I think this Summer's temperatures are going to break some more records after July being the hottest for 37 years. The extended heatwave continues with no sign of any let up - at least not for the foreseeable future. This leaves us unwilling, or unable, to do too much as it is just so hot. Normally at this time of year I would begin the tidying up of the garden and getting it bedded down for the Winter but that will have to wait. We have plans for the wall where we removed the ivy but again it is too hot to put them into action.
Earlier in the week we were given some super delicious Mango which had been grown down in Argaka. Argaka seems to have its own micro-climate as I have also had Guava and Papaya from there. Anyway I decided I would have a go at growing one from a seed. When you eat a Mango there is a 'hairy' stone inside which is the housing for the seed which is like a giant broad bean seed. You need to clean the stone and scrape away as much of the hairy stuff as you can and then you should find that the stone has a convex hard edge and a concave 'soft' edge and you need to split the stone using a knife in the 'soft' edge taking care not to damage the seed inside. You then remove the seed from the hairy outer husk and plant the seed and wait.
Apparently under the right conditions and if I am lucky then I should expect to see some sprouting in a couple of weeks' time and then when the seedlings are big enough to transplant I can pot them on. I am not holding my breath because (a) it took 10 expletives and 2 broken nails to get one seed out of its husk which was wrapped around it like a straight-jacket - unlike the picture in the link where the little seed is all snuggled up in its big old husk and (b) my seeds fell apart into two halves immediately.
I don't appear to be having any better success with the Passion Fruit seeds which Nicky has asked me to try and germinate. I did as instructed (more or less) about a fortnight ago and I can't see anything happening at all. I am just wondering if it has been too hot on the potting bench for the seeds. Anyway I have fashioned a sort of greenhouse effect on top of the pot with a plastic bag so that the soil stays warm and moist and will just hope that they buck their ideas up soon.
Nothing much else to report on today except that I did my cleaning as I could stand the state of the conservatory floor no more - jumping in and out of the pool and walking from the pool to the kitchen left damp patches where the dust and dirt had assembled so it had to go. It was bloomin' hot and sticky work in the conservatory but looked nice when it had been done. All the rooms got a bit of a going over which is actually very satisfying when finished. The new hoover is a success except it is so strong I cannot do rugs with it - they disappear up the tube as the suction is so strong.
The one other job we did manage to get done before the heat got us good and proper was to fit the new string curtain that my lovely friend Laura sent in the post at some exorbitant cost. It was miles too long but I needed the width so that it covered all three windows. This works as good as fly screens and looks nicer so once up and with the excess cut off we could leave the windows open all day without getting any bugs come visit.
The day was rounded of beautifully with a phonecall from my lovely friend Hazel. We were both so disappointed that her planned trip was postponed this year and just hope it can take place next year although at the moment no-one can tell what the future is going to bring. After carefully observing three month's self isolation because her health placed her in the 'highly vulnerable' category Hazel is now worried that the actions of a few will affect the lives of many should lockdown be reinstated in the UK. We have our fingers crossed that will not happen.
Earlier in the week we were given some super delicious Mango which had been grown down in Argaka. Argaka seems to have its own micro-climate as I have also had Guava and Papaya from there. Anyway I decided I would have a go at growing one from a seed. When you eat a Mango there is a 'hairy' stone inside which is the housing for the seed which is like a giant broad bean seed. You need to clean the stone and scrape away as much of the hairy stuff as you can and then you should find that the stone has a convex hard edge and a concave 'soft' edge and you need to split the stone using a knife in the 'soft' edge taking care not to damage the seed inside. You then remove the seed from the hairy outer husk and plant the seed and wait.
Apparently under the right conditions and if I am lucky then I should expect to see some sprouting in a couple of weeks' time and then when the seedlings are big enough to transplant I can pot them on. I am not holding my breath because (a) it took 10 expletives and 2 broken nails to get one seed out of its husk which was wrapped around it like a straight-jacket - unlike the picture in the link where the little seed is all snuggled up in its big old husk and (b) my seeds fell apart into two halves immediately.
I don't appear to be having any better success with the Passion Fruit seeds which Nicky has asked me to try and germinate. I did as instructed (more or less) about a fortnight ago and I can't see anything happening at all. I am just wondering if it has been too hot on the potting bench for the seeds. Anyway I have fashioned a sort of greenhouse effect on top of the pot with a plastic bag so that the soil stays warm and moist and will just hope that they buck their ideas up soon.
Nothing much else to report on today except that I did my cleaning as I could stand the state of the conservatory floor no more - jumping in and out of the pool and walking from the pool to the kitchen left damp patches where the dust and dirt had assembled so it had to go. It was bloomin' hot and sticky work in the conservatory but looked nice when it had been done. All the rooms got a bit of a going over which is actually very satisfying when finished. The new hoover is a success except it is so strong I cannot do rugs with it - they disappear up the tube as the suction is so strong.
The one other job we did manage to get done before the heat got us good and proper was to fit the new string curtain that my lovely friend Laura sent in the post at some exorbitant cost. It was miles too long but I needed the width so that it covered all three windows. This works as good as fly screens and looks nicer so once up and with the excess cut off we could leave the windows open all day without getting any bugs come visit.
The day was rounded of beautifully with a phonecall from my lovely friend Hazel. We were both so disappointed that her planned trip was postponed this year and just hope it can take place next year although at the moment no-one can tell what the future is going to bring. After carefully observing three month's self isolation because her health placed her in the 'highly vulnerable' category Hazel is now worried that the actions of a few will affect the lives of many should lockdown be reinstated in the UK. We have our fingers crossed that will not happen.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.