The gardening thread

[Ron Merlin]

It's a double-header!

 

[iona]

Oh shit. I can't load a photo
Does photobucket not work on urban anymore?

Wasn't it them who did that dickhead move to not letting people link photos without a paid account?

Try uploading directly to urban, or somewhere like Postimage.org — free image hosting / image upload

 

[StoneRoad]

Can anybody help me to if this plant please?

I must have planted it because there's just one pot of it on my balcony. I think it's kind of pretty but I'm wondering if it's a medicinal herb I might have tried to grow. And if so, which one?
Good intentions man, good intentions...

Oh shit. I can't load a photo
Does photobucket not work on urban anymore?

Only if you have a paid a/c.
Try Ipernity instead ...

 

[Motown_ben]

I've never been into gardening at all but this summer I've managed to remodel our back garden to make it more user friendly for us. We mainly wanted a sheltered BBQ area as we like cooking outside a lot. We had a new slightly bigger shed delivered and from this I came up with an idea for a covered decked area using a load of old scaffold boards. This idea then grew a fair bit and we ended up with a bit of a fish pond and a lot of slate pebbles rather than grass.

I've done it all myself which I'm particularly proud of[emoji16]

We've also been growing veg too which has been really eye opening and fun. Plus we've eaten nothing but courgettes for about 5 weeks now lol.....

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[Motown_ben]

One of our first visitors to the pond, arrived about a week after we filled it up.

Sadly the cat pounced on him a few minutes after this picture was taken, he survived but we've not seen him since.

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[AnnaKarpik]

There's some kind of bastard black stuff in the garden rotting my broad beans, asters and succulents. Never encountered anything like it but I've never had an urban, coastal garden before. What should I do?

 

[Ron Merlin]

These monsters might keep blowing over but I do love them:



The continuous radishes:


Thought I might as well use the space around the wheelie bin bay tree to squeeze another harvest from the season:

 

[Motown_ben]

Planted some potatos last week and these are the first signs of them. Not grown potatoes before but I've been told to give them another covering of soil as they will keep growing up through it.

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[ringo]

Had my first go at doing a cutting from a tree after accidentally breaking a branch off my cryptomeria japonica rasen. We call it the dreadlock tree and my old reggae collecting mate was admiring it after carnival so I'm trying to grow one for him. I was in the middle of other work so just stripped off the lower branches and stuck it in some compost, no rooting powder etc. Be OK?

I took down our pool and the rotting trampoline and suddenly have half my garden back [emoji41]

The littlun has sown grass seed on it, and I've just received a request for a pond, bench, chill out spot to go there.

They probably want me to start on my copy of the Daigo-Ji temple in Kyoto [emoji41][emoji16]

 

[ringo]

What's the deal on asking neighbours to cut back overhanging trees? There are three big sycamores in the two gardens next to mine which partly overhang into my garden. They are to the north east so don't totally put my garden in shadow, but where the branches grow over my garden they do still reduce the light considerably. They had some trees nearer their houses cut back in the summer but ignored these, which is a bit cheeky.

 

[ringo]

If you are serious about topiary, I really suggest the shorter (£72) Okatsune shears. I bought some for eldest (who maintains a lot of box hedging) and they are a joy to use. Light but sharp and agile enough to do some intricate work (so topiary clippers proper are less necessary than a good pair of light 6-8inch blades). Also, I find a two-handed grip better than a one handed scissor action, having small hands. Regarding the secateurs, they are lovely but I admit to wrapping the handles in handlebar tape as they get bloody cold in winter. I am going to replace it with some really bright tape as I lose mine continually. Holsters - yep, after wearing holes in all my pockets, I bought leather holsters but find them to be a nuisance since they attach to my trouser tops with a very tight opening meaning it is a struggle, riffling through my clothing to find the holster...whereas I now chuck them in my version of a trug - a basic willow basket which holds all my short hand tools. You can do pretty much all pruning and hedging work with a good Silky pull saw, shears and a set of secateurs - snips and clippers, even loppers are not necessary. A sharp pullsaw is as good as a chainsaw for general remedial work - obviously, a tree surgeon needs the power but I need accuracy, safety (especially when scrabbling around under and in hedging) and sharpness.
Tbh, some of your uncle's tools look well decent - as long as the blades have not been twisted out of line, a good sharpening stone and strop will work wonders...but if the blades do not perfectly align, buy some new decent ones and bear in mind the appropriate girth of branches for lopping.
I definitely agree - buy the best you can afford - just buy less items but make sure they are good ones (wence getting rid of all my old weeding devices). Oh yeah, I finally did the bucket of oiled sand thing this year, to plunge my tools in at the end of the day. The Japanese tendency to use carbon steels rather than stainless makes this essential - I really appreciate picking a nice sharp CLEAN spade every time i reach into the shed.
I love grass shears - I have 2 sets at different angles. With a sharp half moon edger, my beds are bloody wonderful - a great psychological boost when it all seems to be turning to chaos.

