Have you started your spring gardening yet?

[Benjamin]

Now the weather is improving and the last frosts look to have passed, have you started your gardening?

[Crimson Dynamo]

urg no but lots of pruning lies ahead

[Livia]

Planted some bulbs today, Glads and Lupins, and two rose hushed. Also done a lot if cutting back and clearing, will have a bonfire later in the week.

[Crimson Dynamo]

https://scontent.fgla3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/483366635_1171663651263125_7397515431815356645_n.j pg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=aa7b47&_nc_ohc=3sk-DW8FY08Q7kNvgH_Qdyq&_nc_oc=AdgSnHsIL7U1hBjL9hkBQzFi5210t4093q9XukhpyIk UrRXGJRu4iUULQtVKWw4YaFxYb4CrWAL06tn7PCzhi2jt&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent.fgla3-1.fna&_nc_gid=Au1wa_TzrcffOIy9rM8xRw&oh=00_AYFoV0fn_rHAv29vzDIoUZe1GKhc0KAnm_nwz56h9hHL OQ&oe=67DCD68A

[James]

I'm waiting for the grass to start growing again.

[Maru]

Oh yes. I'm currently going lawn crazy and working on getting our lawn in shape. So doing tons of prepwork for overseeding. Not going to work on flowers just yet but I have a new tree growing so going to edge/landscape the area around it also to make it easier to mow around.

My daughter received some local wildflower seeds so I have bought some cedar planks so build her first little garden box :love: We've also been walking down the trails and taking lots of flower pictures...

Our temps are already mostly in the 70s-80s....(21c~28c):

https://i.postimg.cc/pV4qYdJw/250316-weather-recent.jpg

[Maru]

Our Southern Live Oak is finishing up shedding its leaves for Spring, so I photographed the new growth:

https://i.postimg.cc/jj3zx88p/250313-early-spring-live-oak.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/d0V2KM9R/250313-early-spring-live-oak-2.jpg

[Cherie]

Our Southern Live Oak is finishing up shedding its leaves for Spring, so I photographed the new growth:

https://i.postimg.cc/jj3zx88p/250313-early-spring-live-oak.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/d0V2KM9R/250313-early-spring-live-oak-2.jpg

Beautiful

[Ammi]

Our Southern Live Oak is finishing up shedding its leaves for Spring, so I photographed the new growth:

https://i.postimg.cc/jj3zx88p/250313-early-spring-live-oak.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/d0V2KM9R/250313-early-spring-live-oak-2.jpg

….awwwww, it looks so delicate there in the early spring…/…I googled some pics of the Southern Live Oak as it’s not a tree that I’m familiar with…it’s very imposing and striking…I love the gnarled and twisted aspect of it, it gives it so much character…:love:…

…we had hail only a few days ago and have had several ground frosts this last week so still a bit early for any spring planting for me…

[Beso]

Ploughed the grass on saturday.

[LaLaLand]

Might buy some seeds soon and see what I can get going.

Used to always plant sunflowers with the fam and we’d have a competition who could grow the tallest. My favourite.

[Maru]

Beautiful

Thanks :love: There will be lots more pics. We do nature walks around this time of the year and I visit the public gardens. Before it gets too hot and we're driven back indoors.

….awwwww, it looks so delicate there in the early spring…/…I googled some pics of the Southern Live Oak as it’s not a tree that I’m familiar with…it’s very imposing and striking…I love the gnarled and twisted aspect of it, it gives it so much character…:love:…

…we had hail only a few days ago and have had several ground frosts this last week so still a bit early for any spring planting for me…

It's a native tree. It is supposed to drop acorns, but might still be too young. There are several on our block in my neighbor's yard. The one behind us is really gnarled and majestic looking and is a permanent home for many squirrels... we've raised our tree over the years (cutting lower limbs) so it's not so much doing the dipping limb thing, but it is growing upwards and doing that over the home... which we welcome because the shade keeps the house cooler during the summer months :love:

We will have hail in a few months once Hurricane season nears. We had it come ominously last year 3-4 times before Beryl hit. It's more of a warm season event for us. :spin:

[Maru]

More Spring photos...

This very large spiky weed is popping up along trails and plotting. There's a flower that sprouts on the top of some of them, but it's difficult to photograph in a hurry. (I guess it must put out an odor because it attracts flies)

https://i.postimg.cc/tJR0FM22/250316-trail-1.jpg

More photos but saving your fingers valuable scrolling time with a spoiler:
https://i.postimg.cc/44wRXXxM/250316-trail-2.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/XJf3fF37/250316-trail-3.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/cJ8dJ2b3/250317-trail-3.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/sDDyWvLs/250317-trail-4.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/8C5gF3X4/250317-tree.jpg

[Ammi]

Thanks :love: There will be lots more pics. We do nature walks around this time of the year and I visit the public gardens. Before it gets too hot and we're driven back indoors.



