General Gardening Discussion

Big Daddy Would you be allowed a bean net? And then grow hops up it. It will need a lot of support, but a thick string from high up on the house to a post at the front of the property would do it. Mind you, in May/June you need to shear it twice a day as the growth is so rampant, specially if...

I always thought that lichen growth as good as that was a sign of excellent air quality. You see it in the woods in wildest Scotland. I'm with Pete, those twigs look very Hollyesque to me too.Nik

what a helpful site! Incredibly useful!

as well as loo rolls, which work incredibly well and cost zilch, you can spend out real money and get "root-trainers", which I find amazing, and don't tend to get mouldy as I've seen with the loo roll set-up

Germination depends a lot on how they have been stored but reasonable conditions should give 50% success. That's a lot of marigolds!Best bet is to plant some in seed trays (about 1/4 deep, 2" apart, normal compost) and place in a sheltered spot. No need for heat as they are quite hardy. Once...

It also works for dogs, and it is very satisfying! I have been contemplating some Coleus canina too, to try and keep my two cats from diggingup newly planted things.

what about mulching as the ground is presently nice and moist?

The most important thing is to decide what you want from the garden as a family for the next few years (your kids will not always be small) - browse the gardening books in your local garden centre for gardens you like and that fit. Then plan it out on a piece of paper - then you can tackle it...

Don't do it now or you won't get any flowers this year! Pruning should be done after flowering to encourage new flowering stems for the next year. Don't cut into old wood as it won't grow again.

Got new citisis bushes last year have grown really big. How do I prune them.

Ah, that would be the foxgloves not the fern spores then

fair point about growing lavender from seeds - kinda wanting some impact this summer though.lavender / time / rosemary along a short 6 footish open part of a south facing wall.

leaky box? :D

I quite agree with both Frogesque and Lady gardener - don't do anything until you see what happens through spring and summer. If you could put up some photos, that would help a lot. By and large, with things that look like they've died, probably it's last year's growth that's died, and it'll...

Cheers rossco & steve w , after seeing the photo on that web site can hardly wait to get my lips round some berrys :D

We'd probably all like to nip down to Cardiff and offer our joinery skills! I expect you already know about the BBC site that may provide suitable links -http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/mid/sites/gardening/

the main thing in pruning anything, is to look it up first to find out if it has any oddities - try the RHS site. Then, whether or not you get what you want - take out dead, diseased and dying. Whatever time of year it is, that won't hurt it. Then, if it's a climber, or about to flower -...

it's worth checking to see if your local council does cheap or even free compost at your local "recycling facility" (used to be called the tip!) Most councils do something of this sort now. Try a search with your local area, plus recycling, or waste-aware, or something like that - it worked...

you can't do better than Butterworth's nurseries - great organic nursery, and they really know what they're talking about. Ring them - phone number on the website.

:D :D :D