2021 - What I did today

Last couple of days, I've prepared this year's tunnel bed for the winter, hoops in place but no plastic yet,  planted out some lettuces and sown some winter radish.
Prepared the early pea and bean bed.
Pruned out the dead wood and crossing branches from Rosa Mermaid on the pergola.  She's a viscous girl!
Started autumn tidy of the pond, offered loads of free water lilies locally and got no takers

Re lined one of the compost heaps with weed suppressant fabric. I used to use the old tarpaulins that cover the wood pile but this lasts much longer. While I was at it tidyed up the compost area Planted/stuffed in some of the Daffodil bulbs that I dug up while clearing a bed the other day

Played with my new toy, a Ryobi shredder. Made me réalise just how worn out the old one was! Picked all the ripe Scotch Bonnet chillies for stringing for drying tomorrow. Did a bit more sorting out of the tunnel and put one piece of staging back in.

Did some more grass raking and edge elimination - its very satisfying.
Collected 3 tired amaryllis bulbs in big, glass goblets (originally bought from M&S). The gift tag was still on one "£7, No need to water". No wonder the bulbs look exhausted! The bulbs were sat on a lump of moss, with fir cones and pseudo apples but no soil. I put some compost in the bottom of the goblets and plonked the bulbs with moss on top of it..........and I gave them some water. Hope they recover.

Finished dismantling an 8 x 12 greenhouse frame and am suffering as a result. I have had a bad back for a number of years and had some corrective surgery a while back. I fear I have undone any gains as the pain is the same as it used to be.

I shall need to rest it for a week or so. Took 30 mins and 2 people to help me straighten up.

I've a very thick head due to a cold coupled with flu jab yesterday which gave me the shivers last night so I think I'll be feeling sorry for myself today. Yesterday planted out some winter pansies, split some 'wild' Polyanthus/primroses and sorted out some raspberries, weeding and cutting out fruited canes.

The weather improved and was quite summery this afternoon. Spent the morning in the GH, cutting back and pulling up tomato plants. Plenty more toms to come and a couple of cukes.
Then moved outdoors with my trusty rake and hauled out more grass, moved some wood edging, cut back some holly and hazel that was in my way, dug up some brambles, took down the wire netting around 3 blackcurrant bushes, so that I can get in to prune/take cuttings. A satisfying day!

Its rained all day of nothing outdoors only picking raspberries and a few Kale leaves.

Too wet to get anything outside done today, potted on ssome pansy seedlings, then got ready for church, after that a light lunch as we were going to our sons for tea, now back in after a really nice tea and now going to sit and read

Back from the holidays so lots to do in the garden and tunnel, ground was wet from overnight rain so the tunnel was up for some tidying up and watering. I picked what remained on the tomato plants then pulled them all up and into the composter, cut back the rosemary, thyme, lemon thyme, parsley and sage. Picked a load of chillies for freezing, pulled up some cavolo nero and old cabbage plants they were gone very dry and scraggy, I have others growing outside. Picked and trimmed up some indoor strawberry plants. Dug one of the raised beds from the tomatoes and cabbage, dug in seaweed fertiliser, BFB, and chicken manure pellets. Then watered it well and sowed my garlic all from my own garlic cloves grown last year. Dug some carrots for the dinner, watered the young carrots, lettuce, violas, hazelnuts, onion seeds, and lavender seeds, also watered and fed my indoor potatoes.