It's a native tree. It is supposed to drop acorns, but might still be too young. There are several on our block in my neighbor's yard. The one behind us is really gnarled and [b]majestic looking[\b] and is a permanent home for many squirrels... we've raised our tree over the years (cutting lower limbs) so it's not so much doing the dipping limb thing, but it is growing upwards and doing that over the home... which we welcome because the shade keeps the house cooler during the summer months :love:

We will have hail in a few months once Hurricane season nears. We had it come ominously last year 3-4 times before Beryl hit. It's more of a warm season event for us. :spin:

…majestic was actually the first descriptive that popped into my head when I was googling it…but an old twisted type of majestic…:laugh:…it really is a splendid species of tree, I love to see twisted branches and yeah, I can imagine how there will be so much tree loving animal life attracted to it, to make it their home…yesterday was very cold here so I think it might be another week or two before spring thoughts begin for me…

[Ammi]

More Spring photos...

This very large spiky weed is popping up along trails and plotting. There's a flower that sprouts on the top of some of them, but it's difficult to photograph in a hurry. (I guess it must put out an odor because it attracts flies)

https://i.postimg.cc/tJR0FM22/250316-trail-1.jpg

More photos but saving your fingers valuable scrolling time with a spoiler:
https://i.postimg.cc/44wRXXxM/250316-trail-2.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/XJf3fF37/250316-trail-3.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/cJ8dJ2b3/250317-trail-3.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/sDDyWvLs/250317-trail-4.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/8C5gF3X4/250317-tree.jpg


…gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous pics of springtime, Maru…:love:…your garden and its plant and tree inhabitants are looking very healthy and glowing…

[Nicky91]

yes


and we will buy extra fertilizer/soil soon, as well as some new plants



had to water the garden already, the soil as it is now is very plain, dry top layer, not good for any spring flowers, and everything with new leafs and our climbers also otherwise will dry out


thankfully as of saturday it'll rain again

[Maru]

…gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous pics of springtime, Maru…:love:…your garden and its plant and tree inhabitants are looking very healthy and glowing…

Yay! :love: Yes, I'm trying to grow in that back corner. I have lots of goals for the lawn this year. We just trimmed the tree so it should help with filling in, but so far nature is doing its own part by giving us fresh grass... I bought a dirt torture device to loosen the ground some (I've already core aerated) and then hopefully with water, fertilizer and some time it'll all grow in nice and lush :love:

I just had to remove a ton of St Augustine runners (warm grass type native to here) from my lawn so there's more spots right now until it refills in with St Augustine and hopefully the in-ground kind this time...

https://i.postimg.cc/63kBs1XK/torture-grass.jpg

[Maru]

yes


and we will buy extra fertilizer/soil soon, as well as some new plants



had to water the garden already, the soil as it is now is very plain, dry top layer, not good for any spring flowers, and everything with new leafs and our climbers also otherwise will dry out


thankfully as of saturday it'll rain again

Yeah, we had months of rain, so lots of intense green as nature's things were coming out of dormancy... but now completely dry and my face is reacting to flying dirt particles :bawling:... also watering, but looks like rain will return soon. The US has had wild weather this year so far...

[Livia]

My bonfire is shaping up nicely. When I finally light it it's going to be visible from space.

[Ammi]

Yay! :love: Yes, I'm trying to grow in that back corner. I have lots of goals for the lawn this year. We just trimmed the tree so it should help with filling in, but so far nature is doing its own part by giving us fresh grass... I bought a dirt torture device to loosen the ground some (I've already core aerated) and then hopefully with water, fertilizer and some time it'll all grow in nice and lush :love:

I just had to remove a ton of St Augustine runners (warm grass type native to here) from my lawn so there's more spots right now until it refills in with St Augustine and hopefully the in-ground kind this time...

https://i.postimg.cc/63kBs1XK/torture-grass.jpg

…yeah, sometimes the lawn has to reach rock bottom before it can become healthy again and a little torture is needed to do that…we had some hard landscaping done and I the lawn has been left in an awful condition so like you…?…we’re having to aerate and scarify etc but hopefully it’ll all be for the greater good or the greener good…it’s a satisfying thing though because it brings about such transformations for all of the hard work…so eventually a real feel good…:love:..

[Maru]

Has Spring started there yet?

[Maru]

…yeah, sometimes the lawn has to reach rock bottom before it can become healthy again and a little torture is needed to do that…we had some hard landscaping done and I the lawn has been left in an awful condition so like you…?…we’re having to aerate and scarify etc but hopefully it’ll all be for the greater good or the greener good…it’s a satisfying thing though because it brings about such transformations for all of the hard work…so eventually a real feel good…:love:..

Thankfully no scary scarifying. Most of the trouble spots are from the "brutal" 1-2 days of snow we had this year and other stress. It's looking better and I'm getting ready to fertilize. It usually fills back in quickly. The tree already dropped all its pollen bits and it seems leaves mostly have stopped shedding as a well. I had to wait for the ground to dry after I core aerated. I didn't pull up all them since this is how St Augustine spawns so tried to just remove the unhappiest ones :laugh: I transplanted some into the front yard where there is shade and they're already sowing.

