The gardening thread

[TopCat]

It has been a rare dry and bright day so got to work.

Harvested the remaining cucumbers, peppers, ripe tomatoes, aubergines and some decent spuds.

Cleared some beds and dumped about 1500 litres of well rotted compost on top. Like a mulch.

Been cooking tomato sauce. Plus ratatouille.

My back hurts but all good.

 

[StoneRoad]

Wanted to go outside as I've a list of jobs longer than my arm ...

But it has been too windy for several of the more urgent things, not to mention the wind is unseasonably cold and quite wet at times as it keeps showering. Bah, humbug !

Only good thing is the grass seed dumped onto where the water board had dug a big hole to fix a leak has finally started to germinate. Very patchy, though thanks to birds and heavy rain washing some seeds away ...
I do have some more seed to cure that ...

 

[newme]

Done all the edging (now I have a battery one) and pulling stuff up from next to the raised beds, 5 wheelbarrow loads for the compost pile which is literally a pile now. Ripped a load of ivy off, neighbours did their 'scrumping' and have left the tree nearly bare and the floor not covered in old apples, which was my main I don't want to deal with this thing, weed and cider is a bonus. They left with 4 huge sacks of it so they got a good harvest off it. Its probably only 75% of what was left but thats way less to deal with especially with some falling in the pond I am trying to renew.

Cleared one bed of everything, tomatoes are gone now, only have a few bits left. Daughter will apparently take all the veg so thats sorted. Chef so can whip up whatever.

 

[RubyToogood]

I have a question for campanula again.

I want to plant some bulbs on my mother's grave, so something that will naturalise and cope with neglect other than being mowed every so often.

She was very much a gardener and liked unusual things but unusual doesn't always equal "a good doer". She also hated purple.

Any suggestions?

Edited to add, there's some shade from nearby trees I think but it's fairly open.

 

[campanula]

At risk of being a bit obvious, my main choice, for naturalising, especially in grass or where small mammals are present, are the many and varied narcissus. Nothing eats them, they cope with utter neglect and, with a careful selection, can give you 3 months of bloom (starting with the dainty February Gold and finishing with the tiny, but tough Sundisc or jonquillas which are in bloom in early May.
However, I have had really good success with leucojum and, although a bit spendy, the Crown Imperial fritillaries have also naturalised in my wood (which is a really ferociously testing environment.
You might also consider cyclamen - both hederifolium and coum are tough, hardy and will colonise a large area. Tell me more about the sun/shade, soil type/climate and space...and especially if squirrels, rodents, deer or rabbits are present. I have never managed a single crocus or camassia. Are you looking to plant a few different sorts to extend the bloom times?
Snowdrops? Winter aconites? (best planted 'in the green' though as they do not like to dry out and be stored as dry bulbs).

 

[newme]

Trimmed back most everything except some things that could be hard cut back. Pond still empty but rain is coming and I have 12 containers outside to catch it including a picnic bench umbrella aimed at a water butt (still not connected its a hassle I haven't got around to).

Dug up huge amounts of dandelions, need replacement stuff to overseed. Found surprisingly clover is £36ish/kg and pasture stuff with 80% grass of various types and 15% of clover is the same price for 25kg. Is there a shelf life? I have vacuum sealers and fridge/freezer space if required. Also some other areas to seed and potentially use to harvest for compost. Also what to plant over a red clover thats died off, 4x8ft patch. Anything that flowers/colours, will do a lasagne plant if required with whatever base but something needs to go in.

Also want evergreen options for a dense hedge type thing, guy down the road has one thats waxy looking but if theres something more interesting thats better. Have both a front and side to cover, both have shallow soil and are 20-30ft long each and one where its rich in everything including depth thats maybe 15ft long. Prefer the lowest cost, don't mind waiting, have everything needed from seed to 1ft wide pots, inside and poly (3ft limit in there tho so far).

If I have dried branches, say 1inch thick dried for a year, is that brown or green when mulched? 43mm max so must be less then that.

 

[newme]

Also where are people getting bulk fertiliser/mulch/manure? And for how much? Looking at about £10/100 litre so far. Is it cheaper?

 

[TopCat]

Cooking the last of the tomatoes and peppers into sauce for the winter.

Green tomato chutney on the go. It’s nice but an indication of a shit summer.

No harvested hot chillis. Not one.

 

[newme]

Felt like absolute shit today but the youngest told me a couple times the sun was going off the back garden. Knows I like to get out in the sun, figured he might want to do something too. Yesterday I collected all the branches together I have been drying out and threw them in a huge pile.

So we got the mulcher out, I taught him how to use it, the pusher for not getting your hands near it. Which is virtually impossible anyway but if you have safety kit and use it then you don't cut off 3 fingers like my dad did with a table saw, over two separate incidents and decades of experience, plus loads of pusher devices made or bought.

