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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Heaven: The green blade re-riseth (gardening thread anew)
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PhilA
shipocaster
# 8792
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by babybear:
What do you mean 'mud'? Are you meaning real mud, or just plain earth? The seeds aren't going to be too happy about mud, but earth should be fine. If the seeds get too wet they will start to rot instead of germinating.
Does that patch get much sun? If it is in shade then the ground might not yet be warn enough to help with the germination. Have a little patience. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
If these seeds don't take, then do have another go. You will not have to do it all again. There would be no need to rotivate.
Did you get your seed fresh this year? Old seed can have problems germinating.
Yes its earth rather than mud and the seed was fresh. It gets a fair amount of sun in the early afternoon, but is quite sheltered by hedges.
I think what I need is patience to be honest, but it grows quick enough when I have to mow the sodding stuff, so why can't it grow quick when I want it to?
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To err is human. To arr takes a pirate.
Posts: 3121 | From: Sofa | Registered: Nov 2004
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Carex
Shipmate
# 9643
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Posted
How warm is the soil? Many seeds will sprout slower in cold soil than they would in the summer when it is warmer. This would depend on the type of grass that you have planted.
Posts: 1425 | Registered: Jun 2005
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ken
Ship's Roundhead
# 2460
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Posted
PhilA, lawns are an Abomination Unto the Lord.
Plant bushes and shrubs. With lots of thorns and lots of fruit. The kids will love it.
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Ken
L’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle.
Posts: 39579 | From: London | Registered: Mar 2002
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Corpus cani
Ship's Anachronism
# 1663
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by ken:
Plant bushes and shrubs. With lots of thorns and lots of fruit. The kids will love it.
Bit of a bugger when it comes to kicking a football round though.
Cc
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Bishop Lord Corpus Cani the Tremulous of Buzzing St Helens.
Posts: 4435 | From: Trumpton | Registered: Nov 2001
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daisymay
St Elmo's Fire
# 1480
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Posted
I've sprayed our ground elder with glucosamide (?) twice - the first time it obviously attacked some of the young leaves, but more new, bigger ones have now grown, and so I sprayed them yesterday. I'm hoping they don't get rained on.... they do grow so fast, so big, so sweetly green... ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
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London
Flickr fotos
Posts: 11224 | From: London - originally Dundee, Blairgowrie etc... | Registered: Oct 2001
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Carex
Shipmate
# 9643
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Posted
When new leaves are just growing they take energy out of the roots. At some point they get well enough developed that they start making their own energy and storing it back into the roots. The optimal time to kill the top growth is just as they make that switch, because that is when the root is weakened the most. This will vary for different types of plants, but three weeks between sprayings might be a good guess. (The same applies for weeding if you are only pulling the top growth and not the roots.)
For systemic herbicides you want to spray when the flow is from the leaves down to the roots rather than vice versa, as that will maximize the effect on the roots rather than the top growth. With some weeds that actually means it is best to let them grow for most of the season, then spray when it has stopped growing and is storing energy for the next year.
This is why it is good to find out how the makers of your herbicide recommend treating the particular weed that is giving you trouble - sometimes the most effective method is counterintuitive, especially when the weeds are well established.
Posts: 1425 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Evangeline
Shipmate
# 7002
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Posted
Hello gardners
I have a strawberry plant that was doing really well (so looking forward to the bumper crop of fresh strawberries from my little tub on the balcony ) anyway the leaves seem to be diseased, it could be a bug but I suspect not. THe leaves haave sort of yellow patches but then they virtually disintegrate, anybody have any suggestions as to how to treat strawberry plants
[ 26. April 2006, 00:25: Message edited by: Evangeline ]
Posts: 2871 | From: "A capsule of modernity afloat in a wild sea" | Registered: May 2004
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chukovsky
Ship's toddler
# 116
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Posted
Assuming it is autumn where you are, they are either a) dead or b) settling down for the winter (are the leaves on the trees also yellow?)
Wait until next spring and if they don't surge back, get some new ones - they are not expensive.
[ 26. April 2006, 08:37: Message edited by: chukovsky ]
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Posts: 6842 | From: somewhere else | Registered: May 2001
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Corpus cani
Ship's Anachronism
# 1663
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Posted
Rhubarb!
The one thing in my garden that's growing really well and should be growing is a huge rhubarb plant.
You've guessed it. I hate rhubarb! I know people who love it and am preparing to cut it down and pass it on to them but...
