The gardening thread

[Leafster]

I've just been comparing photos I took this time last year with some I took this morning. The garden is definitely way behind where it was last year.

The elder was in full bloom this time last year but there's no sign of flower yet although the border does look beautifully green after all the rain.



Various poppies have slowly invaded different parts of the garden but I'm happy to leave them be (more on that later)





The irises look as though they will put on a good show but it's not quite there yet.







The autumn fruiting raspberries look as though they've been enjoying the wet too.



It seems my composting techniques aren't as good as they should be as last years poppy seeds from the composted plants appear to have survived in the fresh compost I put on this veg bed.







Last year the buddleia globosa at the back was full of bloom and swarming with bees but nothing this year



Again, the pinks and rose were covered in flowers last year but there's only a hint of flowers to come this year. The alliums on the level above are only just starting to show signs of flowering.



The peonies are only just about to bloom and this is the first flower to begin to open.

 

[bimble]

Finally felt confident enough that its not going to snow again to put the sweetpeas out into their bed. Upon which i discover that of course they're totaly rootbound, dense and knotted because of being mollycoddled for so long.
Live and learn isnt it. At least it's a different mistake from last year's but i doubt they'll be able to use even a quarter of the tall climbing frame i built them.

 

[campanula]

hogweed is relatively easy to deal with if you can prevent it running to seed. It was all over my wood (along with water dropwort, hemlock, aconitum and briony - a regular poison patch)...regular mowing did for most of them. We will all look forward to updates, orient slacker.

 

[Leafster]

hogweed is relatively easy to deal with if you can prevent it running to seed. It was all over my wood (along with water dropwort, hemlock, aconitum and briony - a regular poison patch)...regular mowing did for most of them. We will all look forward to updates, orient slacker.

Yes, this, updates with photos please orient slacker

 

[campanula]

Ah yep, the 'too long in pot' scenario. Been there and still have a permanently bonsai field maple (2 feet tall after 7 years in the ground). Sweet peas are actually hardy annuals and can easily cope with frost and snow (I do an autumn sowing which overwinter outside). Keep an eye out for a thunbergia alata, bimble (climbing black eyed susan) and your structure will be filled by summers end.

 

[bimble]

Black eyed susan and the cup&saucer vines together might look quite retro and trippy whilst also sorting out my ambitious-looking frame

 

[two sheds]

Pendulous sedge, on the other hand, as I mentioned above and as I'm sure you know orient slacker is a real pain. I had one across the road from me that must have seeded and I've picked 100 or more seedlings out of the field 30 yards away. It's gained a foothold in the valley at the back of me and I think it's going to take over.

 

[TopCat]

It’s all doing well. Loads of er stuff is on the verge of flowering.

 

[The39thStep]

Lettuce, courgette and cucumber from the garden

 

[BoatieBird]

Looking good Leafster and TopCat.
And yes orient slacker, photos please!

 

[The39thStep]

It’s all doing well. Loads of er stuff is on the verge of flowering.

That’s some back garden you’ve got in your gaff TC

 

[TopCat]

That’s some back garden you’ve got in your gaff TC

Social housing. The neighbours who own their places that abut us all have a tenth of the space. You can hear and feel them seethe on a quiet night.

It’s a lot to keep up with but it’s fab for my physical and mental well-being. Flowering is late this year but we are due some sun soonish.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

Like this, flat side's the perfect size for tamping & striking off and the sticky-out bits fit through the module tray's drainage holes to push the plugs out as well as dibbing holes for seeds. Quicker and less of a faff than fingering all your holes one by one

Ooh, being able to use them for dibbing as well as pushing the plugs out is useful. adds to ever growing gardening shopping list

 

[Idaho]

My garden has a new owner:

He gets indignant when I go out the back door into his domain. He breaks into irate chirping and waving his tail from the apple tree.

 

[two sheds]

Anyone tried weed burners? Tempted by this. A 5m lead isn't all that long but I presume you can extend it. I only use weedkillers for japanese knotweed and invasive bamboo, and then only stem by stem. Have a lot of brambles in particular that are hard to get rid of, plus ivy and cinquefoil (potentilla repans). Any thoughts?

