2021 - What I did today

My Joan J raspberries arrived Thursday so planted them out today with lots of rotted muck and compost. Only 5 but now I have a fine row of 6 autumn raspberries, the Joan J and one Autumn Bliss from Aldi. Will I get any fruit to try next year do you think?

I'm sure you will J!

I've planted all sorts of bulbs today and the only edible thing was saffron bulbs. They'd got a head start in the bag since I left them in the greenhouse - oops!

I've also planted dahlias that have been sat for too long in their bargain bin wrappings, some pink pulmonarias, blue triteleias, 40 odd narcissus - white and peach coloured, allium bulbs, summer snowdrops and my favourite - ranunculus picotee cafe. Lovely day out there. Got some seeds to sow too, but I think that might happen tomorrow, after I've been for some more horse muck

I have started working on my pea and bean trench today its 20 inches deep/high, by 10in. wide and 10ft. long but can be made longer if required, I started by using 2 planks as one retaining wall the other is made by a solid fence which on reflection I should have lined with polythene, I will line it when I empty it at the end of the next growing season, I lined the base with teram to hopefully stop roots getting in, this was covered with some turf that I had lifted then covered that with a couple of layers of cardboard, I then partly filled with garden compost and now intend topping up with burn sand which serves two purposes, it opens up the compost to help drainage and confines any unwanted weeds, himalayan balsam, horse tail etc. all of which should have germinated by end of the summer

Did some more weeding/path raking. Now that the earlier piles of weeds are starting to compost themselves I'm dragging them and the fallen leaves into a mound that runs along one side of a path - forming an edge to the bed on the other side.
My cunning plan is to let the mounds rot down completely and them drag them onto the bed to act as mulch. Its like windrow composting on a small scale!
The chickens enjoy helping with the weed pile dragging as they find lots of critters lurking under them. Thanks for your help today, Dora, Gwen and Bronwen - you're excused for not laying many eggs. Enjoy your retirement.

OI dug a bucket of spuds then weeded my blueberry raised bed, amazingly there are small berries on one of the plants and they are starting to turn blue.

   

It's been a strange few days. Nextdoor have a 16 yr old rather mangy, black, ex-feral cat. It offers them a great deal of comfort although it's not particularly friendly to outsiders. It's deaf as a post and always seems to be scratching even though it is dosed with flea stuff regularly so I'm told.
Tues nextdoor had the district nurse to visit to dress her ulcerative legs (poor woman, the skin on her good leg has now broken down so she has both legs wrapped up in bandages) nextdoor lady said she had itchy knees and nurse said it was because she had fleas and had caught 4 just then. Lady was mortified and ordered spray from Tesco's on next week's order.

She walks with a zimmer , he uses two sticks and on Thurs he fell to the floor and cracked his head on stone the fire surround. Blood everywhere. Ambulance called and I was asked to help put away their Tesco delivery and offer to clear up th blood from the floor. He gets carted off to hospital for wound care leaving her alone and quite vulnerable, luckily they sent him home around midnight. Half an hour later she falls over! They know not to call us to pick her up as I haven't the strength, or skill. They ring their other neighbour, who obliges. Fri he had several problems with his Tesco order which I helped him sort out and I insisted on him showing me whether he could use his new smart phone (he couldnt)so we had a training session - the blind leading the blind there. Then to cap it all over the past few days P and I have been bitten by something, I put it down to midges in the garden but this morning I found two fleas on my ankles, obviously imported from nextdoor! I'm afraid I told them I wouldn't be visiting until flea situation was sorted, with the attendant feelings of guilt.

Any advice re fleas gratefully accepted.

Potted up some camellia cuttings. Sown some broom seeds. Did some emergency repairs to the fence around my trees in my new garden.

JJB, can you ask their vet for some proper flea treatment - I don't think some of the off the shelf stuff is very good - if that's what they're using.
Sarris has a few cats - maybe she can recommend something?

JJB, can you ask their vet for some proper flea treatment - I don't think some of the off the shelf stuff is very good - if that's what they're using.
Sarris has a few cats - maybe she can recommend something?

Been there done that. We used to order Frontline for them until the home visiting vet said that theirs was a lot better. I understand they are using the vet recommended product.  I suggested they ring the vet, council or local pest controller re the 'infestation' and I believe they  contacted  the council today (Sunday) and left a message.  Meanwhile I caught another flea on me this evening!  The blighters have always loved my blood.  I'm traipsing around in white long socks so I can spot them before they bite. I feel like I'm back at school

JJB, can you ask their vet for some proper flea treatment - I don't think some of the off the shelf stuff is very good - if that's what they're using.
Sarris has a few cats - maybe she can recommend something?

I can - it's something I was constantly having to battle with at the old house, as there were so much of the little things outside. The best instant stuff is Capstar - a tablet that you give them and the fleas die within an hour or two. Then top up with spot on stuff - Advantage has worked really well for us for quite some time now, but it's good to change around.

Vets can give injections too, which are very effective, but I've not personally tried that.

For floors and material - hoover daily if not more, and spray with Indorex, daily. Materials - clothes etc, was any that have been in touch with fleas.