I arrived in this house in August and had a huge rhubarb crop in Sept / Oct. I now have a huge crop in April. Does this mean my rhubarb plant is in flux or, if I cut great chunks off now, will I keep harvesting throughout the season?
Corpus
P.S. Daisymay - please keep us informed on the weedkiller-on-ground-elder situation - Ta!
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Bishop Lord Corpus Cani the Tremulous of Buzzing St Helens.
Posts: 4435 | From: Trumpton | Registered: Nov 2001
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Mrs. Candle
Shipmate
# 9422
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Posted
HELP! Can anyone here tell me how to keep chickens out of my garden? No matter how well we fence them in their yard they somehow find their way into the garden. They've eaten all the Mexican Evening Primrose and are working on destroying the Penstemons. If I'm outside when they venture out of their area, I can spray them with the hose which sends them home, but what can I do when I'm not around? Does anyone have any experience with this?
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Je suis le président de Burundi.
Posts: 869 | From: CO elev. 4960 ft. | Registered: Apr 2005
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Dinghy Sailor
Ship's Jibsheet
# 8507
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Posted
Automatic motion-activated machine guns.
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Preach Christ, because this old humanity has used up all hopes and expectations, but in Christ hope lives and remains.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Posts: 2821 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Carex
Shipmate
# 9643
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Posted
We put wire mesh covers over freshly-seeded rows, or anything else they tended to eat. (It was mostly the young lettuce that temped them.) One centimetre mesh seemed about right - I would cut a strip of it about half a metre wide and bend it 90 degrees down the centerline. Make sure it isn't so high that they can get inside at the ends.
Otherwise the chickens did a good job of keeping the insects and weed seeds at bay in the garden.
Another approach is to set up some place where the chickens would rather go. A patch of loose soil with some chicken feed mixed in should keep them happy.
Posts: 1425 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Carex
Shipmate
# 9643
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by dinghy sailor:
Automatic motion-activated machine guns.
This reminds me - we recently got some sprinklers controlled by a motion detector to discourage the deer, but they are supposed to work for other animals as well. They connect to a standard garden hose and are adjustable so they spray the area when they detect motion. They seem to work, except for the problem of remembering to turn them off when you go out to do the gardening, then remembering to turn them back on afterwards.
Posts: 1425 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Tree Bee
Ship's tiller girl
# 4033
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Corpus cani:
Rhubarb!
The one thing in my garden that's growing really well and should be growing is a huge rhubarb plant.
You've guessed it. I hate rhubarb! I know people who love it and am preparing to cut it down and pass it on to them but...
I arrived in this house in August and had a huge rhubarb crop in Sept / Oct. I now have a huge crop in April. Does this mean my rhubarb plant is in flux or, if I cut great chunks off now, will I keep harvesting throughout the season?
I also have a prolific rhubarb plant in the garden and a family less than enamoured. I'm afraid that you can keep cutting it from now until the autumn.
I just take bags of it into work, where it is fallen on with cries of glee, thankfully.
I have heard though, that the more you pull it, the more it grows, but I've never had the nerve to just ignore it and see if it dies...
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"Any fool can make something complicated. It takes a genius to make it simple."
— Woody Guthrie
http://saysaysay54.wordpress.com
Posts: 5257 | From: me to you. | Registered: Feb 2003
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Amos
Shipmate
# 44
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Posted
My clematis macropetala (growing in a big urn, where the lurchers can't get at it) is absolutely covered with blossoms. They're French blue, start as small, dangling Christmas ornament shaped things, and open into two-inch wide blue tassels. There are hundreds of them. In the four years I've had it it's never done so well. This is also a good year for the trout-lilies.
The rest of the garden looks rather sorry for itself.
[ 01. May 2006, 21:08: Message edited by: Amos ]
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At the end of the day we face our Maker alongside Jesus--ken
Posts: 7667 | From: Summerisle | Registered: May 2001
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John Holding
Coffee and Cognac
# 158
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Tree Bee:
quote:
Originally posted by Corpus cani:
Rhubarb!
The one thing in my garden that's growing really well and should be growing is a huge rhubarb plant.
You've guessed it. I hate rhubarb! I know people who love it and am preparing to cut it down and pass it on to them but...
I arrived in this house in August and had a huge rhubarb crop in Sept / Oct. I now have a huge crop in April. Does this mean my rhubarb plant is in flux or, if I cut great chunks off now, will I keep harvesting throughout the season?
