Michael Perry Garden TSV 07/03/21

[loveallthingsitalian]

I‘ve just spent a couple of hours weeding and tidying trying to get ahead of the game before winter comes back next week.

Its heartening to see how many plants have new buds and quite a few cuttings taken and placed in a cold frame are doing well.

However those cuttings taken and kept in the shed have all died which surprised me as the shed is much more sheltered. Oh well .

On thing I did last year was save 1 litre plastic bottles and cut little “doors flaps” in them. Cuttings in small yoghurt pots went in through the “door”, this kept the cutting protected but at the same time able to work with them. The bottles fitted into the old fashioned milk carriers which made them easy to move around without falling all over the place and looked fairly neat.

Does anyone have any experience of battery lawnmowers?

 

[ERICS MUM]

IIs nice enough its west facing so gets the sun but teeny tiny. The last few years I have been updating the fencing and have a lot of new hardwood trellis put along all the fencing. I have invested in a lot of new trailing plants to hopefully have a living wall of colour and scent for much of the year. The space is tight so every inch is planted up. Loads of haniging baskets along all the walls. Large window boxes on all the windows. Not a lot of planters on the floor as I dont want it to look cluttered. The Borders are teeny tiny and crammed. One is in deep shade but still full of plants that are shade loving. Go for stuff with fancy leaves, berries etc for interest.

Sounds fabulous. Although small it probably keeps you busy ! I have a small garden and standing at the back door I can see all of it, so I feel obliged to keep it all looking good.

my sister’s garden is 180 feet long and she just keeps the first 40 feet from the house nicely planted - beyond that it’s a ‘managed’ wilderness but looks fine from the house.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

For those interested in magnolia I’ve been catching up on garden magazines and notice that a black (deep purple really) variety seems to be very popular this year. Probably hard to grow but would look spectacular in the right setting.

 

[candycane]

Magnolia Black Beauty Bare Root Bush (466397) | Ideal World

Magnolia Black Beauty Bare Root Bush

www.idealworld.tv

I'm a bit tempted.

CC

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Calling for help from CC and Boffy.

I’ve only sown seeds once before so have no experience. 9 days ago I sowed various seeds in plastic trays, covered in cling film and placed in my conservatory. There isn’t any heat on but on a sunny day like today it’s warmIsh for about 4/5 hours.

Looking this morning one tray has started to sprout. This seems very soon - have I sown them too near the surface? Should I just leave them or should I do something? TIA

 

[boffy]

Calling for help from CC and Boffy.

I’ve only sown seeds once before so have no experience. 9 days ago I sowed various seeds in plastic trays, covered in cling film and placed in my conservatory. There isn’t any heat on but on a sunny day like today it’s warmIsh for about 4/5 hours.

Looking this morning one tray has started to sprout. This seems very soon - have I sown them too near the surface? Should I just leave them or should I do something? TIA

Take any lids covering off these tiny seedlings. Grown on until they are at least an inch or a little more with the proper leaves . When large enough to handle put some fresh compost in a large tray.make sure the tray is overfilled then Press the compost down lightly to get rid off too many air pockets and prick them out about an inch apart in the tray. Water from below never from above. This may take 20 minutes. Allow to drain. Then leave them for a few weeks depending on what you have sown until they are large enough to pot on into 3 inch pots or even in their final home. I leave most of my baby plants in the tray for several weeks.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Thanks Boffy. It’s just I remember the one and only packet I sowed last year took a long time to sprout so a week seems far too quick. they Aren’t the same type of flower so I’m comparing apples to pears!

 

[boffy]

Some seeds are easy to germinate within a day or so but some take weeks. One of my favourites seed to sow are lobelias. They are fine seeds like dust. cheap as chips you can get them from Wikos for pennies. I sow them with a glass of water and a matchstick. Dip the matchstick in water then stroke the seed on a flattened compost bed. Try to really space them out so not a lot on the tip of the matchstick.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Wow that sounds interesting.

Looked this morning and now I have 3 different types sprouting - well chuffed.

 

[boffy]

its lovely growing your own plants from seed.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I get a fair success with cuttings which is why I’d rather spend the money on a specimen shrub .

A lot of the items sold on Q are easy to split or take cutting so if you have the patience to hold on for a season you can have 6 plants for every one without having to buy 6 from Q with the chance of getting 3 decent plants.

 

[boffy]

I get a fair success with cuttings which is why I’d rather spend the money on a specimen shrub .

A lot of the items sold on Q are easy to split or take cutting so if you have the patience to hold on for a season you can have 6 plants for every one without having to buy 6 from Q with the chance of getting 3 decent plants.

All gardeners have to learn how to propagate one way or another. I love seed sowing and to a lesser extent cuttings.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I think you tend to like what you have success with. Things which root quickly you tend to have far too many for a small garden.

Tulips doing well and all seem to have come up Ok. One year I only got about half out of each bag planted but I think that was an oddity as usually do ok.

 

[candycane]

I think Boffy has covered everything lol. Some things are much easier to grow. Marigolds are easy, tomatoes, calendula, beetroot, beans, sweet peas are all good ones for me. Bulbs are easy as well. My lilies in the past have been truly gorgeous. These were de jager.

 

[boffy]

I bought a tray of Snakes head fritillary in bud for £2.50 from B&Q. supposed to be 6 but there are at least 10. I also have some popping up in a border they are lovely this time of the year to fill in the usual gaps.search

 

[catzrcool]

We can't grow lilies in our garden, we have cats and lilies are toxic to cats, any part of them. But I have just been down to Lidl's and got myself A Rhododendron in a 5 litre pot for £6.49. Beats Q's £25 + £6 postage any day. Have got a purple one so went for a white. Very healthy and covered in buds. Even garden centres are over £20, so am very pleased with myself..

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Don’t buy compost from Lidl as it is absolute rubbish.

 

[boffy]

Don’t buy compost from Lidl as it is absolute rubbish.

I agree its crap. cheap but crap. used a small bag last year as it was impossible to get compost.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

It was all I could get last year (thank you Q NOT) and TBH if I’d taken soil from the garden it would have been better. Unfortunately I bought a stack in panic without seeing what it was actually like. Eventually used it as a mulch.