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Gardening

GavinA said:
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Anyone else ODing on Acers?
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What a beautiful garden you have! Gorgeous autumn colours, everything balanced.

I love acers; also liquidambars, though they're more fragile in strong winds & need space. 🌳
 
Around now is the best time for planting bare root hedging. As I am a member, I thought that I would order an upland mix from the Woodland Trust. I have put in around 2,000 over the years so have some experience. My heart sank when they arrived and I explained to the Trust that they were the worst I had ever seen. They virtually told me to get lost as I did not know what I was talking about. I resigned my membership. Please avoid my mistake fellow gardeners.
On the positive side, I have ordered a load more from a known supplier, taking advantage if the 25% BF discount. Should keep me busy for a while.
 
Dunno about anybody else, but in my garden here in the grim North West.. I've lost several Delphiniums, some Geums, and several very nice Lupins over the last two winters, also a Hellebore. It's not been especially cold, but it has certainly been very wet, which is the likely culprit for the Lupins at least, as they can't tolerate too much waterlogging.

Anybody have similar problems?
 
Mullardman said:
Dunno about anybody else, but in my garden here in the grim North West.. I've lost several Delphiniums, some Geums, and several very nice Lupins over the last two winters, also a Hellebore. It's not been especially cold, but it has certainly been very wet, which is the likely culprit for the Lupins at least, as they can't tolerate too much waterlogging.

Anybody have similar problems?
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Slugs like the lupins, certainly. I planted five that I'd raised from seed and lost the lot over the winter.
 
I have just murdered my lawn by applying too much lawn feed as the dispenser was dumping it out quicker than it should have and I carried on regardless; there are now ugly black patches all over and it could take a long time to recover (if it ever does). If you are a novice or gardener-under-duress like me please heed the warning on the box about over feeding to avoid the same fate.
 
Lupins are just up here in Essex and Paeonies about a foot tall.

Tomatoes and chillies are getting large but i'm wary about a possible late frost, latest i remember was 5th May.

All the plants are parked in the greenhouse for now.

It's still very cool and wet 8" down, found a seriously wet patch on Friday, managed to get a Cat stuck; that is now out but the implement it was towing will have to wait a month.
 
Bart said:
I have just murdered my lawn by applying too much lawn feed as the dispenser was dumping it out quicker than it should have and I carried on regardless; there are now ugly black patches all over and it could take a long time to recover (if it ever does). If you are a novice or gardener-under-duress like me please heed the warning on the box about over feeding to avoid the same fate.
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Did you use a weed and feed with moss killer?

If you had moss in your lawn, it turns black when treated, if so, just rake the dead moss up and overseed, it should recover.
 
gavreid said:
Slugs like the lupins, certainly. I planted five that I'd raised from seed and lost the lot over the winter.
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Slugs aren't all that active in cold weather/over winter.
I lost two Lupins, one yellow and one red, which were bought as plants. The others were established plants, again one yellow and one red, which I raised from basal cuttings. An easy enough technique.
So, I have one left, also a basal cutting from a yellow.
Yesterday I bought three from my local garden centre for 2.99 each in 9cm pots, and later another three, in bigger pots, at three for ÂŁ10 from B&Q.
Also grabbed a Geum, an Achillea and a couple of Oriental Poppies. all to replace stuff lost last winter.
I have a few Delphiniums coming from Suttons, along with about 70 'plug plant' border perennials.
 
Bart said:
I have just murdered my lawn by applying too much lawn feed as the dispenser was dumping it out quicker than it should have and I carried on regardless; there are now ugly black patches all over and it could take a long time to recover (if it ever does). If you are a novice or gardener-under-duress like me please heed the warning on the box about over feeding to avoid the same fate.
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Fear not Bart, I'm going to murder mine a lot worse than you have. I'm going for a cut, iron sulphate to kill the moss etc and then scarify the hell out of it - that'll teach the grass to mess with me!

You probably have iron sulphate in your feed which has done what you secretly desire - killing the moss. You've just got to dispose of the body now! Use a rake.
 
I have a Black and Decker electric lawn raker.
When(if) the grass ever dries enough, I'll do the annual scarifying. The results fill my green bin. ..a standard sized wheelie bin.
Then an application of Weedol and a bit of a feed. I grew it from seed 47 years ago and it's still OK.
 
dweezil said:
Tomatoes and chillies are getting large
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I always feel that one's taking a chance by sowing too early, though climate change may have dispelled spring frosts. My sweet peppers and Jalapenos were sown in the propagator about 5 days ago; they usually take 10 plus days to germinate. Lettuces, cabbages and spr. onions are already through and enjoying the occasional sun (but still on heat).

Might be tempted to do the tom's this weekend as I have plenty of heated propagator space; they're usually up in a week (except Shirley). Still picking purple sprouting so can't clear that plot for French and runners yet but I should get broad beans in when the rain lifts long enough (Norwich).
 
Mike Reed said:
I always feel that one's taking a chance by sowing too early, though climate change may have dispelled spring frosts. My sweet peppers and Jalapenos were sown in the propagator about 5 days ago; they usually take 10 plus days to germinate. Lettuces, cabbages and spr. onions are already through and enjoying the occasional sun (but still on heat).

Might be tempted to do the tom's this weekend as I have plenty of heated propagator space; they're usually up in a week (except Shirley). Still picking purple sprouting so can't clear that plot for French and runners yet but I should get broad beans in when the rain lifts long enough (Norwich).
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Same here on PSB, still a lot to eat. The beans are in 3" pots and just starting to move.

There's often not a lot of gain in planting too early, just end up with a long stalk to plant and the flowers won't set until the weather warms a bit.

Loads of bumble bees and ladybirds out this week, saw the first cabbage white this morning too.

If it weren't for the wind you could think summer was approaching.
 
Cabbage white?????

The first brimstone of the season flitted past 4-5-6 days ago.
The bumbles have been working the Ribes for well over a week.
What I thought was a honey-bee this morning, was a very large and lethargic hover-fly.
A shield-bug (probably hawthorn), was trapped between the two layers of bubble-wrap inside the greenhouse yesterday, but not where it was rescuable. Not there this morning, so hopefully it got out under its own steam.

My semi-tame pair of robins greet me each morning and were collecting nesting material well over a week ago, along with a blackbird.
A male bullie was also digging for shoots amongst the grass over a week ago too - very unusual as they are usually eating blossom buds now. I hear them often, but seldom see them around the garden.
Goldcrests have been singing in the conifers around the garden for 2-3 weeks - VERY easy to 'coy if you immitate, and fearless - they will come to the whistle as near as 6 feet or so if you are patient.
The churchyard opposite has had a very belligerent nuthatch whistling for several days too. He does make you smile though - spring is springing!!
 
Struggling here in a partial shaded Welsh valley at 900 ft. Poor light and cold has meant that only salads and allium are doing well in the polytunnel. My wife doing better in a warmer and lighter greenhouse, also helps that she is a better gardener.
Had enough of fancy striped tomatoes this year so just Gardeners Delight, Moneymaker and Sun gold.
Happy gardening all.
Tony
 
No toms this year. I might do some Mini Munch again they are a big success. I've been growing flowers to restock a bit - lupins and I now have 27 little plants so I'll be able to select the colours if I'm not counting chickens! Also a tray full of echinacea. Other than that just lettuce on the way. Nothing over-wintered, it must have been too soggy and the frosts that we did have did a lot of damage this year, although it 'wasn't cold'.
 
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