I also have a prolific rhubarb plant in the garden and a family less than enamoured. I'm afraid that you can keep cutting it from now until the autumn.
I just take bags of it into work, where it is fallen on with cries of glee, thankfully.
I have heard though, that the more you pull it, the more it grows, but I've never had the nerve to just ignore it and see if it dies...
You cannot kill rhubarb short of digging it up or spraying it with herbicide. A long enough drought (the kind where clay soil bakes to a fine brick-like consistency and everything but cactus disappears) might work. And leaving it under two feet of water for a month might as well.
And the more you pull stalks off, the more it will grow.
I suppose if you stop fertilizing it for 5-10 years but keep pulling the stalks every day, you might wear it down, but I doubt it.
Just be glad it doesn't send out runners, like strawberries, or spread by roots, like goutweed.
John
Posts: 5929 | From: Ottawa, Canada | Registered: May 2001
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PhilA
shipocaster
# 8792
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Posted
Its started to grow! ![[Yipee]](graemlins/spin.gif)
I feel so happy about it, yet so sad that I feel happy about it, if that makes sense.
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To err is human. To arr takes a pirate.
Posts: 3121 | From: Sofa | Registered: Nov 2004
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babybear
Bear faced and cheeky with it
# 34
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Corpus cani:
The one thing in my garden that's growing really well and should be growing is a huge rhubarb plant.
Perhaps the small boys might like rhubarb crumble for dinner?
I had very well established rhubarb plant, and only wanted about 3 sticks of rhubarb each year. After getting sick of taking a crop of rhubarb to church with me each week I asked around and one woman was desperate to have my rhubarb plant. We dug it out and sent it to visit her. It appreciated the love that was shed on it.
That was the summer when coffee time after church started looking more like a farmer's market. Other people started bringing in their garden's excess too. We had apples, rhubard, pears, broad beans, tomatoes and eggs.
Posts: 13287 | From: Cottage of the 3 Bears (and The Gremlin) | Registered: May 2001
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Mrs. Candle
Shipmate
# 9422
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Carex:
We put wire mesh covers over freshly-seeded rows, or anything else they tended to eat.
Thanks, Carex. Even though my husband prefers the machine gun method, yours is the suggestion I intend to use. It's very pleasant watching the chickens wandering around among the plants. It's only the destruction that bothers me.
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Je suis le président de Burundi.
Posts: 869 | From: CO elev. 4960 ft. | Registered: Apr 2005
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Ferijen
Shipmate
# 4719
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Posted
I want to take a cutting of the climbing rose bush we have in the garden of our (rented) flat before I leave. Any tips?
Posts: 3259 | From: UK | Registered: Jul 2003
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Goodric
Shipmate
# 8001
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Posted
Corpus - Rhubarb makes excellent "green manure". If you don't want to eat it, us it as a fertiliser. It would do most compost heaps the world of good, particularly if your soil is too alkaline.
Failing that you can always dig it up and send it to me ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif) .
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Happy Christmas Everyone You can find me here
Gone to a better place.
Posts: 7160 | From: You all know anyway | Registered: Jul 2004
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sharkshooter
Not your average shark
# 1589
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by babybear:
quote:
Originally posted by Corpus cani:
The one thing in my garden that's growing really well and should be growing is a huge rhubarb plant.
Perhaps the small boys might like rhubarb crumble for dinner?
...
I like my rhubarb quite tart - sour, even. I eat it straight from the garden, or in a pie - easy on the sugar.
Now, if you want it sweeter, mix it with strawberries - it makes a delightful dessert.
John, I think I am the only person who couldn't keep a rhubarb plant growing. My parents gave me half of their plant one summer, and it died at my place.
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Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. [Psalm 19:14]
Posts: 7772 | From: Canada; Washington DC; Phoenix; it's complicated | Registered: Oct 2001
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fisher
Shipmate
# 9080
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Posted
Two very basic questions from somebody who's been a "gardener" for precisely one day!
I've just bought a windowbox and put some plants in, fuchsias and impatiens.
(1) Is it better to water before work (so they're nice and hydrated for the hot part of the day) or in the evening (when they have plenty of time to take up the water without it evaporating)?
