One minute it's wet and windy, then it's sunny.

10 comments

My husband had started emptying the veggie bed, while I was out of Friday.
When I got home, I had to stop him, as there were still plants in that I wanted to keep.

So this morning when we woke up, it was brilliant sunshine, “right”, I thought, gardening today. We sat admiring our view from the bedroom window, drinking our coffee, as we always do, having our daily “board meeting” of the days happenings. Got downstairs, breakfasted, I got the dishwasher and washing machines going – then it was freetime, while putting shoes on, the rain came down!

There was nothing else for it but to get on with it. I transplanted the fennel into the herb bed at the front. I had thyme in with the veg, I had read that snails did not like the smell of it, so that had to gointo a Container, to re-plant back next year.

At class on Friday, I had been donated some root cuttings of a “blue geranium”, I thought that’s different, but on thinking about it, I think it’s a cransbill type geranium, I already have some, it will be interesting to see if it is the same, or different when it grows up next summer.

I have transplanted a hardy fuchia into a pot to be put in a container in the Spring. My back was aching by now, so went in. As I went in, the sun came out and shone brilliantly agin! But at least it was better for my husband to start turning over the veggie bed.

9 Nov, 2008
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Comments

Spritzhenry

Tell me about your fennel, please, Marge. Our predecessors had a 'thing' for ornamental fennel both bronze and green - in the borders . It seeded itself everywhere and I finally lost patience with it. I tried the normal pulling it out, but had to get help from husband who laid into it with a pickaxe - its roots were enormous and went down well over 1'6". I have since removed quite a lot more, only leaving two main clumps which I attack in the autumn, cutting off the seedheads. I still find odd seedlings, though, and they are not easy to remove.

How come your fennel can be transplanted so easily? Are the roots of the edible kind a lot different? Mine have a long taproot.

9 Nov, 2008

Terratoonie

Wow, Spritz.
Eighteen inch roots with a pick axe ! I bet that took some doing.
Marge ~
it sounds like with your gardening, rain never stops play !
Good that you got some work done despite the wet weather. Lately I've been tackling cleaning a lot of back garden paving and managed another section before the dark clouds gathered.
Looks like at gardening class you could end up with quite a lot of 'goodies' in the way of free plants. :o)

9 Nov, 2008

Marge

Hi Spritzhenry, I only planted them in July, they are not very big, a bit disappointing in fact. I may be wrong because it's my first go with this plant, but I think they work like onion sets, planted one year to make the bulb, but need a secon year to develop into real thing.

9 Nov, 2008

Spritzhenry

Is it called 'Florence Fennel'? My 'orrible thuggish ones smell of aniseed but I wouldn't want to eat them! LOL. Must be same family, mustn't they.

9 Nov, 2008

Marge

Hi Spritzhenry, yes that's what they are.

9 Nov, 2008

Sid

I like the throthy purple fennel - I planted some a few years ago, but it hasn't spread or set seed! How come fennel and, I remember, Japanese anemones do so well in Barbara's garden and she has to dig them out - and don't spread in my garden? I'm so jealous!!! ;-D

9 Nov, 2008

Spritzhenry

How come they turn into THUGS in my garden, Sid? I have resorted to weedkiller to get rid of a new clump of Japanese anemones which has grown right in the middle of my new metal obelisk!

Purple Fennel sounds very, very nice and would 'go' with the plants in my top border - but I wouldn't dare to plant it - it would instantly become a thorough nuisance like its predecessors which tried to take over my beautiful Stipa gigantea.

Don't be jealous, Sid - be grateful!

9 Nov, 2008

Sid

Oh, ok then ;-D

9 Nov, 2008

Spritzhenry

Did I rant a bit? Sorry. I'd love to give you LOTS of the Jap. anemones - but you'd have to come and dig them up!

9 Nov, 2008

Sid

Ha ha - no need to apologise - healthy to have a good rant to let off steam - I try to have at least 3 a day ;-D

10 Nov, 2008

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