The Weather Outlook

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DEW
  • DEW
  • Advanced Member
18 March 2025 08:25:01

Why not try yellow raspberries? They have a delicious taste, are autumn-fruiting—starting in late August and continuing until the first frosts—and best of all, they don’t attract the maggots that have started appearing in red raspberries and blackberries of late. apparently some stupid fly has made its way over here and its absolutelly disgusting.

IMO, you cannot go wrong. Highly recommend.

https://www.blackmoor.co.uk/raspberry-all-gold-p1001971 

Originally Posted by: Sasa 


And IME the colour confuses the birds, so they don't get eaten. For another raspberry-type fruit which birds seem to leave alone, try a wineberry (looks like a red blackberry, tastes like a raspberry). You need some space for the fruiting canes - I train mine along the fence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubus_phoenicolasius



But avoid Tayberry, a raspberry-blackberry hybrid, second only to cacti in vicious thorniness.

War does not determine who is right, only who is left - Bertrand Russell

Chichester 12m asl
+2
Sasa
  • Sasa
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18 March 2025 08:45:54

And IME the colour confuses the birds, so they don't get eaten. For another raspberry-type fruit which birds seem to leave alone, try a wineberry (looks like a red blackberry, tastes like a raspberry). You need some space for the fruiting canes - I train mine along the fence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubus_phoenicolasius



But avoid Tayberry, a raspberry-blackberry hybrid, second only to cacti in vicious thorniness.

Originally Posted by: DEW 


You're absolutely right about yellow raspberries and birds—great point! I'll look into wineberry. I have plenty of space since I manage more than one allotment.

For your location, I’d highly recommend the Peach Peregrine variety. However, you’ll need to spray in autumn and winter (around mid to late February when the buds start to swell) to prevent leaf curl. In spring, remove any diseased leaves, and you’ll be amazed at the results. I grow excellent peaches here in Kingston, and they always impress people. One year, some of mine reached an incredible 400 grams each! 
Kingston Upon Thames
DEW
  • DEW
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18 March 2025 09:03:42

You're absolutely right about yellow raspberries and birds—great point! I'll look into wineberry. I have plenty of space since I manage more than one allotment.

For your location, I’d highly recommend the Peach Peregrine variety. However, you’ll need to spray in autumn and winter (around mid to late February when the buds start to swell) to prevent leaf curl. In spring, remove any diseased leaves, and you’ll be amazed at the results. I grow excellent peaches here in Kingston, and they always impress people. One year, some of mine reached an incredible 400 grams each! 

Originally Posted by: Sasa 


I used to have a 0.3Ha (0.75 acre) south-west facing garden when we lived in Kent and could have tried an outdoor peach there. But since retiring to the centre of Chichester I only have a pocket handkerchief of a garden, so the problem is not location but space. But I compensate by volunteering at a local show garden, at West Dean - yesterday I was edging and weeding in the orchard where we have 100+ varieties of apple.
War does not determine who is right, only who is left - Bertrand Russell

Chichester 12m asl
+1
Windy Willow
18 March 2025 09:49:28

We had an excellent rhubarb plot at our last place. Worth its weight in gold! I used to force it using a huge old leaky water butt.
And while we are thinking about fruit - I see the other half has got out a jar of her Bullace jam. Wonderful stuff.

https://www.foragingcoursecompany.co.uk/post/foraging-guide-bullace 

Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons 


Likewise, I am going to miss my Rhubarb patch from my old home but we do have new Crowns to get in the ground later this week, but that won't be ready for another year or so.
South Holland, Lincs 5m/16ft ASL

When I saw corruption, I was forced to find truth on my own. I couldn't swallow the hypocrisy.

Barry White


It’s the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine) - R.E.M.
Roger Parsons
19 March 2025 04:30:41
Pleased to report that I did my first mow of the lawn yesterday - blade set high to protect the cowslips as I shall be doing No Mow May again this year. 😁👍
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
+1
Bolty
22 March 2025 13:28:22
The warm spell has really started to bring the garden out. The first blossoms are close to opening on the apple tree, which is very early for this end of the country. My blueberry bush is starting to leaf as well.
Scott
Blackrod, Lancashire (4 miles south of Chorley) at 156m asl.
My weather station 
MRazzell
25 March 2025 10:00:12
Dare i say it, but we could do with a little rain now just to pep the garden up, especially as i've planted half a dozen semi mature trees these past weeks that now require fairly regular watering! 
Not too much rain though, as i dont want walking the dog to become a quagmire again...
And only rain during the week please as i'd like sun on the weekend when i'm in the garden...
Oh, and no more frosts as i want to move my Callistemon and Echiums out of the greenhouse now to free up some space.
I don't think thats too much to ask...
Far north of East Sussex. +150m asl.
NMA
  • NMA
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03 April 2025 09:22:22
I've just been to town and stopped by a B&M store to pick something up.
I made a detour into their garden centre part and was shocked to see that perhaps 80% of plant stock was dead.
Someone had forgotten to water the pots. What a waste. Poor management too.
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
Sasa
  • Sasa
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03 April 2025 14:18:02

I've just been to town and stopped by a B&M store to pick something up.
I made a detour into their garden centre part and was shocked to see that perhaps 80% of plant stock was dead.
Someone had forgotten to water the pots. What a waste. Poor management too.

