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

[Minnie_the_Minx]

We have nicotina sensation seeds and loads of baby plants...

Mmmm Lidl, was going to the pound shop but may have to change my plans

Well after going to King's for an 8.00am eek appointment, we went to B&Q in Streatham. Was there any Nicotiana seeds? Was there fuck

Went to Lidl in Streatham, and bought some bits and bobs (milk, bread etc.), but the bill came to £678.00

Tall planter didn't appeal to me. £10 for what felt like a bit of tall polystyrene, so didn't get that. Couldn't do any other shopping as himself was feeling sick so had to dash home.

Anyway, I may go up to the 99p shop once he's fallen asleep. I don't need anything, but they do have long bamboo stake thingies, which I might need for a nicotine plant. Not sure if they're the right things to use or not but for only £1

Can you spare some seeds Shakespeare? Are they the smaller plants?

I can offer you a choice of:

Sunset Flower
Aquilegia Dragonfly
Chinese Pagodas (Chinese Houses)
Passion Flower
Lemon Grass
Nasturtium
Trailing Petunia
Coleus (Mixed)
Cosmos Sensation
Californian Poppy
Snapdragon
Livingstone Daisy
Linaria Reticulata
Passion Flower

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

You need garlic spray for those critters Minnie

Crushed garlics in water?

 

[Perroquet]

I saw a ladybird two days ago on my back door. I left it there. I didn't offer it a cup of tea. The temperature's meant to be dropping though so I don't want my banana to die outside

Going to have to bring it in, sit it in the bath and wash the leaves with some diluted Fairy Liquid as a first line of defence I think. Do I wipe the leaves and the flies off, or can I spray it and they'll fall off? I get the impression they won't fall off as they're sticky

unless the temperatures drop to frost levels, it should be okay for a night or two.
but if you do bring it in and wash it in the bath be careful about water temp. some plants don't like it hot!
shouldn't need to wipe the leaves down.

g'luck.

 

[shakespearegirl]

They grow up to 60cms so not sure if too tall. But lads of seeds you can have.

Did you notice any capillary matting, peat pots, trays to put peat pots on at Lidl? Mr shakes shopping list!

 

[shakespearegirl]

Crush loads of garlic in water, leave for few days and use? Fucking reeks though

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

unless the temperatures drop to frost levels, it should be okay for a night or two.
but if you do bring it in and wash it in the bath be careful about water temp. some plants don't like it hot!
shouldn't need to wipe the leaves down.

g'luck.

Thanks for advice

Do you know a lot about insects? Is there any other larvae/cocoon that looks like a food moth cocoon that would lay on plants? I've found two cocoons on my parrot plant this week, and one of the critters was actually squirming to get out so I killed it just in time. They definitely look like food moths, and I should know as I've had the problem now for a couple of years. I only noticed because I saw that a leaf had turned off and seemed to be sticking to itself and on unsticking it, found the cocoon

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

They grow up to 60cms so not sure if too tall. But lads of seeds you can have.

Did you notice any capillary matting, peat pots, trays to put peat pots on at Lidl? Mr shakes shopping list!

I'm not sure what peat pots are. Are they those little cardboardy pots that they have in 99p shops? They had propogators. Capillary matting? Is that what you have in self-watering propagators?

Can't see any on this link

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/...Walworth&street=Massinger+Street&ar=1&nf=TRUE

 

[Perroquet]

Thanks for advice

Do you know a lot about insects? Is there any other larvae/cocoon that looks like a food moth cocoon that would lay on plants? I've found two cocoons on my parrot plant this week, and one of the critters was actually squirming to get out so I killed it just in time. They definitely look like food moths, and I should know as I've had the problem now for a couple of years. I only noticed because I saw that a leaf had turned off and seemed to be sticking to itself and on unsticking it, found the cocoon

are the cocoons dark brown and shiny? or more like tightly woven spider thread?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

are the cocoons dark brown and shiny? or more like tightly woven spider thread?

Not dark brown, more yellowy brown, exactly like the type I've found in kitchen cupboards when I've had a food moth/Indian meal moth invasion. I'm thinking that female moth, in the absence of any food, is laying eggs on my parrot plant

and yes, woolly type thread covering them

 

[Perroquet]

what did the critter that came out look like? bight green? or yellowy white? like a maggot or caterpillar?

eta: do you mean the cocoon was yellowy brown and this was wrapped in wooly thread?

 

[shakespearegirl]

Will popby Lidl although doesn't look like the massive sale is that massive

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

what did the critter that came out look like? bight green? or yellowy white? like a maggot or caterpillar?

eta: do you mean the cocoon was yellowy brown and this was wrapped in wooly thread?

I dunno, I squished it

The cocoon looked yellowy brown (although it could have been clear and it was the insect that was yellowy), and was wrapped in woolly sticky thread.

