Lock-down Day 359

Fairly early morning - I had to snatch my phone away from Mini! I managed to turn over, though, and catch another forty winks!

I was too tired to sit at the PC last night, so first thing this morning - after playing my game - I finished yesterdays post and published. I also updated my gardening journal, which I've been neglecting ... well, there wasn't much to show!

How time flies! I can't believe it's already nine! Well, I've already watered the back lawn - I need the ground to be soft, if I want to weed. So, this morning, I watered the portion that normally doesn't get any water - the part opposite the flower bed. I want to bake bread rolls today, and make dough for pizza - they're the same dough. The laundry is in the machine, I'll just need to hang it up, when it's done ...

Look who's hoping for some cuddles! Or perhaps even another treat, ha ha!

I came back to find Mr Mip waiting for me! He always lets his cripple paw dangle, wherever he settles. I've got nothing rushing me this long weekend, so CUDDLE TIME!

I see one of the Avocado trees in the laundry, still in their water bottles, is toppling. One toothpick isn't keeping it upright anymore ... I think it's time to plant it outside. Where ... ? I've thought about it a lot, but I haven't yet decided on a definite location.

Okay, trees on the west, to provide afternoon shade one day. I also don't want to have too far to go, to water them every day. Well, near the first Avocado tree, would be easiest - but that's on the east side. The front partition isn't ready, yet ... how about the compost partition? Yeah, I think so! I'll have to see if the ground is soft enough for me to clear and dig holes! Ah, but do Avocado need 2 trees to produce fruit?

Did a bit of research and the answer is: preferably, but not necessarily! There are two types of trees, each produce male AND female flowers, though at different times. For pollination, you need male and female flowering at the same time. Of course, I have no clue which I've got here ...

So, ideally, I should plant all three trees near each other! Since Avocado can take anything from 5 - 13 years before they produce their first fruit ... I may not be around to enjoy the first harvest, so I really shouldn't decrease those chances by planting the trees too far apart, right?

Okay, firstly, the ground near where I planted that first Avocado tree is rock hard. I would have to saturate the area for at least an hour, to be able to dig holes. Also, with trees already established there, THEY will suck up whatever water becomes available, faster than the new trees can. Which also means, that I should probably relocate the tree, when it is strong enough to endure another move. And secondly, Avocados don't need to be too close together for pollination. So: Compost partition it is!

Laundry is hanging to dry and the bread dough is almost ready ... it's now almost eleven.  

Look who's hoping for some tummy tickles!

I get back and find Mini on the bed, tummy up, hoping for brushies! Shame, you can still clearly see the scar where she's been fixed! Instead of brushies, mommy kiss da tummy! Ha Ha!

Bread rolls are in the oven, when they are done, I can move outside. It'll bee noon - worst sun exposure, so I think I shouldn't start with the Avocado spots - they're in full sun! I think I'll start with be pavement outside the kitchen, and I'll put up the Gazebo, when the sun gets there. Yes, it's somewhat overcast and there's a chance of rain - but it's not far to carry, so I can take it down and put it away, if it starts to rain.

See what I mean about starting here again? With the tap right there, every time I water the garden, I'm also watering those weeds. If I don't start cleaning again, soon, they'll walk into the kitchen one of these days!

I've tried something new with the bread rolls. I stumbled across a Cookist video, where they placed cold butter in a slit across bread rolls ... okay, so it's a completely different dough, but I thought it's worth a try, see what difference that makes!

An hour later, all weeds gone!

I think I'll tackle the flower bed next, rather than work my way around TO that bed. The flowers need the competition for water removed more than I need it to look logically tidy. The sun keep coming out, then going behind clouds - I think I'm going to take the chance and work without the Gazebo.

I had a couple of bread rolls, they are delicious! All the butter did, was widen the slit, though - when I sliced them in the past, they'd often close during baking.

I can hear thunder rumbling, and packing away the Gazebo is not a quick job - it takes at least five minutes! Doesn't sound like much, until you're racing against a downpour!

See what I mean about my flowers loosing the competition for water against the weeds?

Plus, the lawn in trying to take back the flower bed ...

I took a chance, went outside and started weeding. I could hear thunder rumbling, it was getting dark, the wind got quite strong, I could feel a drop or two ... so I focused on removing only the largest weeds, get as much done as I could before it starts raining ...

And now I'm inside, hiding from the sun! Yeah, clouds passed, wind dropped, sun came out!

Weirdest thing I ever saw: bleeding Amaryllis leaf! No, I'm not swearing, the leaf had red streaks which looked like it was bleeding!

The colour is literally blood red!

Quarter to four, sun is messing me about, so I'm staying in the shade. But that means that I'm working along the wall of the rock garden, not in my flower garden. Although, mostly, I'm digging weeds out of the lawn! In the shade ...

I don't know whether I'll even get to playing with any seeds, though! They are two completely independent projects, though. They only come together, once the seedlings can go into the garden.

I think I'll keep the garden my first priority, and start on seeds when I have a gap; like when it's raining.

I just took a ripping walk through the bed in front of the succulents, pulling off or out all the tall weeds - I'm not going to manage clearing that area quickly. I see there are already new sprouts popping up where I first started weeding! That takes about half an hour - walking bent over, blood rushing to my head! Unpleasant!

It's five, and I've called it quits. I've put the sprinkler on again, same position as this morning. It's not really reaching the corners, which is fine. To reach the corners, I'd end up sprinkling more pavement than garden - bit of a waste.

Yes, I have borehole water, so I don't have to worry about water restrictions - but it still costs electricity. No, I'm not on the same road as my last landlord, heaven forbid! But there's no need to be wasteful! That's why I've decided to keep my first beds where I'm already watering. I'm thinking of widening the gap between the wall and the lawn, to make a bed there. Then, when I water the flower bed, that gets watered as well. It has to be quite wide, though, because I'll need to be able to walk along the wall to take care of that rock garden ... one day!

Shame that whole bed is completely overgrown by now ... the plants are quite literally making a run for it! They're pouring over the wall, dropping into the space between the lawn and the bed and growing as fast as they can!

Having fertile ground in your garden sounds wonderful ... until it starts to rain, and you find yourself in a race against the weeds! Who love that fertile ground and spread faster than anyone can keep up!

That's as much as I managed, without frying my brains

I just removed the largest weeds, for now. With some of those green sprouty things, I'm
not sure whether they are weeds or seeds, yet ... wonder garden!

Looks a lot better already!

Smeagol showed up this morning, so I thought I'd give him a treat. Ziva caught me, so I gave her some. I just filled his kibble bowl and he arrived for a munch.

Around six, I went to check on my seedlings and found all my mippies on the veranda! It's a bit early, but if they're eager - who am I to keep them outside? Now I'm running myself a bath, and then I'll see ...