Originally Posted by: NMA 


Signs of a dying business and declining staff/management commitment.

It sends an awful message to its customers.







Kingston Upon Thames
NMA
  • NMA
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04 April 2025 06:13:51
It does.
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
MRazzell
04 April 2025 08:24:44
It thoroughly winds me up to see, however, theres benefit to those of us that are horticulturally minded as you can pick up some great bargains on the 'neglected plant' trollies.
A bit of rain would be helpful now...
Far north of East Sussex. +150m asl.
NMA
  • NMA
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05 April 2025 07:04:24
Neglected plant trollies still mean poor management somewhere along the line.
But yes you can pick up some bargains if you are on the look out. Sadly the BM plants had passed the point of no return.
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
Roger Parsons
05 April 2025 07:09:37
A morning of mowing lies ahead - except for our No Mow May patch with its cowslips. Lots of bees about.
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
NMA
  • NMA
  • Advanced Member
05 April 2025 11:19:01
Grass slower growing now. Blackthorn winter in in full flow. Cowslips beautiful on West Stafford bypass this year.
And the nagging easterly continues after the brief respite the other day.  Otherwise glorious spring weather. 
I've got a biological vine weevil treatment to apply this week on some containers. It should be sent out on Monday.

Neighbours hard at it building some decking. I would have used slabs but whatever. Decking provides a runway for rats and I haven't the heart to tell them right now. Been there done it. They have bird feeders and the lady mentioned that she is always refilling the feeders. Blackbird sitting on nest, bluetits in box - a brilliant time of the year.
Oh and thank you Bolty?- for the night scented stock  reminder. I will be making successive sowings in pots so I can move around and replace as the summer progresses. No nicotiana this year. Too short lived and look scruffy quite fast


Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
NMA
  • NMA
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10 April 2025 08:35:26
Taking AJ's post from the model thread, this year spring is on hold or at least the fast greening we can see in other years.
Beech are slow here too. Ash in flower, oak buds swelling. It's fresh to cold each morning then the late afternoon arrives with slightly better temps. But not really sitting out weather with the low humidities. 
Grass already showing Jirian dessication in places. We're on loamy gravel here.
I sowed some rock samphire a few weeks back. It's now germinating like cress. One sweet cicely showing but that's always bits and pieces.
No sign of anything else in the trays.

Whether Brians observation that the short wet weather blip materialises or his suggestion it's going to be a longer unsettled spell, apologies if I misread his post, I have no idea, but I think we are due a more unsettled spell. Which IMO would not be a bad thing.
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
+1
MRazzell
11 April 2025 21:41:12
Disagree beech being slow. May every year, at least down here in E-Sussex. 
Far north of East Sussex. +150m asl.
fairweather
12 April 2025 21:06:23
Ridiculously dry and dusty here following 6 weeks of virtually zero rainfall. Having to water pots and allotment seedlings already.
S.Essex, 42m ASL
NMA
  • NMA
  • Advanced Member
18 April 2025 11:30:35

Ridiculously dry and dusty here following 6 weeks of virtually zero rainfall. Having to water pots and allotment seedlings already.

Originally Posted by: fairweather 


 I've noticed what you say. Today is the first day this spring it's properly raining here IMBY.

https://www.theweatheroutlook.com/twocommunity/Posts/t24305-April-2025-CET-discussion 
And then:
Yes Bert what we remember are the warm sunny days but what caused this April's somewhat lower mean were the relatively cool nights. If you base it in the CET Max instead of the Mean then only 2020 beats it. this year had an average cetmax of 16.8C for the 1st 12 days and 2020 was 17.2C. If you take the sun hours and rain days into account as well (as in Kevin's Summer Index) then I am pretty sure 2024 would  be the winner. I for one cannot recall such a long run of completely cloudless days

From the CET thread. I've noticed what you say. The cooler nights in my case have skewed my perception of this spring feeling cool. I usually get up early so experience the early chill. It’s been like this day after day for several weeks. (until today).
The low humidities enhance this chilling impression. It makes what I call 'good growing weather' limited/non existent this spring so far. And so, apart from the high sunshine amounts, I will remember this spring to date as not being particularly warm but very dry. (till today). I’m hoping May will change my perception and provide some good growing weather that’s pleasant to be out and about in. 
Goldilocks weather of course.
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
Roger Parsons
20 April 2025 16:45:54
Visited a terrific garden today - Ashfield House - part of the National Gardens Scheme. A perfect day for it.
"140 flowering cherries and 30 magnolias. Many thousands of spring bulbs, sweeping lawns and lake. Beautiful naturally landscaped garden with some superb mature trees as well as a fascinating arboretum. One of the best flowering cherry displays in the area."
Find NGS gardens near you:
https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/ 
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
+2
NMA
  • NMA
  • Advanced Member
21 April 2025 06:12:48
I can recommend the NGS 100%. There are some incredible gardens large and tiny with at least one close to almost anyone on TWO.
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
+2

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