Gardening 2022

[Elybazza61]

@Elybazza61 that is a beautiful garden. Congratulations. 👏

May I ask? It looks as though you have a lot packed into quite a small area? Where are you gardening? In the south-west or do you simply have a very good, well protected aspect?

Thanks.

We are in East Cambridgeshire so not the warmest or wettest part of the UK! And the garden is long and relatively narrow behind a 50's ex council house.

It's pretty secluded now as some plants have matured and it's getting a nice microclimate; we only really see frost at the top of the garden where the veg plot is.

 

[PaulSB]

The allotment is beginning to take shape quite nicely. Good crops promised for apples, black and red currants, gooseberries. Garlic and shallots are coming on well and should be ready in 8-10 weeks. Greenhouse tomatoes planted up yesterday with Sunspot, Shirley and Supersweet 100. My winter brassicas are coming on in 13cm pots.

The one disappointment is the onion sets. First time I've grown from sets as I usually use grow from seed. Two reasons for trying sets; I wanted an earlier crop to free up space for winter brassicas and it saves planting time at a busy point in the season. The "take" is disappointing and this is directly related to the quality of the sets. I was surprised by the wide range in size of individual sets. Graded these out and the larger have performed far better. Next year I'll buy from somewhere I can check the quality first rather than buying on line. Lesson learned.

 

[biggs682]

Runner beans have gone crazy over the last few days , they going out during the day now to harden up.

Put the sticks in last night ready for them .

 

[Speicher]

@Elybazza61

In the photo above the fern, there are plants in three pots. What are they? Something very similar keeps popping up in my garden and I thought they were invasive weeds, but probably not, as you have them in pots.

 

[Elybazza61]

@Elybazza61

In the photo above the fern, there are plants in three pots. What are they? Something very similar keeps popping up in my garden and I thought they were invasive weeds, but probably not, as you have them in pots.

They are Hostas , we grow them in pots as they get eaten by slugs and snails.

The ones in your garden might be common Plantain as Hostas don't usually just pop up as such, they tend to just grow outwards.

 

[PaulSB]

I live rurally and like to consider nature where possible. My next door neighbour but one tries to create a rural idyll. My hedgerow bottom first and next his - I think nature is rewarding me.

 

[Zimbob]

@Elybazza61

In the photo above the fern, there are plants in three pots. What are they? Something very similar keeps popping up in my garden and I thought they were invasive weeds, but probably not, as you have them in pots.

If they aren't Hostas, could they be Solomons Seal?

They start out as little 'spears' in a very similar way to Hostas, and really spread by themselves. Self-seeding too I believe, as they've appeared in my garden with no input from me 😂

 

[Speicher]

If they aren't Hostas, could they be Solomons Seal?

View attachment 643817
They start out as little 'spears' in a very similar way to Hostas, and really spread by themselves. Self-seeding too I believe, as they've appeared in my garden with no input from me 😂

I have Soloman's Seal in my garden. As you say they appear as (fast-growing) spears with thin leaves.

The "weed" that I am trying to identify has wider leaves.

 

[Speicher]

I have looked up Plantain, and "my" weeds look like Plantain Lily.

 

[PaulSB]

I have looked up Plantain, and "my" weeds look like Plantain Lily.

Have you got a photograph? Plantain Lily is another name for Hosta.

 

[PaulSB]

Thanks.

We are in East Cambridgeshire so not the warmest or wettest part of the UK! And the garden is long and relatively narrow behind a 50's ex council house.

It's pretty secluded now as some plants have matured and it's getting a nice microclimate; we only really see frost at the top of the garden where the veg plot is.

I love this type of garden and the skill it takes to create. You must be a real plant lover with an excellent plant knowledge.

 

[JtB]

Just finished the job I hate the most; cutting the hedges.

 

[PaulSB]

Interested to see you using a Stihl hedge trimmer. Over the last four years I've bought the chainsaw, leaf blower and yesterday the strimmer from the cordless range with interchangeable battery. It is fantastic kit.

 

[JtB]

Interested to see you using a Stihl hedge trimmer. Over the last four years I've bought the chainsaw, leaf blower and yesterday the strimmer from the cordless range with interchangeable battery. It is fantastic kit.

Indeed it’s fantastic kit, well worth the upfront investment and the time spent keeping it in good running order. My kit however does require good upper body strength and a strong lower back, neither of which I have which is the reason why I hate cutting my hedges.

 

[Dave 123]

@PaulSB @JtB

I have the Stihl battery tools and I love them.
N noise, no fumes and all my customers have a power source I can access!

I bought a chainsaw, a combi with brushcutter hedge trimmer and chainsaw on a stick plus the 1 metre extension bar, a rotary mower and a blower.

The blower really drains the battery, but I knew that.

One massive advantage is that I can start using a machine very early and not annoy everyone!