Hello December. I wonder what you have in store for us, weatherwise, this month? Rain, rain and more rain by the look of it so far! Too wet to go outside and tidy the borders (that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it).
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With my Cupani sweetpeas growing too well, I’ve given most of them a gentle trim. Fingers crossed I haven’t killed them.
That’s a surprise! In the front border, the drumstick alliums have been quietly growing away (is it too soon?) while in the back, one out of four pots of mixed bulbs has sprouted.
In the (cold) conservatory, the Easter/Christmas/I’ll-flower-when-I-bloomin’-well-want-to cactus has plenty of buds.
I had to nip out earlier in the week and remove the little terracotta ‘hats’ from my shallots and onions after I noticed green shoots growing up through the holes. (That’s why the one back-left looks a little deformed.)
These alpine strawberry plants enjoyed a spot of rare autumn sun earlier in the week. I think it lasted all of 5 minutes.
And the most of my remaining tomatoes finally ripened. They were useless for sandwiches and salads, but a welcome addition to the Saturday morning cooked breakfast, and the wrinkliest ones added flavour to a slow-cooked stew. It’s back to the bland supermarket variety for us until next September.
Tomorrow is supposed to be drier, if not warmer.
I’ve a wreath to make for Tuesday with whatever scraps I can gather together. The basic structure is made – climbing bean stems twisted into a circle – I just need to find some greenery.
Meanwhile, it’s back to the studying, with frequent breaks to see what other Sixers are up to – via The Propagator’s blog. Have a great weekend, whatever you are up to.
Eileen's Tiny Welsh Garden 
It is lovely to see all the spring plants pushing through in your pots. The Cactus is definitely going to give you a lovely show when all those buds open! Good luck with your studies!
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Thank you. Studies going suprisingly well 🙂 I’ve noticed this morning that a couple of buds have opened already – perhaps the cactus has ambitions to be a Christmas table centrepiece!
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I was thinking that about supermarket tomatoes just yesterday. They are typically so insipid. Good job that they caramellise when you fry/roast them!
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I try only to buy cherry tomatoes on the vine. At least they have some colour and taste. Hubbie prefers a larger tomato but there is little taste in my opinion. You’d think someone could have invented/hybridised a tomato that grows and fruits in winter by now 😀
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We did our wreath yesterday. Could do with a few more berries but looking pretty good.
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Something I noticed with alliums during the week: I was taking down the old flower stalk and noticed smaller fresh growth coming up – as much as 20cm high – and I reckon these were side bulbs beginning to grow. Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ self-seeds very generously here.
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The Easter/Christmas/I’ll-flower-when-I-bloomin’-well-want-to cactus made me chuckle. It seems to on time – if it’s a Christmas variety.
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I’m sure I bought it as a Christmas one but who knows? “The Christmas cactus (Schlumgera bridgesti) has leaf projections which are more scalloped or tear drop shaped. The Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaertnerrii) has very rounded edges which are centralized on the leaf.”
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I’ll stick with Christmas cactus then 😀
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It’s all looking good to me – plenty of Spring promise.
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Haha I know what you mean about Christmas cactus, mine sometimes doesn’t bother to flower until Easter, this year though the buds are emerging so we might actually get the timing right! Your sweet peas are looking nice and straight, mine have grown horizontally in the mini greenhousee, not enough light probably.
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