What's happening in your garden today?

[Sean Regan]

I did a bit of research about having multiple hedgehog houses, they only need to be sited a couple of metres apart.

So I've decided to put the second house in the left-hand corner of the garden behind the pagoda and the clump of black bamboo. This will be less exposed and therefore more attractive to a new tenant and far enough away from the one near the tea-house, to avoid confrontations. If I put food in front of each at the same time, there should be no problems.

 

[olly-buckle]

If there was ever a competition for 'Britons most cared for hedgehog population' I have a feeling you might win it, Sean. I was expecting you to say 'Put the feeder in the middle', not one each.

 

[Anniekay]

After the 5 days in a row @ 19-20f for the low and my veg covered in snow...
Nothing much is worse for wear !!
Cabbages were Completely covered by snow and the caleriac was too until today, and it looks perfect !! No damage. This goes to prove ( for me, anyway) that: so long as your veg has gradually gotten used to colder and colder temps they will survive well below the recommended killing frost temperatures.

 

[olly-buckle]

After the 5 days in a row @ 19-20f for the low and my veg covered in snow...
Nothing much is worse for wear !! View attachment 2788
View attachment 2789Cabbages were Completely covered by snow and the caleriac was too until today, and it looks perfect !! No damage. This goes to prove ( for me, anyway) that: so long as your veg has gradually gotten used to colder and colder temps they will survive well below the recommended killing frost temperatures. View attachment 2787

I reckon the snow covering actually acts as insulation and keeps ground level temps. only just below freezing when the air temperature drops well below sometimes, but those cabbages look lovely.

 

[Anniekay]

I reckon the snow covering actually acts as insulation and keeps ground level temps. only just below freezing when the air temperature drops well below sometimes, but those cabbages look lovely.

Thank you @olly-buckle. I didn't take pics of the snow peas. They are a bit shrivelly but still going, not dead yet and since it's in the 50's today, and the warmer temperatures predicted for the next week, will, most likely, give me a decent crop despite the stress they've been through.

 

[olly-buckle]

will, most likely, give me a decent crop despite the stress they've been through.

Plants react differently, sometimes a bit of stress means a better crop, like they are going, "Oh no! I might die, got to reproduce!"

 

[Sean Regan]

Nothing to do in the garden today, but "for something to do," I went to B&Q near the Trafford Centre.
My wife had mentioned (twice) recently, that lower one of the peace lilies in the hanging baskets in the hall was dying.
This is because it gets less light from the window next to the landing on the stairs. What I should do, is swop them over regularly, but you know how it is. The lilies in a vase on the landing windowsill are artificial.

So I decided to replace them. But the only ones they had were about two feet tall. So I settled for two white Anthuriums at a tenner each.









The other peace lily is OK, for which I found a ceramic pot and it's now in the lounge.

I bought two paving stones for the hedgehouse base I need and a substantial plastic box I can convert to a new hedgehog feeder.

I'll have to do a bit of "fettling" to attach the entrance tube as the box has a couple of strengthening bars on each end. I'll use a fretsaw to cut the plastic, as they split easily.
I also bought a bag of compost, "for the sake of buying some," it always comes in handy.

But no change out of £55.

 

[Sean Regan]

If there was ever a competition for 'Britons most cared for hedgehog population' I have a feeling you might win it, Sean. I was expecting you to say 'Put the feeder in the middle', not one each.

We'll still have the "Communal Feeder" in the middle of the main patio. It's mainly for the one in the house behind the wire fence and under the azaleas to the right of the patio. But it would be a pain to attempt to re-fill a feeder in there.

It's "cat proof."



As the pipe entrance is only 5" in diameter.



But that leads to confrontations.


So a small bowl in front of each of the other two houses will solve the problem.

 

[Jersey Devil]

I've then got to think about the hedgehogs.

Do they bite? Are they friendly toward people. Interesting, you should share some info on them

 

[Sean Regan]

Do they bite? Are they friendly toward people. Interesting, you should share some info on them

You'd have a hard job getting near one. They can run surprisingly fast for a small animal. They have small mouths and very tiny teeth. Their reaction, if you got near one and they aren't seen during the day unless they are unwell, is to curl up in a ball. If it's necessary to pick one up, you need gloves, as their spines are sharp.

As it wasn't too cold today, (+8c) I decided to get on with making the new, "hedgehog feeding station."
The plastic storage box I bought from B&Q was more substantial than the old one. Which was cracked in a few places and "hanging."
This one is intended to store suspended files, so it needs to be strong.
Should be, for £17.

The floor is reinforced. So as that becomes the roof, it should not split. A problem, sometimes, when plastic spends a lot of hours in the sun.
Likewise, the lid, which becomes the floor.





To fit the entry tunnel, I hade make a lot of small holes with a drill, as a Stanley knife won't cut it. Then join them all up with the blade of a fretsaw.



The old entrance surrounds wouldn't fit, so I had to make new ones for both sides.





Like the old ones, I covered them with waterproof tape before screwing them together.

All done and dusted. It's far more sturdy than the old one.
I'll put it out with just pellets in it, at the beginning of March, replace the trail cameras and see what happens.

 

[Anniekay]

I picked broccoli today, enough for me for tonight.

I usually just do one veg with supper, just twice as much, two servings.

 

[NigelJ]

Nowt. You seen the weather round here.

 

[Jersey Devil]

So they won't be a pet, but if you build them a place to shelter as you are doing, will they flee if they see you in the area, or will they trust you enough to stay as long as you are not a threat to them. You have pics of them so I assume they are not that skiddish.

 

[Anniekay]

So they won't be a pet, but if you build them a place to shelter as you are doing, will they flee if they see you in the area, or will they trust you enough to stay as long as you are not a threat to them. You have pics of them so I assume they are not that skiddish.

I never let my seedling plants become pets and not once have they ever run away.

Some have withered at the sight of me, but, run away? Noooo !!

 

[Jersey Devil]

I never let my seedling plants become pets and not once have they ever run away.

Some have withered at the sight of me, but, run away? Noooo !!

I meant this for Sean about the hedgehogs And you very well know that. I always suspected you of being a wise ass. But it is a quality that I obviously admire. But still, I will keep an eye on you

 

[Logan]

Hubby's been clearing a corner in the back garden, cutting the leaves off the hellebores, cutting off the old blackberry canes and pruning a apple tree.

 

[big rockpile]

Pruned Grapes, remixed some soil and waterd Compost.

Was going to put some old Wood Chips on it but they was froze.

big rockpile

 

[big rockpile]

Starting some seed.

Watered what needed watering.

It rained. All right 90% and I got a gallon bucket of water.

big rockpile

 

[Anniekay]

I started pruning my climbing roses, a few clematis got pruned because they are topping their trellis, and did some weeding.

 

[blenor 2]

Rainy and chilly today. A bit squishy so trying to stay off the lawn and garden. A case of long strides between stepping stones! Garlic and broad beans quite well up on veg plot - sown and planted last year. I wonder if anyone has any luck with garlic sown in January. Some arrived by post but we don't remember ordering it. So planted them in some gaps but garlic planted this late has never really developed in the past.