Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
Good point, I probably need to, as it’s fairly steep. I have some spare rocks which I’ll add for now, but something more ornamental will be better long term
The gardening thread
- Thread starter ringo
- Start date
two sheds
Least noticed poster 2007
Thanks for this
I've distributed them and watered them in. I presume I wait a few days so they do the voodoo that they do so well before planting the perennials out. The plantlets are all doing well in the conservatory at the moment so I think I'll put out three of each to the designated places and leave three in the pots indoors, see what happens for a week or so.Yeah wait a bit, keep the ground watered if you have some dry weather.Thanks for this
They won't necessarily kill them all but I find they make a noticeable difference if I've been getting a lot of slug damage on stuff. If you happen to know or can find out where they tend to all hang out and lay their eggs it can still be a help to manually remove or expose some for birds to eat too though.
two sheds
Least noticed poster 2007
Right, I've planted out half of the plug plants and most of them still seem to have been eatenSome 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.
. Am thinking of either leaving the remaining ones in the conservatory where they're doing quite well, or putting them out under cloches when the weather turns. That sound sensible? Then plant them in the ground in spring when the nighttime temperature goes above 5C so I can add more nematodes (or Nemo toads, tiny frogs, as my naighbour calls them).
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
This is why I have absolutely everything under cover, best one has two layers so it's mesh under poly but the other one are far larger and cheaper and therefore, worse. But they keep things out. Theoretically, I still got caterpillars which destroyed all my lettuce.Right, I've planted out half of the plug plants and most of them still seem to have been eaten
What plants are they, how big, and what are they planted in now?Right, I've planted out half of the plug plants and most of them still seem to have been eaten
Am thinking of either leaving the remaining ones in the conservatory where they're doing quite well, or putting them out under cloches when the weather turns. That sound sensible? Then plant them in the ground in spring when the nighttime temperature goes above 5C so I can add more nematodes (or Nemo toads, tiny frogs, as my naighbour calls them).
Do you actually know what's eating them and, if slugs, did you definitely apply nematodes in the places they tend to be found in highest numbers?
Also soil temp is different from air temp.
two sheds
Least noticed poster 2007
Delphiniums doing really well so need to be divided), tree mallow and wild honeysuckle cuttings that seem to have established nicely, lots of miscellaneous perennial plug plants (echinacea, aquilegia, iccenthemum, coreopsis, verbena, dianthus, salvia, geum).
Not sure what's eaten them, looks vaguely slug like but no tracks or anything. And yep I'm fairly sure I applied them ok (unless they all got stuck in the rose) and watered them after applying. Not a huge problem because the areas I've got have mainly got space for only three plants each (getting the 72 was a bit excessive "but they were cheap"
).
And good point about the temperature - presumably I'll need to wait until both ground and air temperature are above 5C?
Not sure what's eaten them, looks vaguely slug like but no tracks or anything. And yep I'm fairly sure I applied them ok (unless they all got stuck in the rose) and watered them after applying. Not a huge problem because the areas I've got have mainly got space for only three plants each (getting the 72 was a bit excessive "but they were cheap"
).And good point about the temperature - presumably I'll need to wait until both ground and air temperature are above 5C?
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newme
Giant in Pastyland now
Crap loads of apples now for the compost, will have to sort that tomorrow and basically see what happens, have loads of random garden material and cardboard to add, is shredding the cardboard a good idea? Would like to start adding kitchen waste but I don't want rats in the field coming in.
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
yeh amazon boxes with the tape removed mainly, built up a bunch I used to prevent anything growing in the flood ditch so they are already wet and a bit rotted. Saved me from cutting out a 10x 10ft area of bramble again after I shoved some up in the hedge too, those things went through 3 pairs of heavy gardening gloves last year and now with my eczema it would be a disaster.
Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
Mowed the lawn today, it’s been dry for a few days now and will be dry for a few more.
Despite this the front lawn doesn’t get a lot of sun this time of year and the grass is always a bit wet underneath. Think I’ve been guilty of letting it grow too long this autumn. Might try keeping it shorter next year after spring.
Despite this the front lawn doesn’t get a lot of sun this time of year and the grass is always a bit wet underneath. Think I’ve been guilty of letting it grow too long this autumn. Might try keeping it shorter next year after spring.
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
Did mine today too, cyclinder mower set to 38mm so its just nicely clipping the top off now I got it under control. I actually had stripes sort of and it looks like a grown ups garden with the patches and fills sorted. Have to shift more turf anyway but ordering more clover seed to add to the other patches I think.
Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
This afternoon I put some lavender into the rockery I used to raise the level of the garden, say rockery it was basically previously upturned sods of earth with a retaining by border of various rocks, boulders and erm lumps of concrete I found in the garden.
