General Gardening Discussion

I had better dump mine then! I don't want any of that foreign muck It may be contaminated

I too haven't watched the video, but I know the science of red and blue grow lights. They're the colours used for photosynthesis. That's why chlorophyll is green. The plant doesn't use green light, so it reflects it. It absorbs red and blue, which is why the green foliage would look black under...

I can grow the non-climbing aconitums without a problem. Although in Devon my garden can get dry, being on a hillside, has shallow soil in places and suffers from drying, cold east winds in spring. These winds scorch off young growth and I've lost a number of plants to them over the years.

I have a hanging basket by my north facing front door and always use some trailing fuchsias and begonias. Some of the newer begonias aren't as "blowsy" as the traditional ones if that's not to your taste so you could look for the Bossa Nova range or Bonfire/Burning Embers which have masses of...

Thanks all. I'll opt to prune after flowering.

My dad had a billhook on a peg in the shed but I don't think it ever got used. They're just the job for splitting the thinnish stuff

I'll start off with one question, will do another thread for it if that's ok.

We used 12" or bigger pots filled with Ericaceous compost for our blues, worked well for us.

I'm not sure I have the space to do so. I handed control of my back garden to my kids and relegated myself to the role of labourer and consultant. Since then my lawn has already shrunk, a pseudo-Japanese garden with water feature is under construction, and apparently next on the list is a gnome...

Thanks @Clueless 1 v2. It's glorious when it's in full bloom. It starts to bloom here just as the gorse flowers are on the wane.I do remember the thread and as it happens yellow is my favourite colour.

I remember once taking a light meter reading from a 100w incandescent bulb, close up, and it was not as bright as a human face in sunlight.

I've been growing Fuchsias on the balcony almost the 20 odd years we've lived here. Never see gall mite damage on mine or on others around town either. I have seen hardy Fuchsia bushes die in a couple of years but no idea if the mite was responsible or something else. One died in the gardens of...

Thank you both!The weather is supposed to be ok-ish from this weekend so out they'll go

Thanks for the advice everyone. The border was already this size so we just altered the edge for a better shape, took out a few woody shrubs but left the Laurel. I intend to have a mini pond water feature in front of the Laurel as the soil isn’t very good there and to have a focal point. I...

A good way of keeping warm on a cold winters day. Usually you would cut half way through the main stem then pull i down towards the ground. Push some of the branches you cut off into the ground and fasten the bent over stem to these, traditionally would have used long bramble shoots or stems...

Will google these ty. Best avoid anything too big, and has to be fully hardy as that bit gets plenty sun but also wind.

Ok all Thanx for your advice

I was going to suggest Cuprinol ‘Garden Shades’ range, it’s always lasted pretty well. Not so good on smooth surfaces though.

I like the Kalmia, never in my life heard of it before. Is it easy to buy here? And def a sarcococca too. Putting up a shed has drastically changed the levels of sunlight and forcing me to move a lot of things around. Always the same eh - you improve one thing and then find it's messed up three...