A Touch Of Frost

Today I have been able to get back to some outdoor gardening which seemed strange after not having done much out of doors for a month now. I’ve made a start on pruning the apple trees which I can’t say is one of my favourite jobs but it has to be done and they do look better for it I suppose.

During a walk around this morning I discovered this earn on the south front looking like it’s been split in to by some mad axe man.

In truth I think it was probably old Jack Frost up to his tricks. I’m not sure what will be done about it as its one of a pair so the other one is looking a bit lonely now.

Vicki has been at home tidying our own garden and she found me some Fuchsia’s that we had there in the summer and sort of got forgotten until now so she gave them to me to do something with. I trimmed them back a bit and put them in the conservatory to see who wants to grow and who wants to be compost.

Fallen Tree.

MY CASTLE HOWARD PICTURE FOR TODAY

JOHN’S JOKES
Two peanuts walk into a bar, and one was a salted.

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: 18C
Temp High: 26C
Rainfall: 1mm
Cont. Days Without Rain: 0
Dry Days This Month: 11
Wind Level For The Day 51
Pressure: 992.9
Weather: Sunny after a dull start, quite a strong wind blowing most all day.

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)

MY WORK BOOK

See to the sheep
Field
Misc
Thu 20/08/2009 08:00
Thu 20/08/2009 08:20
20 minutes

See to the pool
Main Garden
Hall & Pumpend
Thu 20/08/2009 08:20
Thu 20/08/2009 08:40
20 minutes
Put chlorine in the water.


See to the greenhouses
Glasshouses
Thu 20/08/2009 08:40
Thu 20/08/2009 08:50
10 minutes
Had a quick look round.


Potting
Potting Shed
Thu 20/08/2009 08:50
Thu 20/08/2009 09:00
10 minutes
Potted up the Lyes Unique Fuchsia cuttings 4 bush and 4 standard. (Note 1)

Mow the grass
Courtyard
Public Gardens
Thu 20/08/2009 09:00
Thu 20/08/2009 10:00
1 hour

Mowing
North Front
Public Gardens
Thu 20/08/2009 10:00
Thu 20/08/2009 10:30
30 minutes

Break for tea
Home
Misc
Thu 20/08/2009 10:30
Thu 20/08/2009 10:50
20 minutes

Mow all the rough grass
Public Gardens
Thu 20/08/2009 11:00
Thu 20/08/2009 13:00
2 hours

Break for lunch
Home
Misc
Thu 20/08/2009 13:00
Thu 20/08/2009 13:45
45 minutes

Cut up and remove the tree that fell.
Herb Garden
Walled Garden
Thu 20/08/2009 13:45
Thu 20/08/2009 15:35
110 minutes
Part of a conifer by the potting shed fell across the herb garden due to strong winds. (Note 2)

Tie in the Tayberry etc.
Walled Garden
Thu 20/08/2009 15:35
Thu 20/08/2009 16:15
40 minutes

Dead head the roses
Memorial Gardens & Rose Garden
Walled Garden
Thu 20/08/2009 16:15
Thu 20/08/2009 17:00
45 minutes

Walked round the gardens with the boss
Misc
Thu 20/08/2009 17:00
Thu 20/08/2009 17:15
15 minutes

See to the bins
Hall
Hall & Pumpend
Thu 20/08/2009 17:15
Thu 20/08/2009 17:30
15 minutes
Put out the recycle tubbies.



NOTES
1) In the picture are the Lyes Unique Fuchsia cuttings that I took a few weeks ago. You will notice that 4 of them have short canes to them, these are to be grown on as standards, the ones without canes will become bushes. The reason I put canes in so early is that for one thing it makes it clear to me which I’ve picked out to be trained as standards and secondly the roots can grow around the cane where as is you stick the cane in later you end up having to bust through the roots. Of course these canes will have to be replaced by larger ones in time.

2) I got a surprise when I walked out of the back door of the potting shed after lunch and discovered part of a conifer was laid across the herb garden. Thankfully it didn’t cause any lasting damage. It missed the standard Fuchsia and the herbs falling mostly in to the gap between the two beds which was kind of good I thought.

Conservatory (Week 33).

MY CASTLE HOWARD PICTURE FOR TODAY

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: 15C
Temp High: 24C
Rainfall: 1mm
Cont. Days Without Rain: 0
Dry Days This Month: 9
Wind Level For The Day 27
Pressure: 997.5
Weather: Mostly sunny after a damp start..