A year to the week since this conversation, have been buying and using lots of this stuff since, all of it was great advice
Got some lovely Tobishu SR-1 secateurs which I've used constantly and love. I'm using Tobishu topiary clippers for my Japanese holly, yews, azaleas and other small leafed trees.
I've bought some Okatsune shears but my Japanese plants are only just getting mature enough to use them, so they're mainly getting used for maintenance on already established plants rather than fine stuff. Next year I think they'll get used on everything if it all keeps growing at the same rate.
I have a Silky Zubat pull saw which makes short work of anything. Can't believe the hours of pain and frustration I've wasted over the years using bow saws etc when these just go stright through everything.
To prune back the sycamores from next door where they overhang my garden and to help my Mum with her fruit trees I've just ordered a Silky Haiyuchi pole saw.
I finally got round to ordering a Hori Hori today too because I keep finding a trowel is too small.
I might have to look up the oil in sand thing, although I won't be ruining the polish on my Tobishus

 

[campanula]

and at least another hundred extra likes, ringo. There is nothing like great kit...it makes pruning and shaping into exactly the sort of calm and meditative process it really is supposed to embody. Waffly and hippyish I know, but on another thread, (knitting) I have been reminded again how a decent tool will turn a chore into a pleasure.
Regarding your cryptomeria, my eldest is the main evergreen propagator...and has had good luck with cryptomerias, so will ask him about yours. I recall taking thuja and juniper cuttings at college - we did them in midsummer and kept them under mist...although yew (which looked to be a similar size to your cutting), rooted just sitting in the shade of the north wall. Would suggest yours is kept out of direct light too. As it happens, I am trying to expand my cuttings skills (have always been wedded to seed) and have a load of box, salvias, hebe, lavender and verbena bonariensis cuttings on the go (the VB rooted in 10 days!)
Ah, neighbour's trees. There is a protocol: you are able to cut back branches which overhang your property line...but should offer the arisings back to the tree owner (an archaic bit of law which no-one ever upholds, unless the cut branches had timber value. But yep, sycamore is not the most exciting tree (the wood is useful though)...and will grow back annoyingly vigorously. They will happily take a pollarding. Personally, I really like some of them - there is a line of sharply pollarded planes near me and they look terrific against the sky in their winter starkness, while by late summer, each limb terminates in a gorgeously geometric halo of leafage - a sort of extreme cloud pruning. Perhaps you could persuade them to let you have a go I am sure you can find some pics to show, but failing that, I can take some photos of the ones near me.
O, and I am certain you know this, but cutting needs to be done at this half of autumn/winter (November is ideal).

 

[ringo]

