2026 - What I did today.

It’s been quite a pleasant day, especially after yesterday. So after lots more research, problem solving and a cottage change over. I just had to do something outside. So I’ve just repotted my Christmas tree. In one of the smaller of my newly acquired pots. Like the ones you get Veggie, with the handles.

I’ve sown seeds, planted bulbletts , and re taped the hole I found in the polytunnel a couple of weeks ago. I noticed today that the tape I had put on (inside & out ) had decided to leave. And found another small hole so taped that as well.

I actually got outside! I did a bit of 'hair transplanting ' of grass clumps. Digging them up from the veg patch and replanting them in a bare bit of ground where we've removed branches under a tree. Mixed some compost. Added chicken manure to a tayberry tub and a blackberry. It's a bit of an experiment where the fruit of the outside tayberry just got eaten by birds and mice, so I transplanted it into a huge tub in the fruit cage and replaced it with a thornless blackberry. Both are doing well. Put some rather manky saved broad beans to soak/chit, sowed some others in root trainers. Relocated onion seedling trays to the gh rather than the porch windowsill. I now have room in the porch, I wonder what I can sow (cue maniacal laughter and rubbing of hands accompanied by P's rolling eyes) Repotted a very poorly snail begonia. I've killed more snails than I've grown. I'm doing something wrong, I think the potting medium may be too dense, hence the remix of compost with extra perlite. Gathered armfuls of fallen twigs and branches from under trees. Not bad for an hours work before lunch.

Just a long Sunday walk in the country this morning with Kato. The weather wasn't too bad either with glimpses of sunshine now and again.

Mostly cleaning today the kitchen looks better for it.

Had a worthwhile few hours in the garden, cutting back brambles and the passion flower which was taking over the pea/bean cage. Filled a garden waste bin to the brim - very satisfying.

Planted some sprouting tete a tete, cut back a clematis Hagley Hybrid, weeded, dug out some grape hyacinths (a montly ritual but I never get rid of them).

Shopping day today. Looked at the seeds in Lidl but decided I would check my seed tins to see what I neaded first? Bought a nice yellow indoor chrysanthemum to cheer me up when sat on the kitchen window sill.

Squeezed an hour or so of pulling up vinca between rain showers. Everyone pulled up is one less to, encroach. The ground is so wet that the roots came up quite easily.

Bob brought a second hand wood chipper today. A fairly big one. In need of some TLC, but it works. So I weeded part of a bed. While he was tinkering with it . Then we had to put it to the test and put a few branches through it. After just 5 minutes I had a lovely little pile of wood chip just enough to go round the buddleia in a nice thick layer.