Minnie's Gardeners' Question Time - help for the new gardeners

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Ivy-leaved toadflax.

Another weed I ought to have by rights.

Must have been dropped off by a birdie.

I'll stick it in the post to you

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Having googled pictures of it, it does seem to like walls

 

[gentlegreen]

On the other hand I reckon I have at least 3 species of willow-herb in my garden - all close together - just waiting for the flowers to confirm.

 

[gentlegreen]

Having googled pictures of it, it does seem to like walls

In "Life of Plants" they did a timelapse - I'm pretty sure it roots itself as well as setting a few seeds that are released explosively...

EDIT- I was wrong. It's actually a bit like a peanut in its behaviour.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

EDIT- I was wrong. It's actually a bit like a peanut in its behaviour.

 

[gentlegreen]

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...e&q=Cymbalaria muralis explosive seed&f=false

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Look at my Fatsia Japonica's shot up from when I first got it 2 years ago

It's just shot up in the last couple of weeks

2011




2013 (nearly as tall as the fence)




Do you think I should move it into a larger planter?

 

[gentlegreen]

Yep - looks like it's gong for it.
Has it been outdoors all winter ?
At the very least it wants a builder's tub.
It's the sort of plant that usually goes in the ground - not sure if constricting it is a viable means to control it.

 

[BoatieBird]

Garden is looking lovely Minnie_the_Minx

 

[Dillinger4]

This is one of my bonsai trees

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Yep - looks like it's gong for it.
Has it been outdoors all winter ?
At the very least it wants a builder's tub.
It's the sort of plant that usually goes in the ground - not sure if constricting it is a viable means to control it.

Yes, it's been outside ever since I got it.

Hm, I've never repotted anything so big.

This is what it's currently in (2011 - milk bottle)



which is the middle size of this set of three




The biggest one is currently empty and is the biggest planter I have so that's the only option. Do you think it'll be ok in that or do I need something bigger? I really don't think I want the plant to get that much bigger as my back yard is tiny

Do they mind be repotted or do they throw a strop and die? I'd be most pissed off if that happened

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Garden is looking lovely Minnie_the_Minx

It's looking shit at the moment. Other than geraniums (and an aquilegia), sod all's flowering. I also have two ferns that I cut back and I think they're dead as nothing's happening with them, and I never bothered to grow anything this year, compared to last year when every single spare window sill had plants growing

 

[BoatieBird]

Patience Minnie, the flowers will arrive eventually

 

[May Kasahara]

I am impressed with your garden Minnie! Ours is flowering madly but looks a complete mess

We've just had a new fence put up on the shady side and I'd quite like to hang some planters on it and/or grow a climber up the side. What can I grow in a light shade environment that will look pretty and not require too much input?

 

[gentlegreen]

. What can I grow in a light shade environment that will look pretty and not require too much input?

I have a golden hop on a North-facing wall that does OK .. lack of light might tame a Virginia creeper ... both deciduous though. Fatsia Japonica - like Minnie has ...

ferns ...

 

[May Kasahara]

My herbs have bolted in this heat. What is to be done? If I hack them back and freeze the existing leaves for future use, will the plants start producing nice juicy leaves again or do I need to regrow from seed?

Also, where are all the ladybirds this year? My purple honeysuckle has been completely destroyed by sap-sapping bugs and I have only seen one ladybird so far.

 

[BoatieBird]

Good point May Kasahara I haven't seen any ladybirds this year now I come to think about it.
Maybe the cold spring has effected them?

 

[lizzieloo]

If you repot it Minnie it'll keep getting bigger and bigger, its roots will fill the space it has, it looks healthy and happy where it is. Feeding is a good idea with pots if stuff starts to look a bit ick.

 

[gentlegreen]

If you repot it Minnie it'll keep getting bigger and bigger, its roots will fill the space it has, it looks healthy and happy where it is. Feeding is a good idea with pots if stuff starts to look a bit ick.

Or even root-pruning and re-potting - though Fatsias do well indoors.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

More unidentified stuff. Useless weed or not?

This looks like one I may have posted before. Is the big one Dandelion? What about the one on the left? I'm thinking it looks like that willowherb I keep getting.



The one on the right with the round leaves has sprung up in a few places. Here it is again I think (in front of the begonia)



This is also growing in same basket as begonia.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

and then there's this. This was it a few weeks ago


and now



and finally for today, this one

 

[gentlegreen]

yep - some sort of dandeliony thing
The ones on the left some sort of willowherb - there are at least 5 common species as I have discovered this year by letting them grow.
The rounded leaved one I think it comes up with a deadnettle/minty kind of flower...

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

yep - some sort of dandeliony thing
The ones on the left some sort of willowherb - there are at least 5 common species as I have discovered this year by letting them grow.
The rounded leaved one I think it comes up with a deadnettle/minty kind of flower...

I'm learning! I obviously now recognise dandelion and willowherb! (I'll probably forget by next year)

Deadnettle/minty kind of flower?

 

[gentlegreen]

The last two have the potential to be interesting.
Do you have a bird feeder nearby ?

 

[gentlegreen]

Deadnettle/minty kind of flower?

Possibly ground ivy - I think I posted a photo on the thread..

http://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/what-is-this-bush-tree-plant.272575/page-11#post-12250560

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

The last two have the potential to be interesting.
Do you have a bird feeder nearby ?

No, no bird feeder

I know I planted stuff last year, some of which appeared, some of which didn't, but I can't remember what

Possibly ground ivy - I think I posted a photo on the thread..

http://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/what-is-this-bush-tree-plant.272575/page-11#post-12250560

Reminds me of lobelia. You're going to tell me now that it's the same thing aren't you?

 

[gentlegreen]

The first one looks similar to the canna alongside it actually.
I was wondering if the second one would turn out to be in the nightshade family ...I had a small datura come up the year before last near the bird feeder.

.. unless you've grown spinach or beets ?

I see they're grouping lobelia with the campanulas (bell flowers) now.

No definitely not lobelia .. if it's ground ivy, it may have square stems and be slightly aromatic.

 

[Callie]

ground ivy 'slightly aromatic' it stinks, loads in my garden.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

The first one looks similar to the canna alongside it actually.
I was wondering if the second one would turn out to be in the nightshade family ...I had a small datura come up the year before last near the bird feeder.

.. unless you've grown spinach or beets ?

I see they're grouping lobelia with the campanulas (bell flowers) now.

No definitely not lobelia .. if it's ground ivy, it may have square stems and be slightly aromatic.

Definitely no spinach or beets. As much as I'd love to grow datura, poisonous plants scare me. I already come up with new spots every time I'm out there, and as there's loads of plants that could be skin irritants, I have no way of knowing which cause what, so I'm not going anywhere near datura. I was scared to touch the milkweed and sunset flower last year!

As for the lilies, I cut two right back last year on trashpony's advice. The stripey one survived, and I'm pretty sure I binned the other one because it didn't look like it was going to grow back, so I don't think it's that.

What about the tall one in the hanging basket? (post 529)

 

[gentlegreen]

I think the tall one makes sprays of teeny white flowers - so most likely in the vast daisy family..