Logan
Well-known member
- Location
- Redditch west midlands Worcester
- Hardiness zone
- 11a
What's happening in your garden today?
- Thread starter Mike
- Start date
Zigs said you got 15 more bags of junk food, and I had to explain it was 2dollar mulch you were after...at least that's what I hope you meantA friend texted me that our Tractor Supply store had a cart full of pretzels, candies, and the like, all for quick sale at 25¢ each. So, since it's just 1 mile away, I headed over there. First I checked the compost to see the prices since I needed more and first thing I saw was bags of wood mulch for $2 each !!
I bought 15 bags, got two bags of potting compost and then checked the carriage with the junk food. Bought me a big bag of honey mustard pretzels for 25¢ !! And, they are wheat pretzels and absolutely scrumptious !!
Then I came home and spread my mulch out where needed. Tomorrow I'm going back for 15 more bags.
Anniekay
Well-known member
- Location
- Quitman, Ga.
- Hardiness zone
- 9a
Zigs said you got 15 more bags of junk food, and I had to explain it was 2dollar mulch you were after...at least that's what I hope you meant
One bag of junk food for 25¢ and 15 bags of wood mulch for $2 a bag. I just finished spreading 15 more bags that I got today, but the junk food was alllllll gone !! 
Sean Regan
Well-known member
It's -6c, sunny, with a clear blue sky.
https://www.gardening-forum.com/attachments/p1020542-jpg.106526/
I've put some boiling water in the big plastic saucer in the birdbath in the foreground, which was solid with ice.
No snow since Wednesday night.
I fed the birds and squirrels and taken the bags of peanuts, suet pellets and bird food that I bought yesterday, down to the shed. I went into the garden via the French windows, which let a lot of cold air into the lounge, as the padlock on the door of the side fence is frozen.
I'm glad I turned off the water supply to the "freezer room" basin and tap, the water heater and the tap on the side of the shed, before the freeze. There will be water in the water heater, but it has a frost stat, so what's in there won't freeze.
https://www.gardening-forum.com/attachments/p1020542-jpg.106526/
I've put some boiling water in the big plastic saucer in the birdbath in the foreground, which was solid with ice.
No snow since Wednesday night.
I fed the birds and squirrels and taken the bags of peanuts, suet pellets and bird food that I bought yesterday, down to the shed. I went into the garden via the French windows, which let a lot of cold air into the lounge, as the padlock on the door of the side fence is frozen.
I'm glad I turned off the water supply to the "freezer room" basin and tap, the water heater and the tap on the side of the shed, before the freeze. There will be water in the water heater, but it has a frost stat, so what's in there won't freeze.
If you don't have any cleats as Annie suggested, it would be a good idea to watch you don't fall over - you are getting on you knowIt's -6c, sunny, with a clear blue sky.
I've put some boiling water in the big plastic saucer in the birdbath in the foreground, which was solid with ice.
No snow since Wednesday night.
I fed the birds and squirrels and taken the bags of peanuts, suet pellets and bird food that I bought yesterday, down to the shed. I went into the garden via the French windows, which let a lot of cold air into the lounge, as the padlock on the door of the side fence is frozen.
I'm glad I turned off the water supply to the "freezer room" basin and tap, the water heater and the tap on the side of the shed, before the freeze. There will be water in the water heater, but it has a frost stat, so what's in there won't freeze.
There is such pleasure in being able to look after the wildlife, I wish more people would.
Sean Regan
Well-known member
I appreciate the number of times people seem concerned about my health, but I assure you that my choice of footwear is adequate for my needs.
That's good - you won't be doing an Oliver Buckle then. I have to remember to go steady when I'm out there in these conditions - it's so easy to forget, and the last time I did I went flat on my silly face and made a bloody mess all over the place. Zigs thought I had broken my nose
Logan
Well-known member
- Location
- Redditch west midlands Worcester
- Hardiness zone
- 11a
Nothing today apart from feeding the birds, everything is frozen but it should get better after tomorrow.
olly-buckle
Active member
- Location
- E. Sussex
So without the radiators under the window the hot air rises and the cold air from the window falls. The top half of the room gets warm and your feet and legs get cold.
olly-buckle
Active member
- Location
- E. Sussex
We call it Hugel Kulture, but reading up it seems it isn't really. When they do HK in Bavaria they make a pile of wood up to seven feet tall and then cover it with earth and plant the top and sides. I live on heavy clay and when I dig a hole in wet weather it instantly fills with water. I am actually just digging a hole out of the clay which will collect water, and filling it with wood.