We bought some Zoysia (Zenith) plugs to fill some trouble areas in the front lawn. From a sod farm in MD of all places (my husband's home state) so a little bit of home :love: Even came with an Agricultural inspection certificate, so felt very official :laugh:

Whatever grass is in those spots now just doesn't thrive in full sun, so just want to balance it. I also need to add some sand overtime because our front has a lot of clay. Maybe I'll transform itself overtime, but it's not that important this year to have specific quantities of certain grass. More that it is "good", able to thrive grass.

I'm also debating a manual lawnmower... I'm not sure on that yet or if I've lost my mind :laugh: It's more physical labor but I think that's kinda the point. I'm really enjoying Spring so far. Everything is spawning very lovely-like :love:

[Ammi]

Thankfully no scary scarifying. Most of the trouble spots are from the "brutal" 1-2 days of snow we had this year and other stress. It's looking better and I'm getting ready to fertilize. It usually fills back in quickly. The tree already dropped all its pollen bits and it seems leaves mostly have stopped shedding as a well. I had to wait for the ground to dry after I core aerated. I didn't pull up all them since this is how St Augustine spawns so tried to just remove the unhappiest ones :laugh: I transplanted some into the front yard where there is shade and they're already sowing.

We bought some Zoysia (Zenith) plugs to fill some trouble areas in the front lawn. From a sod farm in MD of all places (my husband's home state) so a little bit of home :love: Even came with an Agricultural inspection certificate, so felt very official :laugh:

Whatever grass is in those spots now just doesn't thrive in full sun, so just want to balance it. I also need to add some sand overtime because our front has a lot of clay. Maybe I'll transform itself overtime, but it's not that important this year to have specific quantities of certain grass. More that it is "good", able to thrive grass.

I'm also debating a manual lawnmower... I'm not sure on that yet or if I've lost my mind :laugh: It's more physical labor but I think that's kinda the point. I'm really enjoying Spring so far. Everything is spawning very lovely-like :love:


…it’s amazing how quickly a lawn renews and rejuvenates, isn’t it…even when there appears to be no green left, there is…we just have to tease it out…that’s such a lovely story and a personal touch to the garden to have that bit of Mr Maru’s home state in there, that makes it really special and a lovely thing to relate to little Miss Maru and why she also has to help take great care of her garden…:love:…the manual lawnmower…?…yes, Maru…you’ve lost your mind…!!!!!!!….:laugh:…I’m exhausted enough either the electric one…good luck though if you go manual…:love:…

[Cherie]

Has Spring started there yet?

oh yes spring flowers are out daffs, and the tulips are just about getting going, weather is set to be nice and sunny over the next week, going to be a good one

[Maru]

…it’s amazing how quickly a lawn renews and rejuvenates, isn’t it…even when there appears to be no green left, there is…we just have to tease it out…that’s such a lovely story and a personal touch to the garden to have that bit of Mr Maru’s home state in there, that makes it really special and a lovely thing to relate to little Miss Maru and why she also has to help take great care of her garden…:love:…the manual lawnmower…?…yes, Maru…you’ve lost your mind…!!!!!!!….:laugh:…I’m exhausted enough either the electric one…good luck though if you go manual…:love:…

Pushing electric isn't so bad. It's when we get into summertime with the heat with high humidity and temps in the high 90s-100s (38C+). I want something I can raise/lower easily and having less noise is probably nice? I've built up some strength I've been working a lot with manual tools so hopefully I can do DIY a bit later in the year.

Little Maru is getting a garden box/planter soon and we're going to teach ehr to plant her first buds :love: I bought some cedar planks for it, just waiting for weather and the right moment to start something together.

oh yes spring flowers are out daffs, and the tulips are just about getting going, weather is set to be nice and sunny over the next week, going to be a good one

Sounds like only a few weeks away before it becomes very colorful, then :love:

[Ammi]

Pushing electric isn't so bad. It's when we get into summertime with the heat with high humidity and temps in the high 90s-100s (38C+). I want something I can raise/lower easily and having less noise is probably nice? I've built up some strength I've been working a lot with manual tools so hopefully I can do DIY a bit later in the year.

Little Maru is getting a garden box/planter soon and we're going to teach ehr to plant her first buds :love: I bought some cedar planks for it, just waiting for weather and the right moment to start something together.



Sounds like only a few weeks away before it becomes very colorful, then :love:

…yeah I know what you mean about being able to raise and lower more easily…such a lovely thing to make Miss Maru her own little garden and teach her to care for her plants…:love:…things like herbs and vegetables are a great starter, aren’t they …for her to follow that path and connection from garden to table…happy gardening months together …:love:…

[Maru]

…yeah I know what you mean about being able to raise and lower more easily…such a lovely thing to make Miss Maru her own little garden and teach her to care for her plants…:love:…things like herbs and vegetables are a great starter, aren’t they …for her to follow that path and connection from garden to table…happy gardening months together …:love:…

Do you do a lot of yardwork/gardening, Ammi?

