My Garden

Idle chat

admin — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:31:22 GMT

Welcome to the new Idle Chat thread

Admin

cherry tree

adele — Fri, 12 Aug 2005 23:16:44 GMT

Hi I wonder if you can help me. For a laught I planted a cherry stone, by the next evening it was an inch tall, honestly I could not believe it. Now 2-3 weeks on it's over 2 foot now and has 8 leafs on it and more to come at the top, also it has long thin things growing at the top, which are wrapping around the sticks I've put in to support it. Another thing what i thinks funny is, the size of th bottom 4 leaves they're bigger than my hand between 7 inches to the biggest 9 inches??? So I'm asking for your help, what should I do now and how do i look after it, well really any info you've got about growing a cherry from seed. Yours thankful and puzzled Adele

Dahlia advice please

Clematis — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:21:51 GMT

I have planted my dahlia tubers and kept them indoors this year but they are reaching for the ceiling - should I nip out the central stem growth to encourage side shoots or what? I have no room in my greenhouse to put them out there as the weather has been so bad (Snow, sleet and hail this week) that I cant move my greenhouse plants outside yet. Any advice, suggestions very much appreciated. I have made a temporary lean to cold frame using perspex to house some of my more hardy plants so far, but didn't think it would be suitable for the dahlias as they have been in such a warm environment.

books on latin plant names?

Catherine — Sat, 18 May 2013 21:01:11 GMT

Can anyone recommend a book on Latin plant names? I do use the internet to help me learn/memorise names & am putting together my own spreadsheet with names and photos of plants I own or see somewhere, but I am looking for something in old fashioned book form that I can read on trains/take on holiday. The RHS Latin for Gardeners looks (on Amazon) like more of a gift book than a practical book for students. Any recommendations? Thanks.

Planting a Clematis to climb up a tree

poppikin — Fri, 17 May 2013 09:32:16 GMT

Can someone please give me some advice about planting a Clematis to climb up a tree.

I have a beautiful Clematis well established in a pot and probably about 5 years old.

I am concerned about the tree roots and also friends have said it is essential to plant a Clematis on a particular side of a tree but are arguing whether it is South of the tree or North.

Thanks

poppikin

Asparagus and apples

Swisschard — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:51:12 GMT

My first post to RHS... Just trying to get a snapshot of Asparagus growth about the place. The bed in our community kitchen garden in Wapping, London is in its seventh year. As regular as clockwork the first spears would appear on or about 16th April. This year two appeared last Saturday 4th May, not too much difference I hear you say, but as yet nothing else despite the glorious weather of the last few days. Has the awful winter weather done for them? What are your observations? And one more question, we have two apple trees on our south facing church wall both in their fifth year. I bought them to train as espalier. Turned out that both were partial tip-bearers and one a triploid (we added a third tree last year)... all in all fairly unsuitable for restricted growth. Anyway having come to terms with their limitations and having pruned them lightly as possible, this year as in previous years there is almost no blossom. What's happening with these trees? Will things improve with maturity? Does anyone have any solutions? Many thanks from St Patrick's Kitchen, Wapping.

Repairing Wooden barrel planters

Flowerpower — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:19:05 GMT

I bought some half barrel wooden planters last summer and have noticed this year the metal bands holding them together have started to corrode and the whole thing is in danger of falling apart.

Any ideas on how to repair them? Have tried string but not strong enough.

Thanks

For my small 5000 Sq.Ft garden, which fence is better ??

ted — Sat, 18 May 2013 06:43:59 GMT

Friends I have a 5000 Sq.FT garden/farm. I wanted to know out of below, which fencing would be a better option for installing ? Keeping security in mind. 1. Garden Fence http://a-1fenceproducts.com/a1-unico.htm 2. Honeycomb Fence http://a-1fenceproducts.com/honeycomb-fence.htm or 3.Barbed wire fence http://a-1fenceproducts.com/barbed_wire.htm Your proper guidance will be highly appreciated. Thank you.

"Aftercut" lawn treatment - anyone used it?

