Update from Alan

Great weekend weather for gardening. John and Sandra moved 15 loads of straw on Saturday afternoon and then helped Dianne and me to take down the tomato supports. On Sunday the sun shone and I worked shirtless most of the afternoon - scary sight but, as nobody showed up to do anything, nothing lost. Monday morning was much the same but not quite as warm, and Tuesday was nice and sunny as well. If the weather holds this morning, I expect to have the western-most bed of block D (D24) cleared of weeds and made up, and then more than half the block (D10 - D24) can be covered with straw for the winter. The eastern end (D1 - D9) should be easier going and, if we can get some help, it could be done by the weekend.

While I’ve been at the back of the lot in the nursery, Phyllis has been pulling the dead annuals from the main sign area by the road, and hopes to get the rest of them out by the end of the week. In the display areas there are still cannas and dahlias to be cleared, and the Helianthus around the office have to be cut down to the ground. Once that is out of the way there are spring bulbs to be planted.

Since the last time I looked, a nice new bench has taken up residence in the tool shed. I also noticed a companion for the three ‘Garden Weasels’ and the ‘Garden Grabber Weeder’ lurking behind the other tools in the shed. Somebody has donated a ‘Garden Claw’. I’d hoped one of those would eventually turn up so I could use it in the tools class. Thank you to whoever. I’ll not embarrass anyone by enquiring who the donor was!

At home, I’ve at last got my supply of leaves back - now that the city has stopped vacuuming them in my area. I picked up more than 85 bags last night just from my end of the street. One person had even shredded the leaves before bagging them, perfect flowerbed mulch. It doesn’t seem to matter how often people are told to shred leaves where they fall and just leave them to enrich the soil. Oh well, thank you to all those people on my street who spent hours raking and bagging. My garden appreciates your work. The only complaint is that - even if it only takes a couple of minutes apiece - a hundred bags take hours to fold back up.

Weather permitting, I shall be at the garden Saturday and Sunday afternoons as usual. If anyone can help on week-days it will be really appreciated. The remaining gardening days left now are but a precious few.

High Temperature:
Actual: 0°C partly sunny, showers Wind SSW8km/h P.O.P.8%
Average: 10°C
Record: 20°C in 1987

Low Temperature:
Actual: -7°C cloudy, rain 1.8mm Wind N8km/h P.O.P.40%
Average: 1°C
Record: -7°C in 1989