WHAT JOBS ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY - 2017

Thinning the Willow out a bit

 

If you look to the right of the wind generator in the pic above @wiseowl there's a Sambucus I cut right down to the ground a few years back, came back well with far more stems and it's covered in berries now

It's shaded by the van for most of the day but is quite happy

 

No worries Woo

They say it's unlucky to bring the wood inside, but that's probably as it spits when it burns, and having your house burn down is pretty unlucky.

When it's old it can get Jew's Ear fungus on it, which is edible but bland.

Don't eat the berries raw unless you want the world to fall out of your bottom.

 

They're fine for making wine, as you have to boil the berries They're a key ingredient in Port too

 

Today I've just been picking sun gold tomatoes, I didn't manage get past the putting them in my mouth stage and eating them

 

Cutting and stacking logs, Autumn will soon be here.




Now having to use stepladders to reach top of wood stacks, don't want to spend any money on heating this winter. Brought back about about 35m of average 100mm dia logs this morning which will be cut next. Got a heap of seasoned stuff in the garden to cut/split for burning this year.

I steam extract the juice which does the same thing, but if then pasteurising add some acid to raise pH as one should when bottling stuff .

 

Sambucas Black Lace will respond well to pruning and controlling. If you want the flowers then judicious pruning is required.....i.e. No pruning or pruning some of last year's wood. For best foliage prune hard every spring
Busy day away from the garden but returned to a plant parcel from Gardening Express. More pennisetum Fireworks .....big plants, prompt delivery,and well packed and competitively priced. I read a few critical reviews about them but I will be buying again from them. Already planted and looking good.
Autumn Scrungee??? Noooooooo

 

Untamed, they can grow very large I don't have Black Beauty, but I do have Black Lace.

I prune each Spring and I get good growth, beautiful foliage (poor Man's Acer ) plus good show of flowers which lead to a good amount of berries for wildlife.

Woo - they are happy in sun or partial shade (mine is in, predominantly, shade and does just great!) but they do like a boggy ground e.g. MOIST and fertile! That is their preferred state. So, if you plant in a sunny position, do add plenty of well rotted manure to ensure the ground is rich and holds sufficient moisture. @Sheal also kept Sambucus Nigra - in a pot if I remember rightly - and will also be able to add her experience to the discussion

 

Wild fruit garden is now tamed fruit garden, brambles dug out and underplanted with Strawberries

 

A slight correction if I may @"M", I had Black Lace not Nigra.

Mine grew really well in a large pot but it's better suited in the ground. In the pot it became root bound very quickly and it's hard work to keep up with the feeding and watering. I dug it out of my garden as it wasn't happy with the windy coastal area I was living in. It's leaves burn just like an Acer.

No pruning was necessary as it died back completely at the end of each season. I have no idea if it can cope with frost. I was living on the Isle of Man until Autumn last year and frosts there are few and far between.

 

@Sheal Very pretty flowers - the colours nod at each other .. very nice. I have one with black leaves but white flowers (I think), what could be its name?

 

Thanks @alp. I've not seen Sambucus with white flowers perhaps our friends here can shed some light on it?