Author Topic: May? Mais non  (Read 4134 times)

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Online ideasguy

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May? Mais non
« on: May 11, 2010, 09:53:55 AM »
Northerly winds, low temperatures, occasional ground frosts -  its hard to believe we are into May.
Its bearable if I am doing something energetic, and theres lots to do :) but it takes a while to get up to working temperature each day.

Its a blessing when the sun breaks through and I can find a sheltered part of the garden to feel some warmth.

Even so, theres very little rain so my garden is very dry - great for digging. All the perennials leapt to life a couple of weeks ago, but this cold cant be doing much to keep them coming on.


Offline newplantguy

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Re: May? Mais non
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2010, 10:18:50 AM »
here we have cold northerly winds and showers which are hail now and again.
Last night a frost and tonight we are expecting an air frost with temps down to a possible -1c.
Plants though do keep growing, to early to put out your bedding just yet.
The garden is very dry almost a drought, I have only cut the grass once this year so far as it simply has not grown.
Paul.

Offline Palustris

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Re: May? Mais non
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2010, 05:46:19 PM »
Fairly normal for us here, cold, cloudy, occasional sun and showers and night frosts. So what is different?

Offline Lyn and Malcolm

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Re: May? Mais non
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2010, 06:12:10 PM »
Tomatoes 3 foot high with 2 stalks of flowers each, cant get in the greenhouse properly, as some of the tender plants are still in there. :o

Oleanders have been outside for a couple of weeks, Bananas without any protection now. Pots of Dahlia all outside in a group, bedding plants hardening off outside, Brugmansias still in conservatory, and just about to push the roof off, etc etc.

Have had several nights outside at 11.30 pm covering the plants with fleece, yes we have loads of fleece. ;D
In fact it isn't really fleece, it is weed suppresent cloth, which is black and dries a lot quicker should it get wet when the frost melts, or it decides to rain during the night.

Like most we are expecting a frost tonight and possibly several more till Sunday when it should have got somewhat warmer.
Thankfully we don't get our first visitors till last half of June.

We did have a suprise last Sunday afternoon. I heard the front doorbell, opened the door and there stood two oldish ladies. "Are you the garden that is open today" said one.

Well how on earth they thought it was us, I have no idea, there was no one in the front garden, the front gate was closed, nobody at the gate to take the admission money, no cars trying to find somewhere to park. :o

We have had people turn up a week early before, but never TWO MONTHS.  ::)

Malcolm
« Last Edit: May 11, 2010, 06:16:46 PM by Lyn and Malcolm »

Offline roiphil

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Re: May? Mais non
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2010, 08:07:41 PM »
their eager to see your wonderfull garden, should have asked them in to get baking your cakes etc  ;D

Offline Lyn and Malcolm

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Re: May? Mais non
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2010, 08:27:19 AM »
Went down to minus 1.9c at 1.25mtrs above ground last night.

Last minus temperature last year 29th April.

Malcolm

Online ideasguy

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Re: May? Mais non
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2010, 10:11:39 AM »
Its cold and blustery this morning - again!
Sun is doing its best and has managed to break through occasionally.

Offline Lyn and Malcolm

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Re: May? Mais non
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2010, 05:40:01 PM »
On further inspection of the plants today after the frost last night, The banana leaves, and at this time of year there are not many, caught the frost 3 metres up in the air. :o The new leaves on the Hydrangea serrata in Lyn's garden have been fried. As have the new leaves on Fatsia japonica. Also the Pieris forrestii leaves weren't too happy with the frost.

So part of this afternon was spent wrapping the Bananas in bubble wrap, not what I would normally use because the plant sweats, but just one night won't hurt.

Malcolm

Offline Palustris

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Re: May? Mais non
« Reply #8 on: May 12, 2010, 05:45:28 PM »
Daft as it seems we probably did not have frost last night, certainly no sign of it at dawn anyway.

NightHawk

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Re: May? Mais non
« Reply #9 on: May 12, 2010, 05:52:31 PM »
You seem to be one of the lucky ones there Eric.

Got down to -2°C here last night.

The middle of May as well - sheesh!  ::)

Laurie.

Offline Palustris

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Re: May? Mais non
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2010, 09:04:32 PM »
We are so used to late frosts we do not put things out until June and sow lots of things later than most folks do.

Offline newplantguy

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Re: May? Mais non
« Reply #11 on: May 12, 2010, 10:57:31 PM »
-3 here last night, cold again tonight.
My red leaved banana is staying in for now, trouble is it is getting a bit big now in the conservatory.
The other banana I have is in the ground and still covered, it is a bit unusual in it's growth in that it grows form multiple stems I cover it with bark in the winter.
Paul

Offline Lyn and Malcolm

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Re: May? Mais non
« Reply #12 on: May 13, 2010, 12:08:08 AM »

It has just stopped drizzling here at midnight, everything is wet, but forced to put the dry fleece on again, due to the forecast of 0c in towns. Whether the forecast is wrong ::), will have to see in the morning.

Malcolm

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Re: May? Mais non
« Reply #13 on: May 13, 2010, 08:55:55 AM »
Malcolm, I don't know how you manage to do that.

If encouragement be needed, I'd like to applaud you for your efforts in providing your visitors the opportunity to view Mediterranean plants in the UK. Since thats the kind of effort and dedication thats required, I don't think there would be many such gardens in the country, outside of Botanical Gardens. Do you know of any?


Offline Palustris

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Re: May? Mais non
« Reply #14 on: May 13, 2010, 10:13:07 AM »
We had a frost last night, but only a touch. The latest frost we recorded here was July 7th. The first frost (if you see what I mean) was September 1st. So August is the only month we have not had frost in, over the last 15 years. You get used to it.

Online ideasguy

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Re: May? Mais oui!
« Reply #15 on: May 22, 2010, 12:03:01 AM »
What a turnaround. The wind direction changed last week and now we are basking in sunshine. In the afternoons, I'm having to use a towel to wipe the sweat from my brow as I dig (more like reclaim) a "fallow" section of my veggy patch (almost finished).
I was so busy preparing the ground and planting vegetables that I skipped the weekly cut last week. Mowed it tonight and the place looks transformed! May is definitely my favourite month of the year.
Tomorrow we are to expect 24 degrees!!!!

Busy weekend ahead. We are going to this show tomorrow morning:
http://www.gardenshowireland.com/

Then in the evening, I'm meeting up with my ex-colleagues in Belfast for a few "refreshments".
On Sunday, we are off to my nephews wedding here:
http://www.galgorm.com/
Its unusual to have weddings on Sunday over here - a first for us.