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)

MY WORK BOOK

See to the sheep
Field
Misc
Mon 17/08/2009 08:00
Mon 17/08/2009 08:20
20 minutes
Checked and counted the sheep.

See to the greenhouses
Glasshouses
Mon 17/08/2009 08:20
Mon 17/08/2009 08:45
25 minutes
Watered round.

Watering and feeding
South Front
Main Garden
Mon 17/08/2009 08:45
Mon 17/08/2009 09:30
45 minutes
Watered and fed the Petunia’s in the wall borders.

Spraying
Veg garden
Walled Garden
Mon 17/08/2009 09:30
Mon 17/08/2009 10:00
30 minutes
Sprayed potatoes for blight.

Dead head sweet peas
Walled Garden
Mon 17/08/2009 10:00
Mon 17/08/2009 10:30
30 minutes

Break for tea Home
Misc
Mon 17/08/2009 10:30
Mon 17/08/2009 10:50
20 minutes

Tidy up
The Long Walk
Walled Garden
Mon 17/08/2009 10:50
Mon 17/08/2009 12:45
115 minutes
Hoe and rake the gravel and trim back the Ivy.

Break for lunch
Misc
Mon 17/08/2009 12:45
Mon 17/08/2009 13:30
45 minutes

Tidy up
The Long Walk
Walled Garden
Mon 17/08/2009 13:30
Mon 17/08/2009 16:45
3.25 hours
1) Edged the grass and Ivy around the trees.

2) Took out any large weeds from the gravel.
3) Raked the gravel.

4) Weeded around the back of the trees.

5) Raked and weeded the gravel around the potting shed.

Dead head the dahlia's
Long Border & Memorial Beds
Walled Garden
Mon 17/08/2009 16:45
Mon 17/08/2009 17:10
25 minutes

Hoeing
Long Border
Walled Garden
Mon 17/08/2009 17:10
Mon 17/08/2009 17:25
15 minutes

Clean and put away the tools
Potting Shed
Mon 17/08/2009 17:20
Mon 17/08/2009 17:35
15 minutes

NOTES
Tonight I’m going to show you a standard Fuchsia I have growing in the conservatory, can anyone see anything a bit unusual about it?

A closer look at the flowers.

COMMENTS FROM THE POTTING
Merle It’s not like me to be so speedy. I’ve seen a lot of film stars not weathered half so well!
Weaver Of Grass Hope the carpet went down okay, hopefully you will get a couple of days nice weather now as apparently we’re having another two day summer this week.
Jeanette I did just that, I watched the V8 Supercar race from Sandown, I think it was from a couple of weeks ago. We get it a week late here and then I recorded it so that’s why I was a bit slow at watching it. It was a good race except those darn Holden’s won LOL!

Mixed Up Fuchsia's.

Not a good day at all, damping for most of the morning

with more persistant rain this afternoon.
Max 22C

Min 6C.

Hello everyone, you will no doubt be pleased to know that me and Tom got back okay. We had a good walk on Saturday, we walked 17 miles so were both pretty tired by the time we got back to my parents house.We also had quite a busy day yesterday also – well in the afternoon and evening anyway. After lunch I went to visit a neighbour from when we lived on the farm and as always they were very welcoming and generous with their hospitality unlike the neighbours we have here. In the evening we went to my sisters in Bakewell, she had a BBQ for the family so that was good especially for Tommy who is very partial to the odd steak and slice of cake not to mention having the chance to mop up any spilt beer he might come across.My mum bought me a new Fuchsia yesterday when her and my dad went to the garden centre, I forget what it’s called now but it looks very nice in the picture on the label.Talking of Fuchsia’s, my Roesse Blacky was in flower when I got back to work this morning.

Also on Saturday whilst I was away two lots of Fuchsia’s came that I ordered from Thompson and Morgan. Vicki unpacked them for me and kept them watered unfortunately she didn’t realise that the manes of the Fuchsia’s were printed on the outer packaging so by the time she had finished they have got mixed up so don’t know which is which. Hopefully when they flower I will be able to tell them apart and put their names to them.Next Sunday Old Bob is going for a ride in a helicopter! I’m quite excited about this, I think it will be great fun. It was a surprise when my mum asked if I would like to go up in the helicopter. Originally she was going alone, my sister bought her the ride as a birthday present then my sister went and bought my dad a ticket as well but it turns out he isn’t so keen on the idea so mum asked me if I would like to go instead so I jumped at the chance. It should be really good. I’ve got my parachute packed in case the wings fall off!Well I’m going to get off now, I hope you all had as good a weekend as I did.Bob.