Have you nipped the plants out?I have some bigguns this year but they are still very greeeen
The gardening thread
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Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Thought my morning glory had done flowering, so was happy to see a flower today. 
I also noticed some wildflower seeds (thrown down in the past week, coz you can supposedly sow them from September) starting to germinate. I guess that will be them goosed..
I also noticed some wildflower seeds (thrown down in the past week, coz you can supposedly sow them from September) starting to germinate. I guess that will be them goosed..
What wildflowers? Anything hardy should be fine, September and October are the perfect time to sow hardy annuals to overwinter for better and earlier flowers next spring.
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
Packets of random wildflowers (mainly annuals, I think), plus a lot of yellow rattle (on a hacked about lawn). So you're telling me if they germinate now, they should survive winter?
Any properly hardy annuals should be fine, some won't cope with more than a light frost but wildflowers I'd expect to mostly be fine, especially if they were in a pack that said to sow now. Yellow rattle needs the cold it'll get over winter in order to germinate the following spring.Packets of random wildflowers (mainly annuals, I think), plus a lot of yellow rattle (on a hacked about lawn). So you're telling me if they germinate now, they should survive winter?
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
I'm just glad it seems to be working. I've tried putting wildflower seed down on lawn before but without much luck, either just literally chucking it on the lawn
or making a few dents in the grass first. This time I really battered it with a rake, making sure lots of soil was exposed, and also threw down some sand and potting compost. I didn't really want to start lifting turf, as I've also done in the past. Decided to put a few bulbs in these patches too. Hopefully it's all good!
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
I hate cutting terf, thats how I did my back in originally so I am extra cautious lol, like sat on the floor with the spade almost horizontal, have a 8x4ft area to clear off and stick on the hugelkultur since it needs another few more layers and about 4 foot in height lol, so much for no dig gardening!I'm just glad it seems to be working. I've tried putting wildflower seed down on lawn before but without much luck, either just literally chucking it on the lawn
Are you thinking stuff to fill gaps or stuff to plant along next to the hedge or stuff to climb through it?
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
There is a lot of hedge, some has trees, some is random brush, some has sort of interleaved sticks to be a hedge/privacy thing, it's also cornish hedging mostly.
So I guess the answer is yes
Lol. Ok I'll have a think
First thing that comes to mind though is honeysuckle does great in a hedge, or a climbing jasmine - winter jasmine (Jasminun nudiflorum) is nice as it produces loads of bright yellow flowers from winter through into spring before anything else has got going. Clematis are a bit more fussy but can be worth the effort. Or a rambling rose? There's climbers with variegated leaves or leaves that turn vivid red in autumn that would add a bit of colour too but some of those like some ivies and false virginia creeper can tend to want to take over a bit.E2a can't really recommend it because I've only just ordered a few myself to plant this winter, but arctic kiwi (Actinidia kolomikta) has pretty variegated leaves after a few years. Iirc the fruit are similar to hardy kiwi (A. arguta) which produces hairless fruits about the size of a large grape which taste similar to regular kiwis.
A pic would be helpful if you're up for posting one..
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Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
I'm currently trying to make a rough mini hedge from a berberis, pyracantha, different jasmines and some wild rose cuttings...
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
Cheers will do if I remember. Need a few pics tho.Lol. Ok I'll have a think
E2a can't really recommend it because I've only just ordered a few myself to plant this winter, but arctic kiwi (Actinidia kolomikta) has pretty variegated leaves after a few years. Iirc the fruit are similar to hardy kiwi (A. arguta) which produces hairless fruits about the size of a large grape which taste similar to regular kiwis.
A pic would be helpful if you're up for posting one..
Why are you not planting them out now, slugs? I'd apply nematodes before the soil cools too much if there's a particular area where you're having issues.I put out some delphiniums (I think they were) which the slugs were getting so I brought them into the conservatory. I also boughtloads of perennials plug plants so I'm hoping I can keep them in the conservatory (or cold greenhouse?) over winter?
At the very least I'd want to be potting on plugs (even to slightly bigger cells trays would be better than nothing) rather than leaving them for so long. They might survive but they won't be happy like that.
Some species will hibernate when it's properly cold, some will die after laying loads of eggs to hatch in the spring; I imagine your winters are pretty mild though?
Already finding loads of eggs up here (the chickens and ducks eat them
) but it might still be warm enough down there to kill a load of the bastards before they start.
No, stick them in the fridge as soon as they arrive and use the whole lot by the use-by date on the pack. Doesn't matter if you use e.g. a whole 40sqm pack on an area much smaller than that. Soil needs to be >5°C and wet when you apply them - I try to do it in heavy rain, otherwise water the area again immediately after to wash off any that landed on plants and get them right down into the soil - and to not dry out too much in the days following application.Ah yes mild. There were fuckloads of them this year
Will order some nematodes - covers 40sqm I presume any I don't use will last until spring?
Breaking up or getting rid of their trails can supposedly help too as they use them to navigate iirc. I sometimes do night checks with a torch and a sharp pair of scissors but that's more for areas where they haven't been much of an issue, to catch the first few before they tell all their mates about the brilliant new all-you-can-eat buffet that's just opened up down the road 
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
There's a drainage ditch I built running down next to the hedge as we had some massive flood at one point, then a built up area with plants etc next to that.Lol. Ok I'll have a think
E2a can't really recommend it because I've only just ordered a few myself to plant this winter, but arctic kiwi (Actinidia kolomikta) has pretty variegated leaves after a few years. Iirc the fruit are similar to hardy kiwi (A. arguta) which produces hairless fruits about the size of a large grape which taste similar to regular kiwis.
A pic would be helpful if you're up for posting one..
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Callie
Pivoting
Looking good!
I'd take off any leaves that're showing signs of blight plus any others on the lower half of the stems too now, to get them to direct all their energy into finishing off the fruits that have set.
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