[Ammi]

Do you do a lot of yardwork/gardening, Ammi?

…do you mean like regular maintaining garden work, Maru…is that yard work…?…I try to do as little as possible and have a fairly low maintenance outdoor space…which I haven’t always been able to in the past but this time it’s starting from scratch so we’re able to figure that into it as we develop it, which is lovely…

[Maru]

…do you mean like regular maintaining garden work, Maru…is that yard work…?…I try to do as little as possible and have a fairly low maintenance outdoor space…which I haven’t always been able to in the past but this time it’s starting from scratch so we’re able to figure that into it as we develop it, which is lovely…

That sounds like it'd be worth it, tbh :love:

We live in a subtropical climate so it's difficult to not have things grow (and grow out of order) so I have about 4-5 varieties of grass growing on my property... waiting to see which ones survive the summer duel

[Ammi]

That sounds like it'd be worth it, tbh :love:

We live in a subtropical climate so it's difficult to not have things grow (and grow out of order) so I have about 4-5 varieties of grass growing on my property... waiting to see which ones survive the summer duel

…bring on the turf wars…:laugh:…

[LaLaLand]

I've bought a few packets of seed, only cheap, just to see if I can get some flowers and a bit of colour going in the garden. It's nice again tomorrow so will get onto it then.

One's a "wild meadow" mixture, one's strawberry plants and the other's cacti but I've just realised that's indoors only! D'oh! :skull:

On the lookout for some sunflowers to plant too.

[Maru]

Color is going crazy here and my lawn also is filling in very nicely after the repair work I've done with it. St Augustine runners (a type of warm grass here in the States) is spreading after transplanting in areas that are bare.

Sharing some pictures from a local trail at dusk...

https://i.postimg.cc/JzjGY9gb/68943-0.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/C1x51dKN/68970-0.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/7LDbFK8j/68944-0.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/rpJzM5qs/68969-0.jpg

[Ammi]

…gorgeous…:love:…what are those white/wild flowers, Maru…?…

[Ammi]

…we reseeded parts of the lawn that were damaged but the pigeons have moved in and keep eating the seed…

[Maru]

…gorgeous…:love:…what are those white/wild flowers, Maru…?…

These are wild carrot, I believe. They grow everywhere here near waterways and just wetter grassier areas. One of my neighbors must like it because someone mowed everything but the patches of wild carrot that appeared in their front lawn. Nice and tall privacy barrier, too.

…we reseeded parts of the lawn that were damaged but the pigeons have moved in and keep eating the seed…

Oof. Reseeding is expensive here. We throw hay or some other hay like material over to protect seeds. It helps them to not move around too much either.

[Benjamin]

Color is going crazy here and my lawn also is filling in very nicely after the repair work I've done with it. St Augustine runners (a type of warm grass here in the States) is spreading after transplanting in areas that are bare.

Sharing some pictures from a local trail at dusk...

https://i.postimg.cc/JzjGY9gb/68943-0.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/C1x51dKN/68970-0.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/7LDbFK8j/68944-0.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/rpJzM5qs/68969-0.jpg

:lovedup:

[Ammi]

These are wild carrot, I believe. They grow everywhere here near waterways and just wetter grassier areas. One of my neighbors must like it because someone mowed everything but the patches of wild carrot that appeared in their front lawn. Nice and tall privacy barrier, too.



Oof. Reseeding is expensive here. We throw hay or some other hay like material over to protect seeds. It helps them to not move around too much either.

…yeah I think it’ll be expensive when they keep eating it as we seed it but we will send them the bill for it all…

[Maru]

…yeah I think it’ll be expensive when they keep eating it as we seed it but we will send them the bill for it all…

There is a bird bill shaving joke somewhere in that, I reckon...

[Cherie]

Beautiful pics Maru, I was going to ask what the white flower was, but Ammi beat me to it

[Ammi]

…@Maru ….I was just reading that wild carrot flowers are excellent imitators of insect life so attracts pollenators easily…especially bees…

[Benjamin]

…@Maru ….I was just reading that wild carrot flowers are excellent imitators of insect life so attracts pollenators easily…especially bees…

We get them in the Welsh countryside, especially nearby the coast. Are they not in England? (I’m sure I’ve seen them in England).

[Ammi]

We get them in the Welsh countryside, especially nearby the coast. Are they not in England? (I’m sure I’ve seen them in England).

…yeah I think that I have seem similar but not such a large flow of them as that, which is really quite stunning…:love:…the ones that Maru posted are probably the natives to North America but there are European varieties as well so most likely grown in England…

[Maru]

I went back to the trail and got some good photos...

