2024 - What I did today

Escaped hospital! Did y'all miss me? I reckon that's a major achievement I might just buy something 'gardeny' in celebration, don't know what though. Some thought will be directed to the problem

Welcome back, JJB. Of course we missed you. Its been really quiet.

As for my day, I've planted the leftover Elephant Garlic. Those that weren't dug up are already a few inches above ground, which helped because I replanted near them - also started another cluster nearby.

Welcome back, JJB. Of course we missed you. Its been really quiet.

As for my day, I've planted the leftover Elephant Garlic. Those that weren't dug up are already a few inches above ground, which helped because I replanted near them - also started another cluster nearby.

That reminds me, I'll have to go up to the gh to check on mine tomorrow.

The only thing gardening related I’ve done today is weed the Christmas tree pot and add another layer of bark chipping. And washed a plant pot saucer. Ready for my little tree to come inside next week.

All I've done is add more stuff to the wormeries and hotbin. Also started to mark up next year's Diary, splitting the year into 3 week sections, so that I know whether its a Roots.& Shoots week, Fruits week or a Leaves week.

A few years ago I bought 12 unrooted cuttings of various willows. I really like the colour (especially the reds & yellows) of the young stems.

I managed to get half of them rooted and have today chopped down some of the major growth to try and get them to send up multiple shoots. It's amazing how much growth they have put on. One is 25 feet high and another has a stem diameter of 1.5 inches. I have left those two and butchered the rest.

Years ago, I planted a willow circle, intending to weave the branches into a "den". Are you going to do that Vinny? You could bend the 25' tall one over into an arch and plant the cuttings around it.

PS. My willow circle wasn't a great success and, because the area was always damp there, they were removed and that's where the pond is.

Years ago, I planted a willow circle, intending to weave the branches into a "den". Are you going to do that Vinny? You could bend the 25' tall one over into an arch and plant the cuttings around it.

PS. My willow circle wasn't a great success and, because the area was always damp there, they were removed and that's where the pond is.

I have left a couple of the more robust ones either side of my path area half way up the garden. My intention is to make a willow arch but it will be next year before they are big enough to join together in an arch! One is green barked and one is yellow barked with a rhododendron left side and beech hedge on the right.

Some steak ready to go in the dryer. This time I bashed itto bits with a rolling pin and added cider vinegar and salt and pepper before cutting into bite sized pieces.

Its Roots and Shoots week plus Strip 1, so I took advantage of a dry spell this morning and did some work In Strip 1, namely cutting down this year's canes on a ?thornless loganberry (not sure what it is really but it has enormous, thornless canes that tip root in all the wrong places, and trip you up). Its a bit of a jungle there - a soft fruit jungle - and it'll be having a makeover in 2025.
I was surprised to see how many potatoes are coming up in the random potato patch. Bonus.