and at least another hundred extra likes, ringo. There is nothing like great kit...it makes pruning and shaping into exactly the sort of calm and meditative process it really is supposed to embody. Waffly and hippyish I know, but on another thread, (knitting) I have been reminded again how a decent tool will turn a chore into a pleasure.
Regarding your cryptomeria, my eldest is the main evergreen propagator...and has had good luck with cryptomerias, so will ask him about yours. I recall taking thuja and juniper cuttings at college - we did them in midsummer and kept them under mist...although yew (which looked to be a similar size to your cutting), rooted just sitting in the shade of the north wall. Would suggest yours is kept out of direct light too. As it happens, I am trying to expand my cuttings skills (have always been wedded to seed) and have a load of box, salvias, hebe, lavender and verbena bonariensis cuttings on the go (the VB rooted in 10 days!)
Ah, neighbour's trees. There is a protocol: you are able to cut back branches which overhang your property line...but should offer the arisings back to the tree owner (an archaic bit of law which no-one ever upholds, unless the cut branches had timber value. But yep, sycamore is not the most exciting tree (the wood is useful though)...and will grow back annoyingly vigorously. They will happily take a pollarding. Personally, I really like some of them - there is a line of sharply pollarded planes near me and they look terrific against the sky in their winter starkness, while by late summer, each limb terminates in a gorgeously geometric halo of leafage - a sort of extreme cloud pruning. Perhaps you could persuade them to let you have a go I am sure you can find some pics to show, but failing that, I can take some photos of the ones near me.
O, and I am certain you know this, but cutting needs to be done at this half of autumn/winter (November is ideal).

I think with gardening and woodwork the very best tools really do make all the difference. Both with execution and the enjoyment/calm/meditative side. They are expertly crafted, beautiful in their own right and an absolute joy to handle and use. They really do make it a pleasure.

Thanks, I've moved the cyptomeria cutting to a north wall, see how it does.

I'm going to prune back the overhanging sycamore branches I can reach. Both gardens are overgrown and unloved and I can't reach much of them so I'll just remove what's in my way and leave the rest to screen off the neighbours.

Yep, coming up to the right time to prune so should fit my plans perfectly.

 

[Motown_ben]

Yesterday we bought our first greenhouse. Its only a 6 x 4 and it will take up to 3 weeks to be delivered but its still v exciting.

Can anyone recommend stuff that will grow in a greenhouse through winter?

I'd like to grow chilli's, peppers and tomato's at some point but need to read up on when they are best started.

 

[ringo]

I had another look at the high branches I want to prune and the massive saw I've bought and decided I'd better get some safety equipment before I do myself a mischief.

 

[campanula]

You will definitely need to keep the Hori Hori (dig dig) clean and oiled. I left mine out at the allotment and had to smuggle it home for remedial steel wool and edge grinding before my youngest (and blade fanatic) caught sight of it's rusted horror. Never happens with the smaller carbon steel blades I use because I don't leave them out in the rain. I have wrapped the handle in bright orange handlebar rubber as mine vanished from sight every minute I laid it down.

Ringo - that cryptomeria - it is a tad on the large side as a cutting...but if you pull one of the side laterals off, keeping a heel of bark from the main trunk (so pull carefully, rather than cutting with blade), you are more likely to have better success. Just an extra option. I do this a lot with semi-hardwood rose cuttings...and then keep them under a tall cloche made from a cut-off water bottle so they are in an enclosed little 'biodome'. Resist pulling or meddling (my downfall) - it will take months to root possibly by late next spring.

 

[BoatieBird]

Congrats on the greenhouse Motown_ben, will it be heated?
If it's heated then you could grow salad crops over winter, if it's not then you're options might be limited until next spring...

 

[ringo]

You will definitely need to keep the Hori Hori (dig dig) clean and oiled.

Ringo - that cryptomeria - it is a tad on the large side as a cutting...but if you pull one of the side laterals off, keeping a heel of bark from the main trunk (so pull carefully, rather than cutting with blade), you are more likely to have better success.

Will do.
I wondered that. Not exactly picturing the heel of bark from the main trunk, I'll look that up. I can probably start four off from that branch then, and hope two make it.

ETA: Found the info, ta: Cuttings: semi-ripe/RHS Gardening

 

[Motown_ben]

Congrats on the greenhouse Motown_ben, will it be heated?
If it's heated then you could grow salad crops over winter, if it's not then you're options might be limited until next spring...

Cheers ears,

No plans to heat it at the moment but I will have power not far away so it is a possibility for the future.

I did suspect that it would be better suited for next spring but we got a good deal on it so couldn't say no to it really.

 

[MaxineDanko]

Just loved going hrough this thread.

 

[Motown_ben]

Initial greenhouse construction commenced this evening.

