The FastDay Forum

P.S. I do have tomato plants growing in the greenhouse (self-set seedlings from last year) , a few pots are planted out and my herb container has been replanted - so not all is not totally doom and gloom!

@StowgateResident I know the feeling! After a busy year so far, it's a late start for me. Cucumber and tomato plants are on the go. Talk of window sills reminds me I have some climbing petunia's to plant out. Last week I found potatoes from last years plants which was a nice unexpected surprise. Hoping to find time next weekend to get out there

I love to see this tent up and active. It's winter here and I am enjoying my big pumpkin harvest. Plus I have been eating cabbage and cauliflower, carrots and rocket. My flower garden is a disgrace. I just can't seem to motivate myself to get out there. I always do the veggie garden. I have planted rows of onions, red legs and other red onions and snow peas and leeks, and broad beans. Also in another bed there are English spinach and red cabbage, but they are only small. Something was eating the spinach and I hope the spinach will do better now I have put milk bottles over them. I did buy a peony shoot and some crocus bulbs at the Farmers' Market on Saturday, and I have visions of planting poppies and other annuals in the weedy bed where the cosmos have finished. When I get a sunny day and no sick OH or other distractions I might make it out there.

PS. Forgot to mention apples. I have a project to cook all the apple recipes in my Delicious Magazine collection. Made a really nice apple gallette yesterday.

OH and I have been very busy in the garden (probably one reason I haven't been in here very much). Until this year we have always had someone to help us with the garden, but since OH retired we have decided to do it ourselves.
I have been sorting out our big border, I weeded, manured and mulched it in the winter and am now taking photos every month to remind myself where things are in case they need moving next winter. There are a number of things that don't fit in at all and as they identify themselves by flowering I am digging them out and replacing them with something I really like.
In the greenhouse we have tomatoes (some already set), peppers, chillis, melons and some flower seeds I have started to be planted out in the autumn. The vegetable garden has runner beans, mange tout, kale, sweet corn, sweet peas, leeks, onions, butternut squash and a lot of lettuces. I have also planted some Italian plum type tomatoes outside to use for sauces and chutneys.
I mow the lawn about once a week and that gives me about 3 miles on my Fitbit.
Happy gardening

I have had four plumbers in my from garden - three came with the house (bought 16yrs ago) and one we got from friends 4-5yrs ago. They have thrived and born fruit every year. But som years ago all of them started to sprout "spears" around the lowest part of the trunks and last year tow of the tree just died. The "spears" lives on (even flowered) and yesterday I decided to cut them of and to my great surplice I found that they where thorny - hard thorns 1/4 in to 1 in long.
What on earth can that be? Plum trees are thornless!!
Anyone have any idea of what this is and how come?

As I suspected - we've all been too busy to be posting on here!
@Wolfie, I have no idea what your thorny growths could be, perhaps someone much cleverer than me will be along to help you!
@Sallyo, you certainly have a very productive garden and I like your idea about the apple recipes.
@SianS, you are lucky to have your OH interested in the garden. Mine does the mowing and hedge cutting but isn't interested in growing anything, so sometimes it feels like an uphill struggle! I too have some potatoes growing from last years 'stragglers', so I may check them out later to see if they are edible.
Yesterday, I managed to get my beans and corn set out and there was just enough room to plant a row of mixed salad leaves. Well it's a start!

By 'plumbers', @Wolfie, I guess you mean plum trees, not guys who fix plumbing problems. The thorny growth is probably growth from the root stock. Fruit trees are usually grafted onto other root stock. It could be anything. Cut them out. Wonderful summer gardens everyone. It's lovely to know that summer exists elsewhere.

I'VE GOT A GARDEN!!!!!!!!!!!! : grin:
Thrilled and excited.
It has some grass, a shared drying green, a concrete 'patio' area and a bit that is going to be reclaimed and used for veg. I'M probably a bit late for stuff this year, so I'm learning how to be a pot gardener, containers probably sounds better
We have a wee sitooterie at the front door and I've stuck herbs in pots there, and got Beloved some strawberries down in the 'patio' . stuck in some pansies, a couple of fuscias and a hosta.
Really please with the low budget and totally delighted that the local council makes compost which we can get for free.
Loving being home!!!!

Pleased for you @janeg

My chicken ate my spinach. That's all. My first ever attempt. It was from seed and was doing very nicely thanks,

I thought it might be nice to share my gardening exploits here. This is my back garden's transformation which so far has taken about 5 months.

From this...

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to this, my take on a japanese courtyard garden




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It's a work in progress still but I'm hoping it will get finished soon. x

oh I love your zen garden@drilakila ! must have taken a lot of hard work but so worth the effort! x

What a transformation, @drilakila! A very good solution for a small-ish space and a huge improvement on what was there before. I can't understand why your neighbours aren't delighted with it (reference your comment on another thread). Well done to you!
I was hoping to get in the garden today to finish off the weeding in one of the flower beds that I started yesterday but the weather is against me - sunshine then showers on a repeat loop! Mind you, I suppose that I should be happy that there is some rain - living, as I do, in one of the driest areas of England! At least it will cut down on the vegetable watering.

Thank you!
I think it's more the front garden really as I took down a fence,the pergola and cut the trees/hedge by a third. Instead of talking to me they 'sent me to coventry' lol. I found an apple and pear tree and raspberry canes in the jungled mess!





I am very lucky to have two gardens including a small pond and resident wildlife. We are getting lots of rain here, maybe you would like some! x

It looks lovely - enough garden to be worthwhile but not so much that you have to be out there every second of your life!