Last year, as an experiment, I sowed supermarket fruit stones and pips; apple, plum, peach, lemon and orange. It was hard work getting a lemon pip as the majority of lemons were pip free.
I was surprised to see the apple and peach germinating, I would’ve thought the apple and plum would have been up first. It’ll be interesting to see if the others come through.
My apricot tree is in full bloom, and I’m hoping that this is the year I finally get fruit. Usually, the fruit begins to develop then annoyingly, drops off.
Two of the three mature cherry trees are now flowering and confetti is floating delicately across the gardens. The third cherry tree comes into bloom when the other two are spent, which extends confetti season beautifully.
It’s astonishing how quickly everything bursts into life at this time of the year, every day there’s something new and beautiful to discover.
Veggies and herbs are flying up in the greenhouse. I even potted on some lettuce seedlings today.
I’m recycling two rusty old wheelbarrows. They’re riddled with holes but a little weed fabric resolves that. They’ll become home to a shedload of herbs I’ve sown.
It’s been a busy old week. In the courtyard raised beds, the leeks have been harvested and potatoes planted in their place. Kale has been pulled, cooked and frozen and broad beans planted out, and it’s great to see the garlic and onions poking through the earth. All that remains is to harvest the brassicas to provide space for the other vegetables packed in the greenhouse.
And Finally…
The battle with the mouse/mice goes on and I’m now on a mission to find out how it/they are getting in. I discovered a gap on the top of the skirting boards beneath the kitchen units, so set about blocking them with wire wool.
I’ve no idea how it happened, but one minute I was blocking the gap, the next my left thumb got snagged on an invisible strand of the stuff and it sliced the skin between the thumb and the finger. Oh my, the skin parted and a few seconds later blood was gushing forth. It was like being garrotted!
Long story short, I had to tape my thumb and finger together for a week as the darn thing just wouldn’t knit together despite copious amounts of butterfly stitches and bandages. I’m ambidextrous, so shouldn’t have been so shocked at how much I depend upon my left hand.
Finally, it’s healed, and hubs is now relieved of dish washing duty.
Until next time, stay safe guys.xxx
Thanks Chloris, I do love getting the veggies going, this year everything has been so slow germinating, hopefully they’ll all get a wriggle on now. Yes, the mice are pushing their luck, I’m surprised they don’t take the bait in the humane traps, they’ve always worked before. Rodents are extremely intelligent toughs…sighs. Poor Curly cat is too old and blind to catch anything. xxx
Lovely blossom, your garden is as productive as usual. I like the planting in the old zinc tub. A good use for old whelbarrows too. What a horrible accident, before you risk any more fingers please set a few traps and let the mice risk their fingers instead. It’s getting to the stage where it’s them or you. Or couldn’t the cat earn his keep and catch a few?
The idea of planting fruit seeds to see what happens is wonderful…
We too had had the same experience with cherries, flat peaches and nectarines.
Apart from the cherries that were then “grafted” by the gardener, the other fruit plants filled us with joy as long as the land to the south was used to build a parking space (it was no longer ours, but of the neighbors). The plants have been uprooted, much to our sadness.
We have done a deed by putting many of our plants out of the protected area inside the house or in the veranda: unfortunately in recent days the wind is blowing very strongly and the temperature has dropped drastically (in Zurich and Basel it snows). I don’t know if our lemons, arancino and kumquats have appreciated.
The small seedlings of tomatoes and cucumbers (approx. 2 cm tall) should be able to survive as they are in a special box for starter culture.
Of course in this crazy weather, you are never sure!
Affair à suivre!
PS: Your husband will be sad that he can no longer wash the dishes… sorry for the inconvenience, but accidents around the house are always around the corner!