Fun story: I lost my red dog leash which, I was semi-attached to, no pun intended. I used to walk my dog that passed infrequently with it and while it's not as good for her small brother, "It just worked"... I guess whoever picked it up really needed a leash that day. At least I'm 99% sure someone picked it up. I caught their perp walk in the background so I know someone was at least walking that spot and it T's off to another area there so could've been someone coming from behind the trails and I'm 100% sure where it was dropped because I let child hold it (she asked) and that was dumb on my part... I opened my car trunk and noticed the pink leash that I really walked my girl in more before her anxiety got intolerable, so maybe I don't need 2 leashes to remember her... I'm just in that weird grief stage right now where every little thing reminds me of her and memories flood right back. So losing even silly things like that adds to the feeling the loss.

But yes, this little trail we often walked with her and "Little Man" (my chihuahua, LM is a nickname for him) with that red leash in particular... he was so happy to be out and I usually take his leash off so he can go "be dog..." ... it's very nice back in this spot and he stays out of trouble, so (not walking into dangerous weeds and such)...

I stepped in an Fire Ant bed trying to get the bumble bee shots so I had to walk for the rest without shoes until they vacated... that was fun, but the ground was a bit sandy from being worn and very comfortable actually... the parts without prickly plants which is common in hot areas of the country... something about heat makes the plants angrier, I wonder why.

Anyway, photos...

https://i.postimg.cc/QjGbSDwY/250428-flower-2.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/JnGbFpCZ/250428-tree-flower.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/XJmw69nh/250428-firewheel-2.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/kGSW-JD45/250428-flower-3.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/T25VqN9X/250428-flower-4.jpg



Bumble Bees (Click/Tap to Zoom):
https://i.postimg.cc/gY4HYZJ1/250428-bumble-bee.jpg (https://i.postimg.cc/2my2S2nG/250428-bumble-bee.jpg)

https://i.postimg.cc/j5pJFKXY/250428-bumble-bee-2.jpg (https://i.postimg.cc/w69k8V6h/250428-bumble-bee-4.jpg)

https://i.postimg.cc/4yphCML7/250428-bumble-bee-3.jpg (https://i.postimg.cc/zffWLxB6/250428-bumble-bee-5.jpg)

[Maru]

…@Maru ….I was just reading that wild carrot flowers are excellent imitators of insect life so attracts pollenators easily…especially bees…

They have a certain odor especially when there's lots of them, so maybe that plays a part?

They have another name also apparently: "Queen Anne's Lace"

How to Grow and Care for Queen Anne's Lace
https://www.thespruce.com/queen-annes-lace-guide-7111019

Edit: Ammi Oh fun I found this just now. There's two flies on the plant:

https://i.postimg.cc/02jH117K/DSC1787-Dx-O.jpg

[Benjamin]

:hug:

Aww, Maru. Giving you a big hug. So cheeky too somebody has picked it up and kept it.

The photos are beautiful. I love bees so much too, so will always love photos of them. :lovedup:

[LaLaLand]

Gorgeous photographs!! :love:

The seeds I planted three weekends ago have gone nuts.

I've got 16ish sunflowers all about 2 inches tall that I now need to individually pot (donating some to friends and fam), a load of wild flowers blooming, strawberry plants coming up also as well as three cacti starting to sprout! Not bad considering they were just little 50p packets of seeds from the shop. :joker:

[Benjamin]

Gorgeous photographs!! :love:

The seeds I planted three weekends ago have gone nuts.

I've got 16ish sunflowers all about 2 inches tall that I now need to individually pot (donating some to friends and fam), a load of wild flowers blooming, strawberry plants coming up also as well as three cacti starting to sprout! Not bad considering they were just little 50p packets of seeds from the shop. :joker:

My sunflowers are doing well too. I learnt my lesson a few years ago when I planted 20 seeds thinking not all would take, they all took. Had to try find pots for them all haha.

This year I planted just six (3 yellow/3 red).

My various basils, potatoes, rocket, chilis and tomatoes are doing well so far too. The dill and tarragon, not so much. They’re growing, but very slowly.

Also my jasmine is going wild again too, it’s huge now from when I got it 2 years ago. Can’t wait for that to flower again. It’s my favourite summer smell (alongside cut grass/bbq).

[Ammi]

…^^^…sunflowers are such fun to grow and keep measuring through their growing cycle because they really do grow to adulthood quickly…they’re one of my favourite flowers…putting a jar of sunflowers in the house is a gorgeous thing…:love:…

[Ammi]

… Maru….awww, with the leash …:hug:…maybe your little dog was somewhere in that story and somehow saying…let the leash go to another dog now and start a new memory of love because wherever it is and whoever is using it…will never take from the wonderful walks we have…those things are in the heart and not in the leash…:hug:…

…honestly, your photos are absolutely stunning…little baby Maru must get so much joy in looking at pics that her mama has taken…:love:…

[Maru]

:hug:

Aww, Maru. Giving you a big hug. So cheeky too somebody has picked it up and kept it.

The photos are beautiful. I love bees so much too, so will always love photos of them. :lovedup:

Yeah... but maybe they needed it more than I did. I keep a few leashes. I couldn't find the red retractable I use for my smaller pup, so that's the only reason I had taken that one that day. It was a lot to hold onto with camera gear and other random things small child was handing me (:laugh:)... and then my socks&shoes when they were invaded by ants...

