Another hot day ☀️

 So we had a little rain and it was a joy to go stand out in it yesterday evening .

It was another uncomfortable and thundery night .

Fog returned early in the morning but quickly dispersed and I got two loads of washing out and dry on the line . Feeling pleased with myself to have done  a bit of ironing too . 

I decided to get on and pot up one of my Furcraea plants . 

 I am slowly tidying up the area by the greenhouse . I am hoping the Hop will come back in there too . It was really neglected for months while I was out of action with my spine injury ....but I know that the roots are still in there and hopefully that will resurface at some stage . 

     The earth , a mixture of garden earth and some fresh compost was bone dry .

I gave it some fresh compost and two full watering cans of nice fresh rain water . 

 Then to check on those big cacti , that you can see through the window .

            All is well with those monsters at the top of my greenhouse .

Since the beginning of Spring I have been giving this Dioscorea elephantipes a little trickle of water to wake it up very gradually .

                      Today I noticed a nice green shoot !  🤩🌿

I need to pull that cactus out . It was a just a little piece that broke off another plant and fell into this pot  , and I just left it and now it has it's roots well and truly down and mingling with the Dioscorea elephantipes roots !  

  I can not remember what this cactus is called ...the name has long worn off the plant label . I need to get my big old cactus book out and look it up .  What is this thing ?!  It is on the tip of my tongue....but I just can't remember it ! 

 It looks like it doesn't have cactus spines as such , but believe me it does ! 😱 Nasty glochids ! Even if you only slightly , accidently , brush past it ! 😱🌵

      I still love it though !  🌵💚☺️

At some stage I will give them both some love . 

    I'll repot them both separately with nice new labels and horticultural grit .

Anyway ....

All of a sudden , further up the greenhouse bench , cucumbers are appearing fast !

            I gave everything a drink . Everybody happy !

     A nice glass of water chilling in the fridge for me too !

  Off for our walk in a little while . Just gonna have a little flop beside my fan  .

         Hope you're all keeping cool and hydrated !  ☀️

                                 love Debbie 💐 x

Extreme Heatwave ☀️

I have spent most of the last two days just lying on my bed feeling very sick in this extreme heat !

I get heat stroke very easily ....and it is horrible .

Meanwhile the menfolk have been busy cutting , twizzling and baling up the hay.

 

 Flashes of fork lightning and rumbling thunder just as they got the work done .

                            We knew that rain was on the way .

Still feeling sick , but I managed to plant out some of my Cosmos into this tub .

  I still have more to plant out around the garden . It'll have to wait until the weather cools down and when I am feeling better .

I,ve put out some of my indoor plants to catch a refreshing drink over-night .

 Hopefully I can get some sleep tonight , window open to feel the cooling breeze and listen to the rain .

               Hope everyone is keeping comfortable in this extreme heat .

                     All I can write for today folks .... sorry 😔

                                 Peace and Love 🕊️

                                            Debbie 💐x

Good morning Sunshine ! ☀️

                 Good morning Sunshine !

            Up early to get everything watered and weeds hoed down .

     Lots of flowers coming now and one or two courgettes ....but they are just tiddlers at the moment .   

                             🌿The earth smells so good 🌿

The Leeks are looking settled in now . I have another lot to plant out , to feed us through the hungry gap February . Not sure where I will plant them just yet . I 'll have to make room somewhere .

  The Sweetcorn is also coming along . The Runner-beans have really taken quite a bashing in the recent gales and that has really set them back . Last year I lost all my Runner-beans in the harsh winds at around the same time . ( I think my American friends- you call these Pole Beans..which kind of makes more sense really ☺️🌿 )

  They are just about hanging on in there .

 Next year I must remember to sow on some windbreak mesh on the side of the chicken wire fence where the breezes blow through . I have been putting the wheelbarrow on it's side to sort of block it from which ever side it is blowing in from ....which has worked ....but we can do better !

 

Shallots - I think they are finally starting to come up . 

Anyway , the sun is up and shining , it is hot already . I have opened up the greenhouse and made sure everything is watered in there .

            

  Beetroot ....I am so excited to have our own beetroot !

   Peas ! .....Usually they've been eaten by little creatures by now . They are looking surprisingly good if maybe just a tad too thickly sown !

Celery - I've really got to keep them well watered . I'm thinking it might be too hot and dry for them in this bed .

             Lavender - I am so happy to have Lavender for Lavender sachets.

I have another lot of Lavender plants waiting to be planted out . The more, the merrier ! 🌿🪻🪻

I have made sure there is fresh water for our wild birds and animal friends .

Oh ! Good news !......

Tetrapanax papyrifer rex .....that was smashed down a couple of weeks ago ....has put out a few new leaves .

                                        I am SO happy !

                                                 🌿  💚  🌿 

The meadow has been cut  and drying out nicely in the hot sunshine .

As for me , I have done all I wanted to do in the garden today . 

 I'm going to find some shade and do my embroidery , read a few gardening books , maybe do a bit of patchwork .

                 Take care in the hot sunshine everybody ! ☀️

                              love Debbie x