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Garden & Gardening Tips

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Image No 1 shows how I have enlarged the lawn area slighty, it now has to be firmed down a little, some compost added and raked level before seeding. Later in the summer when the seed has grown considerably, I will remove the plastic edging it and will appear as though it has always been like that.
Image No two is of one of the dahlias I dug up from last year. I have now cut it into four pieces as can be seen, looking at the photo I think I should have spread them out a little so you could see them individually a little better, I will do that with the next one. I have now put them into four four inch pots and they will grow on. It may be that one or more of them will throw out some more shoots in which case they could be cut again.
 
Today I cut up another of last years dahlia toots and got six plants from it. That is ten I have now I still have six different colours sprouting and six Giant ones to come by post. I always end up giving some away.
Today I was seed sowing, about 80 dwarf nasturtiums for bedding and 40 of the larger ones for my hanging baskets, and twenty Russian Giant sunlowers, these will grow from 8 to 10 feet in hieght.
I dug a flower bed about 3 feet by 15 feet, it is full of small perinnials and looks good again now.
 
Sounds like you ahve been busy Stitcher, mom is doing much the same, I am lucky as I get all her extras even though I have a planer garden - we gravelled the grass area when we got the dog. Am looking at a raised flower bed at some point but for the time being the planters are looking good.
Sue
 
Hello Sue, my garden used to go downhill from the house, dropping about 4 feet. It also dropped fabout 2-3 feet from right to left looking away from the house which I did not like so I leveled it up into two tiers and that made it a lot easier. We have a sort of paved yard/patio areawith the greenhouse and a goldfish pond then a grass are with flower beds. Donwt wo steps and then the vegetable area.
 
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I purchased four tomato plants today while I was ln South Wales, two Tumbler and I forget what the other two are so I will let you know later. I said last year that I had bought four inverted (upside down) hanging baskets for the toms. You may have read on the forum that I had a bad fall so I did not post any pictures of the crop which was the best I have ever had from four plants. The upside down wording may be confusing but these are not really Hanging baskets, they are more like inverted planters. The plant really does grow out of the base and you pour water into the top. I will explain with photo's later. I also bought two small trays of beetroot plants which I shall pot on tomorrow.
 
Stitcher, momhad one of the inverted tomato plants last year too and it cropped brilliantly, great of you don't have ground room for pots/gro-bags. She is planning to do some this year too.
Sue
 
I bought mine at the end of the season the year before last from Webb's for half price.
 
Sticher I told my friend about thosr 2 garden centre's Burcott and Little heath, we went on Tuesday and we loved Little heath best place we have been in ages. we bought a few shrubs and are going to go back again for sure. If you can please my friend you have made it I can tell you, she is over the moon with the place, so thanks again and if you have anymore like it keep in touch thanks xxxx
 
Hello Patty, I can not take the credit for this day out because Motorman Mike told me about it. Evesham Country Park, oooh what a day out. On the way there, or if you choose, on the way back. there are a couple of quite good garden centres on the main road near Studley. There is another one plus a range of shops at the park and as before, on the way there or back there is a Hilliers Farm Shop where you can buy excellent vegetables of all types plus there is a very good fishmonger who guarantees everything on his display is fresh daily. If you have a day on this short tour, you will see several restaurants, reasonably priced for a nice lunch.
 
What do you think of that then??? I was just going to make a start in the garden again when I was "WARNED" that I may not be allowed back into the house for lunch if I get my clothes dirty or if I smell strongly of chicken manure. The advice was that I should play with the pooter or do a bit of sewing until I have had lunch, then go out and get dirty and smelly then have a shower and don clean clothes. I ask you, well no I had better not so I will obey my angel.
 
Stitcher, sounds like your wife has you well trained to do as your told.....would'nt do any good in my household everything l tell Ron to do say goes in one ear and out the other....after 55yrs of marriage l've almost given up...but i'm still hoping things will change........Brenda
 
No No No Brenda, it is not a matter of me being trained or frightened an easy touch. I am like water with my angel, I always take the path with the least resistance.
 
Stitcher, or anyone else!
what is the best way and when to take cuttings from forsythia? I have a huge bush and mom fancies some in her garden, but rather than buy one wants to have some of mine. It is in full bloom now and glorious - actually more of a tree tahn a bush as it stands about 10' high at the top of the garden, thriving on neglect although I do prune it right back in the autumn.
Thanks, Sue
 
vvffg.jpegHello Sue, I took this off Google because I am sure they explain it better than I would.
 

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Just look at this will you?? the innovative (is that how it is spelt) GG Jean is making mini greenhouses. Seriously Jean, they do work and I have used them for a few years but someone bought me a pack of about a dozen factory made ones which I use now. The only real difference is that they have a an open or closed fitting on the top but of course all you have to do is take the top off your one if it gets a little too warm during the day, replace it at night. Doing this will also allow it to breathe a little as well.
 
Due to the unseasonally warm couple of weeks we recently experienced, my seedlings are getting a little leggy. It is too soon to plant them out so I went to Homebase and purchased a number of fibre pots today. When I was looking for a tiny trowel to use when potting on the seedlings I found about 150 flimsy plastic pots, they are made from similar plastic to the free shopping bags at supermarkets and are flat in a large bundle. I decided to use these instead of the fibre pots and I have potted on 18 Russian Giant sun flowers and about two dozen dwarf nasturtians. When it is time to plant them outside I will cut the plastic away so as not to disturb the roots. I also got a packet of beetroot seeds which grow like a thick short carrot, they are supposed to taste the same as normal but are much easier to slice up for salads.
The dahlias are doing well and a number of them are throwing up several shoots so I will be cutting these ones into still yet more plants.
 
