I treated myself to a new weather monitor this week, the previous one which I have had for over 10 years having begun to be less reliable, especially in terms of rainfall. Like most gardeners, I have always taken a particular interest in the weather – not just rainfall and minimum overnight temperatures in winter but the whole caboodle – and as a Geography graduate I am sure there was a brief period during the course of my degree (no doubt when studying climatology!) when I considered weather forecasting as a career.
I dithered a little over the type to purchase but in the end went for one that linked to the internet and kept ongoing records – unlike my previous ones it has a colour display which gives a more graphic presentation and more details of the current conditions. It was relatively easy to set up although I still need to tweak the pressure data in line with our location. We did not had any snow today, unlike earlier forecasts, but the wind cups and wind vane have been kept busy as there has been a chilly breeze for much of the day – and we haven’t really had 29mm of rain…this was the result of the unit being repeatedly turned upside down whilst being fitted!
I braved the chilliness to try and get a picture that truly represented the wonderful glow of the group of witch hazels in front of the bright stemmed cornus – sadly, you will just have to take my word for it as a photo just doesn’t do them justice, but the varying shades of the former really do reflect the vibrant shades of the cornus to perfection:
A photo does do reasonable justice to the nearby witch hazel Hamamelis ‘Zuccariniana’, however, now in almost full flower with ‘Ruby Glow’ behind:
In passing, I noticed some half-hearted Crocus tommasinianus in the streamside grass (and I use the word ‘grass’ loosely, as it appears there is far less grass and far more moss and other green stuff these days) – with their grass-like foliage it is easy to miss their gradual emergence until the flowers appear, so I am sure there will be more just a little way behind these relatively early ones:
Wordless Wednesday featured some potted narcissi in bud in the Coop, and here we have some hyacinth which are also progressing nicely. Judging when to bring forced hyacinths into the light can be difficult, but it looks as if I got it right with this lot. The adjacent ‘Blue Star’ ones are not looking as promising, with some bulbs not showing flower buds yet and one sadly going rotten:
I moved my first batch of winter-sown sweet peas down to the working greenhouse today, some of them looking a little lankier than I would have liked, the downside of sowing two different varieties in the same set of root trainers. Hopefully the other variety will still germinate in the much colder conditions.
Sowing a batch of a mixed variety yesterday, I spontaneously hit upon a way of filling the root trainers without making as much mess as usual – the end of a plastic milk bottle makes a funnel that fits perfectly inside each unit!
That makes about Six things on Saturday, so I shall finish by thanking our host Jon the Propagator and suggesting you visit his blog to find links to other Saturday Sixes.
That is a rather fancy weather contraption, with so much modern technology. I sort of miss some of the old technology. One thing that does not change is that people complain about the inaccuracy of weather prediction, no matter how accurate it is. Heck, if the rain arrives a few minutes late, it will be a problem.
Haha, yes you are right about people complaining – that will never change!
Nice to see some bulb color and I love the milk jug idea. Cheap, easy and recyclable. I am a weather watcher too. I watch other people’s weather stations, though!
Your witches look great and I can imagine them brightening up the winter garden in real life with the cornus. How lovely to see some signs of spring with crocus coming up. 😃
In the adjacent shrub border the crocus foliage is just coming through so I don’t know if these few are just randomly early
Very impressed with the weather station. And that you can get the readings from the comfort of the 22C indoors. Our rainfall measurements are limited to observing the size of the puddle in the bottom of the wheelbarrow.
Haha – and in practice the rainfall in the barrow tells you more, Jessica!
So nice to see your Tommies up, Cathy! Your funnel for soil is brilliant. I’ll be making one just like it soon! Stay warm, WG
Thanks WG – shame I didn’t think of it earlier. I have cut them to make scoops (keep the top on) before now too…the one pint ones are better for that as they are stronger
Thanks for the tip, Cathy. I’ve been using a plastic cup to scoop soil, but this will be so much neater! ❤ ❤ ❤
Impressive peace of kit, but I’m not sure where the milk bottle funnel fits?
The second photo shows it sitting inside the root trainers – the neck fits perfectly in an individual cell
Wow, what a fab weather station. I too love observing the climate, but I shall sadly have to pass on one, as we are too enclosed! Once a geographer always a geographer, so enjoying being part of a Geology group here. We have two professors as members, so they keep us on our feet. You’ve some great bulbs coming up.
How about a basic one with temperature and weather tendency? That’s where I started, and that would be OK in an enclosed garden, I am sure. I am sure there will be a local U3A geology group here, but unless something else goes, I am not sure I could squeeze any more activities in!
Your new weather station is rather natty Cathy. I especially like the feels like indicator. My present weather station has mysteriously stopped working so I must investigate. It was a present from my sister and all the measurements can be viewed on my phone. Most handy if I want to check the greenhouse temperature in the middle of the night! I will be certainly try your brilliant milk bottle idea when I sow my sweet peas. I always make a terrible mess of it and thought it was just down to my general clumsiness.
Your new weather station is rather natty Cathy. I especially like the feels like indicator. My present weather station has mysteriously stopped working so I must investigate. It was a present from my sister and all the measurements can be viewed on my phone. Most handy if I want to check the greenhouse temperature in the middle of the night! I will be certainly try your brilliant milk bottle idea when I sow my sweet peas. I always make a terrible mess of it and thought it was just down to my general clumsiness.
I hope you can sort out your weather station, Anna – it is most frustrating when something like this happens. My Mum has a basic one and it is invariably on my jobs list when we visit! Your comment made me think though, because you can add extra sensors to this one and I wonder if the distance to the working greenhouse would allow a temperature sensor there…? Hmm… ps filling these root trainers has always been a messy business for me too, but perhaps I am clumsy as well…!
that’s a super weather monitor you have there.
I had to laugh when I first came downstairs in the dark after setting it up – the screen almost lights up the kitchen!!
I am envious. Does it link up to the PC as well. I daren’t buy another weather station. both the ones we have were gifts but only very basic
Yes, it does – you couldxalways tell the givers you liked their gifts so much it has encouraged you to upgrade to get even more weather data…! 😉
Aha… I would but gnome said we have enough gadgets… maybe I will add it to my Christmas list. I also want a telescope…
You will have to be a very good girl then…😁
My plant wishlist is filling up fast, but I don’t have a garden features wishlist. That said, I do now… And I’ll add a weather station to it immediately… There, it’s done.
Even just a basic one can be of great interest – I have gradually gone further upmarket over the years!
What make did you go for, Cathy? I’m negotiating with the Head Gardener.
The one I got this time is Youkishiko 5-in-1 model YC9387, bought in preference to a similar one by Bresser because the reviews were better. Both also do basic versions for £30-40 and I have bought a similar basic one for 2 different family members by Opes, which has proved satisfactory but doesn’t seem to be available any longer. Just ask if you have any questions
👍 Many thanks, a chara.
You are welcome