Off On Tour.

Hello everyone, this is just a quick post to let you all know that I won't be posting anything for a while as me and Vicki are going on a coach trip to Spain and won't be back until late on the 16th. Below is a link to the tour that we're taking if anyone wants to take a look.

http://www.leger.co.uk/Tours/esa/Barcelona_and_Spectacular_Spain_-_All_Inclusive

Best wishes,
Bob.

Short Time.

MY WORK BOOK

See to the sheep
Field
Misc
Thu 05/11/2009 08:00
Thu 05/11/2009 08:50 50 minutes
1) Put out some minerals.
2) Checked and counted the sheep.

Round up the bonfire
Veg garden
Misc
Thu 05/11/2009 08:50
Thu 05/11/2009 09:00
10 minutes
Found some larger bits of wood to give it some body and rounded up any unburnt rubbish from yesterday.

See to the greenhouses
Indoors
Thu 05/11/2009 09:00
Thu 05/11/2009 10:00
1 hour
1) Water and checked round.
2) Re-potted some plants and moved from the conservatory to the greenhouse.
3) Took off some dead leaves.

Shopping
Garden Centre
Misc
Thu 05/11/2009 10:00
Thu 05/11/2009 10:35
35 minutes
Bought some Pansies for the churchyard and three grasses to add to the stone trough by the front door. These being different in form to the others already there.

Break for tea
Home
Misc
Thu 05/11/2009 10:35
Thu 05/11/2009 11:00
25 minutes

Clearing up
Flower border
Main Garden
Thu 05/11/2009 11:00
Thu 05/11/2009 12:45
1.75 hours
Took off all the rubbish that I cut down yesterday. The thinking by some people is to leave it standing over Winter, unfortunately I’m not gifted with the imagination to see a lot of dead stalks as anything but a mess so they had to go.

Break for lunch
Home
Misc
Thu 05/11/2009 12:45
Thu 05/11/2009 13:30
45 minutes

Planting
Churchyard
Public Gardens
Thu 05/11/2009 13:30
Thu 05/11/2009 14:15
45 minutes
Planted up the small trough in the churchyard.

Potting up
Potting Shed
Indoors
Thu 05/11/2009 14:15
Thu 05/11/2009 14:45
30 minutes
Potted up some Geraniums from home, I will probably be able to get some cuttings from them in the spring.

Planting
North Front
Public Gardens
Thu 05/11/2009 14:45
Thu 05/11/2009 15:00
15 minutes
Added the grasses to the stone trough by the front door

See to the bins
Hall
Hall & Pumpend
Thu 05/11/2009 15:00
Thu 05/11/2009 15:15
15 minutes
Put out a green bin and one recycle tub.

Clearing leaves
Lawn
Main Garden
Thu 05/11/2009 15:15
Thu 05/11/2009 15:45
30 minutes
Swept the leaves of the grass to under the beech trees where they can do no harm for the time being.

Clearing leaves
Front Drive
Public Gardens
Thu 05/11/2009 15:45
Thu 05/11/2009 16:10
25 minutes
Swept the leaves from the drive.

Clean and put away the tools
Potting Shed
Indoors
Thu 05/11/2009 16:10
Thu 05/11/2009 16:15
5 minutes

NOTES
1) During the winter I am working reduced hours. The reason’s being is that from March I work one hour extra everyday from 8:00 to 5:30. My contracted hours being 8:30 to 5:00, so for the next 5 months I get to work from 8:30 until 4:00. I find this makes better use of my time as there is never enough time in the summer and in Winter it’s hard to work properly after 4:00 because of the dark so you just end up passing time trying to keep warm.


COMMENTS FROM THE POTTING SHED
Kimmie The only reason I hung up the Parsnip was to take a picture of it.

Pruning & Cutting Back.

TODAYS WEATHER READINGS
So that I can post the readings on the same day as the blog post they are of the previous 24 hours up to 6 pm today.
Temp Low: 7C
Temp High: 13C
Rainfall: 2mm
Cont. Days Without Rain: 0
Dry Days This Month: 1
Wind Level For The Day 34
Pressure: 964.0
Weather: Bright with the odd shower.

2009 Highs & Lows
Min for the year: -5 C (4th February)
Max for the year: 35 C (1st July)
Most rain in 24 hours: 39mm (5th June)
Longest dry period: 41 days (13th Sept – 24th Oct)

MY WORK BOOK

Subject : See to the sheep
Location: Field
Categories: Misc
Start Wed 04/11/2009 08:00
End: Wed 04/11/2009 08:50
Duration: 50 minutes
Message: Checked and counted the sheep.

See to the greenhouses
Glasshouses
Wed 04/11/2009 08:50
Wed 04/11/2009 09:20
30 minutes
Had a look around and did some watering.

