This last week started and finished with frost. In between we had wind and rain plus one day when it was warm enough to sit outside and pod beans.
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| Podded Runner Beans |
“sit outside and pod beans.„
Yes you did read that correctly. Each year I try to saver runner bean seeds, some for eating and some for sowing the following year, as Runner Bean seeds are difficult to get in France and if you do find them (usually on the flower rather than veg section) you get 5 seeds for about €3. Hence I collect my own, when I remember! It was only this week that I remembered I had not harvested them but luckily their tough outer cases had protected most of them and I podded a bowlful, sat outside with no coat on January 5th.
No chance of doing that since then as the cold frosty weather has returned. I shot outside early yesterday morning and took these photos just before the sun rose above the horizon.
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| Moon and morning pink over the play area |
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| Frosty Sedums, Rosemary and Japanese Rose stalks |
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| Don't think I'll be digging here today |
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| Naked beanpoles |
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| Waiting for spring |
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| Old raspberry stalks protecting the roots |
I love frosty days like this. I know some plants need a cold spell to grow well (eg strawberries) and some seeds will not germinate unless they have had a number of days below freezing, a process known as vernalisation. I know that a cold snap will kill off some unwelcome plant pests and weeds and I know I can enjoy the beauty of the frost and have a day off from digging ... if only I actually did a lot of digging! Give me frost any day over wind and rain.
How has your gardening week been? Have you managed to get outside or have you restricted yourself to armchair gardening? In that case, Annie's link up at Mammasuarus, How Does Your Garden Grow will have some more garden pictures:
Lovely photos. I quite miss gardening, it's firmly on my list of things to do as the kids get older and I have a bit more time.x
ReplyDeleteThank you and good luck with getting back to gardening.
DeleteI love frost too, makes for some great photos. I've not done much more than pottering around the garden lately and the odd tidy up. Having said that, I've started planning what we'll grow next year. Spring is not long away now. Exciting! :)
ReplyDeleteSpring can be quite late here from a gardening point of view ... but I am planning too!
DeleteI had no idea that frost helped so many plants! Beautiful captures of the frost in your gardens.
ReplyDeleteIt's why some plants don;t grow well after mild winters.
DeleteI've always loved frost but had no idea it was so helpful!
ReplyDeleteLove the photos, looks as though you've just taken a break from digging to enjoy a cuppa
But I really do need the soil to both defrost then dry out so I can catch up with the digging.
DeleteI love that pink sky, so delicate. Your garden looks beautiful, what a treat to sit outside in the sunshine in January!
ReplyDeleteIt's a very rare treat mind you - now we are back to wet and windy.
DeleteLove frosty pictures, so serene. I didn't save any runner beans this time but some of the others at the allotment will have done and will offer them round :)
ReplyDeleteThat's one of the things I miss about not having my allotment any more - always having someone offering excess things around.
DeleteAh I love frost and pink sky and beans - bliss. And it looks like a bit of a frosty forced break from garden duties for you, but then I am sure you'll make up for it soon enough!
ReplyDeleteIs it still frosty there now or has it passed? It's been crazy weather the past week here with just about every type of weather kicking off over a few days.
Thank you for joining in again - and rest up while you can ;)
It's been the same weather roller-coaster here and it's currently blowing a hoolie and chucking down excessive amounts of felines and canines out there. So now frosty soil that cannot be worked has been exchanged for soggy soil that cannot be worked!
DeleteWhat a beautiful sky in the playground picture. Thankfully we are having a bit of milder weather at the moment, fingers crossed it stays x #HDYGG
ReplyDeleteIt's mild here again but really wet and windy. The bean pods I had left on the table outside are now scattered far and wide!
DeleteI love the beanpoles and the frost gives a lovely serenity to the photographs! Here's to slightly warmer weather though, eh?! x
ReplyDeleteIt certainly was very peaceful.
DeleteIt seems to be crazy weather everywhere at the moment! Your frosty pictures are lovely but did send a shiver down by spine!
ReplyDeleteSorry, Ness.
DeleteBeautiful frosty pictures and I love runner beans too - they're one of my dad's best crops. #hdygg
ReplyDeleteDespite going in very late last year, mine did well.
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