Another week has flown by, and thankfully, our garden job list is shrinking.

With so many visitors and travels this summer we had neglected our garden. Bad move because the jobs just piled up. For Six on Saurday last week I created a Job List and set to work (Poor Mr. P. The first he knew of the list was when he read it on my blog. I swear men don’t listen!)

This week we were back at it with me cracking the whip every time Mr. P sat down for a rest. The weather was obviously on his side because we enjoyed many heavy showers, which was a blessing. I think it is quite satisfying to create a list and then gradually work through it.

1. Cut Back Plumbago
2. Irrigation system
3. Cut back Bourganvealia
4. Oleander- Work in Progress
5. Onion plant – remove dying leaves
6. Weed and tidy vegetable area
7. Clean seating area on the front terrace
8. Remove black mould on rocks – I have decided to leave this until Spring
9. Clear Work Area and Potting Bench
10. Repot hydrangeas
11. Front Rockery (still work in progress)
12. Plant Stand
13. Trim Hop bush hedge
14. Clean (remove dead foliage) and prune front side garden
15. Deadhead Canna plants and feed.
16. Side succulent garden -clear and clean
17. Plant up freesia bulbs
18. Empty the strawberry planter and redesign the central watering system.
19. Bromelia need attention
20. Inside plants.

Deadheading Cannas

I love Cannas but they are a lot of work. I removed all the dead flowers and foliage. Fed and watered them so hopefully they will keep flowering until the cold weather arrives.

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Potbound Hydrangea

This simple task took hours because it was wedged in the pot. A root from the Maleleuca hedge had found its way up into the pot via one of the drainage holes and was sucking the life out of the plant. We moved it to the work area using this brilliant trolly and used a pruning saw to release it.

After soaking the rootball for several hours, I repotted in new compost. Mr. Piglet transported the newly potted plant back to its former location but this time we stood on a large clay house brick.

The other hydrangea was also in need of attention. This was blue when I bought it. Sadly, after one year, it reverted to pink. Which reminds me … I have some pellets which should turn it blue. (another job)

Freesias

I cleaned off all the dead foliage left from last year. Top dressed, watered well and added slow-release fertilizer pellets. I let the planters dry out during the summer. I will move to their flower home once they start to flower.

Albuca Bracteata – Pregnant Onion Plant

I was gifted one single onion plant many years ago. Unfortunately, it has had so many babies that I need to rehome it in a larger pot.

I have lots of babies if anyone wants them. BTW, they are not edible.

Vegetable Area

I have now cleaned the vegetable area of weeds! Mr Piglet still has to turn it over with a fork and pull out the stubborn roots and top dress with manure, wood ash and compost.

Another job for another day is to empty the big blue strawberry planter of compost.

Rescue plants. Some physalis and a couple of other plants had self-seeded in the bed. I was loathe to pull them up and throw them away, so I rehomed in pots.

A few hours later. I never realised the temperature was 25C and I had left them in the full sun while we went shopping. Ooooops!

Clean Outdoor Bromilia Plants

I hate this job so I persuaded Mr. Piglet to help me. Unfortunately, he got sidetracked (as you do) and started pruning the small palm tree in the same bed.

By the time I’d dodged the showers it was already 17.00. Phew!

That’s it for this week, folks. I am pleased to say we have nearly completed the job list I made for October.

A big ‘thank you’ to Fred French Gardener for the tomato seeds.

Do pop over to Jim’s Blog and check out more Six on Saturday Bloggers

SoS: Garden ‘To Do’ List