Where’s it gone? Summer I mean. We’ve had a few warm dry days, but overall it’s been wetter than a Haddocks breakfast. It’s been more like late September than August. One of my Willow trees was pushed over by the wind and the rootstock, which wasn’t that well rooted, had cracked all the way through. So I took two dozen cuttings and put them in the raised beds I usually reserve for bush propagation.
Willow is dead easy to propagate, just cut a first year growth stem diagonally and either throw it in a jug of water for two weeks to develop some roots, or stick it four inches (at least) down into a damp patch of earth. Preferably with a couple of visible buds on the stem that will go under the ground. No need for rooting hormones. Willow will usually root without further assistance. Raspberries are also almost as easy. What I’ve put out for propagation will give me another two dozen trees to plant out this October. For which I have an idea.
Nonetheless, despite the wind and rain we’ve got a bit of ornamental planting done. Some Honeysuckle and Star Jasmine to decorate the roadside boundary, and some ground cover plants in pots. Mrs S and I have made some strategic decisions on where to plant a new shrubbery. There’s an old path to shift and we’re thinking about using the slabs to put in a paved area next to where the roses are blooming.
Next year I’m going to revisit where my beehives are sited, as their current location is proving far too exposed and windy. So I’ll let my remaining two hives do what they like and see if there’s any honey in September. Not that there will be much of a nectar flow in this weather. Regardless, I’ll shift the two empties closer to the sheds and reserve two new colonies for April or May.
I’ll also be planting a mixed Fuchsia, Willow and evergreen double hedge closer to the house where I don’t need to cross two acres of swamp to get to my insect workforce. There’s enough space behind my workshop to put in two parallel hedges about six metres apart, which will be where I’ll try to re-establish the apiary.
The greenhouse is working well at keeping out all the slugs and snails, the spuds are doing fine, my brassicas and tomato plants look good and I shall be buying a new combo brushcutter to keep the acre closest to the house under control. I’ll also use it to periodically attack the soft rushes plaguing my wildflower meadow.
Outside in the big wide world I hear there’s talk of more lockdowns. However I won’t be paying them any mind. I’m far too busy and the Garda won’t have any time to bother our locale anyway. Not that we see them very often. There are too many back lanes and Boreens for them to enforce any measure of movement restriction.
There’s a new chest freezer and power backup to go in the boiler house. I’ll cash in some favours for some beef. Bulk buy a few chickens with a new pen going in sometime in November.
Sometimes I think I’ve bitten off more than I can comfortably chew. Oh what the hell, I’d only be bored otherwise.
In the meantime we’re off to France next month to see if we can catch a bit of warm weather.