A week in the Quirky Bird In Between Garden

Wow, we really are doing well with the weather this autumn. September was glorious, sunny and warm, and October despite being blustery and rainy is actual still rather warm. That is not a complaint, its a relief since we still have to finish off the greenhouses for winter. After we were back from Venice last week we went off to Lanark to get the last three pieces of glass for the big greenhouse and to buy a tank of gas for the heater.

All the time we were at Easter Mosshat the greenhouse heater ran of the domestic gas tank, so I never really noticed the gas consumption, this winter will be interesting! The heater will be run of a portable propane gas tank, and I will very much notice the cost as they are £59 a time! It will focus me on keeping a keen eye on the temperatures every night. Having finally got the tank, we brought it home and connected it up to the heater. Once I managed to get the heater going we realised it was not a happy heater as a large flame was shooting out the far end of the bar! On closer inspection it became apparent the bar had completely rusted away from the heater housing. It is totally beyond saving, and to be honest I have had it since I bought it new 20 years ago! So there is no shame to it and off it goes to the great heater heaven in the sky.

Gas tank at back of the greenhouse and the dead heater

So it was onto the internet to look at greenhouse heaters. It's mind boggling how much you can spend on one. Decision made and 3 days later, today it has arrived. Now all I need is to be home in day light to connect it up and toasty greenhouse once the temperature drops enough.

Voila, the new heater arrived in the mail today

Speaking of greenhouse, last weekend we got the slabs down for the base of the wee greenhouse. As you can see from the photo we have laid them directly onto the soil. Ideally I would rather lay them on cement or sand. Our difficulty here in the In between garden is we have to put everything back as it was when we leave.


Slabs down, hopefully this coming weekend
we can get the frame up

Thursdays are good days because I finish work early and usually manage some bonus time in my own garden, weather and life permitting, though with the nights drawing in, its getting harder. Home just after 3.30pm, my first job was to try and locate Miss Milly our black cat who has gone AWOL again. Last time it was for three weeks until she was located on a local farm. So far this time she's been gone a week. I checked the sheds and walked around the field behind the house and down into the woods shouting on her. No signs. I shall phone the farm where she was last time. 

Plants from Fibrex Nursery

After that I potted up some plants I got from Fibrex Nursery earlier in the week. I've used this nursery for many years. They supply plants in 9cm size for excellent prices and their plants are always fantastic quality. They specialise in Pelargoniums, ferns and ivies. This delivery consisted of Osmunda regalis, Hedera helix 'Glacier', Hedera 'Fantasia' and Hedera 'Kaleidoscope' and two Gymnocarpium dryopteris (one of which got planted in the front garden bed, which I wrote about in a previous blog), . 

I then watered the greenhouse and did some dead heading and tiding. I am so pleased with how well my Pelargoniums are recovering since being repotted. A lot of them are having a late flush of flowers, encouraged by food and fresh compost. I thought I'd share some of them here.

Pelargonium 'Chocolate'

Pleargonium 'Rookley'

Pelargonium 'Snow Cap'

Find us on Facebook, search for The Quirky Bird gardener