(2) The labels on the plants said to put them 30cm apart. But that doesn't make for many plants in a 80cm tub! Particularly when they came in groups of 6 and I wanted two varieties of plant. So I've bunged them all in with a spacing of about 2cm. Is this a bad idea? Should I chuck out half of them so that the others flourish? Could I be starting some Darwinian fight for survival?
Thanks! I'll remember you fondly when I get the job at Versailles.
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"Down, down, presumptuous human reason!" But somehow they found out I was not a real bishop at all G. K. Chesterton
Posts: 1327 | From: London | Registered: Feb 2005
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sharkshooter
Not your average shark
# 1589
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by fisher:
...I've just bought a windowbox and put some plants in, fuchsias and impatiens.
(1) Is it better to water before work (so they're nice and hydrated for the hot part of the day) or in the evening (when they have plenty of time to take up the water without it evaporating)?
(2) The labels on the plants said to put them 30cm apart. But that doesn't make for many plants in a 80cm tub! Particularly when they came in groups of 6 and I wanted two varieties of plant. So I've bunged them all in with a spacing of about 2cm. Is this a bad idea? Should I chuck out half of them so that the others flourish? Could I be starting some Darwinian fight for survival?
...
Impatiens, given the proper conditions, can grow to be quite large. Even at 30cm apart, they will grow into each other. In my experience, those conditions are, not too sunny, moist. I'm not sure a window box is the best choice for them.
2cm apart can't be good for them - I don't know what they will do.
Here is some advice:
web page
quote:
Impatiens planted on your East & North sides and in the shade are easier to establish when the weather is still warm. However, in South and West exposures, all that is required is attention to watering. Keeping a moist soil (not wet and NEVER let dry out) is the secret
First heavy frost, and they are gone.
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Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. [Psalm 19:14]
Posts: 7772 | From: Canada; Washington DC; Phoenix; it's complicated | Registered: Oct 2001
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babybear
Bear faced and cheeky with it
# 34
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by fisher:
The labels on the plants said to put them 30cm apart. But that doesn't make for many plants in a 80cm tub!
That advice goes totally out of the window when planting up window boxes or hanging baskets.
As you will have many plants all trying to get nutrients from the same tiny bit of compost/soil it is very important to feed them. The easiest ways are to give a liquid feed (you put the feed in the water and the plants get fed as you water them) or to use slow release feeding plugs.
One thing to be very careful of is that as the plants grow they may become heavier than the window box. They could fall off the window ledge if they are not secured.
As for watering, I would water in the evening. I don't think it really matters when you water, as long as it is at a cool time and the water gets a chance to get to the roots.
Posts: 13287 | From: Cottage of the 3 Bears (and The Gremlin) | Registered: May 2001
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Goodric
Shipmate
# 8001
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Posted
You may want to consider some form of water retentive material in your container that will enable a more even release of moisture to your plants. Information on water retaining materials here.
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Happy Christmas Everyone You can find me here
Gone to a better place.
Posts: 7160 | From: You all know anyway | Registered: Jul 2004
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fisher
Shipmate
# 9080
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Posted
Thanks very much everyone, I'm really grateful!
Feeding sounds a good, at least partial, solution to the overcrowding problem (although I'll note your caution, Sharkshooter, and grow fewer next year if they don't work).
I wanted to get some water-retaining stuff, but the Homebase only sold sackfuls. I'll carry on keeping an eye out for some.
ETA the box is well secured with a horizontal bar. Watering, on the other hand, could lead to all manner of comical capers with people walking along the pavement below ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
[ 02. May 2006, 20:10: Message edited by: fisher ]
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"Down, down, presumptuous human reason!" But somehow they found out I was not a real bishop at all G. K. Chesterton
Posts: 1327 | From: London | Registered: Feb 2005
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Carex
Shipmate
# 9643
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Posted
Make sure that the level of the dirt in the box is somewhat below the edge of the box. This will allow the water to pool while it is soaking in. If the dirt is level with the top of the box the water will run off before it soaks in, and get the pedestrians below instead. (Of course, if you drench the soil with water, it will drip out the bottom and onto the pedestrians anyway.)
We water in the mornings. This gives the water time to soak down to the roots for the hot part of the day when the plant needs it the most. Having the top of the soil dry overnight also helps to discourage the slugs, but that may not be a problem in your case.
Posts: 1425 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Corpus cani
Ship's Anachronism
# 1663
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Goodric:
Rhubarb makes excellent "green manure". If you don't want to eat it, us it as a fertiliser.
