test please delete

[ladymuck]

Morning all

Overcast and dull out. Currently 17 degrees with a high of 22 expected. The sun is going to come out this afternoon and it's unlikely to rain. Barometer has lept up to 1026 mBar.

I nearly went for a walk this morning before logging on but realised I'd faffed for too and I didn't have enough time...

Today's Kantar diary fact is:
Harry D Weed of Canastota in New York receives patent for his automobile tyre chain 1904

[ladymuck]

My chillis seemed to have perked up now they're indoors but that has left a plant rack/shelf thing rather empty. I think I'll need to do some rearranging of my little patio again

[ladymuck]

My big plants - the fatsia and bamboo - are thriving at the moment. Evidently my particular brand of neglect is doing them good.

[ladymuck]

I do have a small buddleia in a pot which I'm hoping survives as I'd like to put that into a bigger pot. Not sure where that will go though.

[ladymuck]

The geraniums in the plant troughs on the railings just refuse to die. Regular dead-heading has kept them flowering all through summer

[ladymuck]

I also have a lovely little delicate purple leafed plant, oxalis triangularis or purple shamrock, which is far hardier than it looks. Its leaves fold up at night and it opens up in the day time. Cute tiny little flowers on it.

[ladymuck]

I'm really hoping my English bluebells flower next year. They've been coming up with lots of leaf and it'll be three years since I planted them. Apparently it takes them a while to establish so hopefully they've settled in enough.

[ladymuck]

Then there's the herb trough which I don't seem to have much luck with. I think it's because some herbs need more water than others and my mixing up means one or the other always loses out. I've only got mint (which is looking bedraggled) and basil in there at the moment.

[ladymuck]

And slugs! Bastarding things. Spotted them climbing the walls the other night so down went the slug pellets to kill them off once they came down again. I have a hard enough time keeping my plants alive without them eating everything.

[ladymuck]

Although I sadly haven't seen many butterflies - I probably have all the wrong planting for that - I have had lady birds, which I am pleased by as they eat the critters that are trying to eat my plants.

And that concludes my gardening update.