At last a sunny day, time to buy wood for raised beds

It is sunny at last, though a colder few days are forecast before a warmer spell. I am back from a winter-break. At last its time to buy some wood ready to start making new raised beds, at the side of the house under the poly-tunnel frame.

try to keep stray animals off the lawn!

First I measured the space and drew a very rough plan to work out how much timber I need.

There are a number of alternatives for the wood itself. You can get it cut to size in a DIY store like B&Q or Wickes for example. Make sure it is treated to resist rotting. I prefer to cut it  to size myself on site with a saw, which allows for adjustment once you see how 'the land lies'. 

The thickness of wood you choose depends in part on how permanent you think will be the raised bed.  I find I wish to move things around after a few years, so there is little point in investing in big thick planks. In addition, if you make the mistake of using untreated wood (I have) it will quickly rot and won't last long anyway.

an existing raised border  made from decking board

I prefer to use decking boards. These are not the cheapest option but have the advantages that they cut easily and look a little more decorative. However my local garden centre, which has changed hands, is 'out of stock' at present (seems a recurrent theme). So I settled for plan B, which was ready cut 'gravel boards' that I picked up from a local Wickes. Gravel boards are used as a protective spacer between the ground and fencing, so are treated to resist absorbing water.

my new timber waiting for assembly

You can use metal fixing brackets for a solid job but screws or even nails will do. I find  screws are convenient unless its a tricky site when I may resort to brackets. Wooden pegs into the ground can help stabilise the structure but aren't essential. Once filled with soil the bed won't move around much!

old bed awaiting removal: note solitary first dwarf daffodil of spring, in the wrong place!

I bought six gravel boards (each about 8 feet of 2.3m)and some screws and I have the wood ready for a further improvement of the weather. I will let you know how I get on.



snowdrops in a sheltered spot in the front garden, blurred by blowing in the wind

Spring will soon be here!

Finally I was sent a link for the you-tube site ;Green Garden that has useful gardening videos.. Thanks Lanang,  (@LanangSiswo    on twitter). 




    

Late January Garden

Today: a bleak late January day with minor snow flurry.

The garden doesn't photograph well in the sun as it is directly south-facing, so a dull day is 'better'

Photographed from the patio doors. The vegetable patch will be off to the left at the side of the house. 

Have a good day and keep warm, Steve

Seed Inventory

Not too much pressure to buy seeds for planting later this year, as we have a stock left over from last. The weather has turned colder with an odd snow flurry, though not as bad as other parts of the UK (or the US at the moment according to the news).

Here is a list we have already:

Sow February onwards

Pea Twinkle

Carrot Early Nantes

Feb onwards in pots

Tomato Gardel

Tomato maskotka

Sow March

Pea meteor 

Pea Cerese

Pea Boogie

Salad Leaves bright and spicy

Salad Leaves Speedy

Radish French Breakfast

Radish Cherry Belle

Herb Bouquet Dill

Lettice salad bowl

Lettice gem (4 small packets)

Lettice winter gem

Sow April onwards

Dwarf French Bean tendergreen

French Bean Blue Lake

Parsley 

Herb Bouquet Dill

Courgette el Greco

Courgette Tricolour

Indoor

Alfalfa

Beetroot Detroit 2

To have a happy marriage ........

A  Frenchman told me (roughly translated)  "To have a happy marriage go in the garden." 

There was a fine drizzle this morning but just cloud this afternoon. I took the scorpion saw back to B and Q for a refund (they are usually good at that sort of thing), so it's option C from yesterday.

I then  took out an old shreader from storage and managed one bag before it also packed up. So the branches sadly are for recycling at the tip and the  shreader as well. I guess a powerful enough shreader may be too big a commitment  for a small garden like mine to replace at the moment. 

I managed one trip taking branches for recycling.. Nice dinner at the Bent Arms this evening with V, J  and R.

Another day tomorrow
Steve

A few of the many branches to clear, at the side of the house. Also showing, the new fence, the frame for the polytunnel and the trunk of the apple tree.

More tree trimming and the saga of the saw

Today was fairly good weather and I continued to trim the trees and remove ivy from the path leading to the shed. There has been a lot of ivy in recent years. I used it to cover the old fence, now replaced, and it probably also held it up. It was a home for snails though.

The garden is a mass of branches now. Because my chain saw stopped working yesterday, first thing I went to B&Q looking for a reciprocating saw. I thought the only one in stock looked too heavy, I settled on a Black and Decker  Scorpion saw. I will put a picture from amazon below, although of course I didn't buy it from there, but happen to have the picture handy.

The scorpion did the job of cutting branches brilliantly and is quite easy to handle with one hand if necessary, and with care. It is much lighter than a chain saw, and probably safer though slower as it has less power.

Late in the day the Scorpion died a death. Perhaps I over-worked it but that is disappointing, and I will take it back, probably tomorrow. On the other hand a liberal oiling seems to have revived my chain saw.

This opens up a delightful range of opportunities.

a I can take the Scorpion back and ask for a replacement. I did find it handy.
b I can ask for a refund instead, and perhaps buy a replacement on-line cheaper.
c I can ask for a refund and manage with the chain-saw for the current work.
d. I can ask for a refund and look more closely at a reciprocating saw. I really think a cordless one would be easier to use.

Who says free will is an illusion!

That's enoughit for today. I will try to chip the branches tomorrow if its fine and there's time, then we are out for dinner with friends tomorrow evening.

Steve

Tree trimming day and gnome photo

I was tree trimming  today along the side of the path leading to the shed (I will post some pictures later to put this into context), It was a cold but sunny afternoon. I took out my trusty electric chain saw for the first time this year;  which worked first time and then died after fifteen minutes. No amount of removing and replacing the chain helped.  I carried on with hand saws and an axe, which is slower but probably safer. I may retire the chain saw and purchase a new reciprocating saw to finish the job. Your views are as always appreciated,

On a lighter note here is a photo I took some time back, not all mine but in a garden centre. I don't know why gnomes get grumpy. Perhaps mine are irritated because they keep getting knocked over. Just ignore them!

no dumping sign

link

Walking along, I noticed in a local village in Sussex  so many home-made signs saying what everyone else can't do! I am with 'no dumping' though, of course.