PoppySeed — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:12:28 GMT

I've seen a lawn treatment called "Aftercut" advertised on television, and I've read their web site. It claims to blacken moss, then you have to remove it with a scarifier (and they warn against doing this if it's not black) and evidently the nutrients in the product make the grass grow lusher. There's a version which also includes lawn seed in the product. You use it like a watering can.

Has anyone tried this and would you recommend it, or is there some other moss killer you recommend that works?

Panicking Novice!

Mudgeface — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:56:09 GMT

Hello again, I am afraid I have been rather impatient and transplanted my Dahlias outside only to come in and see on the weather that there is a frost warning tonight! I can't believe this is happening in May, I thought I was safe. :-/ I have bought some of my potted plants inside and covered the very few little plants that have grown in the flower beds with plastic plant pots and halved milk bottles but will this be sufficient? We've already been feeling quite disheartened by the lack of activity in our garden and the realisation we have next to no sun due to a huge tree overshadowing the space...Any words of encouragement? Here is a picture of our little space.

Another mystery!!

Shabby Chic Sarah — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:07:09 GMT

Hiya, I wonder if anyone can tell me if this is a plant or weed?!!: photo.JPG by TC-Lover, on Flickr It has appeared this year in our (somewhat unkempt) flower bed and is about 12" high. I'm wondering if its going to flower or whether its an unpretty weed (pretty ones can stay!!) Kind regards, S x

Blackening of new growth on Cherry Laurel

Ian — Thu, 16 May 2013 08:22:54 GMT

Hi, I'd like to get some advice on something that's affecting my Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus). I planted it as a small bare root tree 3 years ago and it's grown very well but has suffered a lot from Shot hole disease (Coryneum blight). I've tried to manage that with regular spraying and leaf removal and generally the tree remains in good health.

However, quite a lot of the new shoots have leaf tips that turn brown and then black. I remember it happening last year and while it doesn't affect all the new growth and seemingly the overall health of the plant, I would like to know what it it is, particularly in case it's some kind of nutritional deficiency. I also thought it might be the result of the cold and rather wet start we've had to the year.

I hope someone can give me the correct answer.

Climber advice?

Shabby Chic Sarah — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:38:40 GMT

Hiya, I wonder if you could give us advice on climbers to cover our fences? The first fence is south facing and we'd like something that grows and covers pretty quickly but is low maintenance. We have recently cut a Russian vine back to 12" from the ground as last year (its second year, it was a gift to us novice gardeners!!) it went beserk (as we now understand it is wont to do!!) We've also recently planted two climbing roses (pot luck from DIY store, they just say "climbing rose"!!) they are currently about 12" - do these take ages to get going? Do you think these two and the Russian vine are enough? The second fence is the once the opposite side, so north facing, would love something shade loving and quick growing?!! Apologies for all the questions, we are very novice!! Kind regards, S x

Lily Beetle

jon jon — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:19:42 GMT

Watch out for Lily beetles,found & dispatched my first one this year today.

Precocious cyclamen?

David W — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:16:58 GMT

I have some particularly good greenhouse cyclamens which flowered profusely in an unheated conservatory from last summer until about February or March this year.

I always thought cyclamens needed a period of dormancy in summer. So,when the leaves began to die down, I was preparing to dry them off and park them outdoors until the autumn, when I planned to re-pot and bring them indoors.

Problem: they are already showing plenty of new leaves and buds. So do I stick to plan A, or re-pot them and water them now? I want them to flower well through next winter, and I'm not sure this will happen if they don't get a dormant spell.

Planting out sweet peas

frankchester — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:39:41 GMT

My sweet peas that I have been growing on my kitchen windowsill in pots are now becoming very big.

They are about 2 feet tall and all looking vey healthy, however they they are flopping over each other as they need to clamber up someting.

I want to plant them out but am a little concerned about the temperature.

Can they go straight in the ground now, or should it harden them off first?

Any advise greatfuly received.

