I’ve done barely any gardening recently, I’m lacking motivation, probably 2020 has done me in one way and another. I normally find I’m quite busy with it over the off-season, there always seems to be stuff to do. I had a half-hearted stab at planting the daffodils last weekend, I think I got about a third of them done. I shall have to summon up the enthusiasm to plant some more this weekend. Still, lack of enthusiasm is a thin excuse, time for Six on Saturday. Six things, in the garden, on a Saturday. Could be anything – a flower, foliage, an experiment, a success, a job to do, anything at all. Join in!
Here are my Six…
1 – Clever module tray. Back in the spring I saw an early prototype of this on twitter and got chatting to Niall, the inventor. He said he would send me one when the improved version was ready later in the year and here it is. It’s a robust module tray, so far so ordinary, but the clever part is that the modules lift out and separate into strips with an open front. No more trying to scoop young plants out, they can just be gently tipped out. I plan to use this for seedlings and cuttings next year.
2 – Dahlias, dealt with. I moved nearly all my ‘in the ground’ dahlias to pots this year so I could more easily limit the slug damage. Now we have had a couple of frosts I have been able to tidy away the mushy foliage and move them to the veg plot for the winter. I might put some fleece over them, but dahlias are usually OK in the ground here, I assume the same would be true of pots. Next year I may pot them on, the larger ones anyway, into the big 20L tubs I bought the other week.
3 – Stachys decay. Every year for a while this lot looks a right mess. I discovered last year that a good trim is what’s needed. I may get around to that this weekend, we’ll see.
4 – Tulip vanguard. Already! I planted these in the wooden patio planters a couple of months ago. Just the questing tip of one visible at the moment, but exciting to see nonetheless.
5 – Begonia ‘angel blush’. I dare say this angel is embarrassed, look at the state of him! Flew too close to the, er, frost. Tragic. Still, all things being equal he will be back in fine fettle next spring. Hope so anyway, I like this plant.
6 – Toadflax. I like the foliage on these plants more than I like the flowers.
That’s all folks, what are yours? If you’d like to have a go, just publish your post and pop a link to it in the comments below. If you also mention my blog in yours that would be tip top. For more details you can read the brief participant guide.
Have a super gardening weekend, don’t forget to pop back as more links get added during the day.
Stay safe, I’ll be back next weekend for another #SixOnSaturday.
The Propagator 
You hit a nerve there, didn’t you. Yes, the lack of motivation has been creeping in. Having finally got round to reading some sixes I have found it to be an inspiring, reassuring and of course enjoyable activity. It’s a pretty good replacement for a chat over the garden fence. I was only mulling over my stachys decay yesterday and wondered how yours was doing! I have finally finished the tulip planting – who knows when they will poke through. Hopefully this recharge to the battery will last until Saturday and I will post a Six.. See ya soon!
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I just can’t be bothered at the moment! Some daffs got planted but most still to do. Might do some weeding this weekend…
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I think you are echoing a lot of people’s thoughts and feelings at the moment. It’s been a tough year and unknowingly stressful for a lot of reasons. Being forced out of your comfort zone is not comfortable. BUT, next year is going to be better! Here are my Six. https://davidsgardendiary.com/2020/12/06/six-on-saturday-19/
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This year has been enough to do in anyone’s motivation, I think. I found myself scrapping everything I’d planned in favor of just weeding; all my more ambitious ideas seemed just too much. But. I did manage a six: https://intrepidephemera.com/2020/12/05/garden-report-early-december/
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This time of year can dampen some enthusiasm – I’ve still got a load of tulips and alliums to plant, never mind all the general housekeeping! We’ll get there in the end as always! I haven’t been busy either, but with lockdown finished I was able to visit my parents and their lovely garden – my six this week:
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I usually wrap my dahlia tubers up and keep them in a box till January sometime when I put them in pots, but was wondering whether to cut out that middle stage – or at least store them in soil this year, but in the shed rather than in the house where the boxes would normally go. Hmm, decisions… y six are at https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2020/12/05/six-on-saturday-the-c-word/
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‘my six’, that is!
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I think I’m going to move the pots to the shed.
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And I might investigate ours too – not sure if there would be space!!
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Those Bustaseed trays look like a neat idea, a bit like root trainers, but with a much more general application. Thanks for sharing! I love linaria, if only for its non-stop flowering and bee attraction, but it definitely has takeover tendencies.
Here are my six: https://frogenddweller.wordpress.com/2020/12/05/six-on-saturday-endings-and-beginnings/
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Yes I’m looking forward to using the tray. Clever idea.
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Niall is a Busta Rhymes fan?