I'm almost ashamed to admit that most of last year's crop went straight in the compost bin. Almost, but not quite...
Gooders, maybe we can gnaw on a stick or two as we share a King-Sized bed in years to come!
Cc
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Bishop Lord Corpus Cani the Tremulous of Buzzing St Helens.
Posts: 4435 | From: Trumpton | Registered: Nov 2001
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John Holding
Coffee and Cognac
# 158
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by sharkshooter:
John, I think I am the only person who couldn't keep a rhubarb plant growing. My parents gave me half of their plant one summer, and it died at my place.
Truly inspiring.
How are you with goutweed, then? That's even worse.
Or you could rent yourself out to whoever it was up the thread who was having problems with ground elder.
(I should make clear that I actually like rhubard, preferably in pie or crumble).
John
Posts: 5929 | From: Ottawa, Canada | Registered: May 2001
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Carex
Shipmate
# 9643
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Ferijen:
I want to take a cutting of the climbing rose bush we have in the garden of our (rented) flat before I leave. Any tips?
Ferijen - see if this helps. Roses aren't too difficult to propagate, so if you take a few cuttings you should be able to get some to root.
Posts: 1425 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Keren-Happuch
Ship's Eyeshadow
# 9818
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Posted
There is an azalea bush in our garden, planted by the previous people. It looks completely dead and dried out, but I know things sometimes lie dormant and so on. Is this the usual state at this time of year or is it a goner? The label, which they kindly left on, says "keep moist at all times and feed with plenty of ericaceous (sp?) compost". Now, this makes me think that it was a very unwise thing to plant as we get v little rain at the best of times, and I presume that the fact that they used to mine chalk in Norwich makes the soil alkaline... Anyway, is there anything I can do about it, apart from watering it and seeing if it revives? I read somewhere that coffee grounds are good to put on acid loving plants. Thanks for any advice!
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Travesty, treachery, betrayal!
EXCESS - The Art of Treason
Nea Fox
Posts: 2407 | From: A Fine City | Registered: Jul 2005
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Goodric
Shipmate
# 8001
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Posted
Test the plant to see if there are any green living bitsunderneath all the brown twiggy exterior. You may be lucky, although it should by now be into leaf - even the ones where I am are.
If there are not green bits - then I would suggest you allow it to decompose away from the bed. (Who knows what might have killed it and what it might be harbouring).
If you do have green bits then do something to nurture it. Buy a small soil testing kit (easily less than a fiver) and test your soil (not just around the plant itself which may be the ericacious compost it came with - but the soil away from the plant.
If your soil is alkaline then you need either to re-inforce the bed strongly with ericacious matter and use ericacious liquid feed around it - or fill a pot with ericacious compost which may in fact be easier and grow it containerwise. Remember Azaleas and Rhodies (technically the same types of plant) don't like to be too deep seated in soil, so don't go burying it thinking you are doing it a favour.
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Happy Christmas Everyone You can find me here
Gone to a better place.
Posts: 7160 | From: You all know anyway | Registered: Jul 2004
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daisymay
St Elmo's Fire
# 1480
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by fisher:
Watering, on the other hand, could lead to all manner of comical capers with people walking along the pavement below
Back to the Scots tradition of "Gardez l'eau!"
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London
Flickr fotos
Posts: 11224 | From: London - originally Dundee, Blairgowrie etc... | Registered: Oct 2001
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chukovsky
Ship's toddler
# 116
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Posted
In chalky soil, I think you are supposed to grow azaleas and rhodedendrons in pots in acid compost. Unfortunately this is usually peat which is not desperately environmentally friendly.
I potted up my tomato seedlings today - they seem to have sprouted despite over/underwatering during two periods of neglect. They are all heirloom seeds - two varieties from our local Seedsavers and four from a packet - one lot don't seem to have germinated at all, I think they were some I bought. Two of the ones I was given are going great guns but I put them in a tray rather than in the fibre pot thingys so they may have had a better water balance.
As I'm off work recovering, I think I'll do some more planting tomorrow.
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Posts: 6842 | From: somewhere else | Registered: May 2001
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babybear
Bear faced and cheeky with it
# 34
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Evangeline:
THe leaves haave sort of yellow patches but then they virtually disintegrate, anybody have any suggestions as to how to treat strawberry plants
It sounds like Powdery Mildew. This is normally caused by cold and damp conditions. The treatment is to remove the effected plants and dispose of them, but not in the compost bin. If it goes in the compost bin the mildew spores will fine a new home in the compost.