Hugs and kisses :-)claudine
I have to admit that I was surprised seeing those seeds germinate, hopefully the others will too. I’ll keep trying now, lovely you had such success too. Sorry to hear of the parking lot….sighs. Your weather sounds as unpredictable as ours, no seasons are the same anymore and none are recognizable. Ha! I may just put hubs on dishwashing duties until the dishwasher is fixed. Thanks Claudine. Love and hugs to all. xxxx
I recycled my old wheelbarrow on the allotment too. I grow nasturtiums in mine. The garrotting story made me shudder.
You are well in front of us planting wise.
Oh, a wheelbarrow is the perfect place for nasturtiums. It’s been cold here recently so everything is slowing down growth-wise, I would have thought you would be ahead of us, sighs…climate change again. Thanks Sue.xxx
Thank you for not including a photo of said thumb. I’m so sorry you’ve had a difficult injury. Good to hear you had help in the meantime and that it is healing. So where are with you versus mouse?
But you’ve managed to capture so much of what’s bursting into bloom in your world. Not to mention all the work to get in your harvest. Here’s to apricots this year!
Oh, a shot of said thumb was a no-no! Since decorating, which is why I’m so late catching up with comments, there has been no sign of rodents, but I’m still wary of the blighters!
Yes, here’s to apricots, it has to happen one year, right? Thanks Anne.xxx
It is lovely to see everything springing into life, in your garden, at this time of the year, especially since we are heading into autumn I hope your thumb and finger get better soon, Paul has sprained his thumb and forefinger and it is really cramping his style in the garden.
Happy gardening!
Thanks Gerrie, you just can’t beat spring. Thankfully that wound has finally healed, took it’s time though. Oh. poor Paul, I do hope he recovers quickly. xxx
So you are springing into action – the joys of spring. Autumn here and the whiffs of winter. Daylight saving put the clocks forward here this morning. Put my hoodie jacket on for my walks, no more tee shirts. Take care up there.
Ah yes, the joys of spring! I do hope you have a long autumn and a short winter. I’m not a fan of short days. Thanks Peter.xxx
Ouch! Lots of sympathy from me and Thumbelina!! Pleased you’re finally healing. What lovely things you have in your garden: lots to eat and beautiful blossom to enchant the eyes. Easter hugs xx
Thanks Gill, and Thumbelina! It was a relief when that finally healed!xxx
Spring has definitely sprung….and yes it is always amazing how everything burst forth at this time of the year.
As for your Thumb/finger….that’s a tricky place to heal….make sure to soak your hand in antiseptic stuff.
And have a wonderful Easter weekend…xxxx
Thanks Janet, yes, it’s certainly confetti season. Oh yes, that cut couldn’t have been in a worse place, good lesson though. xxx
OUCH! Your poor thumb, pleased it is now healed.
Your garden is looking good, I do like how you’ve used the wheelbarrows, home grown herbs are so good.
So sorry you are still having problems with the mouse, lets home the block works.
Enjoy your weekend 🙂
All the best Jan
Thanks Jan, it was a relief when that darn cut healed. Those rusty old wheelbarrows are now full of herbs that are flying up. Fingers crossed, the mice don’t seem to be around…..touching wood.xxx
Now I have to ask: what is wire wool? At first I thought it was like the steel wool that we use for scrubbing pans, but I don’t think ours could do so much damage. I hadn’t thought of any of it as mouse defence; I may have to look into that. I really hate to take down my feeders, especially since so many squirrels and birds are acting as though they’re either nesting or feeding young ones — but I don’t like a rat around, either, even though it’s not very large, and it is pretty cute!
I’m glad you’re healing well, though. Cuts like that can be so painful — and so slow to heal!
Wire wool is steel wool, I have rolls of it. When one strand goes amiss, it’s invisible, hence the garrotting. Apparently, mice can’t chew through it, so hopefully blocking all entrances with it will keep the rodents out.
Shame about you having to take your feeders down, I’ve had to do the same. I do agree though, rats and mice are cute, though so destructive! Thanks Menhir.xxx
Oh, your poor thumb! But such pretty apricot blooms. I hope they bear fruit – I love apricots.
