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The Gardening Thread


dune
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I have planted a new strawberry bed (21 plants) and covered with Barley straw to keep the snails off (don't have a slug problem). Planted two new Pear trees. Just nocied i've got blossom on the Plum trees i planted a few years ago. The Lawns are mowed and treated with weed and feed, and today i will have a go on one of the lawns with the scarifier that i didn't do last year. The hedges are starting to grow, but the lack of rain has held them back (they're gonna go mental when we've had some rain :().

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On my allotment, I have put in: Broad Beans, Potatoes, Onion, Garlic, Mustard, Asparagus Pea and some Asparagus crowns. The Asparagus crowns appear to be growing slowly, all the others growing nicely bar the Mustard, Asparagus Pea and one of my rows of Potatoes which have yet to appear.

 

Still a few more things to put in, such as Hamburg Parsley, Courgette, Carrot, French and Runner Beans, Celeriac, Kohl Rabi, Swede and Sweetcorn. They'll all be in by mid-May.

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Just been to inspect my strawberrys and the bloody dog has got over the ornamental fencing into my patch. He's now in his bed and is looking pretty sheepish after being hollared at. Luckily little damage was done and this afternoon i'll nip into town and get some netting to put over the top.

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Have you ever tried those strawberry planters, Dune?

 

We did a few years ago and it was very successful and productive. Would solve the dog problem too :)

 

No, it's all planted up now so too late to change things anyway. All it needs is some netting to deter the bloody thing and i was going to put some up anyway to stop the birds.

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No, it's all planted up now so too late to change things anyway. All it needs is some netting to deter the bloody thing and i was going to put some up anyway to stop the birds.

 

Yes, you'll need some nets to keep the birds off. My dad used to grow loads of soft fruit, and nets were obligatory for raspberries and strawberries.

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I've got beans, parsley, lettuce (various), herbs, hot peppers, toms: not too bad for a balcony. Actually strawberries sound good: might go to the market on Tuesday to see if I can get a few plants. Being on the 4th floor means I don't have a slug problem!

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Just returfed my back garden, now I actually have a lawn rather then a swamp!

 

Need some ideas for some boarder plants now. I am after something a bit different to the usual array of primroses, buzy lizzies and marigolds though.....

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Just returfed my back garden, now I actually have a lawn rather then a swamp!

 

Need some ideas for some boarder plants now. I am after something a bit different to the usual array of primroses, buzy lizzies and marigolds though.....

 

Will they be paying rent?

 

(sorry :))

 

How about a cottage garden type thingy?

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Just returfed my back garden, now I actually have a lawn rather then a swamp!

 

Need some ideas for some boarder plants now. I am after something a bit different to the usual array of primroses, buzy lizzies and marigolds though.....

 

Bedding plants or a more permanent border?

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Bedding plants or a more permanent border?

 

I am open minded really. If it is a perenial though I would prefer something that can either give colour all year or a few suggestions for plants that can give colour in every season.

 

As for bedding plants..... Just so long they don't need to be dead headed go for it.

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I am open minded really. If it is a perenial though I would prefer something that can either give colour all year or a few suggestions for plants that can give colour in every season.

 

As for bedding plants..... Just so long they don't need to be dead headed go for it.

 

Acid or Lime soil?

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Errr, brown Soil. How do you check? (Yes, I am new to this gardening lark)

 

You can buy a kit or you could ask a neighbour. If it's a lime soil you'll struggle to grow things like Azalias, rhodedendroms, acers. That said i've got a dwarf magnolia and it seems to do alright.

 

Edit: If you're in the South it'll probably be chalky soil aka Lime.

Edited by dune
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You can get PH testers to see if the soil is acidic or alkaline. You can get PH meters for about a tenner but if you're only going to use it once then it's a waste of money. You can also get a tube thing which you chuck some of the soil in and it tells you the ph that way.

 

Fuschias(sp?) are a nice addition to any garden plus a couple of heather plants would be another possibility? Foxgloves are a good summer plant, though maybe not a good idea if there's young kids around who like to munch on things in the garden.

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You can buy a kit or you could ask a neighbour. If it's a lime soil you'll struggle to grow things like Azalias, rhodedendroms, acers. That said i've got a dwarf magnolia and it seems to do alright.

 

Edit: If you're in the South it'll probably be chalky soil aka Lime.

 

I am in the West Midlands. Coventry. Just off from the City centre.

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I am told that a crop of garlic will keep the slugs away from a veg patch.

 

Aubretia (if you can get it to take) is a beautiful Cottagey plant, over a few years you wil find it sprouting up in the most unlikely places, such as on walls and in any little crevice that it's seeds settle in. A vast array of colours available too.

 

This stuff:

 

Aubretia_x_cultorum1.jpg

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You can get PH testers to see if the soil is acidic or alkaline. You can get PH meters for about a tenner but if you're only going to use it once then it's a waste of money. You can also get a tube thing which you chuck some of the soil in and it tells you the ph that way.

 

Fuschias(sp?) are a nice addition to any garden plus a couple of heather plants would be another possibility? Foxgloves are a good summer plant, though maybe not a good idea if there's young kids around who like to munch on things in the garden.

 

a couple of nice structural plants (med-large shrubs or rose bushes etc) will give height and interest to the border, then fill in the gaps with things like geraniums,lupins,pieres,lavender, crocosmia and then some small bedding plants....in the Autumn, plant some bulbs,so that you'll have plenty of colour next spring....:)

Edited by saint boggy
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