General Gardening Discussion

Thanks for your advice - I just thought that early stages of decomposing bird might be a problem! But then, when I removed the poor thing it was still in pretty good shape (better anyway than those the cats tend to get a hold of - we have a "wall" of tall conifers in our garden where lots of...

some of mrs grieves modern herbal book is outdated..allthough its an excellent book it should be used with caution..some usefull things for elder are.. flower heads fried in batter "elderflower fritters"..the flowers are also used to make cordial and summer drinks and champagne..if you want to...

Hi Sweetpea. There are two aspects. Long term and short term.Long term, what Debdrobium said is right. If its clay, you want to improve it as much as you can, by adding lots of organic material, also small 10 ml gravel (agricultural grit is the best - but not so easy to find in bulk), and...

Pears suffer with fungi attacks and some of the blame is host trees that reinfect.

Sorry no, it is stone but just not old, thats what I meant!! Yes its very heavy Could you tell me what the plants are you have growing up behind yours BM? Is it bamboo?

I dont care to be honest if it got rid of a migraine - have done the chinese herb thing, now that's not a nice taste!!

You'll have to number your Hedgies then! I hope my little snufflepig keeps coming back, Ive plenty of slugs for him, lol!

There is some stuff called "Super Dug" which is a great soil conditioner. http://www.compost-technology.co.uk/cart.php - quite expensive thoughI used it a lot when we moved in and it does work. You lay it on the surface of your clay and the worms do the work for you by dragging it down...

Yellow is forsaken

Oh, really. That sounds a bit of a challenge. :s

All I do is cut top growth and put as much as I can in a jug, pour on boiling water and let them steep until the water turns quite a dark colour.If you use it after washing your hair, then rinse it off. The way I'm using mine at the moment is to bottle it, then dab some directly onto the...

Nice one, will do. I've had the same thing happen with my pansies in the back aswell. It can't be dryness as i am really good on the watering front.Maybe it is the wind, but yet the back part of the house doesn't get windy....damn those Vine Weevils......

I am new here but I live in Caithness and you dont get further north than that, as long as you grow in shelter and have early fruiting varieties you can grow the same here as anywhere. I inherited apple trees and plums so dont know the variety but Butterworths will advise of the early fruiting...

Bon soir, Mona LisaThanks for the suggestions. I used to grow the giant fragrant lilies in England but got fed up with the pollen getting everything and I found it virtually impossible to remove from materials.I have pinks but not enough to pick. My carnations (from seed two years ago)...

Is there anyone that can help me in getting some of my various Iris plants to set seed.I have tried doing it with a paintbrush and a pair of tweezers taking the pollen and transfering it but to no avail. I have mainly tall bearded Iris.My Siberian Iris are pollinated by the bees, but they...

On same topic as amerillis really, a kind of cross between that and crinums, but are supposed to be hardy again.Anyone tried them outside?

I have some marshmallow but its not in flower yet..hornbeams picture is the same as the one i have ..I dont harvest mine i just like to keep it mine is in a damp area by my leaking pond!!

Great way to enjoy a great garden!Well done

jay but that is the problem, men don't like "direct orderds", I had him under controll, but just giving him a bit of long reign.cobbybrook, you have to be single!!!anyway are my Prunus lisitanica going to survive now? should make a good hedge if they do.

Chobart, when you say cut it back - by how much? Deadhead or a really serious haircut.