Category: Garden

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APPLE TREE

I have taken out the main branches in the middle and will cut the long thin ones rising to the stars later. I also need to cut back the bush near to it. I do not kniw how that will affect the harvest though – we will see. I may get another apricot tree to replace the one which has died (now a bird feeder support).

The greenhouse needs final clearing and cleaning so I can start planting in March.

I also need a haircut but that will have to wait until it has warmed up! Very cold this morning, fingers were numb and then tingling as they warmed up. I might have to reorder some mints that have not made it through the winter, and possibly lemon verbena?

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WEATHER

Wet again with persistent rain for a couple of hours. No flood warnings so far near here.

Wintery with temperatures in single figures. I have moved mist of the mints in pots to places by the house to reduce exposure to cold/wind. I will put rest by the garage – then strip the front garden when dry!

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GARDEN 4 AUGUST

Evening primrose and one type of Californian poppy have finished. 2 flowers I thought were orchids are ID’d by google lens as Elephants Head (although I am not sure they are correct)- pendicularis groenlandica, montbretia in magnificent flower. Mints recovering from gastropod attack – boiling up some garlic spray for future use. 100g tomatoes every day and a 5th cucumber on the way.

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GARDEN

Just planted some lettuce, pan choi and rocket in the greenhouse. It looks like I will get 5 or 6 red peppers and quite a lot of chillies. Maybe another cucumber? Tomatoes are about 100g a day. I just made a nut loaf with some. A couple of nasturtium flowers with a salad were nice.

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LAWNMOWERS

Lawns do provide space for relaxation and some animals like woodpeckers, but most are vanity projects. The market is estimated at about $3 billion per year. Add in energy costs and the chemicals and we individually pay billions to destroy wildlife. My neighbour sprays dandelions with something horrible despite her husband assiduously mowing it short very 2 weeks. Why – does she hate bees and hover flies?

Environmentalists like to blame farmers, and I assure they contribute to loss of habitat in a large way, at least they are producing food. However the 15-20 million lawn owners are doing their bit to destroy our planet for vanity. The ozone layer was almost destroyed by people using aerosols to smell … often … vile. Vanity again.

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TOMATOES- 18 July

250g today. Costings : seeds £7.50; soil £12; feed £8 = about £20. In shops cost of organic toms is about £5kg so I have picked £2.50 so far. Looking good as there might be a kg tomorrow?

A couple of chillies ready to. So sun dried toms with a chillie in could be good?

Tuesday – I just picked another 200g toms. Weds – 200g. Thurs – 50g; total now 950g

Sunday total 1360g Mon -+280g

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NOBS

Have used my quota of “NOBS and NOBETTES” for now on twitter. I have also watered the garden and hosed the inside of the greenhouse. Some chillies and red peppers developing. Flowers great but still a lack of bees and insects. A couple of bowls of water out for the birds. Californian poppies, evening primrose and chicory have all been great. Thyme and mints seem slow to recover after the great slug/snail war.

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BIRD FEEDERS

All was quiet then 3 long tailed tits, 2 robins, 1 great tit, 1 blue tit, 1chaffinch, 1 hedge sparrow in 5 mins. And then gone.

Reporter in the G said lack of butterfly’s might be down to earlier hatching – nob. They are disappearing.

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A SUMMER DRINK

I was given out of date lime and lemons by the shop. I have lots of mints, so I thought I would have a go at something. Mints:apple lemon verbena and lemon balm, Bowles M, pineapple m, ginger m, chocolate m, Spanish m, Atlas Mt.M. Some ginger and lots of fresh lime and lemon juice and some honey. Not bad. I think with ice lemon and thin slices of apple? And maybe vodka or gin?

  •  zest of 6 large lemons (you are going to strain it later so keeping the zest in large pieces is preferable – I do this by using a potato peeler to remove it from the lemons.)
  • 500g sugar
  • 500ml lemon juice (around 10 lemons depending on size and volume of juice)
  • 500ml water
  • 40 large mint leaves ripped into pieces

I like my mint to be a subtle undertone so perhaps half this amount.