@ bees :love:
I'm looking at doing beekeeping at some point. I already have a good spot picked out. It's a matter of deciding when to do make the investment and pick up some Nucs. I'd need 2 at least so if I never needed to move resources around...

These are my favorite channels for beekeeping (and salvaging colonies from places they don't belong):

https://www.youtube.com/@davidhaught84
https://www.youtube.com/@628DirtRooster


… Maru….awww, with the leash …:hug:…maybe your little dog was somewhere in that story and somehow saying…let the leash go to another dog now and start a new memory of love because wherever it is and whoever is using it…will never take from the wonderful walks we have…those things are in the heart and not in the leash…:hug:…

…honestly, your photos are absolutely stunning…little baby Maru must get so much joy in looking at pics that her mama has taken…:love:…

Thanks <3 (everyone else too)

I think you're right... and when I thought about it, she had terrible anxiety so maybe leashes weren't her favorite thing anyway. She was a black lab mix, so it wasn't down to her breed. But that's why we loved that little trail, because I could take her off safely and her and little man could walk around quietly around sniffing and trotting without real concerns of bothering others and vice-versa. Lots of different things to smell back there also.

[Maru]

Gorgeous photographs!! :love:

The seeds I planted three weekends ago have gone nuts.

I've got 16ish sunflowers all about 2 inches tall that I now need to individually pot (donating some to friends and fam), a load of wild flowers blooming, strawberry plants coming up also as well as three cacti starting to sprout! Not bad considering they were just little 50p packets of seeds from the shop. :joker:

I've thought of adding some sunflowers to my box when I start it. We have a wildflower that looks very similar here, but I've wanted to grow "legit" ones.

[Ammi]

…^^^^… Maru Benjamin ….I love bees as well, I read a fiction book/story a while ago and one of the main characters was a beekeeper so concurrently to the human plot, it also had a thread running through of behavioural characteristics of a bee’s life cycle…it was fascinating….

…obviously i love that they worship a queen as well…

[Niamh.]

…^^^^… Maru Benjamin ….I love bees as well, I read a fiction book/story a while ago and one of the main characters was a beekeeper so concurrently to the human plot, it also had a thread running through of behavioural characteristics of a bee’s life cycle…it was fascinating….



…obviously i love that they worship a queen as well…Gav wants to get some beehives in the future, I'm scared of them but like them at the same time so he'll have to keep them away from the house [emoji23]


Beautiful day today, I'm going to spend a few hours getting rid of ferns, it's popping up all over the garden

[Vicky.]

I pay to get mine done..and seen unable to keep flowers alive :laugh:

[Benjamin]

…^^^^… Maru Benjamin ….I love bees as well, I read a fiction book/story a while ago and one of the main characters was a beekeeper so concurrently to the human plot, it also had a thread running through of behavioural characteristics of a bee’s life cycle…it was fascinating….

…obviously i love that they worship a queen as well…

Secret Life of Bees?

[Ammi]

Secret Life of Bees?

…Mad Honey…that’s not the book title, I'm saying that you’re mad, honey…

…(..obviously that’s the name of the book…)…

[Ammi]

Gav wants to get some beehives in the future, I'm scared of them but like them at the same time so he'll have to keep them away from the house [emoji23]


Beautiful day today, I'm going to spend a few hours getting rid of ferns, it's popping up all over the garden

…we had a parent at the school one time and she was the beekeeper for one of the trust estates locally …she would bring us some gorgeous honey…:love:…whenever we had a hive on the premises, she would come and carefully remove it with all of the bees inside and in tact and safely tucked up and rehome them and the hive on the trust estate…anyways, in all of the time i knew her…?…she had no bee stings ….I mean, Gav might and you might occasionally but I think that it would be amazing to keep them…

…enjoy your fern banishing…

[Niamh.]

…we had a parent at the school one time and she was the beekeeper for one of the trust estates locally …she would bring us some gorgeous honey…:love:…whenever we had a hive on the premises, she would come and carefully remove it with all of the bees inside and in tact and safely tucked up and rehome them and the hive on the trust estate…anyways, in all of the time i knew her…?…she had no bee stings ….I mean, Gav might and you might occasionally but I think that it would be amazing to keep them…

…enjoy your fern banishing…

The Fern is banished, I fear I got a touch of heat stroke though, it was hot in the sun 🥵

[Ammi]

The Fern is banished, I fear I got a touch of heat stroke though, it was hot in the sun 🥵

…yeah that sun is quite intense the last few days…a nice chilled evening and some cooling after sun lotion sounds like a plan…

https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExeTc5ajF3czdlYWtrbzRlbDh1cGhrMWN nc21wb3J3MGxzZzFnNzV5aiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfY nlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/3o7btYQkLkY4dEFgxG/giphy.gif

[Niamh.]