Me again - Question 3.

ebichu64 — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:39:47 GMT

You've all been so helpful I thought I'd pose you another question (let me know when you're getting sick of me - haha!) I have a strip of flowerbed, (well just soil and weeds really!) that's under our garden hedge, gets some evening sun but is mostly shady. I'm looking for something to fill it from the end of the bricks to the gate that is: perennial, evergreen, very low growing, tolerates shade, can tolerate some foot traffic. It needs to be low growing - 4" would be great but no more than 6" tall - as there's a gap under the gate that is the main route into the garden for at least 3 hedgehogs. In fact, if anything I'm thinking of digging away the soil to make the gap bigger. The hedgies are growing fast! It needs to tolerate being stepped on for when my partner wheels the motorbike through. He doesn't walk right across it, but he often clips the corner. That's another reason for it to be low - so that he doesn't trip over it. The bike weighs 22 stone so it would be pretty nasty if he fell and dropped it on himself. Most of the plants I've looked at are invasive and the patch backs onto a flower bed where my neighbour's children are growing vegetables. Despite them having nutured bindweed in the past, and accidentally chopping down a honeysuckle just when I'd nursed it back to health, I don't really want to take revenge on them by planting a nuisance! So Ivy is a no-no. As you can see it's mostly grass and weeds, which I'm going to dig up and alchemilla, which I'm going to move. So far I've rejected: Wild Ginger, Mind your own Business, Brass Buttons, Vinca Minor, Sweet woodruff, Bishop's weed. I thought I'd hit the jackpot with Blue Star Creeper (Isotoma fluviatilis) but then I read that it can be REALLY invasive. However, most of those reports - creeping under patios and into lawns, leaping at random into pots etc - again, seem to come mostly from America. Does anyone have any experience with it here, good or bad? If that's no good then other options I've not looked into properly yet: Dymondia margaretae Silver Carpet, Cerastium alpinum lanatum Alpine Mouse Ear, Artemesia Tiny Green Miniature Wormwood, Mazus Reptans, Pachysandra procumbens Allegheny Spurge, Selaginella uncinata , Linaria lobatus White Toadflax, Soleirolia soleirolii Aurea Golden Baby's Tears. My garden is a woody wildlife garden so I'm not fussed about neat borders and such, but after spending nearly 10 years battling next door's "prize" bindweed I don't want to plant anything that will put ms through that again! Thanks :-) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/ebichu64/Garden%20questions/20130430_101127.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/ebichu64/Garden%20questions/20130430_101107.jpg

ID help please

Ian — Thu, 16 May 2013 08:00:28 GMT

Hi everyone, please could I get anID for the plant here. I've done a search and the nearest I could get to it was a Geranium palmatum, but I don't think that's correct. It does have Geranium like leaves and has a small, bushy form, with the sparse blue, campion-like flowers.

I've seen this growing out of asphalt at the edges of building walls and it's probably classified as a 'weed'. Although I follow the maxim that 'a weed is a flower in the wrong place'. I grow a lot of plants that are considered weeds as I grow a lot of wildflowers such as Mallow et al.

Shed buying help / advice please

butterhead — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:12:41 GMT

Hello there,

I'm struggling to choose a new shed, it's mainly for storage of bicycles (a fair few), tools, junk, more junk... etc.
The old shed is rotten and falling down, it is 10 foot wide (door side) x 15 foot deep, I also want to downsize so I can maintain / get around it.
I think 8' (door side) x 12' is preferable new size.

I've tried doing research and making some decisions, here's what I have so far:

Metal sheds have problems with condensation, but what puts me off is the 5'3" doors, being over 6' I have to duck to enter a wooden shed, I'd be crawling to get into a metal one. I use the shed daily, so height is important.

Shed specialists sell lovely wooden sheds, but I can't spend that much (£2500+).

Pine softwood sheds are affordable (in kit form) but not very long lasting, generally cheaper felt and thin wood to keep the cost down. On the other hand I can fix it when (yes when) it breaks.

Finally plastic, generally not having the size range I've reduced it down to two options, expensive and very expensive...
one is 8 x 11 and £850 (http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Plastic-Sheds/Keter-fortis-8-x-11-Apex-Garden-Store-Shed)
the taller (plus points), apparently thicker plastic / higher quality shed is 8 x 12 and £1500 (http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Plastic-Sheds/Lifetime-Apex-8-Fronted-Plastic-Garden-Shed).

