Signs of Life!

First Snowdrops

Garrya Elliptica

Garden Blogger's been a bit quiet lately owing to a fairly major indoor project!  That hasn't stopped her from gardening and keeping up with seasonal work, it's meant that she hasn't had time to write about them.

Hellebore

Despite the many frosty mornings we've had recently, things are very definitely on the move.  Plants are awakening from the winter coma and the first Snowdrops are appearing - HURRAH! The Hellebores are coming into flower and even the odd Primrose.  How interesting that the differing plant cell structures can survive these icy temperatures.  The Hellebores are all bent down and, as the temperature rises, they too rise up - with the sun!  The Agarves (which over-winter in the greenhouse) are as tough as old boots to handle with their deadly spikes but in frosty temperatures just dissolve to mush.  Something as innocent and gentle as a Snowdrop is by far the tougher!  I couldn't resist buying 3 pots of Aconites and popping them in by the telephone kiosk.  We have never had many of them in this garden so I'm hoping they'll multiply.  The winter Jasmine is flowering and the tassles on the Garrya Elliptica are quite stupendous (considering all the horrors it suffered in its earlier life!)  It's all very heartening spotting these these winter breakthroughs and reminds us that we have much much more to which we can look forward!

Avocados - in England?

Avocado shoots

2 year old Avocado

Now I know that Monty Don was talking about the fact that he had found an Avocado stone which had germinated on his compost heap over winter BUT, I have to point out that we were way ahead of him! Two years ago, we potted one up that had germinated in the compost heap the previous winter and this is the result.  A couple of weeks ago, Christ found two more and the shoots in the black flower pot bear evidence to the fact.  Any finds like this of course, are very fortunate to survive being sliced by a shovel or spade but it was a lucky day for this particular one!  These finds also say something about our compost heap and the warmth it generates.  Compost is another of Monty's buzz words.  He maintains they need constant attention in the way of turning and mixing in.  We never do that.  We have 2 bays and when one is emptied, the compost from the full bay is then moved into the empty bay and left for a whole year.  This means it is turned just that once in its life and...how was this year's compost?  Perfect of course!

In a previous post, I was banging on about we gardeners having constant battles against vermin, pestilence and disease well, in the case of Avocados it has been Red Spider Mite!  I did say we're always waging war against something!  It seems that there is little that can be used in this battle - little that is, for us amateur gardeners.  I don't suppose for a second that there isn't a whole variety of weaponry available to professional growers as they just couldn't afford to have plants (and livelihoods) decimated by killer insects.  This year I have made a special effort to spray the lemon tree (and adjacent Avocado) with water in an effort to increase the humidity which, we know, Mr Red Spider just hates!  But water!  I ask you!  It's not much of a weapon is it?

Battles in the Greenhouse.

Despite constant battles with mildew and whitefly in the greenhouse, we do have some colour and fragrance.  Mildew decimated the Cyclamens and whitefly attacked the Pansies.  Whilst the Pansies have made a recovery, alas, the Cyclamen still look rather ragged.  The little Tete-a-tetes are showing colour as are the Hyacinths and the Primulas which have also been affected by mildew seem to be winning their battle rather better than the Cyclamens!  All in all, this winter seems to have been one long battle against vermin, pestilence and disease.  I know this has always been the fate of gardeners but, this winter has been worse than most!

Apple Pruning

It's that time of year when the real experts have been busy in the surrounding cider apple orchards pruning the apple trees.  Whilst we only have two (as opposed to 24000!) it was time to sharpen the secateurs, loppers and pruning saw. Now; this is exactly the sort of job where height is a very distinct advantage!  With Chris being 6'5" plus he definitely had the advantage over my meagre 5'5"!  What's interesting here is the fact that Bulmer's trees are pruned purely to maximise yield and they don't need to worry about shape.  We of course want the best of both worlds and prefer to keep a traditional shape to the tree as well as having plenty of fruit.  Our expert neighbour: Rob grafted a desert apple by the name of Falstaff on to our Bramley and this has to be born in mind especially when pruning!  Our other apple is a Katie - also a present from Rob.  Well, we done our best (as they say) with both trees' and time and season alone will tell.  We pruned the fruiting spurs back by a third to a bud and cut out all the misshapen and rubbing branches in both trees and then, in much need of a warm job, we cleared up all the prunings and went off to have a monster bonfire!

Chit chat in the tool shed!

Arran Pilots chitting in the sunshine!

It's such a lovely verb I thought I'd see what Wikipedia had to say.  The only revelation for me was was to read about them being watered.  I had never heard heard of that and, in any cae the egg trays wouldn't hold water and would just become soggy and then disintegrate.   These will be left on the tool shed window sill  waiting for their shoots to form and planted when the ground warms up - which won't be for ages yet!                     

                                                                   

Chitting

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chitting is a method of preparing potatoes or other tubers for planting. The seed potatoes are placed in a tray (often in egg cartons) in a light and cool place and given a little water. All but three or four of the "eyes" (sprouting parts) of the potato are removed, leaving the strongest growths only. After the sprouts are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, the seed potatoes are planted in the ground.

Frosty Transformation

The Henclosure

J. Frost Esq had paid a lengthy visit overnight and gone was the dark, damp, dull weather.  Everywhere was bright and crisp, the landscape was completely changed as everything had been painted with a sparkling rime. The ferns looked pretty again and the surrounding apple orchards so it was out with the camera before it all thawed! For more scenes, see   J. Frost visits PTC  The chickens' water was frozen solid and after thawing it out, they were given extra foodie treats to help keep out the cold. Lot to be said for wearing duvets on mornings like this!

Virtues of Garden Lighting in Winter

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When we first began the arduous, back breaking and super tedious job of digging trenches all around a 3/4 acre garden and laying in cables, I seriously doubted myself and I mean: seriously!  It took FOREVER and it was the worst time of year - spring.  All those emerging tender and vulnerable shoots.  My vision had been balmy summer's evenings with a glass in one hand and admiring the light bouncing of a canopy of leaves.  Not a single thought was given to winter.  Here we are 5 years down the line and it's THIS time of year one reaps the real benefits. When the trees are bare and the evenings are long and dark, gazing out of the windows to see uplit silver birches, garden statues and pretty skeletal outlines well, this is the time of year all those hours of toiling are worth every aching muscle!!  Yes.  I know these photos weren't taken in winter but that's only because it's too cold to go outside with a tripod.