now……..the first fruit cage is in position protecting the fruit “bushes”! (Notice the compost container, (not its prettiest view). Have I mentioned it before?😉🤭)
5)
My recent seed purchases. I may have mentioned that the first seeds I ever bought a long, long time ago were Clarkia. I thought I would sow some this year. I have decided I will try Morning Glory in the troughs. When we last visited Mr and Mrs Propagator, I was very impressed with Mr P’s Morning Glory at the back of his planters. Swiss Chard, which is still going in the raised bed, (in fact it’s potato and spinach curry this evening) has been excellent.
6)
The clematis, mentioned earlier, in place. There is a healthy bud on it which is not visible from this angle.
My little friend photo bombing again.
It was nice to have an hour or so outside yesterday, although it was snowing gently all the time.
Meanwhile, in the greenhouse, there are 8 of Fred’s Sweet Peas showing now.
Have a good weekend in your garden.
Granny's garden 
A very stylish compost container if I may say so!
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A marvelous working compost bin. I am always a little suspect when I see neat and tidy, perfect bins. Are they really used?
I have a robin friend on the allotment but to my horror he has started going into the shed if the door is open. I am petrified that I will shut him in one day so am having to keep the door closed. It does mean that I can’t see the mess inside!
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Always lovely to have a robin about the place, where do they go in summer? Or are they still about and we just don’t notice them so much? Nice pansy! I haven’t grown clarkia for donkey’s years, I can’t really remember what they are like. Looking forward to seeing yours. And that morning glory sounds lovely! Have a great week Granny, keep warm and safe. x
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That pansy is a lovely rich colour. Your gardening companion is very cute. I’ve recently been adopted by a pair of robins that seem to hang out under the Daphne.
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Thank you for making me think of my Morning Glory seeds… I’ll have to organize the seedlings soon.
Say hello to your friend robin and give him a worm from me ! Have a good weekend L.
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I didn’t realise how hard it was to dig out an old redcurrant bush until I tried once – it was a very old, diseased one. Goodness, it was a workout! Find a strong neighbour, if there’s one to hand. I’m going to be trying morning glory for the first time too this year.
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I’ll get Stuart next door to help next time.
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I grew clarkia for the very first time last year. I don’t know what took me so long! I really like the look of the seed mix you’ve bought – nice colour combo.
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Relax, that is fertiliser. The coating is resin through which water goes by osmosis. Inside is basically a powdered liquid feed, which dissolves in the water and diffuses out through the resin at a controlled rate. When you squash them what comes out is part dissolved liquid feed. Vine weevil eggs are less than 1 mm in diameter, I’m guessing your granule is 2-3mm?
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Thank you, Jim. I was told that the eggs were about 6 to 8 mm which is what this was. Clearly, much too big. That’s put my mind at rest but I must have got rid of several slow release fertiliser granules in the course of the last few months! Hey ho, I live and learn. 🙄😡
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We put a few little signs around the nursery explaining what they were, so widespread was the belief they were slug eggs or worse. No one ever tells you these things. I’m ordering a 25kg bag sometime soon so they’d better not be eggs.
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I see Jim’s already eased your mind on the vine weevil front. But pays to be vigilant. I keep planting out morning glory too early and then having it killed back by the frost. It has got going again but not strong enough for a decent display. Need to be more patient.
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It is wonderful to think those sticks will produce lovely fruit in just a few months time. Cuttings work well, that is just what I did with my blackcurrants. Your little friend can tell you whether they are beetle grubs, he’ll eat them out of your hand. The grubs are white with brown heads and easy to spot.
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Aren’t the robins gorgeous – they are so bold at this time of year. Yuck to the vine weevil. I could definitely sense the days getting longer today. Hope is in the air despite everything.
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I’ve been corrected. Those are not vine weevil eggs……they are slow release fertiliser. 🤪😯
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The Pansies are a lovely shade of red. Packets of seed are a lovely sight at this time of year. I’m very late ordering mine this year, although I’ve still got rather a lot not sown from last year😏
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MY favorite was the bird! I love birds singing in the garden!
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One of the good things about SoS…there’s always someone to put your mind at rest. You can relax about the vine weevil now! What a dear little robin. Lovely to have such pleasant company in the garden.
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great gardening!
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