Saturday 7 May 2022

First Saturday In May

When I got this stand from a boot sale last year, painted it and found the first plants for it someone commented that I'd made a lot of blog posts out of one plant stand, so I gave it it's own label!

Here's the most up to date photo - so that makes eight posts giving it a mention....always good to have something to fill a blog post!

Need to weed the patio.....again

It's tied to the trellis in two places now which should stop anymore crashes like it had in the winter storm and angled so that I can see and enjoy it from the living room.

Although we desperately need rain for gardens and more urgently for farmers fields I've enjoyed the warmer weather we've had on the last two days of the week and lots of gardening was done........... more beetroot seed sown and I got the canes ready for the French Climbing Beans but when I found the ratchet thing and wires to fix the canes together (It was originally a thing for twisting a wire tie around potato sacks but it's brilliant for fixing bean canes ) out of the shed, I found it had rusted solid since last year........that's Very annoying. I squirted it with WD40 but it made no difference. 
The choice was either to buy a new ratchet or wigwam cane supports. The second was the cheapest option although now I'm left with a huge pack of wires that Col got from a farm sale about 25 + years ago. 
 I've planted out the Chard and the Courgettes......all four of them which might be 2 too many, and started to prepare the pots in the greenhouse ready for the tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines and peppers. I have a home for the spare plants as one of the ladies at WI has a plant sale at her house at the end of the month as a fund raiser for two charities, so I can pot up my spares and pass to her. 
Also got the greenhouse automatic window opener working....finally. I did it myself without any help from Brother in Law.......very chuffed with myself!πŸ˜‡

Not a lot more to mention about my week although WI Knit, Stitch and Yarn group was good, I'd not done any of the cross stitch since last time but got a bit more done and the coffee and cake was tasty too, and I collected a lovely pile of library books which I'll put on Monday's post.

This week I've been grateful for

  • Good weather for gardening
  • Being able to walk to things in the village
  • A little....although too little...... much needed rain
  • Getting to know more people through the knit and stitch group


 Did you know this weekend it is National Mills Open Day? A visit to one just into West Suffolk is in the diary ....if all goes to plan.

Have a good weekend, I shall be back Monday.

Sue

31 comments:

  1. You could try soak the ratchet in white vinegar to remove the rust.
    KJ

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    1. I'll give it a try as that's something I'd not heard of

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    2. I'd never heard of it either, KJ. Thanks for the tip. I see you need to add salt as well.

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  2. I don't think that you'll need to buy any courgettes for a while πŸ˜„

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    1. Every year I forget that a small courgette plant in a pot will turn into a huge plant which will produce marrows if i don't keep an eye on them!

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  3. Don't give up on the rachet just yet. It may need several applications of WD40 before it's ready to move.

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    1. I gave it squirts of WD40 over a few days - going to try the vinegar thing in above comment

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  4. I am going to buy one young Courgette plant. That should do me. My cucumbers have ALL germinated, which has pleased me. Lots of ridge as well as some indoor ones. I LOVE cucumber.

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    1. Perhaps I'll make chutney!. I've got 3 good cucumber plants and only room for 2.

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  5. Hubby has whole sheds full of useful bits from sales…plus even more what I’d term junk…but never must I pour scorn on his treasured finds…and he’s deserted me this morning to go to such a sale. x

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    1. Not sure why my comment is from Anon Sue…it’s Jackie AKA Winters EndRambler!

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    2. Colin took a whole trailer and a horsebox full of stuff from the smallholding to Clay Cottage! Quite a lot to sort out but the ratchet and ties were one of the things I knew how to use!

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  6. Your plant stand looks lovely.
    I hope to get outside today my hayfever has been bad the last few days.
    Hazel 🌈🌈

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    1. How annoying to have hay-fever during good weather. I grew out of it in my 40s

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  7. The plant stand looks very good and all the plants are growing nicely. If the vinegar does not remove the rust from the ratchet, the automotive parts store has something for removing rust from auto parts. (My husband used to use it to take rust off of tools.) Your warm weather sounds delightful and your work in the garden is impressive. Fixing the greenhouse window opener on your own is amazing. Well done!

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    1. The rust is inside the tool so it doesn't work, it should pull in and out and twist at the same time. But has seized up.
      I was pleased to finally sort the greenhouse window

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  8. "the coffee and cake was tasty too" Oh! no! Sue, can't resist temptation. And, are you still doing any swimming or is there no pool available? Roderick

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    1. Not swimming at the moment - the only times they are open for lane swimming don't fit in right for me

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  9. I remember that lovely plant stand! I love the shape of it and your paint job really picked it up. I have read that salt and vinegar mixed in a spray bottle will kill the weeds in a patio or driveway. I have not tried it yet but I think I will as we get them in our driveway. Enjoy your weekend Sue!

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    1. I'm glad that I bought the plant stand last year. I like how it looks

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  10. Coming up with photos for frequent blog posts is not always easy! I applaud you, whatever your subject. And I often find on my own blog that the most dull (to me) photos and entries sometimes get the most interested responses. 'Tis a mystery. -Kate

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    1. I enjoy doing things to write about but 6 days a week take some filling!

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  11. If you have a bit of boiling water in the kettle when you have a cuppa pour it on the weeds! The plant stand looks great, I love an update. Going into winter here, I've planted a new pot of white daffodils.Have a good week

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    1. Looking forward to warmth here. Then I'll get out there and do weeding

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  12. It definitely deserves its own label. It's awesome

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  13. I was without internet for a few days and I really missed checking the blogs I like! I've really come to depend on that socializing I do online! :)
    Your plant stand has been put to good use and you will enjoy it for a long time!

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    1. Being without internet nowadays makes life very difficult too. Glad you are back

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  14. Sounds like it's been a busy time! Things are supposed to finally warm up next week. I suppose it shan't be long until we're all complaining (at least here) that it's too hot! I just want days where I don't have to have my heat on!

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    1. It would be nice if we were moaning about the heat here! Temps last night were very chilly. Plants all OK though

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  15. This is such an exciting time of the year. I puttered around in my own garden for the first time this year. How wonderful it felt.

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    1. It's so good to get outside and doing things after winter inside isn't it

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