Rounded up the bonfire
Veg garden
Walled Garden
Wed 04/11/2009 09:20
Wed 04/11/2009 09:30
10 minutes

Pruning
Potting Shed
Walled Garden
Wed 04/11/2009 09:30
Wed 04/11/2009 10:25
55 minutes
Pruned the climbing rose on the potting shed wall.

Break for tea
Home
Misc
Wed 04/11/2009 10:25
Wed 04/11/2009 10:50
25 minutes

Getting veg and flowers
Hall
Main Garden
Wed 04/11/2009 10:50
Wed 04/11/2009 11:35
45 minutes
Took in some Parsnips,

A Parsnip I dug up the other day.

Potatoes, two pot plants and some Chrysanths.

Pruning
Conservatory
Glasshouses
Wed 04/11/2009 11:35
Wed 04/11/2009 12:40
65 minutes
Pruned the climbing rose in the old conservatory.

Break for lunch
Home
Misc
Wed 04/11/2009 12:40
Wed 04/11/2009 13:30
50 minutes

Cutting back
Herb Garden
Walled Garden
Wed 04/11/2009 13:30
Wed 04/11/2009 14:00
30 minutes
Cut back some things in the herb garden.

Cutting back
Flower border
Main Garden
Wed 04/11/2009 14:00
Wed 04/11/2009 15:15
1.25 hours
Cut down everything I could in the flower border.

Clearing up
Flower border
Main Garden
Wed 04/11/2009 15:15
Wed 04/11/2009 15:55
40 minutes
Started picking up the rubbish that I cut down earlier.

Clean and put away the tools
Potting Shed
Indoors
Wed 04/11/2009 15:55
Wed 04/11/2009 16:00
5 minutes

Winter Planters

TODAYS WEATHER READINGS
So that I can post the readings on the same day as the blog post they are of the previous 24 hours up to 6 pm today.
Temp Low: 8C
Temp High: 15C
Rainfall: 0mm
Cont. Days Without Rain: 1
Dry Days This Month: 1
Wind Level For The Day 48
Pressure: 997.9
Weather: Bright and sunny.

2009 Highs & Lows
Min for the year: -5 C (4th February)
Max for the year: 35 C (1st July)
Most rain in 24 hours: 39mm (5th June)
Longest dry period: 41 days (13th Sept – 24th Oct)

MY WORK BOOK


Subject: See to the sheep
Location: Field
Categories: Misc
Start Mon: 02/11/2009 08:30
End Mon: 02/11/2009 08:50
Duration: 20 minutes
Message: 1) Checked and counted the sheep.

See to the greenhouses
Glasshouses
Mon 02/11/2009 08:50
Mon 02/11/2009 09:20
30 minutes
1) Water round.
2) Sweep the path in the old conservatory.

Pruning
West Shrub Border
Walled Garden
Mon 02/11/2009 09:20
Mon 02/11/2009 10:30
70 minutes
Gave the two Laurel bushes a trim.

Break for tea
Home
Misc
Mon 02/11/2009 10:30
Mon 02/11/2009 10:50
20 minutes

Pruning
Rose Garden
Walled Garden
Mon 02/11/2009 10:50
Mon 02/11/2009 12:45
115 minutes
Pruned the roses around the front of the conservatory. (Note 1)

Break for lunch
Home Misc
Mon 02/11/2009 12:45
Mon 02/11/2009 13:30
45 minutes

Planting
South Front
Main Garden
Mon 02/11/2009 13:30
Mon 02/11/2009 14:15
45 minutes
On Saturday whilst visiting home I bought two Calocephalus (centre) from Chatsworth Garden Centre, one each for the two earns.


Started the bonefire
Veg Garden
Walled Garden
Mon 02/11/2009 14:15
Mon 02/11/2009 14:45
30 minutes
I had some more things to burn from Friday’s and this morning’s work so I got the fire going again.

Burning
Veg Garden
Walled Garden
Mon 02/11/2009 14:45
Mon 02/11/2009 15:15
30 minutes
Burnt the rubbish.

Raking up leaves
East Mulberry tree
Walled Garden
Mon 02/11/2009 15:15
Mon 02/11/2009 15:45
30 minutes
Cleared all the leaves from under the Mulberry tree.

Pruning
The long Walk
Walled Garden
Mon 02/11/2009 15:45
Mon 02/11/2009 16:00
15 minutes
Pruned the two roses between the conifers on the long walk.

Cleaned and put away the tools
Potting Shed
Indoors
Mon 02/11/2009 16:00
Mon 02/11/2009 16:10
10 minutes


NOTES
1)I give them a trim back now as they grow quite tall and then the winds rock them about so I trim them back for the winter. It’s a sheltered position so they don’t seem to take any harm and actually get going earlier in Spring.
2) A couple of troughs planted up for the Winter/Spring.

Burning Up.

MY WORK BOOK

See to the sheep
Field
Misc
Thu 29/10/2009 08:30
Thu 29/10/2009 08:50
20 minutes
1) Checked and counted the sheep.
2) Put out some minerals.