…yeah that sun is quite intense the last few days…a nice chilled evening and some cooling after sun lotion sounds like a plan…



https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExeTc5ajF3czdlYWtrbzRlbDh1cGhrMWN nc21wb3J3MGxzZzFnNzV5aiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfY nlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/3o7btYQkLkY4dEFgxG/giphy.gif[emoji23]

[Benjamin]

…Mad Honey…that’s not the book title, I'm saying that you’re mad, honey…

…(..obviously that’s the name of the book…)…

Love that book.

[Ammi]

Love that book.

…:love:…

[Maru]

I finally figured out what the grass type in my front on the one side that looks really pretty and texture-y actually is and also explains why it was so painful to identify in the first place... (but I had some suspicions). It's Bahia grass... It's been spitting out all these little seedheads that I thought were maybe random summer weeds coming up. Nope, it's the grass!

Bahia Grass Seed Heads
https://shuncy.com/article/bahia-grass-seed-heads

Also explains why the birds have been going munching in that part of my yard of late. So yeah, I was pulling them and then realized, I was like oh sh**.. pulled it back out of the bin and planted some in the backyard. :laugh: I don't expect it to thrive where I put it. I suspect it doesn't like shade very much so probably is why it's staying more or less on that side of my yard and not spreading... just have to get St Augustine (similar thick-ish/texture-ish grass) to spread on the other end to match...

[LaLaLand]

I’m having to have a mad dash to the garden centre tomorrow as my little seedlings, thanks to the beautiful weather the past week, have almost tripled and are outgrowing their pots so I need to size up!

Lovely to see though. Such a simple, rewarding hobby.

[Ammi]

I finally figured out what the grass type in my front on the one side that looks really pretty and texture-y actually is and also explains why it was so painful to identify in the first place... (but I had some suspicions). It's Bahia grass... It's been spitting out all these little seedheads that I thought were maybe random summer weeds coming up. Nope, it's the grass!

Bahia Grass Seed Heads
https://shuncy.com/article/bahia-grass-seed-heads

Also explains why the birds have been going munching in that part of my yard of late. So yeah, I was pulling them and then realized, I was like oh sh**.. pulled it back out of the bin and planted some in the backyard. :laugh: I don't expect it to thrive where I put it. I suspect it doesn't like shade very much so probably is why it's staying more or less on that side of my yard and not spreading... just have to get St Augustine (similar thick-ish/texture-ish grass) to spread on the other end to match...


…Bahia grass looks very, very sturdy and strong and so excellent for little Miss Maru to fun and tumble on all day long…I’m not really up on grass types that we have here, we have lawn grass…:laugh:…I mean, there’s fine quality lawn grass for things like bowling greens and the like so there are grades of lawn grass but that’s all an un-knowledgable gardening person like me knows…we have planted a lot of new grass seed this year so it’s still quite delicate in many places atm and still a little patchy…

[Ammi]

I’m having to have a mad dash to the garden centre tomorrow as my little seedlings, thanks to the beautiful weather the past week, have almost tripled and are outgrowing their pots so I need to size up!

Lovely to see though. Such a simple, rewarding hobby.

…it really is such a rewarding thing to have that feeling of successfully nurturing something we’ve planted…:love:…like being a parent to our gardens…:laugh:…enjoy your sizing up, that’s a great reason to be re-potting…!!!!…

[Benjamin]

It’s all starting to bloom now. Jasmine in full swing and filling the warm air with its heavenly smell. Lily’s about to burst open. Tomatoes growing well. Olive trees flowering. :lovedup:

[Ammi]

It’s all starting to bloom now. Jasmine in full swing and filling the warm air with its heavenly smell. Lily’s about to burst open. Tomatoes growing well. Olive trees flowering. :lovedup:
Benjamin …do you get any brown or yellow leaves on your olives at all…/…do you get any aphid activity…?..and also, do you feed them…?…/…lots of olive questions, if you please…and yeah, the jasmine season is magnificent atm, isn’t it…:lovedup:..

[Benjamin]

Benjamin …do you get any brown or yellow leaves on your olives at all…/…do you get any aphid activity…?..and also, do you feed them…?…/…lots of olive questions, if you please…and yeah, the jasmine season is magnificent atm, isn’t it…:lovedup:..

My olives are doing well atm, (touch wood). I gave them olive tree feed at the start of spring and put down some more last week.

No aphids on them, but lots of small spiders (they can stay and eat all the bugs).

[Ammi]

My olives are doing well atm, (touch wood). I gave them olive tree feed at the start of spring and put down some more last week.

No aphids on them, but lots of small spiders (they can stay and eat all the bugs).

