What are we doing in the garden 2024

I’ve retired my massive, woody, leggy Lavender after 3 years of stalling (it was flowering well). I have plenty of others, all from cuttings of that one. Who needs the gym?!

 

I've taken cuttings from one of mine that is growing across a path. Assuming they take I can retire mine too @AuntyRach

 

Yes mine was half way over the patio as it had reached out over the years as the big Ceanothus behind shaded the back of it. The space left isn’t suitable for another Lavender now, so I’ll probably just mulch and do a bit of ground cover like geraniums. My cuttings took so well. I have year 2, 3 and 4 plants now.

 

I've finished cutting back the brambles that were trying to take over the orchard.

 

Well done @Busy-Lizzie. Not a pleasant job but worth it.

@AuntyRach I have 3lavenders in a row at the edge of the rose bed and bordering the path and in full sun with nothing pushing them about. Nevertheless they've not only spread sideways but don't really bother to flower. One of them has a decent amount of flowers just about to open but t'other pair don't really bother.

If the cuttings take they'll be planted round the hen pen as they like the smell and, who knows, they might even flower sooner there.

 

You'll be glad you got that all done @Busy-Lizzie

Did some work on the birdcage yesterday, while enjoying the nice weather. I'm needing to cut a few more branches for adding to the roof, but it's pretty much sorted now. I'm far too fussy about them, but they're quite visible from the house windows, as well as when in the garden, so I like to keep them quite tidy. I never get any thanks from the customers though....

Have the last bit of the front hedge to pull out and chop for the bin collection tomorrow, so that's a priority, and then it'll just be seeing what other little things can be done apart from the usual deadheading etc. Smaller, daily compost bin needs to be taken round to the bigger compost bins, so I might try and do that, and there's always the shed interior for painting and doing the last bits of flooring. Doesn't look like it'll be sunny enough for sitting a little bit with a cuppa or five, unlike yesterday, but that's how it is.

 

Decided to take some cuttings from the red salvia I discovered amongst the weeds only to find it is in fact a heather. No label, no name.

I wanted some fresh sage to make Sage and Onion stuffing. No luck with cut bunches or pots in supermarkets so decided to buy a growing potted one from a GC. Phoned the nearest one to ask if they had any in stock. Yes, several rooted cuttings in 9cm pots or 1 in a 1litre pot.
Just the ticket, I would go over and pick it up.
When I arrived the owner went to find it for me, came back and said it had been overwatered and not fit to sell, but, there was a bigger one, in a very large container, this big. Hands about 3ft apart, for the same price. £4.99p. Thinking she was probably exaggerating the size of pot I said fine, I am desperate for some fresh sage. I will take it.
Wrong! She was absolutely correct. The plant is about 3ft diameter, in a very large pot. It filled the back of my hatchback, dog squashed up in the corner, drove home unable to see through sage foliage.
Bargain of the year. Lots of sage and onion stuffing!
I promised to look after it and grow it as a decorative ornamental in the conservatory. We agreed, sage does not like the wet Cornish climate and is now proving difficult to overwinter outside, as are many other Mediterranean plants which used to flourish down here.
I am ridiculously excited with my bargain.

 

What a great find @Goldenlily26! I grow mine as an ornamental in rather a dry flower bed in France. The flowers are very pretty.

 

I'm not surprised you're excited @Goldenlily26 - that's a smashing bargain.
Every cloud and all that eh?

Sage has always been difficult here because of the winters, and I lost several of the edible ones until I potted them and overwintered under cover, but I'm wondering if it would now work well enough here if the winters are going to be so mild. I'm not that fond of it though, so probably not worth trying.

 

Cracking bargain @Goldenlily26. I'm sure you can prune it back a bit and dry the cut foliage to store it. All sorts of health benefits, some of which especially good for we older folk, and a good savoury herb too.

I planted a small one in poor, well drained soil next to our terrace nealy 4 years ago and it is now about 5' x 2'. Gets a bit tatty in winter but is otherwise a fine looking shrub.

 

We went to the big plant nursery this morning. The polytunnels were nearly empty but they had just put out loads of shrubs potted up in neat rows and there were masses of chrysanthemums, not yet in flower. The French put them in the cemeteries at Toussaint.

I bought a philadelphus Virginal and 3 Royal Bumble salvias. The salvias were a bargain at 8€ as there were 3 decent sized ones in the rather large pot. I've planted them all.

 

I've just a voucher from our local GC @Busy-Lizzie, plus one for a free drink if you buy a cake, so a great incentive to pop up there soon, weather permitting, it's been absolutely foul all day.

 

@AuntyRach, may I ask how you take Lavender cuttings please? Can't say I have ever done it, however, I have been extremely lucky in that some of mine have self seeded!

 

I usually do my cuttings in summer so the plants can grow some roots before winter but you might be able to do now. The cuttings need to be ‘semi ripe’ - so not too woody and not too flimsy. Cut below a leaf node and strip most of the other leaves. Dip cut end into rooting powder then place in a small pot of very gritty mix (pop a few per pot and at edge). Moisten potting mix and cover with a poly bag. Keep sheltered and refresh moisture periodically but don’t keep too wet at all.

There’s loads of good videos and step-by-steps on line.

How to Take Lavender Cuttings | BBC Gardeners World Magazine

 

If you have seedlings, you should be able to carefully take them out , pot them up and grow them on @Meomye
Cuttings will be pretty much like any other cutting - a piece about 4 inches or so, cut below a leaf joint, remove all the bottom leaves, nip the tops out, and put a few round the edge of a small pot filled with a gritty mix. You may want to cover them with a plastic bottle or bag to keep enough moisture in there, then put them somewhere sheltered so that they don't get fried. An open cold frame is ideal, or just a site where they won't get either dried out or totally soaked/frozen. Just keep an eye on them over winter.

Not sure what I'll do today, but it's currently murky and damp. Possibly more painting in the shed if it doesn't improve, as I started that yesterday after finishing the hedge chopping, and getting the little roof mostly done on the birdcage. Always something needed tidied or trimmed though

We posted at the same time there @AuntyRach !