Salix Mount Aso / Seeds / Wind - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Monday 5 February, 2024

by Rosemary at 3:23pm in Smallholding 1 comment Add your own

Finally got the polytunnel cover cleaned; I started it last week  and now it’s done. What a difference. I’ve moved all the plants out of the green house into the tunnel so that I can get ready to start seed sowing. I’ve had the seed box out and sorted out February seeds.

The seed box

I also sorted through the shallot sets I bought for autumn planting that didn’t happen. Jermor and Griselle – two or three were a bit soft, but plenty to go in later this month.

And I put the potatoes “Caledonian Rose” in egg boxes to chit. I left it late one year and spent hours careful snipping the mesh bags to free the long chits.

It’s been windy pretty much since Wednesday. But we have no standing water in Home for the first time for months. Everything looks scoured btu it's pretty spongy underfoot.

Wednesday, Dan took a load of fresh manure to the local allotments. Only one person takes it now. I moves some pots with spring flowers to the back door. Looking a bit more cheerful.

Spring pots.

On a trip to the garden centre, I bought a lovely plant - Salix gracilistyla Mount Aso. I just fell in love with the red fluffy catkins. I had  points on my loyalty card, so it was fine. Dan suggested I take some cuttings, so I’ll do that.

I got the blackcurrants and blueberries pruned. The gooseberries were listed for pruning but I’ve asked Dan to take them out – we have loads in the freezer (I don’t like them much) and the plants are so spiny that they’re a nightmare to prune and crop. However, I have bought some spineless ones, one red, one yellow - Tatiana and Captivator  - so we’ll plant two of each. Our chum Kate is taking the other two (a pack of six was cheapest).

The granite setts and the arches for the front garden have arrived. And the quote from the landscaper. I’m still in shock. And feeling a bit despondent. Dan’s going to crack on with the sunken garden meantime.

Granite setts.

Cracking on with Festival stuff – hoping to be clear by the end of February until midsummer. I have a magazine article to write that I’ve been chewing over for weeks; I need to get it done. It’s like a little black cloud.