My Mam used to get new strawbery plants every two years as they are not very resistant to mildew or disease. When you get your new plants, it is important to put them in fresh compost. This will prevent disease spreading from the soil to the new plant.
A while back, Coot and I had a conversation about growing strawberries in Australia. He said that to him strawberries as a spring fruit, not summer. It seems the Australian summers are too hot for strawberries. Although, when I was Googling for info on the Australian strawberry season it looks like there have been advances which mean that the season has been greatly extended.
Posts: 13287 | From: Cottage of the 3 Bears (and The Gremlin) | Registered: May 2001
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daisymay
St Elmo's Fire
# 1480
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Posted
Reporting to Corpus Cani on the ground elder:
It's still growing and much of it is nicely green, but some of it has shrunk and gone yellow/brown.
I sprayed it all again today, focussing individually on the leaves, doing it very close and efficiently. At least we have some sun instead of rain, and so it should act more powerfully. ![[Votive]](graemlins/votive.gif)
My mock orange is blossoming and sweetly smelling at home in the back yard, and the rosemary in the pot at work is beautifully light blue, loads of flowers on it this year.
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London
Flickr fotos
Posts: 11224 | From: London - originally Dundee, Blairgowrie etc... | Registered: Oct 2001
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Jengie jon
Semper Reformanda
# 273
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Posted
My parents have a garden and I in order to arrest my mothers feeling of inadequacy, have offered to take over the heavy manual gardening.
However I am also realising that we need to try a new approach to gardening against the old one of bunging in and seeing.
The reason being that the garden is the basically a 16ft wide by 12ft long by 8ft deep hole.The hole walls are a 3 story house on the west side, 8ft wall on the south side, a bank and fence (probably about 10ft) on the east side and a 6ft wall on the north side. The base of the garden is paved and but there are flower beds (including one at the top of the bank which is above the 8ft wall which is therefore sunny, but even they have very little soil in them.
I am thinking that even in the beds, we will have to approach this as if we are container gardening.
Actually what I was wondering is if anybody has any suitable book suggestions for complete novices that might help us with this gardening.
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"To violate a persons ability to distinguish fact from fantasy is the epistemological equivalent of rape." Noretta Koertge
Back to my blog
Posts: 20894 | From: city of steel, butterflies and rainbows | Registered: May 2001
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Moo
Ship's tough old bird
# 107
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Posted
I hope someone can give me advice on this.
A burrowing animal settled down underneath the roots of one of my mini crape myrtles. I thought it was dead, but today I noticed some small leaves at the base.
What can I do to help it? Thanks.
Moo
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Kerygmania host
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See you later, alligator.
Posts: 20365 | From: Alleghany Mountains of Virginia | Registered: May 2001
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Mrs. Candle
Shipmate
# 9422
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Posted
The No-Garden Gardener by Edwinna von Baeyer and Dinah Shields is great for people who have to contend with size and light limitations. There are chapters on design, materials, diseases and all sorts of specific container-garden topics.
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Je suis le président de Burundi.
Posts: 869 | From: CO elev. 4960 ft. | Registered: Apr 2005
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Flausa
Mad Woman
# 3466
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Posted
Well, I decided to get a bit bolder with my kitchen windowsill plants this year. I cleaned the whole sill (which is quite substantial), got rid of the rosemary that finally died, and will get rid of the basil once the flowers have died (I know the herb itself is effectively toast now that the plant has bolted, but I can't get myself to discard a plant with such pretty little flowers). Yesterday I planted a lettuce mix, lemon corriander, and chives. Once the seedlings sprout, I intend to move them into a large trough planter that we bought. We also bought two sad looking tomato plants (10p each, so I won't be too upset if they don't make it). If they do survive, they will each get put into a pot of their own. According to all the labels, given the right care, everything should thrive happily in the sunny windowsill.
Any specific recommendations for fertilizers for my new garden? Any particular brand/type to avoid? Do I need something specific for veggies?