So it was a bit rough and ready but using some topsoil, and some smaller stones I’ve removed from the lawn this weekend I think it’s an improvement. I’m not sure it will get enough sun, but it’s worth a gamble, and using the soil I’ve managed to add in a few levels and hopefully in time create a nice border / visual clue for small people as the other side is a 5ft drop
Before
After
I just realised I’ve got a gap on the corner in the bottom left of the picture, but there’s a reason for that but I can’t quite remember what it was!
Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
I bought an extra bag of compost but I didn’t end up using it. Still it will always come in handy
BoatieBird
Well-Known Member
Planted 3 packs of wallflowers in various places around the garden this morning.
I love a wallflower - one of the first flowers of the year and a great accompaniment to the spring bulbs.
I love a wallflower - one of the first flowers of the year and a great accompaniment to the spring bulbs.
Wolveryeti
Detty Pig
Harvested some lingua de fuoco beans- you dont get many per wigwam (1 jar maybe?) but the pods are purdy... 
Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
I’m thinking ahead to next year as there’s something that I’d like to plant some sort of plant or shrub in the tiered shingle beds by the left hand fence in the picture below (a slightly old picture). Currently there’s a membrane covered in stones - it’s a bit bland and ugly. There are four tiers in total of varying lengths but they all slope.
I was thinking to cut holes in the membrane, plant something in the holes and to leave the stones as is. What to plant I’m not sure about though, any ideas? It gets a reasonable amount of sun, and I’m probably not wanting anything to grow more than a few feet high
I was thinking to cut holes in the membrane, plant something in the holes and to leave the stones as is. What to plant I’m not sure about though, any ideas? It gets a reasonable amount of sun, and I’m probably not wanting anything to grow more than a few feet high
two sheds
Least noticed poster 2007
My cosmos is doing really well too
. I have to remember to keep going out and check whether the seed pods are ready yet. Have started raking sycamore leaves - they're helping to fill up the large hole at the bottom of the garden
It's taken three or four years but it's nearly full and next year I just have to decide what to plant there 
cesare
shady's dreams ♥
Do you like the idea of establishing a hedge, or do you lean to shrubs? Are pollinators important to you? What about flowers perhaps on trellis attached to the fence? Possible growing fruits laterally along the fence? How would you like it to look in 10 years time? Just some questions to think about the planning process.
It's exciting times when you start from more or less scratch in that place.
Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
I’m not sure about a hedge. Shrubs more likely. Pollinators yes.
Trellis I would like but not sure how I can attach to fence as it’s a featheredge one and I’d have thought easier to attach to a fence post
I think I’d like to add height more than depth though so perhaps I do need some sort of trellis
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
I am again raking in massive amounts of Sycamore leaves, we have trees down the entire border to next door, few oaks are now dropping acorns too, garden wraps around front to back that side so its a huge area, went and measured and its 110ft lol and some of the trees are huge. Been using them to make a wall next to the 70ft ditch I dug for drainage for like a decace now and its made some quite nice soil/composty stuff now. Plus a 2 foot barrier now covered in plants instead of a bad lawn that was there before. This year its going on the compost/hugelkultur very gradually lol and the cyclinder mower mulches it nicely. So much raking tho for it all to be there again tomorrow but I would like the new clover to not be covered either.My cosmos is doing really well too
Have started raking sycamore leaves - they're helping to fill up the large hole at the bottom of the garden
Also find while my dads massive professional measuring tape thing with proper clip ons and reel etc is great for measuring large areas. The winder however is not as effective as I had hoped for and it looks like something broke off. Winding it in took a while lol.
Leafster
.
I think a uniform hedge might make the garden look narrower so I'd go for a mix of different height/shape shrubs.I’m not sure about a hedge. Shrubs more likely. Pollinators yes.
Trellis I would like but not sure how I can attach to fence as it’s a featheredge one and I’d have thought easier to attach to a fence post
If you were looking for some height you could opt for a small fastigiate tree or a shrub you could clip to keep narrow but tall.
Alternatively, how about an arch over the path to grow stuff up and over?
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RubyToogood
RubyTwobikes
Personally I'd probably go for low, sun-loving herbs like rosemary, sage, lavender and thyme.
It might be a good idea to investigate what's happening under the landscaping fabric. Is there much actual soil or have they filled in with rubble mostly? If the latter it won't support anything large or lush anyway.
Also is the soil underneath reasonably moist, indicating that the fabric is permeable?
Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
Thank you
That’s a really good point re the fabric. I think it’s soil of some sort but I should probably cut a hole the size of a trowel in the fabric and investigate.
I love lavender so any excuse to plant more suits me
heinous seamus
Perfect in an empty room
Does anyone here cover their beds over winter? Not something I've done before, but I'm thinking of digging some manure in and covering them this year. If nothing else it will stop the dickhead foxes digging holes everywhere...
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
I have poly / mesh covers over everything as I don't trust the dog not to bury a bone in it (happened before), or possibly worse.
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