Lessons learned 2014

Wouldn't be a worthy GC member if you didn't ,
Jenny

 

... nor if my Tomatoes didn't Rot from time to time

 

Thanks Kristen, I could add so much more to this thread but I don't want to look like an idiot

 

Seeing as I've gone from 0 to 60 on my metaphorical lawn mower this year, I've learnt a lot of basics.

But the one that stands out for me is checking plants before buying. I didn't heed this advice because at the time I couldn't be bothered and I was burnt many times by it.

I'm fairly sure I introduced vine weevil from something I bought and they seem indestructible to my efforts to hold them back. Plus a couple of lonicera which, thinking back now, had powdery mildew already on them, I just didn't even know what that was back at the start of the year! And antirrhinum which must have already had rust on them given how quickly they were riddled.

I'll stop there as we're not quite at New Years for sentimentality, but it's been a brilliant year and you've all taught me so much on Gardeners Corner


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You can't beat bindweed. That's what I've learnt.

 

Clueless will disagree with that Jane

 

Me too! It can be beaten...even the (spit) French version ;-)
You need lots of smallish jars, some Glyphosate or 2,4D-based systemic weedkiller mixed up from concentrate and a pair of rubber gloves. Don the gloves, half-bury the jars where the bindweed is thickest, half-fill them with weedkiller and stuff as much stem as you can into the jars. Then leave them alone for at least four weeks. A few bits might re-grow the following year, but another dose of weedkiller should finish it off for good
Ah..the lessons I learned this year.....Don't plant shade-loving plants before you've got some shade. + Less is more. I cut down on potted plants by 60%. The remaining 40% have done much better and I haven't spent the last six months watering all the time.

 

I've learned ... I should have brought more of my plants with me and not listened to Mr "M"
I've learned ... that taking lots of photo's of your garden can come in very handy (especially if you have moved and are missing it)
I've learned ... if I should ever move again (and I really hope not) that a south facing garden really should be high up on the priority list

 

Sorry, I hate the disagree button, but I felt I had to use it this time

Bindweed can be beaten, but it takes a fierce and relentless battle. I think I have a post somewhere giving a detailed account of my bindweed war and how I claimed victory. I'll see if I can find it.

EDIT: Here's one of them.
http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/bindweed.43683/#post-551826

EDIT2: An Ode to Bindweed, by CL1
http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/an-ode-to-bindweed.8901/

 

i have learnt to slow down(a bit lol ) thanks to @"M" take all offers of help from here @Spruce which i am very grateful for x just wish dad was around to guide me but sadly he isn't (he was a fabulous gardener) so now im relying on you people and you haven't disappointed x but i must apologize if i am driving you all mad but i have a massive yearning to learn x so please be patient x

 

Don't worry about it. Its too late for us anyway.

 

what? ive already driven you all mad?or you were mad to start off with?

 

Possibly. But it is said that if you can question your own sanity, then you must be sane to question it. Personally I think that's insane, so that probably makes at least me sane, but then if I say I'm sane, then perhaps I am not sane enough to question my sanity, thus making me insane. But for me to even consider that I might be insane, I must be sane.

 

im in good company then @clueless1 now i really feel at home!