Chilled planter

I couldn’t update the news until I had a long hot shower, a painkiller and a meal. This has been hard work for an outdoor day.

The good news is I weeded the asparagus bed. The bad news there was only one spear that dared to peek its frond into the cold soil and wet damp air; so I was forced to weed while hunting spears.

Jean Daniel can enjoy them on the weekend; things ought to have improved by then.

And as there were so many cold rain showers I had to retreat to the potting shed for some serious seed sowing and rearranging and potting on.

I have two weeks away from all these little plants which means there is a lot of management of the pots.

I have potted on as many as I could (I ran out of compost by late afternoon) and in between squalls of rain I even went in search of another table.

I’m borrowing the one from the small basement which houses the strimmer and all the parts. But as I am taking the strimmer up for a service tomorrow it can do without it for a while.

I set up a trestle table in the middle of the potting shed to take the extra seedlings.  I’m busting out of the space.

There are some tiny seedlings that really ought not to be moved up a level – especially these rudbeckia seedlings.  But they will dry out too much in the their current pot in a fortnight, so I’m taking a risk. A big risk.

Mustn’t fret. The weather looks to be cool for another week.  And Elodie ought to be able to come and water and Jean Daniel can do his bit if I ask.

It’s just that out of control element that is the painful side of gardening when you like to be able to micro manage every step of the production.

I found the time to emtpy some old compost onto the shade garden beds as a mini mulch , and took the time, too, to admire my beautiful tulips.

One has to count one’s blessings on frustrating and cold days like these.