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I’m late as ever with my blog post about my 6. I think many of us are suffering from tier depression, we thought we were coming out of lock down and we were going into a similar situation via tiers. Great to read what other are doing, and being outside for 30 minutes a day certainly lifts one’s mood. Has anyone else used their chiminea for the first time this week? Here are my six: http://kasmaty.blogspot.com/2020/12/sixonsaturday-gardening-in-tier-2.html
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At least I can get out and run.. got a race tomorrow, looking forward to it.
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I’d hoped by the end of the pandemic I would’ve spend so much time in the garden, there wouldn’t be a single weed left. I have made a dent, but 2020 has not been a good motivator. I did find some surprises this week: https://wp.me/p4Y6ke-2Nv
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2020 sucks big time.
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Genius seed trays, I am always using forks or something to get the seedlings out..I think 2020 is sucking the enthusiaium out of a lot of things. My husband is referring to the year as the oppressive black cloud. Sprouts will make everything better. Some tropical weirdness from the left side of the pond. https://theshrubqueen.com/2020/12/05/six-on-saturday-winter-treats/
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I should order some.seeds, that’ll cheer me up.
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LOL, I did earlier today, wish I had some of those seed trays.
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I sympathize with your lack of motivation. It happens to me regularly! But it’s really OK to give yourself a break occasionally. The force will be with you again, I promise…..on that note here’s my Six.
https://pruneplantsow.wordpress.com/2020/12/05/sixonsaturday-december-5th-promises-to-keep/amp/?__twitter_impression=true
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I should get out and do something basic, like a bit of weeding. Quick impact job.
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Yes, I like the look of those module trays. You have tulip shoots already and many of my bulbs are still languishing in their bags. Oh dear.
Her are my six. https://thebloominggarden.wordpress.com/2020/12/05/six-on-saturday-december-delights/
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I only planted the last of mine a week or two ago…
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Thank you all for posting your six on Saturday each week, it is an inspiration. I like the seed tray idea, a useful present idea for my gardening daughter in law. I think we are all feeling a bit deflated at the moment – roll on Spring!
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Now that modular tray is a great improvement on the old type! It will be nice to hear your review of it once you have used it.
I have found that I can get away with leaving my dahlia in the ground over winter. They seem to come back each year with ease. We don’t get harsh winters though, and not a lot of rain being a summer rainfall area, which may have something to do with it.
Glad to see that the tulips are peeking through the soil. It is always exciting to see the spring bulbs appear, and seems to lift one’s spirits in winter.
Here is the link to my Six, reflecting on changes made to the garden.
https://hairbellsandmaples.com/2020/12/05/six-on-saturday-w49-2020-changes-major-garden-projects/
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Quite a project! It looks great.
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Thank you! It’s been a challenge and lots of fun to create.
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I can leave mine in the ground but the slugs mow them down as soon as they poke their heads up. Merciless.
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Just looked at the Bustaseed website. What a great idea. Much easier to use and so much better for the plants. I’m sure they’ll do really well. I’ve also been digging up Dahlias but will pack mine up in boxes and overwinter them in the loft.
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Yes, clever idea. Looking forward to using.
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It’s difficult to keep up the gardening enthusiasm this time of year, particularly when the weather is a bit dreich. Even the photos from a couple of weeks ago look great compared to how the garden looks now (and at the time I thought they weren’t up to much). I’ve got on with a few jobs though, and thankfully the weather this morning is looking a lot more inviting.
Here’s my Six for this week
https://www.hortusbaileyana.co.uk/2020/12/december-garden-diary.html
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I expect I’ll get out there again soon. Was briefly tempted this afternoon, the sun was out, but had a snooze instead…
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I reckon you ‘plugging’ those Bustaseed trays will lead to some happy gardeners next year Jon. I missed my lovely soft silvery stachys after I removed them all, but now you have pointed out that is is normal, I may just find another try. I felt the same way as you, and have lifted my spirits by looking back at some of my SOS from during the year. Here is this week’s contribution. https://noellemace.blogspot.com/2020/12/six-on-saturday-5-december-2020.html
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I think they’re a great idea, looking forward to trying it out.
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Motivation ebbs and flows, the garden doesn’t really mind at all, it will be ready to welcome you back whenever you feel like getting stuck in again. I like that Toadflax, both the whorls of foliage and the lime green of the new growth. Here are my six:
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Yep, very true.
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I potted up my Angel Blush Begonia and brought it in, not so much because I didn’t think it would survive but because they seem to very slow and late starters if left in the ground and fall way short of their full potential. I’m missing out by not doing Twitter, perhaps I should have another go, those module trays look interesting. https://wp.me/p6bCCa-2D1
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I have 6 in the GH from leaf cuttings so they’ll be my insurance.
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I think it’s normal to lose motivation at this time of the year, and the current pandemic situation isn’t helping. It’s mostly dark, wet days that knock me off my stride, I don’t mind a few, but we’ve had far too many of them over the past few months. Don’t despair the motivation will be back. 😁
Those module trays are interesting, I’ll have to investigate. That tulip is in a hurry – is it an early-flowerer?