The pine shed is 8 x 12 and £550 (http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Wooden-Sheds/The-BillyOh-5000-Windowless-Range).

So my dilemma is, do I splash out for a plastic shed, or go for the (maybe) more environmentally (and wallet) friendly pine?
I am really sold on the idea of the lifetime 8 x 12 shed since the headroom is great, but the cost is holding me back.

Any advice or suggestions would be very welcome.
Thanks
Tim

CD -rom garden design?

dill the dog — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:55:11 GMT

Does anyone know of any good software on CD-Rom (etc) that allows me to create a new garden design, for the family. Are they easy to use and where could I purchase such an item? I've looked on Amazon but have not been successful.

weather

jeanie — Sun, 12 May 2013 14:53:48 GMT

After 12 months of really bad weather is gardening just becoming more of a challenge or is it a losing battle ? Thoughts welcome @ www.socket2em.co.uk/dir

Growing Trailing Fuchsias and Geraniums and Sufinas from seed.

BML — Tue, 14 May 2013 10:50:49 GMT

Is it possible to grow Trailing Fuchsias and Geraniums and Sufinas from seed?

Camellias not flowering

kss — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:23:01 GMT

Hi. I am a beginner gardener and have only got into gardening since we moved into our new house December 2011. We have two Camellias planted in a shady area of our garden (in the ground not in a tub) and last spring they had beautiful pink and off white flowers. This year however they are showing no signs of flowering, and some of the leaves have a slight yellow tinge to them. After looking around on the internet for some reasons as to why this may have happened, the answer I kept coming across is that the soil is not acidic enough. Thinking about it the answer seems logical as in November 2012 I planted some tulip bulbs around the two Camellias using normal compost (not realising as I do now that this would possibly have an adverse effect on the camellias). So I am presuming that because I used standard compost to plant the tulips the pH of the soil has been affected and I now need to make it acidic. Is this presumption correct? Or is the lack of flowers and yellowing of the leaves possibly due to something else? I have not measured the ph of the soil as yet as I do not have any equipment (I am going to purchase a meter). If I do find that the soils pH is now alkaline could you please let me know what the best way to rectify it... The idea that I getting from different sites is to add some fertiliser(eg Miracle Gro liquid feed for azalea, camellia etc) and to mulch with ericaceous compost. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Please let me know if you require any further information. Many thanks. K

How is your garden growing?

Halesowenmum — Thu, 02 May 2013 13:48:52 GMT

I just wondered how slowly / quickly other people's gardens are growing? Still having the odd frost but finally we're getting consistent sunshine each day. My garden only gets sun on pretty much one side and the sun is totally gone by 3pm so it's not the best plot for encouraging things to pop up. Sprouting from what I planted last year are the delphiniums (just sprouting), the foxgloves doing well, knipophera just a few tufts, poppies - going dingbats already with a large flower bud on each one, jasmine just starting to grow some leaf buds. No signs of any lupin or lily activity. Planted rudbekia and echinacea last year (towards the end of the summer) and absolutely no signs of that at all at the moment I really want to see my lupins appearing - where are you! I have one Agapanthus which looks a bit sorry for itself so i'm hoping it's not died over this horrible never ending winter. I'm reallly getting impatient to see more things getting going! How's everyone else doing? I'm in the West Midlands.

Tring to identify a tree - help appreciated.

Grant — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:01:22 GMT

Im sure its something obvious as it looks familiar, but i've been through a couple of books (the RHS encyclopedia and the collins tree guide) and just couldn't see this particular tree. Very bright/pale green leaves, felt like to touch. 4 pictures linked for id if possible. My wife has wanted one of these for years as there are two local two us, but we've never managed to figure out what they are :) http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o34/iambiggles/unknowntree4_zps32bf3327.jpg http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o34/iambiggles/unknowntree3_zpsd3c448fe.jpg http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o34/iambiggles/unknowntree2_zps8ef069db.jpg http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o34/iambiggles/unknowntree1_zpsea2aed79.jpg Many many thanks in advance. I'm sure i'm going to be horribly embarrassed when its something really common and I just missed it in the books .....