Hen pen / Bulbs / Dogwood - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Monday 24 February, 2025

by Rosemary at 8:50am in Smallholding No comments Add your own

Not much of a diary entry this week, either. The weather has been pretty dismal – cold, grey, windy. Thankfully, not too much rain – the ditches are empty still. There was a sunny period on Thursday, followed by strong winds and a heavy shower. Saturday finally felt like spring – 10C, sunny and even the brisk breeze couldn’t spoil it.

We did get some jobs done outside; on Thursday, Dan and Murdo cleared out the flower bed under the dining room window, ready for planting, and started to prepare the area for the Cornus swathe.

Front bed ready for planting.

A variety of Dogwood species for winter colour.

Saturday, being sunny, I washed the outside of the polytunnel and the inside of the ends. The wires need to come down before I can do the rest of the inside. Dan finished putting in the Cornus and tidied up the perennial sweet peas. I pruned the roses – I’ll give them a top dressing on manure and I’m saving banana skin to top dress them too. I was having to fight the urge to tidy up – don’t want to disturb any wee insects just yet.

There are so many bulbs coming up in the front garden, even through the paths. We’ll have to mark what and where they are and decide if we’re going to leave them or not.

Bulbs appearing everywhere.

The hens’ winter pen is looking a bit ragged; they’ll be going up to their summer palace mid-March so I need to think about what I’m going to seed it with. They won’t be back in there until end of September.

The hens' winter pen, ready for a reseed.

On Tuesday, it was the first anniversary of Dot and Cooper’s arrival. I forget how tiny they were when they arrived, even if Cooper wasn’t tiny for long. I think they are having a good life. They certainly have plenty play opportunities.

Dottie and Scoops on the hay bales.

Sunday was not spring-like. Cold, raining, windy, so Dan and I did our Monday indoor jobs today -because tomorrow is forecast to be fine. When Dan lifted, split and replanted the rhubarb, we had loads left over  so I offered it on a local Facebook group – eight families will now hopefully have rhubarb this year. One of the positive uses of social media.

Tara and I visited with Rebecca this afternoon, and Dan went curling.