General Gardening Discussion

If you fancy something basic:It seems ok, for free, but took me a while to get to grips with it

It is more the wet which does the damage than the cold. Both planted in well drained positions will survive quite surprisingly cold temps, but they soon rot in cold WET soil.

I haven't had any problems with the ones I've grown,Pete, and my MIL has been growing them for years in central and west Scotland, through good and bad winters, so I guess they're not all that tender!Only trouble is, the rabbits like them! :D

Hey,I had a similar experience. The weed proof layer just stops weeds coming up, but new ones can grow on top of it. The other year I had a real go over the front garden weeding and put down a layer of small stones around the plants, I found this really helped as that year I only had a few...

The person who said that building your own shed takes forever is absolutely right, ive built my own and its not quite finished yet, just the door to do. maybe I will put up a pic when its done, but paladine's shed put mine to shame really! mine is kinda just plain, but made completely from...

'Langlow' do a sustitute tar oil Creosote. But it still has that original smell :D

Japanese maples seem to prefer a slightly acid soil but will do fine in a neutral soil They need good drainage and a constant moisture content ... not going too wet or too dry as mentioned Have you ever tried growing them from seed? You can produce some brilliant plants free of charge

You might like to have a look at the fantastic colour changes of these most wonderful plants http://www.fujiyamagarden.com/MapleTwo.wmv

Jack, I always sow in trays and never directly outside I am sure you have more control, and lose less. In my own limited experience, I have found even the difficult ones, that you are supposed to plant in seperate cells can be sowed in a tray and later transplanted. I think the problem in...

OoH! no, thats another one for my list!! Catalogues and bills are all I seem to be getting so hopefully I can outweigh the bills!

yes, they do - here....http://www.edirectory.co.uk/chilternseeds/pages/moreinfo.asp?pe=DBFBBFDDQ_+linum+usitatissimum&cid=211

Thanks for that Jjordie! But I agree about no.5 :rolleyes:

I found it very difficult to believe my eyes yesterday morning. But one of my clematis a deep red late flowering, has 2 flowers open. It must be very mild here, even though i'm a 1000' up a mountain. Yet my freckles, winter flowering is in full leaf but no buds as yet. definately strange things...

thanks paladin i am on the low strength patches. well done to you both from 40 a day to none,thought i would pull my hair out,so far so good if i can be honest its needing to do something with your hands :confused:

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately I had to lop the top off the clematis when replacing the trellis so am hoping that's not going to damage the plant. As our seasons seem to be somewhat mixed up, should we continue to follow the seasonal advice for pruning? The clematis already has good sized...

My daffs aren't out yet, neither are the fields of them behind my house!!!!! Won't be long though!! They normally herald bad weather when they do flower - it normally blows a gale and batters them all to bits :rolleyes: Such a shame!! Welcome back Chips, sorry to hear your bad news :(

Thanks Palustris and Blackthorn, that is my next project then.

Yes, dendrobium, something I am doing a lot of lately!!

Thats a lovely welcome sight its good to see the plants coming back to life..

Have a similar problem with the added 'bonus' of the sun when it goes round draws the plants to it hence everything grows at 45 degrees to the perpendicular. Acanthus and other tap-rooters are good as are the 'cranesbills'. I do try to water now and again but being on sand the water goes...