Video diary update of the back garden. Not bothering with the front as there is zero progress to report!
Indoor Plants – March 2015
Seed trays and early dahlia tubers all in progress. My little lavender plug plants are putting on growth but there is nowhere to plant them yet. The race against time becomes more obvious!
My previous plan of putting up a temporary polytunnel is on the back burner as I can’t get the time off work to take delivery and build it. Probably a blessing in disguise as I had a real feeling that once up it would not come back down again.
February Update
February 2015 and the winter is still in full swing, but a cheeky Dahlia picture brightens the page up a bit.
Now is the time for planning. The main trees and shrubs are still in place so I can see what I will have to plant around. While the plants are dormant in the low temperatures it is the ideal time to dig them up and relocate them.
Back Garden – Feb 2015
February Plans
Well it’s now February and the worst of the winter is hopefully over. So, time to survey the mess and start thinking through what planting strategies and changes I am going to be making in the fast approaching Spring.
Two things are in my mind here. Firstly having time to rearrange the plants to give me enough space to plant this season’s bulbs and tubers Secondly getting it ready in time to avoid a late planting out. Last year I was lucky winter came so late or I would not have had much of a growing season at all.
Front Garden – Feb 2015
The front garden looks quite sorry for itself as the debris from the previous season mixes in with leaves blown in off the street and the weeds that are getting a head start on the growing season. Fatigue sets in just looking at the work ahead!
Trying Out My Qualcast Electric Rotovator
My best little purchase of the year so far. A little electric rotovator from Qualcast. At just 750W it won’t move mountains but it turns the topsoil over nicely and saves my back in the process. Not a bank breaker either at £75.00. Beginning to quite like Homebase in this vid 🙂
Front Garden – Dec 14
Dismal, dark and damp. The past summer seems almost as far away as the one to come. There is work, nevertheless, and it will make next season’s plans a possibility if I get the main tasks done now while the garden is a mess anyway.
Back Garden – Dec 2014
The Dahlias have only just been lifted, and unbelievably at this time of year, we haven’t had a frost yet. Some of the Dahlia tubers are actually still in the ground and come up in good condition. The leaves are making a big soggy mess and I wish I was somewhere sunny.
Putting Dahlias Away For The Winter
Final trimming of the tubers and tidying up before laying in boxes of vermiculite and storing in the garage. Many people have completely different approaches.
Dahlia Plantation September 2014
The Dahlias are all in bloom and winter is coming late, which is rather lucky considering I planted them out so late. The main purpose of this part of the garden is to identify what varieties I have as I didn’t manage to label them at the end of the previous season.