Trevor when will I be able to do cuttings from my Acer and could I bring them on in my pop bottles?. Jean.
 
Hello Jean, I know nothing about acers so I googled and it says that it it is not easy and it depends on the sort of acer if indeed it is possible at all. Your mini greenhouse will be quite alright for practically any sort of cutting. Just try a couple of softwood cuttings from the acer. Do not forget to keep the compost damp in the mini whatsit.
 
At Morrison's today I purchased a pack of fifteen summer cabbage seedlings and the same in Cauliflowers, £2 per pack. I have potted them on into small pots and will plant them out in the last week in May. I keep saying this I know but I will post a few photos soon of what I have got ready for planting.
 
Awhile back someone gave me some very flimsy flower pots, they are made from black plastic similar to a bin bag, they are flat pack like a paper bag and are throw away after use. They come in various sizes from 2" up to quite large and are very useful but I have almost used them and I asked on another thread if anyone knew about them. No one had heard of them apparaently but I located some today. I had a carrier bag full with about 300 for a fiver but they are all 6" and the man said he knows he has some smaller ones in one of his sheds so he is going to have a look for me. He informed me that they are known as Polpots. I googled it and found out they are made or distributed by a firm in Malvern. They are ideal for potting on the small plants and when they are ready to go into the garden, you just cut this thin plastic pot off without disturbing the roots at all. I have most of the plants in my greenhouse in them.
Maggs, sorrry to keep you waiting, I am not an expert you understand but I know a few people who are. I am reliably told that spuds continue to grow beneath the soil surface whilst the foliage is growing above it. When the foliage stops growing, the potato's stop. Therefore, if you get an old dustbin for example, remove the bottom, or drill plenty of drainage holes in it and add about six inches of soil/compost. Space 4 chitted seed potato's at 12-3-6-and 9 like the numerals on a clock and lastly put one in the middle. Cover them with another 4-6 inches of soil and keep them watered but not too wet. When the foliage is about 5-6 inches above the soil level place another 5 spuds in between the them and cover with another 5-6 inches of soil/compost. With something like a dustbin you will easily get three layers and you could get 4. When the greenery shows signs of wilting you will need to tilt the bin and get a housbrick under the edge so you can scrape out the soil and spuds from the bottom. Then gently remove the brick until you want a few more. The spuds get smaller as you use them but they taste better than shop spuds. I use some specially made 3 tier containers from Webbs at Droitwich for mine.
 
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Thank you for this information Trevor. It doesn't sound too difficult to grow spuds in containers at all. When I lived in Sedgley, I used to shop in Blackheath. That was a long time ago, and the area has changed greatly since then. I see you mentioned going to Blackheath with regard to gardening.
 
Hello Mags, you can use something without a bottom like the suggested dustbin or you can buy purpose made bags, I find it easier to lift a tubular object, leaving the weight (soil and spuds) on the ground. Then scrape the soil and spuds away until you have the amount of spuds you need for a day or two then twist as you push down and settle the bin again. it is easier than lifting a bag to tip it out, you also get all the spuds at the same time in a bag instead of over a period as with a bottomless bin. Webbs used to sell a base and an eight sided tube, the tube fitted into the base to make it steady. On 4 of the 8 sides there was a small flap which revealed the soil so you could scrape out what you wanted. I don't know if they are still avaiable.
 
Hello Maggs, re. Blackheath and gardening, as I travel along Powke Lane towards the steep hill with the cemetary at the bottom, I turn right into Yew Tree Lane at the top of the hill and the nursery is up there on the right. I do not know hemakes a profit because it is a bit like Steptoes Yard. He has stock in such things as pots and other stuff that no one else sells these days but he is a lovely man and will search high and low for anything you ask for. If he has not got it, he will know a similar man to himself who has some, his prices are very good and he has some unusual plants. I usually go to him first and then elswhere if he cant help.
 
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Here are my potato planters, they have three sections each and this is section one.
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Because a frost is forcast for tonight I have added the second section as shown, I have then covered them with 'gardening fleece'. The fleece will protect against five degrees of frost and it does not usually get that cold in May. If it is warm enough tomorrow I will remove the second sections again until there is a little more foliage. Then I will replace them and fill them up with more compost/soil. You can see a sort of guttering around the top of each section and this to eneable you to water each layer without having to drench them.
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These are some of my plants ready to go out.
 
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As you can see they are getting a little too large for the greenhouse and I do put them out during the dayif it is dry but I can not plant them outside until the end of this month, well I could at a push then cover them with the fleece if it gets too cold at night. If you look closely you will see some of them are in the Polypots I mentioned earlier. They are great and I will no longer have to save my pot all over the winbter and wash them before use in the spring.
 
002.JPGThere are four of these with the tomato plants in waiting to go on the wall brackets. The did exceptionally well last year but I was not able to get out and photograph them to put the picture on here. I am grwing two tumbler and two sunshine something or other, the second two are normal upright plants and I am told they do very well upside down.
 
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