…yeah, I leave the spider webs all there to catch the bugs…I had some little bubbles of white fluff-like stuff which I looked up and I think it’s Wooly Aphids, I think they’re called…and they love the olives…I also had some yellow leaves so I was a bit worried about them…anyway, I went to speak to the olive man this week and I think they’re all ok and healthy…I bought some Olive Focus feed which seems to be good as well…they’re my babies atm…:laugh:…

[Benjamin]

…yeah, I leave the spider webs all there to catch the bugs…I had some little bubbles of white fluff-like stuff which I looked up and I think it’s Wooly Aphids, I think they’re called…and they love the olives…I also had some yellow leaves so I was a bit worried about them…anyway, I went to speak to the olive man this week and I think they’re all ok and healthy…I bought some Olive Focus feed which seems to be good as well…they’re my babies atm…:laugh:…

Trick is to not overwater them either (but still give them water haha). I tend to water mine once a week if it’s been dry with no rain.

Last year we got olives too for the first time! So I’m hoping the same this year.

How old are your olive trees?

[Ammi]

Trick is to not overwater them either (but still give them water haha). I tend to water mine once a week if it’s been dry with no rain.

Last year we got olives too for the first time! So I’m hoping the same this year.

How old are your olive trees?

…yeah the watering is tricky and my olive man did say that the yellow leaves sound a bit like over-watering…?…but I actually hadn’t watered them for a while but we did have huge rain downfalls recently, didn’t we…?…I gave them a little water yesterday because of the weather atm but only a little sprinkle tbh because I know have watering anxiety …:laugh:…I don’t know how old they would be overall because my olive man goes over to Italy/Sicily regularly to purchase them so they’ll have had a life over there first for however long…?…but I’ve only had them since last autumn because it’s a new garden being developed…and more than anything I want all of the plants to feel safe and healthy….I have two trees, they’re twins and I think quite young but they could also be quite old and lived a life in Sicily first…

[Benjamin]

Yeah we have two too.

What types of pots do you have them in? I’m guessing well draining ones if you have an olive man who gives advice.

My problem plant this year was all the bamboo. It looked like it was struggling but seems to have picked up now and looking healthy.

[Ammi]

Yeah we have two too.

What types of pits do you have them in? I’m guessing well draining ones if you have an olive man who gives advice.

My problem plant this year was all the bamboo. It looked like it was struggling but seems to have picked up now and looking healthy.

…pits/pots…?…we have them slightly raised in the lawn, they went meant to be raised but that’s another story…:laugh:…we did research all of the drainage/mix to give them a good foundation so I think that’s all ok but they can get shocked in their new environment for a bit before they settle as well, can’t they…we have a very sunny/south facing garden so it’s perfect really for their Mediterranean upbringing …we bought them from a specialist specimen tree place that we have locally, he doesn’t just have olives but Italy/Sicily is where he travels mostly to find his plants so he does know his olives…

[arista]

Now the weather is improving and the last frosts look to have passed, have you started your gardening?

92F today

too hot.

[Benjamin]

…pits/pots…?…we have them slightly raised in the lawn, they went meant to be raised but that’s another story…:laugh:…we did research all of the drainage/mix to give them a good foundation so I think that’s all ok but they can get shocked in their new environment for a bit before they settle as well, can’t they…we have a very sunny/south facing garden so it’s perfect really for their Mediterranean upbringing …we bought them from a specialist specimen tree place that we have locally, he doesn’t just have olives but Italy/Sicily is where he travels mostly to find his plants so he does know his olives…

You know what I mean :fist:

But yeah, they can take a while to settle in the new environment and our winters. Have yours flowered yet?

[Ammi]

You know what I mean :fist:

But yeah, they can take a while to settle in the new environment and our winters. Have yours flowered yet?

…they’re actually just flowering now, I noticed yesterday evening…I stupidly didn’t even realise that olives did flower….they're probably not going to flower as much as they might have because I did trim them not too long ago…they’re cloud olives…?…and Google said to trim them all through the spring/summer/growing season…but strangely …(…and after I’d trimmed them…)…my olive man said no, not until after the growing season so I’m still confused about that one…

[Benjamin]

…they’re actually just flowering now, I noticed yesterday evening…I stupidly didn’t even realise that olives did flower….they're probably not going to flower as much as they might have because I did trim them not too long ago…they’re cloud olives…?…and Google said to trim them all through the spring/summer/growing season…but strangely …(…and after I’d trimmed them…)…my olive man said no, not until after the growing season so I’m still confused about that one…

Yeah I’ve been told to either prune very early spring or after growing season but not during growing season.

[Ammi]

Yeah I’ve been told to either prune very early spring or after growing season but not during growing season.

…I think they’ll be fine and it’ll just reduce the flowering a bit this season… and I did mainly just take off the new shoots to keep the cloud shapes that had been formed …I’m not going to go off Google anymore, I just didn’t want to keep mithering olive guy…hello, it’s me again…:laugh:….I'm like Columbo, just one more question, excuse me…!!…

[Niamh.]

It’s all starting to bloom now. Jasmine in full swing and filling the warm air with its heavenly smell. Lily’s about to burst open. Tomatoes growing well. Olive trees flowering. :lovedup:We have some lovely orange and red lilies that have all popped open, I love those.

Most of the fruit and veg is looking good, the carrots seem slow but we've never planted them before so maybe that's normal