Sunday, April 11, 2010



It was a cold night once again, but this morning didn´t promise to much. The sun was and still is shining from a clear blue sky. It seemes every one is enjoying the weather today, there isn´t any spreading of manure today even if I can see that they have filled the wagon :-)





Despite the fact that the sun is shining it isn´t that warm to be honest. There´s a light but rather chilly wind but who cares. If I want it warm I just put a chair in a wind free place and let the sun warm me up.







I´ve started to clean the flowerbeds now. When I say clean I don´t mean that I remove anything from them. I just cut down what´s left from last year, cuts or breaks it into smaller pieces and throws it back again. It looks a bit messy in the beginning, but in a couple of weeks one can´t see it because the plants has grown up and covers it. By leaving all old material in the flowerbeds the soil gets a better structure and I really don´t have to put much fertiliser in my flowerbeds.





I don´t fight Dandylions in my garden, my dogs does that :-) They love to eat the whole plant, especially the root of it. Unfortunally they don´t fill the holes after digging up the dandylion, so I do have some holes here and there :-) But if You have dandylions in Your garden and wants to get rid of them, just take half a tea spoon of salt and put in the centre of the dandylion. The salt will then dry out the whole plant, not leaving a single part of the root so a new one can start growing there again. Just take it easy with the salt!!! To much salt is a poison for all living things. So just do it on some dandylions at the same time. This works with all plants having a taproot.




One of my tree paeonies has started now. The others seemes still to rest.

Well it´s time for me to go out into the garden again. Perhaps I´ll make a pot of tea and then take a break drinking it on my kitchen stairs :-)

Have a great day now, I will!

14 comments:

caryn said...

Hi Christer!
It's a dull, cool day here and looks like it wants to rain. The weather says sunny and mid 60 degrees but it doesn't look like it. It's New England though so it could change any minute.
It's nice that your dogs help you weed the lawn. My jack russell terrier liked to chew jewelweed roots. It grows abundantly in the back swamp and the bees love it. The dog would dig up the plants and shake and chew on the root crowns. It sounded like she was chewing celery. From her expression, I'm pretty sure she thought it sounded like she was chewing mice.

Ann said...

Christer-once again lovely photos-I will be joining you in the garden today, almost done. Beautiful purple blossom with the big clover leaves-could you tell me its name. Enjoy-Angie

jaz@octoberfarm said...

hi christer....it's great that you can start to spend some time outside. it seems like it will take me the whole summer just to get things cleaned up! joyce

Anonymous said...

Interesting salt formula. Think I'll try it, thanks. And the photos are again great to look at especially comforting on a Sunday morning here in the States when I have nothing planned for today. I was thinking of driving over to my sons house and seeing the grandies, Isabel and Ethan, but it's an hour away so I will have to plan to stay awhile. We have rain in the forecast so that won't be a pleasant drive. Enjoy your tea.

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

Hi Caryn!
I hope the weather turns for the better over at Yours!

We don´t have jewelweed here but we do have the Himalayan balsam so I can imagine how it sounds :-) It´s great that our pets help weeding out :-) :-)
Have a great day now!
Christer.

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

Hi Angie!
I assume that it´s the second to last photo You mean. That is Hepatica nobilis. I haven´t found another name for it in english. One of my favourites in my garden :-)
Have a great day now!
Christer.

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

Hi Joyce!
Finally I can be outside as much as I like! At least for today, tomorrow will probably be colder and cloudier again :-)

The winter really damaged much in Your garden. I guess it´s because all snow came at the same time over at Yours, but even if we got as much snow over here it came over a so much longer period. I do hope nothing is totally destroyed!
Have a great day now!
Christer.

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

Hi Z&M!
But remember not to much salt now!
It was so noce to see that three different plants had opened up their flowers today, yesterday there were none :-)

I also think it takes a bit of planning if the ride takes an hour or more and it´s not fun driving in rain!
But have a great day today!
Christer.

NinaVästerplana said...

Ja idag är det kallt i vinden.... men jisses vad varmt o gott det var på brorsans altan, i lä med full sol. Höll på o somna!
Var inne o jobbade ett extrapass idag o börjde redan 7.30. Jättetidigt för mig, förmiddag för dig ;-)
När jag kom hem hade flera av de botaniska Irisarna jag satte i höstas, slagit ut! Har för mig att jag sett dem blomma betydligt tidigare i min förra trädgård. Men snön har ju nyss smält!
Förstår att tranorna stuckit, de har hojtat när de flög över här.
Får väl komma o våldgästa en annan gång. Annars lät det ju gott med allt bakebröd du gjort ;-)
Ha,t himla gôrgôtt
Nina

Sharlene T. said...

I don't kill my dandelions. I let them flower and make dandelion wine from the fresh blossoms. Then I did up the whole root, clean it, dry it for two or three days, then roast it. Put them up whole. When ready for some really great 'coffee', just grind and brew! Keeps all its Vitamin A and tastes like the real thing -- no caffeine. Save the salt for dandelion salads! Great pix.

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

Tjänare Nina!
I lä var det ju hur skönt som helst, men det var på fel sida jag hade lä idag :-)

Det finns allt en bra drös med tranor kvar, men antalet minskar fort nu. Men du är välkommen när du kommer :-)
Ha det gott!
Christer.

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

Hi Sharlene!
I´m not to fond of Dandylion wine, but the salad with the leafs is sooo good :-)

Dandylion root was a very popular coffee substitute over here during WW2 and can still be bought here in small strange shops :-) :-)

Have a great day now!
Christer.

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Things are really beginning to bloom over there! I am always fascinated by all of the intricate little flowers everywhere! And the COLORS!!

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

Hi Mona!
Yes now it has started :-) I do like the color of that little crocus, it´s so blue!
Have a great day now!
Christer.