Hi, I’m continuing my blog as I journey through 2023 working within folk’s gardens detailing the types of work I undertake.
Firstly though, I’ve provided a link to my blog as I undertook various gardening tasks in 2022.https://elmms.uk/elmms-gardening/elmms-blogtime-the-gardeners-journey-in-2022/
August 2023
Well June brought the driest June followed by the wettest July and it appears to be a mixed bag of weather through this month. (Added in that when reviewing this month as at 31/8/23, there was also a mixed bag of me to throw into the mix, with a week’s holiday , then twisted hip followed by another lovely dose of Covid and then my post Covid blues really shortened the month for me being out and about in customer’s gardens!)
The final fifth week of August was again a shortened week ( my post Covid blues!), managed
- mowing and edging at 8no. gardens
- cultivating and weeding through borders at 4no. gardens
The fourth week of August brought minimal work as explained above, managed
- mowing and edging at 5no. gardens
- cultivating and weeding through borders at 2no. gardens
- dead heading plants at 2no gardens
The third week of August brought drier conditions albeit more humid with temperatures around 20’C. Managed
- mowing and edging at 13no. gardens
- cultivating and weeding through borders at 8no. gardens
- cultivating and weeding through 2 rockeries in 1no. garden
- dead heading plants at 5no gardens
- cutting back plants at 10no. gardens
- applying green up to yellowing area of turf within 1no. garden
The first week of August brought mixed weather reducing the days available for gardening. Still managed
- mowing and edging at 8no. gardens
- cultivating and weeding through borders at 7no. gardens
- dead heading plants at 9no gardens
- cutting back plants at 8no. gardens
- weeding through gravel path in 1no. garden
July 2023
The last and fourth week of July brought a more settled week after a rained off Monday and although temperatures were upto 22’C the remaining week turned out to be more humid as the week went on.
Through this week managed
- mowing and edging at 9no. gardens
- cultivating and weeding through borders at 11no. gardens
- dead heading plants at 11no gardens
- cutting back plants at 10no. gardens
- cutting back old, overgrown and dead Clematis and tying in new growth in 1no. garden
cutting away dead Clematis stems and training new growth
Again an unsettled third week of weather during the third week of July with similar temperatures as last week yet showers and spells of persistent rain preventing gardening in part from continuing.
Managed in the week
- mowing and edging at 12no. gardens
- cultivating and weeding through borders at 10no. gardens
- dead heading plants at 8no gardens
- cutting front hedge at 1no. garden
- cutting rear garden hedge in 1no. garden
The second week of July brought another mixed bag of sunshine, showers and more persistent rain through the week with temperatures around 20’C for the whole week.
In between being rained off managed
- mowing and edging at 9no. gardens
- cultivating and weeding through borders at 12no. gardens
- clearing overgrown area within 1no. garden
- dead heading plants at 12no gardens
- cutting back plants at 4no. gardens
- clearing out overgrown gravel path in 1no. garden
clearing out soil area of weed digging out by root, forking, raking, firming and levelling.
clearing out overgrown gravel pathway
The first week of July brought a very rainy Monday afternoon with temperatures dropping to 15’C followed by a few settled days with temperatures around 20’C however climbing by Friday to a sultry and humid 28’C.
With this mixed bag of weather managed
- mowing and edging at 11no. gardens
- cultivating and weeding through borders at 15no. gardens
- clearing through weedy border at front of property
- dead heading plants at 15no gardens
- cutting front hedge at 1no. garden
- clearing pond banking of weed growth at 1no. garden
- cutting back overhanging growth from Weeping Willow
Cutting back overhanging Weeping Willow to allow Beech hedge to grow.
June 2023
The final (5th) week of June and temperatures have dropped to a more workable 21’C. Managed
- mowing and edging at 8no. gardens
- cultivating and weeding through borders at 13no. gardens
- dead heading plants at 11no gardens
- cutting front hedge at 1no. garden
- digging out plants at 1no. garden
- cutting back plants at 5no. gardens
- creating soil areas around tree bases at 1no. garden
- clearing out old rockery area, planting up with plants at 1no. garden
- clipping conifers and box shrubs to shape at 1no. garden
- watering plants at 4no. gardens
Replacing edging and rockery stones and preparing for planting. Plants supplied by customer and Hydrangea provided as a birthday present to customer from friends taking pride of place within this simple uplift of an overgrown and neglected area.
Digging out old Heather and sprawling Ivy plants, weeding and digging through the soil area removing further weed roots.