Sean Regan
Well-known member
We're up to +4c today, the snow is beginning to melt, but it will take some time, as the ground is still frozen.
The birds and squirrels have been fed.
One of my concerns is our tall mimosa, I hope it has survived. The previous one we had didn't, a few years ago when we had just as cold weather, but that was in a tub.
This one is planted in the ground so should have a good root system.
The other concern is water.
The main feed to the taps, basin and water heater in the garden and garage, is off at the supply on the back wall of the kitchen and all the taps are open but obviously frozen.
The supply to the garage is via alkathene 25mm plastic pipe. There's a bit of insulated 15mm copper pipe in the "freezer room" in the back of the garage. The exterior supply to the tap on the side of the fence from there is "speed-fit" plastic pipe, so should be OK.
There is a further supply to my "leaky hose system" that runs along the length of the side bed and turns to feed plants and the bamboo along the back fence. But again, that is all plastic and should be OK.It's very rarely used.
That would be true if you had no radiator.
Ours is on the opposite wall to the bay window. It's half the length of the old one. So we get both radiated and convected heat. The thick curtains which are thermal lined finish six inches below the windowsill. When closed, they actually brush against the sill and prevent some cold air from the windows falling below them.
The birds and squirrels have been fed.
One of my concerns is our tall mimosa, I hope it has survived. The previous one we had didn't, a few years ago when we had just as cold weather, but that was in a tub.
This one is planted in the ground so should have a good root system.
The other concern is water.
The main feed to the taps, basin and water heater in the garden and garage, is off at the supply on the back wall of the kitchen and all the taps are open but obviously frozen.
The supply to the garage is via alkathene 25mm plastic pipe. There's a bit of insulated 15mm copper pipe in the "freezer room" in the back of the garage. The exterior supply to the tap on the side of the fence from there is "speed-fit" plastic pipe, so should be OK.
There is a further supply to my "leaky hose system" that runs along the length of the side bed and turns to feed plants and the bamboo along the back fence. But again, that is all plastic and should be OK.It's very rarely used.
That would be true if you had no radiator.
Ours is on the opposite wall to the bay window. It's half the length of the old one. So we get both radiated and convected heat. The thick curtains which are thermal lined finish six inches below the windowsill. When closed, they actually brush against the sill and prevent some cold air from the windows falling below them.
Last edited:
But, boys. when the heating is spread evenly across all downstairs floors, and there is no radiator in sight, you can sling your slippers and have warm toes and a rosy glow all over - it's lovely.The problems will only arise when the gas supply fails - then we'll all end up cold, because everyone will turn to electricity including all the EV drivers, who will end up on Shank's pony!!
Anniekay
Well-known member
- Location
- Quitman, Ga.
- Hardiness zone
- 9a
I'd love if we all had horses for transportation. All I need is a good Quarter horse and a pack mule to haul my groceries home. Just think of all the free manure we'd have for our gardens !!
The problems will only arise when the gas supply fails - then we'll all end up cold, because everyone will turn to electricity including all the EV drivers, who will end up on Shank's pony!!
Yeah, but Shanks didn't have a pony though...I'd love if we all had horses for transportation. All I need is a good Quarter horse and a pack mule to haul my groceries home. Just think of all the free manure we'd have for our gardens !!
Sean Regan
Well-known member
We're up to +5c today and the lawns now, are only half-covered with melting snow.
I checked the water supply to the garden and garage as the taps are no longer frozen.
Despite my best efforts, I still had a "burst" in the room in the back of the back of the garage. I say burst, but when I turned on the supply very low I could see water coming out of one of the pipes under the basin, so turned it off again.