Always had an issue with loud noises, even the bathroom driers at places were too noisy. He went and got some ear phones, we plowed through enough to fill two massive tubs, about 150l of it. Spent all of last year with no brown waste. Now I have about 400l stored and no containers left, plus the bottom of a dry pond in a large wheelbarrow and some huge chunks of gunnera root that broke off.

Do have a old council issued recycling thing but the front door came off, plus you can't turn it easily at all, can I just shove in a bunch of green and sprinkle in brown stuff as I go along? Am collecting dried leaves daily now clearing the grass.

 

[Elpenor]

Have decided to relocate my shed on the patio to expose the retaining wall; this gets a lot of sun so it was a waste having the shed there really. I will look to plant stuff in pots in front of the wall in the spring. And I also want to raise the height of the wall to stop soil runoff from the lavender I’ve planted.



Next job is to get some local limestone to add another layer or possibly two to the wall. I only need a few bits but haven’t worked out where to get it from. Probably Facebook? Hopefully I can get that done this autumn.

So the shed is now up against the wall, I have a brick between the back of the shed and the house wall so it should stay put and mean there is sufficient airflow. Of course if I lift up the shed roof there’s a small sprinkling of water behind the gap but there’s a small soak away between the patio and the house too.



Another knock on effect is I will need to relocate my wall mounted airer but perhaps getting a rotary one would be better anyway now I have some fairly flat grass to work with - which I didn’t when I moved in. But not in an hurry to do that as won’t have many more drying days this year.

Also I have a plastic storage bench to find a home for but that can go where the patio floods when it’s heavy rain! I don’t store anything in it anyway.

But overall worth it to expose the wall, which will allow for space to grow things



This is as much a gardening as DIY post tbh - sorry

 

[Wolveryeti]

My pumpkin haul. The green ones (Musquee de Provence) went mad - had those 4 from 1 plant. But they should be orange not green - hence unripe. Anyone rate my chances at keeping them in a sunny place to ripen them up for eating? Or are they doomed to be bland and/or prematurely turn into mush?

 

[clicker]

Still warm enough down South for everything to have a last hooray of colour.
















Next year I'll do subtle.

 

[StoneRoad]

Been picking up windfall apples - Storm Ashley knocked almost all of them off.

 

[Elpenor]

Glorious day here; have planted some things in the “coffin corner”’of the garden which allegedly can manage with poor soil and shade. Might have room for something else in that patch actually but let’s see how it goes.

Neighbour mowed their lawn, I’ll look to do mine tomorrow.

 

[Elpenor]

Neighbour mowed their lawn again today, it’s too damp really I think but the grass is definitely still growing

Though it’s not the right time of year to be watering, I was thinking today my Wickes cheapy watering can waters too vigorously, I am using the rose but it’s still pouring out too fast

Would I be right in thinking I need something with a longer narrower spout to mean I can water without the water coming out too fast, which is a concern for delicate stuff

 

[StoneRoad]

Neighbour mowed their lawn again today, it’s too damp really I think but the grass is definitely still growing

Though it’s not the right time of year to be watering, I was thinking today my Wickes cheapy watering can waters too vigorously, I am using the rose but it’s still pouring out too fast

Would I be right in thinking I need something with a longer narrower spout to mean I can water without the water coming out too fast, which is a concern for delicate stuff

or a narrower rose with smaller holes [but watch out that it don't drop off when not expected]

I have two identical cans for the big greenhouse, and one rose has been partially blocked - so I have three watering rates ... plus a teeny houseplant one for smaller stuff.
Also I often water from below ... filling up a gravel / drip tray. [that also helps with humidity]

 

[Elpenor]

or a narrower rose with smaller holes [but watch out that it don't drop off when not expected]

I have two identical cans for the big greenhouse, and one rose has been partially blocked - so I have three watering rates ... plus a teeny houseplant one for smaller stuff.
Also I often water from below ... filling up a gravel / drip tray. [that also helps with humidity]

Hmm, maybe I should take a look at the rose, but think it’s always been a problem. Watering from below isn’t really an option in this case.

 

[iona]

Honestly just buy the cheapest plastic Haws watering can now and save yourself the expense of going through multiple £5-10 watering cans and the constant annoyance of wrong flow rate / battered plants / dropped rose and wet feet.

 

[Elpenor]

Thank you iona I will add to my list!

 

[iona]

Thank you iona I will add to my list!

They're about £35 iirc which isn't cheap (though nothing compared to some of the ridiculous prices for their metal cans), but when the alternative is spending the same amount on a series of cheaper replacements which are all shit in their own way...

I won't use anything else but then I have a lot of strong opinions about watering plants

The fine rose that comes with it is good for pretty much everything. Storing the can somewhere it won't get full of leaves and bugs will help stop the rose getting clogged up with shite and needing rinsed out all the time.

 

[campanula]

Yep, I am a Hawes user. I have...many. Best is my red metal, 4.5 litre long handled can but I have pretty much every size...as well as an embarrassingly large number of antique cans (my favourite is a copper, long handled kettle shaped 6 pint can) I also have strong and fixed ideas re.plant watering.