See to the greenhouses
Glasshouses
Thu 29/10/2009 08:50
Thu 29/10/2009 09:30
40 minutes
1) Did some watering.

Had a walk round the grounds
Misc
Thu 29/10/2009 09:30
Thu 29/10/2009 10:00
30 minutes
Had a walk round to see if anything was hurting.

Took potatoes to Pumpend
Pumpend
Hall & Pumpend
Thu 29/10/2009 10:00
Thu 29/10/2009 10:20
20 minutes
Pumpend being where the former lady and gentleman to the big house live.

Break for tea
Home
Misc
Thu 29/10/2009 10:20
Thu 29/10/2009 10:40
20 minutes

Burn rubbish.
Burn pile
Misc
Thu 29/10/2009 10:40
Thu 29/10/2009 11:40
1 hour

Started a bonefire
Veg garden
Walled Garden
Thu 29/10/2009 11:40
Thu 29/10/2009 12:40
1 hour
Have acquired quite a few pruning’s so burning them on one of the veg plots so as to add potash to the soil, (for next year). (Note 1)

Break for lunch
Home
Misc
Thu 29/10/2009 12:45
Thu 29/10/2009 13:30
45 minutes

Burning rubbish
Veg Garden
Walled Garden
Thu 29/10/2009 13:30
Thu 29/10/2009 14:25
55 minutes
Cleared away all the rose pruning’s and other rubbish. (Note 2).

Pruning
Middle Shrub Border
Walled Garden
Thu 29/10/2009 14:25
Thu 29/10/2009 15:20
55 minutes
Reduced the Buddleia’s to stop them rocking around in the winds, I will prune them back properly in February.

Pruning
East Shrub Border
Walled Garden
Thu 29/10/2009 15:20
Thu 29/10/2009 16:00
40 minutes
Made a start on trimming the Laurels

Clean and put away the tools
Potting Shed
Indoors
Thu 29/10/2009 16:00
Thu 29/10/2009 16:10
10 minutes

See to the bins
Hall
Hall & Pumpend
Thu 29/10/2009 16:10
Thu 29/10/2009 16:20
10 minutes
Put out two recycle tubbies.

NOTES
1) I’ve spent a lot of time this week pruning the climbing roses. This is one of the jobs to be done now that will add to the show next summer. You can of course not bother and you would still get some flowers but gradually the plant would become old and not put on a good show. Pruning out some of the old wood encourages new growth which in turn makes for a younger plant and a better show.
2) I don’t really like bonefires – horrible smelly things but I figure if I have to have one then I might as well have it where it will do some good.

COMMENTS FROM THE POTTING SHED
Jim There is an operator on each of the engines to work the winch and also they have to keep moving the engines forward. I have footage of the horses working too, I will try and put it on sometime for you.

Sara I will let you off, I know it isn't easy to get enthused about gardening in winter, especially the sort of winter you have there.

Kimmie I guess the same applies to you to, by the way I thought you and the kids might have been able to tell me that the little stream engine at the show is being used for!

The Weaver of Grass I know I'm being very confusing doing two blogs. I like the work book format but I also know that a lot of people like the way I present this blog but I don't have time to do both so I will be just writing in this one and not the other.

Anonymous For sure Sheigra is a magical place as are many of the places in that part of the country - I wonder if you too the trip to Sandwood Bay too? Thanks for your comment anyway.

HAPPY NEW (gardening) YEAR!

Hello Everyone, I intended posting this before now but I've been having some technical problems. Anyway for me this is the start of the new gardening year so HAPPY NEW YEAR! I am looking forward to sharing another year’s work with you. Hopefully I can show you something new to make your gardening experience more enjoyable and perhaps even help you along the way. I guess some of you will be saying to yourselves, ‘what is Bob talking about!’ I realise you’re probably still tidying up after last year’s party and it’s a while until you can enjoy next summer’s flowers and what have you but really this is where it all starts, this is where you begin getting things ready for the next summer. As we go along I will tell you of a few jobs that you need to do now, you never know, as the list grows you may even begin to see why this and not January or even March is the start of Bob’s gardening year.

Festival of the Plough (Balance Plough).

Here is another look at something from the Festival of the Plough. This plough is called a balance plough and is used in conjunction with two stream engines, one at each end of the field, the plough being winched back and forth between the two. You will see one at the far end winching the plough towards it, the other engine was behind me paying out the cable and waiting to pull the plough back after its run down the field. I know what you mean Matron, I think it will be a while yet before we go back to this way of farming, even having worked on farms or been around them all my life I still find it awesome how much work the modern farm machinery can do. I did see the balance plough on the TV and it was interesting, especially having only just seen one in the flesh so to speak. You’re right about the weather too Fireweed, the great British summer was a wash out but the autumn has been as dry as a bone, hardly a drop of rain for six weeks.