This is not quite a ‘Six’ but I thought the topic might interest a few Sixers, so here is the link.
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The tulips are often enthusiastic here, the cold will slow them down a bit.
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The adventurous tulip has an appropriate name! As with others I’m keen to see how the tray works out. You’re a propagating pioneer for the inventor.
This year has been so strange and I think many of us have lost our mojos as times. I was feeling a bit lost with work in the house this week but going out in the garden motivated me again – maybe you could set yourself another decorating job – you’ll soon want to be outside again!.
When its been raining I’ve been tinkering with my houseplants so I’ve chosen to feature some of these this week. This has absolutely nothing to do with the cold rainy day yesterday which made outdoor photography so unappealing. Nothing at all.
https://www.teabreakgardener.co.uk/high-impact-houseplants/
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Not called vanguard, merely what it is, the first up. I forget which varieties are in the planter.
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Here also the first tulips are poking the nose out as well as the daffodils. Still a little early? !
A very clever module tray…. I’m waiting now for your feedback after using. Here is my link : https://fredgardenerblog.wordpress.com/2020/12/05/six-on-saturday-05-12-20/
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Yes quite early, but the cold will slow them down a bit.
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Good morning. Those seed trays are very clever and not something you could fashion from pallets. 🤔 Hope all the family are well…..the house will be filling up again. Have a good weekend.
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Hello, yes, busy house, briefly. #2 child home tomorrow too.
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Good morning, a chara. Yes indeed, the sight of a brave tulip appearing is a sight! It’s the other end of the spectrum to the mushy begonia. Yeah! Here’s my Six, which features management’s birthday, so I built a logpile.
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Mostly a mess here, needs a good tidy up.
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No tulips here, but I should have shared a picture of the paperwhite narcissus. They are in full bloom. I would prefer for them to wait until the end of winter, but if they did, they would be more likely to get battered down by the weather. I can not argue with them anyway.
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That tulip bulb peeping up through the soil is a cheering sight. I hope you get your gardening mojo back soon. I nipped out in the front garden yesterday to plant some bulbs when I saw the neighbours had gone out (I’m not very sociable). I lasted a few minutes – it was far too damp and cold for such things https://onemanandhisgardentrowel.wordpress.com/2020/12/05/six-on-saturday-5-december-2020/
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I’ll be back im sure. At some point.
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Keep updating on the trays I remember Niall showing them off on Twitter. Interesting design. I’m split between getting something like this or soil blockers to lower my environmental impact with me growing more and more from seed at home and at school.
I’ve lacked motivation to get the last bulbs in but have got most of the dahlias sorted. It’s mainly irises left. I may just bung them in pots now as lacking the effort and time to make a decent mixed display.
This weeks six I reward myself for my first RHS exam and the start of hellebore season.
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Soil blockers seem like a good idea too, maybe ill give that a try too.
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I would take the dahlias into a shed or garage because they won’t survive in pots outside over the winter months.
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Even though they will survive happily in the ground here?
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They would have less protection in the pots than in the ground, I suppose. We would probably get away with leaving them in the ground but always take the precaution of storing them over the winter.
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Basically, if they freeze, they’re dead. It has to be pretty cold to freeze much below the surface of the ground but a pot is exposed all over. You could plunge the pots or chuck them under the greenhouse bench. Camellia root systems are equally vulnerable.
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I see, ta. Shed for this lot then.
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Good evening from New Zealand! https://basia329.wordpress.com/2020/12/05/six-on-saturday-05-12-20/
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Well, here I am one of the early birds! This is not at all like me but I’ve an abscess on a tooth and woke in some pain around six this morning. The pain is easing with some tablets and all will be fine shortly. It’s being dealt with – dental appointment on Thursday morning last and next one on Tuesday next to put an end to this problem tooth.
Sorry to hear your gardening enthusiasm has waned for the moment. It will come back! I always feel the same at this time of the year and find my interest in snowdrops a great help as they are all appearing in the garden at the moment – mostly snouts like your tulip!
We had some fine days earlier in the week and I got a lot done in the garden but the latter days of the week have been bitterly cold so it was difficult to stay outside for too long.
Full report here: https://anirishgardener.wordpress.com/2020/12/05/this-is-certainly-winter-looking-back-at-the-week-in-the-garden/
Best wishes to all contributors and I hope everybody is keeping well. It is good to have news of a vaccine being rolled out to treat Covid 19. It gives us hope that all will be well.
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The seed trays are cleverly designed. I have relied on removing seedlings by knife from plastic trays so far, but always fear that I am damaging delicate roots. Might have to give these a try.
Here are my six: https://roguegarden.blogspot.com/2020/12/six-on-saturday-12520.html
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Good morning, Earlybird!
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Yes they’re clever, I’m looking forward to trying them.
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