Moan, moan, moan - 2013

[David Nicholson]

Just got back from a few snowy days in Essex with our son (where we heard Devon and Cornwall had dodged the snow but had torrential rain and very strong winds) to find my plastic covered three tier frame scattered around the back garden and the three trays of three year old bulb seedlings it contained in a crumpled heap on the patio. Think I shall have to chuck most of them away-love's labour lost as someone once almost said!

[Maggi Young]

Terrible news, David, but scoop up the soil  and debris and refill the trays- doesn't matter if the contents are mixed. You may very well find that the baby seedlings will survive and surprise you. And think of the fun if they do and you have to work out what on earth they are in future years!

[David Nicholson]

You do cheer me up Maggi, it's worth a go.

[Helen Johnstone]

Oh dear David that sounds very disheartening, do you know what caused it.
My biggest moan is that my cold frame is frozen shut and this never ending cold weather has left me completely perplexed as to whether to sow seeds, prick out or just pull the curtains

[annew]

Definitely worth a go, David. Three-year-olds should stand a chance of being robust enough to pull through.

[Maggi Young]

Three-year-olds should stand a chance of being robust enough to pull through.

I sure hope so - our three year old Great Niece has tumours on both her kidneys and in her lung - she is showing tremendous strength in the face of treatment, bless her.

[David Nicholson]

Oh dear David that sounds very disheartening, do you know what caused it.
My biggest moan is that my cold frame is frozen shut and this never ending cold weather has left me completely perplexed as to whether to sow seeds, prick out or just pull the curtains

It was the wind that did it TPG. Plus the fact that these things are very flimzy (just aluminium tube slotted into plastic supports) and aren't really built to hold trays containing 21 x 9cm square pots. So 3 trays x 21 pots per tray is a fair amount of weight. Must look for something better, or stop growing too many pots of seeds!

Not as bad as I thought, lost around a half dozen pots, re-potted a further 20, and hope the rest will be OK after adding more compost and grit topping.

[David Nicholson]

I sure hope so - our three year old Great Niece has tumours on both her kidneys and in her lung - she is showing tremendous strength in the face of treatment, bless her.

It's things like that really make you think.

[Gail]

Stressful time for all the family Maggi - our thoughts and best wishes are with you.

[Helen Johnstone]

I sure hope so - our three year old Great Niece has tumours on both her kidneys and in her lung - she is showing tremendous strength in the face of treatment, bless her.

So sorry to hear that - as David says puts things into perspective.
Helen

[Maggi Young]

Thanks for the comments and messages about little Christina.  We all feel so helpless in this situation when we would do anything to relieve her of this illness yet we are completely powerless.

The chemo is shrinking the tumours - that's fantastic news so far - but there is a long road to travel yet - literally and metaphorically - for other treatments she will have to travel to Glasgow . More direct stress for her and her parents. Her Father will go with her, of course - leaving her Mum to worry at home with her little sister- about whom we are now also  anxious, since Christina may have had the tumours since birth.
So much for our little Toot to go through.

[Helen Johnstone]

They have just said on the news that this cold weather may stay till the end of April 
How on earth are we going to get thingsto germinate with low light levels and temperatures - grumble, grumble

[Maggi Young]

They have just said on the news that this cold weather may stay till the end of April 
How on earth are we going to get thingsto germinate with low light levels and temperatures - grumble, grumble

 Yes, we've heard and read that forecast too  - trying to look on the bright side by thinking of all the times they get the forecast wrong!  Hope they've done so this time.......
( and we know hope costs nothing!)

[Helen Johnstone]

am hoping too but my optimism is being tried this year.
Must be awful for people in the horticultural trade especially after last year

[Maggi Young]

Yes, very serious problems for them - and there were already nurseries closing at a rate of knots.
It's one of the reasons I was so sad for the cancellation of the Loughborough and East Lancs show- the nurserymen can get business there that they just can't get elsewhere, especially at this time of year.  Those cancellations were a great shame on so many levels.