My poor thumb is doing ok now, although the mental scar remains. Lol. I keep checking and to date I still have a few apricot fruitlets, a gal can hope. Thanks Jason.xxx
Firstly, I truly wish you to stay safe and look after your digits and everything else. I feel sore reading about what you did to yourself.
I rarely find a pipless Lemon. For me that would be perfect and would save the time taken to fish them out of the juice, or salad I may have dressed with the liquid. There’s always one or two that manage to hide from my raking for them. I should use a small sieve to foil the wee blighters.
I like your idea of extending your herb growing facilities with the still usable rusty wheelbarrows. They’re not a bad height for harvesting from; Reduces the potential backache.
Mice/mouse may now be bewildered by your blocking exercise. Let’s know if your actions have resolved your problem.
Xxxxx
Thanks Menhir, I am being far more careful around wire wool these days. The scar will be a permanent reminder! How interesting to hear that your lemons have pips, annoying for you although I’d welcome them. You’re right about those wheelbarrows being a decent height, it beats kneeling. I seem to be winning on the mouse front, but afraid to say that, so touching wood! Hugs.xxxx
OH, OOOWWWWW; I think a split in my hand like that might have sent me over the edge with the mouse elimination project but I know how HARD it is to kill anything and admire your perseverance in this: Blessings. Happy you’ve healed.
Everything looks bright and beautiful, dear one; between you and my gifted gardening friend in Texas, I’m always looking into the future of my own little garden and what I hope will be her spring blossoms. I have still have little seedlings just sprouting in the sunroom. Oh, how I long to see such blossoms as yours!
I love your craftiness and creativity: what a great use of old wheelbarrows! Never enough places for all the plants, are there? Hooray! I love gardening.
Blessings and joy to all in your sweet paradise, mice and all. xoxoxo
Oh, that mouse/mice are pushing their luck for sure! That cut was utterly gruesome! I’m still shuddering at the thought of it. I hope your spring is springing with abundance now! How true, there is never enough space for plants. Thanks Kitty, love and hugs to you all.xxxx
Your poor hand, I’m so glad that it has healed at last, that mouse has a lot to answer for! Your blossom is gorgeous, ever so pretty, it is a wonderful time of year isn’t it, something new to admire every day.
Thanks Pauline, yes a plague on the mouse! You can’t beat this time of the year, as you say every day something else is blooming.xxx
Goodness I sympathise and hope that all is okay now, it’s something that’s so easily done.
I’m tempted to try some fruit seed like you have. Lovely spring pictures.
Thanks, and you too. xx
Thanks Flighty, that wire wool is almost invisible when it’s a single strand. I’d give the fruit a whirl, the peach sapling is flying up.xxx
Ouch, that’s brought tears to my eyes. I’m glad it’s finally on the mend. There’s so much going on in the garden at this time of year, such a joy to see all the blossom. I love how you’re upcycling the wheelbarrows, that’s a great use for them.
Thanks Jo, it brought tears to my eyes too! My wheelbarrows are now filled with herbs, here’s to them growing. xxx
Ow! Your poor hand; it’s making me wince just thinking about it. Glad it has healed now. I remember us having the rodent man in at work one time. He said that if you could fit a Bic biro through a hole, then a mouse could also get through the gap. That’s so tiny!
Well done on the fruit seedlings. When my daughter was young we had a Roald Dahl party and , more as a joke really, put peach stones in the party bags as a grow your own gigantic peach kit. Now I’m wondering if anyone managed it! :O)
R has 2 wheelbarrows, both past their best. Now I know what to do with them when he finally gets a new one – thank you! xx
Thanks Veggiemummy, I still feel squeamish looking at that scar! Omg, if all you need is a biro space, then we’re doomed! Oh, what a good idea putting peach stones in a kids party bag, hahaha, how funny it would be if they all got planted and grew. The peach sapling is flying up, much faster than the apple. Hope to see your upcycled wheelbarrows soon! xxx