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I still haven't had a trip to the allotment yet this year, but Hubby went and collected some manure from the stables near by at the weekend and took that to the plot. He didn't get nearly as much as he'd wanted to, as he didn't have much time before darkness fell, so if the weather stays fine this weekend, he'll be making another trip.
It's forecast to get much colder than it's been recently. We've had a very mild January so far, but it's noticably cooler today. I had to make a mercy dash to school this morning as my daughter's trousers had split. I saved her blushes by taking her another pair, but I had to de-ice the car before I set off. At least the frost should kill off some nasties before the start of the growing season.
Yes, I've noticed the change in the weather here too. I really crave the sun.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we've had a proper winter yet, though I was hoping for a mild one after the last couple, which have been quite bad. I didn't expect it this mild though, so I'm sure there's more to come.
DeleteI need to get some manure by its hard to sorce it locally here everyone seams to want it!
ReplyDeleteI'm lucky, I've got a good, local supply. I just wish we had an easier way of transporting it, other than in the boot of the car.
DeletePoor daughter, lucky you were there with the spare pair :) Hubby is planning to make a start at our new allotment at the w/end, it'll probably need clearing again, but he says he plans to deal with it in squares... Cold here today too. xx
ReplyDeleteI don't know what she'd have done if I wasn't at home, they'd have probably found her a pair from lost property. I think the best way to deal with a new allotment is to clear a patch at a time. Also, get plenty of potatoes planted this year, they really break up the soil and do a lot of the hard work for you. Hope the weather stays fine so that your hubby can get started at the weekend.
DeleteThank you for the tip, we are complete novices :)
DeleteYou're welcome. It can be daunting taking on a large patch of ground, but if you work it little and often, it soon becomes more manageable.
DeleteThat should look good when it flowers! I'm sure that we'll have several cold spells before winter ends. As not for not getting to the plot make the most of armchair gardening now before we do start the new growing season. Flighty xx
ReplyDeleteI've never grown an Amaryllis before, so I'm looking forward to it flowering. I think you're right about armchair gardening, this is the lull before the storm.
DeleteI hope the frost I woke up to this morning has killed off more of the slugs & snails here.
ReplyDeleteI hope so too. Slugs and snails were the bane of my life last year, so I hope there's not as many this year.
DeleteI've just planted the Amarylis that I also got as a christmas present, though it had started sprouting in the box!
ReplyDeleteYes its gone much colder, though it had been far to mild and I worry when things start growing too quick, you always know that we are going to have a few more cold spells before we head into spring. It can certainly help in getting rid of a few slugs and snails!
It will be fun following each other's attempts at growing an Amaryllis, we'll have to see who's flowers first. I know we really need a cold spell to make things grow as they should, as well as killing off bugs, but I hope it's not for a prolonged period, I'm quite enjoying the mild winter we've had so far.
DeleteMine is only just showing the first signs of a bud, I love watching them develop. Still grey and mild here, but I think we are due some colder weather by the end of the week, it would be nice to get some slugs killed off!
ReplyDeleteI've never had one before so it's all new to me. I really hope that the slugs aren't about quite as much as last year, they're so destructive.
DeleteOnce Amaryllis gets going they really take off.
ReplyDeleteI had to thaw out the bird bath this morning and the grass had frost in it all day. Hopefully it will kill off some of the slugs. There has been a lot of them with all the damp weather.
I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops, having never grown one before. I haven't seen any slugs about for a while now, but they were everywhere last year, and I'm sure they're just waiting to pop up again when the conditions are right.
DeleteTypical! Jo hasn't been to the allotment at all, but poor old hubby ends up carting loads of horse-poo to and fro in the darkness and rain! So much for gender equality, eh?! :-)
ReplyDeleteLOL! I've no defence, it's all true. He'll be doing it again this weekend too.
DeleteHad to laugh at Mark's comment above. Your amaryllis will soon take off Jo and they make a cheerful splash of colour just when you need it most. It's turned a lot colder here too with fog lingering for most of the day.
ReplyDeleteI did too, Anna, but you won't catch me lugging horse poo to and fro. We had fog here this morning, but it cleared at lunch time and was, surprisingly, a lovely afternoon.
DeleteI've grown lots of amarylis or hippeastrum over the years in all sorts of colours but I've never had one flower a second time. The bulb either splits into several small ones or rots off or shrinks.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame the bulbs are short lived. They're such lovely flowers though.
DeleteMark's comment made me smile, although perhaps you should advise your husband to set off a little earlier to do his muck spreading ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou're right about the cold spell - I've just got in from a 2 hour site visit and I can barely type I'm shivering so much. You are better off indoors, tending your Christmas pressie.
Don't worry, he's got his orders for this week, though like last week, he's got some other commitments which he needs to take care of before swanning off down to the plot, so perhaps he'll be in the same position again. We've had it quite cold for the last couple of days, but no ice on the car today so it must have warmed up again.
DeleteDear Jo, Look forward to seeing your Amarylis in flower! We are having a 'real' winter following the abnormally mild one last year. Snow is protecting the plants, and frost is (as you say) killing off the nasties. P. x
ReplyDeleteIt's trying very hard to snow here now that the weather has turned much cooler, though the sun is shining again today so it isn't all bad.
DeleteAmaryllis are such pretty plants. I hope yours does well.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing it flower, I've never grown one before.
DeleteI have grown Amaryllis a few times but never managed to get them to flower a second year. They certainly are a very showy bulb.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame they only seem to flower once, though they probably use up their energy in that over the top flower.
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