I'm 99% sure it's a food moth

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

This sort of colour, but skinnier

 

[Perroquet]

it does sound like a food moth but i didn't think they did the whole wrapping leaves around themselves thing.
i could well be wrong.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Will popby Lidl although doesn't look like the massive sale is that massive

What 99p shop do you go in, the Brixton one? Streatham one's much better. It's the old Woolworths so huge

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

it does sound like a food moth but i didn't think they did the whole wrapping leaves around themselves thing.
i could well be wrong.

I don't think it's wrapped the leaves round purposely, it's like the webby stuff has just made the leaf stick together

I've never even heard of them using plants to lay eggs on but I can only assume it's because I cleared all dried food out of my cupboards, it's got nowhere else to go

I was hoping you were going to convince me it wasn't a food moth

 

[shakespearegirl]

Ohhhh I've not been to the streatham one. Whereabouts is it, Internet can't find it

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Ohhhh I've not been to the streatham one. Whereabouts is it, Internet can't find it

Just get off at Becmead Avenue (where the Odeon Cinema is). Cross over the road to WH Smiths, then turn back on yourself and it's just down the road. Do a google map search for WH Smiths in Streatham, then turn back on yourself as if you were going back towards Brixton.

Oh, and Lidl's only a couple of minutes walk from WH Smiths but further on up Streatham.

PS: You'll never want to use the Brixton one again once you've been to the Streatham one

 

[shakespearegirl]

Found it, 99p shop not poundland! Is the garden department bigger than brixton

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Found it, 99p shop not poundland! Is the garden department bigger than brixton

Yep

Although whether they just have the same stuff but more of it, I can't be sure, as I rarely go in the tiny and overcrowded Brixton store

But definitely bigger and better and more choice than the Poundland in Brixton

 

[shakespearegirl]

Minnie Minnie Minnie, you are a bad influence!

One trip to Lidl = £36

3 clematis
3 roses
1 hybiscus
60 bedding plants

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Minnie Minnie Minnie, you are a bad influence!

One trip to Lidl = £36

3 clematis
3 roses
1 hybiscus
60 bedding plants

I DID NOT tell you to go to Lidl. I told you to go to the 99p place

I resisted the clematis. Got one last year and pretty much stayed the same size as the one you would have bought today, although I do think I bought it fairly late and didn't really do anything with it. Was tempted today, but decided as I hadn't done so well last year, I'd avoid it.

Got blue hibiscus last year as well, but didn't know how to keep that, but I'm sure I've seen people have them in their gardens year and after year and they're definitely the same place (or location), but again, didn't look into doing anything with it and it's just sat there, bare, all through the winter, so probably dead.

Did you go to the Streatham or Brixton Lidl?

60 bedding plants?

 

[shakespearegirl]

Streatham Lidl and 99p shop.

The range in the 99p is much better than Brixton.

Afraid I got rather carried away in Lidl. Luckily I had the sense to ring Mr Shakes who told me not to buy even more plants.

Getting it all home on the bus was fun.

We've got loads of beds for the bedding plants and we want to do window boxes and hanging baskets as well

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Streatham Lidl and 99p shop.

The range in the 99p is much better than Brixton.

Afraid I got rather carried away in Lidl. Luckily I had the sense to ring Mr Shakes who told me not to buy even more plants.

Getting it all home on the bus was fun.

We've got loads of beds for the bedding plants and we want to do window boxes and hanging baskets as well

I wouldn't mind window boxes but I've seen lots of them go missing down my road, so don't think I'll waste the money.

See, told you the Streatham 99p place was better!

 

[shakespearegirl]

People stealing window boxes? Bastards.

I hope my clematis grow. We got an expensive one last year and it just flopped and never did anything. Even before the cats moved and started sitting on it.

 

[shakespearegirl]

Did you want the nicotina seeds?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

People stealing window boxes? Bastards.

I hope my clematis grow. We got an expensive one last year and it just flopped and never did anything. Even before the cats moved and started sitting on it.

Yeah, but mainly only if you're on the ground floor. Most people have really heavy planters as well to deter thieves

Is it more civilised round your neck of the woods then?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Did you want the nicotina seeds?

Yes please, although judging by the state of some of my seedlings that I've potted up, they'll probably all keel over.

Not sure what I'm doing wrong. Maybe they're too wet, maybe I need a heated propagator?

Would you like any of my seeds?

Linaria Reticulata looks nice. Another dodgy skin irritant one that I'm probably going to forget about along with nicotiana

 

[shakespearegirl]

Can I have some of these:

Aquilegia Dragonfly

How was your Lidl bill £678? You could probably have a whole aisle in Lidl for that

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Can I have some of these:

Aquilegia Dragonfly

How was your Lidl bill £678? You could probably have a whole aisle in Lidl for that

Yep, you can have some Aquilegia. You do know it's invasive don't you? (I think I read somewhere that it was anyway).

They are very slow to germinate though, but I'll PM you the instructions I got with them.

Oh, I have no idea about the bill. She hit something wrong so she had to start again. I walked off after paying only to see other staff gathering round her trying to figure out how to correct her mistake