ᐅ Garden Photos Chat Corner

Let's wait and see. We already experienced severe winter conditions at the end of March. And the weather forecast is only reliable for up to 48 hours.
It is currently February/early March. We are not doing anything yet, even though the past few days have been very tempting.

I’m already doing something: I’m watching my early bloomers emerge from the soil and clearing away old, withered leaves. But that’s about it so far. The first yellow crocuses are already blooming, and I’m as happy as a child. After planting hundreds of flower bulbs last autumn, I’m now eagerly curious about what will come up.

For my three-part raised bed, my husband designed and ordered a cold frame for the tallest section – it should arrive in the next few weeks, and then I can start using it.

Oh yes: we’ve already filled the raised bed with fresh soil! Much to the delight of our cats, who adore their humans. Who else has humans who make them such a great litter box? Fresh soil, raised up with a good view – simply perfect! *grmpf*

My wife knows this all too well. She covered our balcony planters with bamboo trellises so densely that you couldn’t see what was inside. Yet, that’s exactly where the cats jump first. By now, she has given up (which also has to do with the nightmare aphids we have here).

At the house, the cats will get an enclosure with just cat grass, and my wife will have a greenhouse and many garden beds.

I really had to hold myself back, not doing anything in the garden – well, I did cut the first blades of grass since they were already sprouting.

Then I preferred to relax on the lounge chair – that was nice too 😎

Of course, we have crocuses as well, but not that many yet. I chose self-seeding ones, so there should be more over the years.

However, there were many dead bees lying around these days because they were awakened but can hardly find any food in these dead gardens here 🙁

The next project to enhance outdoor living during the pandemic is gaining momentum. Yesterday, we ordered a motorized awning with remote control from an online store in Baden-Württemberg. I plan to install it myself together with my neighbor. Since the Ytong blocks are not very strong, in my opinion, this requires masonry anchors about 170mm (7 inches) long, installed using two-component mortar with the Fischer FIS V system. I have never worked with this before, but it doesn’t seem too complicated. Measure carefully, mark the spots, drill 13cm (5 inches) deep holes, blow out the dust and scrub with a brush. Press the mortar into the holes, immediately insert the rods, and wait. Once hardened after about an hour, attach the awning brackets to the threaded anchor rods, align them, and if necessary adjust the angle, then plug it in and it’s done. A quote from a local contractor for a custom-made awning was well over 1600 plus installation labor costs, so around 2000 in total. I am not willing to spend that much. Now we are halfway there with a ready-made product that fits perfectly here.

For the most part, I’m still keeping things quiet. Tomatoes, chili peppers, eggplants, and physalis are allowed to see the light of day in the indoor greenhouse.

I will clear out the two greenhouses in the next few days to see which of the chili plants survived the winter. Then I’ll plant radishes and lettuce there.

We’ve put protective covers over the jostaberry and fig plants because of the nighttime frost.

I also expect we’ll get some snow again.