Ivy,thorny,waggy...

Check the label on plants before you buy to see if they are suitable for your garden.

Didn’t see it coming

“You’ll need to take that off before it collapses the roof” I am getting a bit of friendly advice from a visiting relative about the ivy that is quickly engulfing the garage. I cleared some of it last year but in no time what so ever it has re grown and not only covered one outside wall, it’s crept into the garage through the cracks around the window.  The funny thing about the ivy is that I just didn’t see it coming and never even noticed the shoots creeping into the cupboards in the garage. 

The day after being given the advice I have taken down the main bulk of growth but I’ll need to dig the roots out at some stage before it comes back. My mother’s reasons for not growing ivy and any form of climber on the house walls were confirmed as I found loads of slugs, snails and earwigs living in the ivy. My mother was convinced that climbers harboured rats and mice too and she also thought rats come up the toilet bowl when you go on holiday; maybe I’ll check that later.

Mower Moan

I’m still unsure about the mower but I have reinstated an old pair of edge cutters to get where the flymo can’t get which will save me having to get the strimmer out.  It didn’t take much sharpening and a bit of oil got it cutting as good as new, slicing through the long grass with a satisfying whooshing noise like the doors of the Starship Enterprise (That noise is actually made by pulling a letter out of an envelope). I might even have a go at fixing up an old scythe I have, it might be easier to use then the mower.

Giving it all away

I’ve got an abundance of salad crops at the moment and have been giving bags full of them to visitors - whether they like it or not. “Ah go on, just a few more” I tell them as I put more and more lettuce into a bag.  I am also giving away spinach by the bagfull to and tell people that you need at least four carrier bags full for a meal “as it boils down to nothing”. Things are expanding at a phenomenal rate the all of the rain and sunshine. So much so I am taking out last years broccoli to make a bit of space.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the stuff and even though it’s in the ground for a long time I wouldn’t be without it. The issue is that it’s still cropping when everything else the following year needs to be planted out into their growing places.  I think we have about got everything off of the plants that we can, the remaining shoots are so small that it would take about a day to harvest enough for a meal.  “They go well in a salad “I tell visitors as I throw some into the carrier bag. It’s time to allow the rest to go to flowers for the bees  as I need the space for the summer squashes and tomatoes. I never have much luck with outdoor toms, but this year might be different.

Thorny Issues

I got a few bargains at the garden centre this week. I needed a centre piece for a container and wanted something a bit different to the usual Cordyline and found a Dwarf Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis) reduced from €18 to €4 for some reason. I didn’t question why as it looked fine to me and felt as though I had bought a bargain. These plants are quite hardy although might need a bit of protection against hard frost. They can grow to 3.5 metres too but I doubt that’ll ever happen. I put the plant into the boot of the car and maybe found the reason for the price reduction. The spikes on the stems are like razors. They make rose bush thorns look like soft feathers. It was only after the spikes took the skin off my hand that I read the warning on the label. It even told me to keep the plant away from clothing. Maybe not so much of a bargain after all.

Tail Wagging

Chips the dog came back to us after her overnight stay at the vets this week - minus the eye. It’s all stitched up and thankfully she didn’t come back with the lampshade of shame on her head.  The vet said she is so well behaved and doesn’t scratch that it wasn’t needed. She is at the door as usual with a ball in her mouth ready to go for her walk.  Her tail is still wagging and her enthusiasm for life is still unquestioning as she delves into the brambles and undergrowth with the tail wagging. Inspirational stuff.