The problem was with the horizontal pipe under it. Although it was insulated and all taps left open, the water in part of the system, if it expands before freezing, has nowhere to go. You can get a burst anywhere, when it's freezing, it just finds the weakest point.
Anyway, it wasn't a problem, I just turned it all off again and removed the damaged length of pipe, measured and cut a new length, (I'm always prepared) then with a couple of olives and a bit of ptf tape, it was all done and dusted with the insulation replaced, in ten minutes.
I checked the water heater, that's working fine as it was ptretected as I always leave it on the frost stat setting, as were the basin tap and the tap on the side of the shed. So everything is back to normal.
But I turned the supply off and opened all the taps, in case it freezes again.
No gardening of course, but there's been plenty of tennis, from Australia on Eurosport. They are 11 hours ahead of us, so there were several live matches to watch, as their night games don't finish until at least 1.00pm here.
I checked the water supply to the garden and garage as the taps are no longer frozen.
Despite my best efforts, I still had a "burst" in the room in the back of the back of the garage. I say burst, but when I turned on the supply very low I could see water coming out of one of the pipes under the basin, so turned it off again.
The problem was with the horizontal pipe under it. Although it was insulated and all taps left open, the water in part of the system, if it expands before freezing, has nowhere to go. You can get a burst anywhere, when it's freezing, it just finds the weakest point.
Anyway, it wasn't a problem, I just turned it all off again and removed the damaged length of pipe, measured and cut a new length, (I'm always prepared) then with a couple of olives and a bit of ptf tape, it was all done and dusted with the insulation replaced, in ten minutes.
I checked the water heater, that's working fine as it was ptretected as I always leave it on the frost stat setting, as were the basin tap and the tap on the side of the shed. So everything is back to normal.
But I turned the supply off and opened all the taps, in case it freezes again.
No gardening of course, but there's been plenty of tennis, from Australia on Eurosport. They are 11 hours ahead of us, so there were several live matches to watch, as their night games don't finish until at least 1.00pm here.
Last edited:
big rockpile
Active member
- Hardiness zone
- 6b
Repotted bunch of Snake Plants. Repotted some Spider Plants. Repotted some vines that were left in my Greenhouse going wild some did not make it.
Watered bunch of stuff in the Greenhouse.
Wanting to have only maybe half a dozen of each Plant but seems they have other ideas.
Put bunch extra bedding in my Worm Bin getting ready for New Arrivals.
big rockpile
Watered bunch of stuff in the Greenhouse.
Wanting to have only maybe half a dozen of each Plant but seems they have other ideas.
Put bunch extra bedding in my Worm Bin getting ready for New Arrivals.
big rockpile
It seems to me that you have a bad case of green fingers!! It's a real bonus having a garden to spend time in - good for you
Sean Regan
Well-known member
The snow has all gone. Temperature up to +8c. I've had an e-mail from my golf club that they'll have 10 holes open by mid-day. This will mean that by tomorrow morning, at least 15 holes will be open, so I'll be playing in the competition as it will be "on."
I've not touched a golf club, neither will have many, for a month. So it'll be interesting.
Nothing to do in the garden. I won't know for a few days whether the tall mimosa has survived.
I've not touched a golf club, neither will have many, for a month. So it'll be interesting.
Nothing to do in the garden. I won't know for a few days whether the tall mimosa has survived.
Last edited:
big rockpile
Active member
- Hardiness zone
- 6b
Planted Petunias and Chrysanthemums. Repotted Snake Plants and Repotted Juniper Trees.
Looked at some Geranium Cuttings in water and they are rooting.
big rockpile
Looked at some Geranium Cuttings in water and they are rooting.
big rockpile
Another dark and dank day in SE Blighty. About 3 degrees C. Just going to collect some wood for kindling from the veg plot. This is mostly last years' prunings from the fruit trees which have dried out and some old chopped up pallets. We still keep a real fire for the evenings (smokeless fuel) as a back up for the central heating. Will also take a bucket of kitchen scraps to put in compost bin. I have often thought that a small pony and trap would be useful for these kind of tasks. I have seen a few of these around - mostly for weddings - being very wary of the overtaking cars.