Posts: 4610 | From: bonny Scotland | Registered: Oct 2002
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Jack the Lass
Ship's airhead
# 3415
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Posted
Now that I no longer have a garden ( ), I have had to content myself with collaring a small concrete corner of the communal courtyard and filling it with as many pots of plants (mainly herbs, bulbs and my Christmas tree) as it can take. As it's right outside my kitchen window nobody else uses it apart from for the outside tap, so it's reasonably private and with any luck it will mean a more colourful display out there, although I'm sad that it's too narrow to keep my garden table out there. Sipping wine under the communal washing lines, the other side of the wall from the dustbins, isn't quite the same somehow. Anyway, with no table there's more room for more plants, so at some point I shall buy a few much bigger pots and put some flowering shrubs in.
For the first time since I've had it (about 4-5 years) my rosemary has gone bonkers with flowers, so I'm really chuffed about that. I also have a pot of miniature daffs which are just coming into flower (I was really surprised by how much later things come into flower up here in Scotland - I've only noticed things like magnolia and tree blossom in the last couple of weeks, but both were well and truly in flower down south when I was there at the end of March).
My question though is about my pride and joy. I have two oleanders in pots - one is about 6ft tall, a bit of a monster, which has always thrived on neglect and the last couple of years has rewarded me with masses of beautiful white flowers. It seemed to cope with the cold winter here remarkably well, but now the leaves are looking really dry and starting to brown, particularly the ones furthest away from the main stem (or trunk more accurately, as it's really filled out the last couple of years). The other oleander, which has been outdoors in identical conditions next to its bigger cousin, is fine and healthy looking. Is there anything I can do - feeding (if so what?), that kind of thing - that will stop the big oleander looking quite so sorry for itself? I'm pretty sure it's not dead (which is a good start ).
[Forgot to add: I've posted a couple of pics on today's blog]
[ 12. May 2006, 12:12: Message edited by: Jack the Lass ]
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"My body is a temple - it's big and doesn't move." (Jo Brand)
wiblog blipfoto blog
Posts: 5767 | From: the land of the deep-fried Mars Bar | Registered: Oct 2002
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Carex
Shipmate
# 9643
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Posted
Jack -
Make sure the plant isn't rootbound in its pot. When there are too many roots the soil can't hold enough water, so the tree gets less even with the same amount of watering. And, with more leaves, a larger plant needs more water because it is losing more through transpiration.
Also, plants in pots are more prone to freezing than ones in the ground, and roots near the outside of the pot are more vulnerable than those deeper inside. It is possible that some of the outer roots froze, leaving the plant with fewer roots to support it.
Posts: 1425 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Poppy
Ship's dancing cat
# 2000
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Posted
Keren - Take out as many of the roots as you can but don't kill yourself! The soil really will need improving so use whatever you can lay your hands on, well rotted horse manure straight from the farm is good but otherwise go and by some bags of the stuff from the garden centre and fork it in. Don't bother doing too much digging, the worms will do it for you.
Flausa - garden fertilizer can be an exact science with different formulations for different types of plant but quite honestly well watered tomato feed does the job perfectly well. The best crops of tomoatos I ever grew were the years we potty trained our boys. It was high summer and we lived in the garden. Everytime they used the potty I rinsed it under the garden tap and threw the dregs onto the plants. Lovely glossy leaves and an abundence of fruit.
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At the still point of the turning world - there the dance is...
Posts: 1406 | From: mostly on the edge | Registered: Dec 2001
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Goodric
Shipmate
# 8001
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Keren-Happuch:
We've just cleared a load of connifers from a bed in our garden. How much of their roots do we need to remove before replanting the bed, and will we need to improve the soil?
I'd say get as many of the roots out as you reasonably can.
However, what do you plan on growing? How long have the connifers been there and have you tested the soil?
Connifers can create acidic conditions when planted. You really need to get a cheap soil testing kit to test for pH. You also need to weigh up the other conditions of the soil yourself - a blanket statement can't be given without a few clues.
[ 14. May 2006, 10:37: Message edited by: Goodric ]
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Happy Christmas Everyone You can find me here
Gone to a better place.
Posts: 7160 | From: You all know anyway | Registered: Jul 2004
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Keren-Happuch
Ship's Eyeshadow
# 9818
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Posted
Well, I did my best with the roots. I have planted some lobelias and violas after bunging in a lot of compost. The lobelias are supposed to trail as it's a raised corner bed. If everything falls over and dies I'll try getting a soil testing kit before replanting! The plants were only cheap anyway.
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Travesty, treachery, betrayal!
EXCESS - The Art of Treason
Nea Fox
Posts: 2407 | From: A Fine City | Registered: Jul 2005
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