The fourth week of June again followed the really high temperatures and humid conditions yet strangely rained off for one day as a drenching weather system passed over. Managed
- mowing and edging at 7no. gardens
- cultivating and weeding through borders at 8no. gardens
- planting bedding plants in pots at 2no. gardens
- clearing overgrown vegetation and weeds along a gravel path in 1no. garden
The third week of June brought increased heat as temperatures climbed quickly to 28’C and also brought high humidity all week too and no rain all week. More difficult working conditions through the week and managed
- mowing and edging at 4no. gardens
- cultivating and weeding through borders at 11no. gardens
- cutting hedges at 1no. garden
- pruning shrubs at 4no. gardens
- dead heading in 4no. gardens
- planting bedding plants in pots in 1no. garden
- planting shrubs in 1no. garden
The second week of June brought same weather as in the last week of May with cooler dry and breezy conditions and temperatures to 17’C. Managed
- mowing and edging at 7no. gardens
- cultivating and weeding through borders at 18no. gardens
- pruning shrubs at 4no. gardens
- planting bedding plants in 2no. gardens
- clearing out overgrown border in 2no. front gardens
- digging through and removing overgrown weeds from gravel path
- trimming Ivy screen growing up wall at 1no. garden
- providing weedkiller to spot spray weeds at 2no. gardens
- cutting front hedge at 1no. garden
- digging out and removing large clumps of unwanted yellow Iris from border
- digging out large dead Mahonia including roots prepared soil ready for planting
The final couple of days of May and entering the first week of June brought cloudy and cooler conditions with temperatures only reaching about 16’C through the week and managed
- mowing and edging at 7no. gardens
- cultivating and weeding through borders at 11no. gardens
- applying bug spray to roses in 2no. gardens
- dead heading roses in 3no. gardens
May 2023
The last full week of May brought dry and warmer weather conditions with no rain through the week and managed
- mowing and edging at 16no. gardens
- cultivating and weeding through borders at 17no. gardens
- pruning shrubs at 1no. garden
- planting bedding plants at 1no. garden
- applying weedkiller to gravel driveway at 1no. garden
- commenced gardening for a new customer
The third week in May provided similar weather as to the previous week with cooler temperatures and some showers at times and managed
- mowing and edging at 12no. gardens
- cultivating and weeding through borders at 15no. gardens
- applying granular fertiliser to 1no. lawn
- applying rose bug spray to roses in 2no. gardens
- cutting hedges at 1no. garden
Following a break, the second week provided cooler conditions with a mixture of sunny periods and showers. Through this shorter week, managed
- mowing and edging at 12no. gardens
- cultivating and weeding through borders at 9no. gardens
- pruning shrubs at 4no. gardens
April 2023
The third week of April brought mixed weather again with cooler temperatures and rain at times. Managed
- mowing and edging at 14no. gardens
- tidying and cultivating borders within 10no. gardens
- applying Weedol to lawns in 1no. garden
- applying lawn fertiliser to 1no. lawn
- commenced 1no. new garden maintenance
The second week of April brought mixed weather again with cooler temperatures and rain at times. Managed
- mowing and edging at 6no. gardens
- tidying and cultivating borders within 14no. gardens
- commenced 1no. new garden maintenance concentrating on weeding and cultivating borders
- pruned back very overgrown Buddleia in 1no. garden
A cloudy and cold start to the first week in April being rained off a few times in the week, still, managed
- mowing and edging at 11no. gardens
- tidying, weeding and cultivating borders within 14no. gardens
- commenced maintenance of 2no. new gardens
- pruning and tying in climbers in 1no. garden
- emptying 4no. compost bins and utilising composted leaf mould on borders
March 2023
Variable weather through March with freezing temperatures at times, cold bright mornings and ending the month with a periods of rain. The cooler month has held things back in gardens, still managed 30no. garden visits in the month including
- mowing and edging at 17no. gardens
- tidying and cultivating borders within 24no. gardens
- clipping back overgrown Miscanthus and rose in 1no. garden
- cutting conifer hedge and reducing/levelling up another small conifer hedge in 1no. garden
- emptying 4no. compost bins and utilising composted leaf mould on borders
- pruning overgrown Fig bush to shape in 1no. garden
February 2023
Through this month saw a mixture of very cold, dry yet sometimes windy and wet weather with temperatures ranging from 0 to 13’C. The month provided a stop/start ( or more like start/stop in the approach to work undertaken due to the weather and a total of 20no. garden visits made through the month.
January 2023
The fourth and full week of January left gardens far too wet to be working in and as it’s mid Winter planned jobs can be delayed until the weather is more favourable.
The addage ” Right job, right time” springs to mind and delaying until the weather conditions allow is the correct way to do gardening!
The first month of 2023 has brought with it such weather that really has prevented any gardening work continuing. Following a first week of rain and saturated gardens then quickly turned to sub zero temperatures for the following two weeks with regular daily temperatures struggling to rise above freezing dipping sharply to minus four each night. Luckily here there have been no snow showers or settled snow at all, just frosty, icy ground throughout. No gardening work can take place in these conditions!