Garden Gear Weed Burner | Van Meuwen

Garden Gear Weed Burner from Van Meuwen

www.vanmeuwen.com

 

[bimble]

we are due some sun soonish.

When ?

 

[Calamity1971]

Anyone tried weed burners? Tempted by this. A 5m lead isn't all that long but I presume you can extend it. I only use weedkillers for japanese knotweed and invasive bamboo, and then only stem by stem. Have a lot of brambles in particular that are hard to get rid of, plus ivy and cinquefoil (potentilla repans). Any thoughts?

Garden Gear Weed Burner | Van Meuwen

Garden Gear Weed Burner from Van Meuwen

www.vanmeuwen.com

Lidl currently have the gas cannister ones in. I've never had one but I know people who've used them especially for weeds in paving etc.
Parkside Gas-Powered Weed Burner - Lidl — Great Britain - Specials archive

 

[iona]

Yeah the gas ones are good. They're useful for cutting membrane too, stops the edges fraying.

 

[two sheds]

Ta, but not sure I trust myself with gas cannisters. I like having two legs

 

[Calamity1971]

Ta, but not sure I trust myself with gas cannisters. I like having two legs

Better than having wires trailing everywhere,
Two sheds, two legs. It's not a rocket

 

[two sheds]

Indeed, I avoid rockets too just because I like the number of legs I have.

Also checked electric one is 600 C, (different) gas one is 1300 C. Hmmmmmmm. The idea of just zapping the little fuckers is very appealing though. I spend 90% of my time weeding.

 

[Calamity1971]

You have to get one two sheds. 1300 and you'll deffo have no cinquefoils left with their lovely little flowers.

 

[two sheds]

little fuckers .... mutters .... long roots you can't pull out because they break off ... grrrrr ... get everyfuckingwhere ... hate them .... tiny little useless flowers

 

[Calamity1971]

little fuckers .... mutters .... long roots you can't pull out because they break off ... grrrrr ... get everyfuckingwhere ... hate them .... tiny little useless flowers

Having a moment there two sheds

 

[two sheds]

Hmmm looks like butane weed burner would indeed be best. It's not going to kill bramble roots though is it? (although I did see that it even kills mares tail if you repeat it a few times).

I was also tempted by this AMOS Steel Weed Puller Claw Lawn Weeder Root Remover Killer Grabber Garden Tool but again I'd have thought it's going to leave the bramble roots.

Otherwise what I do now with garden fork and pull the fuckers.

 

[TopCat]

When ?

Today.

 

[Artaxerxes]

First tomato flowers have appeared

Need to put more courgettes in soon because yeah the existing ones are fucking dead as doornails (though one looks alive but fuck me its stem is a bit...) Sad to see the slugs have also eaten one of the spud plants leaves down to a nub as well, the fuckers.

 

[TopCat]

Cabbage white butterflies have turned up en masse. The ants are full on though. Multiple colonies all ferrying aphids onto my plants. The French beans are fucked.

My cucumbers don’t seem to be doing much. Hoping warm weather will cheer them up.

The fish are stressed and are lurking at the bottom of the pond, buried in weed.
I put a little fountain on, to disrupt the mozzies which are present in their pre bastard mosquito stage in their thousands. Hoping it will cheer the fish up so they get eating.

 

[Calamity1971]

Cabbage white butterflies have turned up en masse. The ants are full on though. Multiple colonies all ferrying aphids onto my plants. The French beans are fucked.

My cucumbers don’t seem to be doing much. Hoping warm weather will cheer them up.

The fish are stressed and are lurking at the bottom of the pond, buried in weed.
I put a little fountain on, to disrupt the mozzies which are present in their pre bastard mosquito stage in their thousands. Hoping it will cheer the fish up so they get eating.

Just found an amazing patch of lemon balm on a patch of disused land. Just looking it up on Google and one it's great properties is that it repels mosquitoes. The little feckers hate it. Just thought of you and your plight.

 

[Artaxerxes]

Just found an amazing patch of lemon balm on a patch of disused land. Just looking it up on Google and one it's great properties is that it repels mosquitoes. The little feckers hate it. Just thought of you and your plight.

I grew that outside several years ago.



Halp.