Chris's Weblog – City Chickens

My diary from 2006

Tag Archive: Aldi

Chris's Weblog - City Chickens > Aldi

Heuchera Palace Purple

October 9, 2016 Garden ,

Another Aldi bargain today. A Heuchera plant reduced from £1.49 to 49p. The variety is Palace Purple. Sprays of salmon pink flowers appear above mounds of large dark burgundy leaves. Heuchera is grown mainly for its foliage. It is semi evergreen and will thrive in dappled shade. Keep soil slightly moist. Tidy them up in autumn. Lift and divide clumps every couple of years in early autumn and replant with the crown just above the surface of the soil. Apply 2-3 inches of mulch around the crown of the plant in spring.

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I now have three of these as Deb and Sean brought me two the last time they came. The two they brought are in pots but this one is in the ground.

Apple – Elstar Malus Domestica

February 18, 2010 Garden , , ,

Today I bought an apple tree from Aldi. It is an Elstar, an offspring of the Golden Delicious.  I bought this cultivar once before and it died. However the original cost £25.99 and this one only cost £3.99 so there is not so much to risk. Oh well I was just as disappointed when this tree died but it was a bit easier because of the low cost.

Elstar is a crunchy apple. The flesh is lemon-white. In most Golden Delicious offspring it is the other parent which provides the essential counter-balance to offset the sweet blandness of Golden Delicious. In the case of Elstar this is Ingrid Marie, a variety which originates from Denmark. Although not a widely-known apple, it lends a bit of sharpness to the mix – inherited from its own parent, Cox’s Orange Pippin. The result is Elstar, which is probably one of the best Golden Delicious offspring.

Delivery Day?

February 17, 2009 Garden , ,

Well day 21 has arived but I didn’t get up this morning to the sound of cheeping. I think I can see slight wobble from two of the eggs but that may be my eyes deceiving me. we shall have to wait and see. Hatching is all about patience and I don’t have any.

I have a delivery coming today from Wickes; masonry paint to clean up the concrete posts ready for the fence, several bags of compost so I can get cracking on sowing some seeds, creosote to paint the inside of the chicken shed, as well as sand and gravel. Looks like a busy time ahead. Good deal though as Wickes Direct is new in our area and was offering free delivery and 15% off for new customers.

Hatch update – 17th Feb 9pm – first chick fully out and looking strong. – 19th Feb – last chick hatched mid morning today making a hatch rate of five out of the six eggs. A good result.