It's not as simple as you would hope due to poor labeling of the parts but after a fair bit of head scratching and some general bickering between us we managed to get the base and first side put together.

I recon we should get a fair bit of it done tomorrow evening now we know what we are doing.

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[Treacle Toes]

What's the deal on asking neighbours to cut back overhanging trees? There are three big sycamores in the two gardens next to mine which partly overhang into my garden. They are to the north east so don't totally put my garden in shadow, but where the branches grow over my garden they do still reduce the light considerably. They had some trees nearer their houses cut back in the summer but ignored these, which is a bit cheeky.

I am watching with interest and offer you a fist bump in solidarity. My neighbours have a very big elderly pear tree which pretty much pisses rotten pears over into my garden for 3 months each year starting 3 weeks ago. I am talking hundreds, no exaggeration. I once mentioned it to one of them and he laughed saying, yeah happens to us too. I could have lamped him...it's their bloody tree!

In the five years I have lived here not once have I managed to save a single pear...they come down rock hard or rotten...I want them to cut it back, i've had enough.

 

[ringo]

I've got a pull saw, a pole saw and a step ladder so I'm going to cut back what I can reach in another month or so.

 

[Treacle Toes]

I've got a pull saw, a pole saw and a step ladder so I'm going to cut back what I can reach in another month or so.

Hmmm....so perhaps I should ask if my tree surgeon can crop the branches back when he comes to do some for me? Sweeten the blow?

 

[ringo]

Hmmm....so perhaps I should ask if my tree surgeon can crop the branches back when he comes to do some for me? Sweeten the blow?

Definitely, campanula said:
"Ah, neighbour's trees. There is a protocol: you are able to cut back branches which overhang your property line...but should offer the arisings back to the tree owner (an archaic bit of law which no-one ever upholds, unless the cut branches had timber value. "

 

[campanula]

Poked head into the greenhouse to find an overnight germination rush. Dianthus (2 species), Verbascum (3 sp.) echinacea, hypericum and ratibida have all appeared in my pots. Slight panic as there is no space for any potting on unless I get a load of earlier seedlings and 1st year perennials planted out...somewhere. I have also been taking cuttings. Normally a bit rubbish at this but doing lots has made it less likely that I will forget about them (the usual reason for fails) but it does add to the plant count. Obviously, nowhere is in any state of readiness for planting. Also the seed saving is getting out of hand...although I am a bit glutted with potential (like having money in the bank).

I would love, more than anything, to work in a plant nursery but for an urban non-driver, this is a bit of a non-starter.

 

[Motown_ben]

Putting a greenhouse together is far harder than I was expecting

A combination of poor instructions and badly labelled parts does not an easy job make. Or maybe I'm just an idiot.

I've now got all the 4 sides put together and tonight I need to figure out how they fit together which on initial inspection does not seem as simple as you would hope. Then after that its just the roof and glazing it. Actually I think I probably need to glaze the rear of it first as its going to be tight up against a fence and il not be able to glaze that panel once its all in finial position.

 

[AnnaKarpik]

I have an allotment, complete with compost bin. There is something living in the compost bin, gratefully eating the vegetable peelings and wotnot that I put in there, I believe it to be a rat but hesitate to stick a fork in and rootle things around in case it is a rat, or many rats. I hesitate to add poison to the compost because it is going on my vegetable garden. Does anyone have any advice please?

 

[The39thStep]

I have an allotment, complete with compost bin. There is something living in the compost bin, gratefully eating the vegetable peelings and wotnot that I put in there, I believe it to be a rat but hesitate to stick a fork in and rootle things around in case it is a rat, or many rats. I hesitate to add poison to the compost because it is going on my vegetable garden. Does anyone have any advice please?

I've go rid of rats in the garden using a mixture of bicarb soda, flour and sugar or plaster flour and sugar. Also put a bowl of water nearby. The idea is that as rats can't burp the gas builds up and they die or the plaster clogs up their digestive system

 

[ringo]

I watched a garden makeover programme by Alan Titchmarsh last night and found out that the uncurled fronds of a fern are pleasingly called croziers, after the hooked staff carried by a bishop as a symbol of pastoral office.