I have the same hoarding/collecting tendency with sewing machines (I think I have a coupla dozen).

They're about £35 iirc which isn't cheap (though nothing compared to some of the ridiculous prices for their metal cans), but when the alternative is spending the same amount on a series of cheaper replacements which are all shit in their own way...

I won't use anything else but then I have a lot of strong opinions about watering plants

The fine rose that comes with it is good for pretty much everything. Storing the can somewhere it won't get full of leaves and bugs will help stop the rose getting clogged up with shite and needing rinsed out all the time.

dunno why reply is in wrong order

 

[Elpenor]

I’ve got a £5 off £30 spend voucher for local garden centre so sounds like that is worth using for a Hawes

 

[andysays]

They're about £35 iirc which isn't cheap (though nothing compared to some of the ridiculous prices for their metal cans), but when the alternative is spending the same amount on a series of cheaper replacements which are all shit in their own way...

I won't use anything else but then I have a lot of strong opinions about watering plants

The fine rose that comes with it is good for pretty much everything. Storing the can somewhere it won't get full of leaves and bugs will help stop the rose getting clogged up with shite and needing rinsed out all the time.

Maybe I've been relatively lucky, but I've had watering cans last me about ten years or more. It is generally the rose which tends to go first, but if you can't replace that end up buying a whole new watering can. I'm getting close to that point now myself.

When you get a chance, could you measure the internal diameter of the rose on your Haws WC so I can see if they would fit my existing cans.

 

[iona]

Maybe I've been relatively lucky, but I've had watering cans last me about ten years or more. It is generally the rose which tends to go first, but if you can't replace that end up buying a whole new watering can. I'm getting close to that point now myself.

When you get a chance, could you measure the internal diameter of the rose on your Haws WC so I can see if they would fit my existing cans.

With the cheap plastic ones it's not so much them not lasting, ime, as you end up buying yet another one because the one(s) you already have are annoying in some way, like the wrong flow rate or a rose that always falls off when you're watering delicate seedlings or something.

My cans aren't at home atm but I have a spare rose I should be able to measure this morning if I can find it.

 

[StoneRoad]

I've got a pair of 2 gallon ones that I've had for a couple of decades or more. They now live in the greenhouse full-time. I have to remember to keep them on the path / flat slabs - the last one died from being left when full on sharp gravel.

 

[iona]

andysays looks like about 16mm?

That's the downspout thing that I never use rather than an actual rose but I'm pretty sure both are interchangeable without any kind of adapter.



Edit - actually looks like the answer is "it's complicated". At least one of my cans definitely has the fully brass head and I can't imagine I would've paid twenty quid extra for that but maybe it used to be available for less.

 

[andysays]

andysays looks like about 16mm?

That's the downspout thing that I never use rather than an actual rose but I'm pretty sure both are interchangeable without any kind of adapter.

View attachment 450566

Edit - actually looks like the answer is "it's complicated". At least one of my cans definitely has the fully brass head and I can't imagine I would've paid twenty quid extra for that but maybe it used to be available for less.

Thanks for taking the trouble to look for me.

It appears that they are unlikely to be compatible, so if I want the Haws watering can experience I may ask for one as a Xmas present.

 

[iona]

Thanks for taking the trouble to look for me.

It appears that they are unlikely to be compatible, so if I want the Haws watering can experience I may ask for one as a Xmas present.

Aye I was gonna say iirc they're a fair bit narrower than most cheaper plastic cans tend to be, but decided to hold off on the doom & gloom until I'd actually checked. Sorry!

 

[Elpenor]

Could almost be mowing the lawn again today if I had time

I’ve spent the last month or so planting things in too difficult corners where stuff doesn’t grow well - by a fence basically

This corner has been livened up a bit a few weeks ago but I added some more sedum and some creeping thyme at the bottom of the bed this lunchtime to - hopefully - cover the inspection cover in due course




And this was formerly a patch of weeds / clump of soil which looked ugly. I’ve salvaged some limestone (i think?) that was in the front garden, and built a little bed and chucked some heather in, as that’s done well in a similar position



The plants cost £9 in total so if it doesn’t go to plan I have not lost much

 

[newme]

Thought leaqf blower was knackered so took it apart and cleared it out, tada it works great. CLeared front garden with gravel of leaves far easier, kid has a go with sensory issues, seems different when he can control it. Looking way better at the front and looking at some red acers and Musa basjoo to flesh out the cover and add to next doors palms down the border. Overseeded an area I've managed to reclaim from brambles. Stuffed more mulch over the beds and compost. Have loads more to do and ear pro arriving tomorrow to get it all covered. Carboard for no dig first to build the heights up too, Plans for a dividing climbing wall on hold til i can source wood/find a cheap one that will last. Looked at california weave but with jute it won't last long. Also found where rats are getting in from next doors wall, bindweed made a nice gap. Cementing is now on the agenda with the pond oxygenator and removing trampoline /repurposing. Also need to hook up the water butt so solar controller for that too. One thing at a time tho.