Gardening..

[Deleted member 1258]

I haven't started yet this year, my garden's still dormant apart from the daff's. Next month I'e got the perennial sunflowers and buddleia's to prune and a bit of tidying up to do, I've got a plant that I moved last year that grew sideways last summer and now wants sorting out, I've also got to look at one or two plants that are too close now they are mature.

 

[Speicher]

One Of my favourite jobs done. Mulched all my fruit, roses and asparagus with compost. About half a ton. Then I’ve turned about one ton from one bin to the next ready for late summer top ups. New Zealand system.

Compost is easily one of my greatest fascinations. I make about 1.5 tons a year, and thanks to my chickens and kitchen, it’s pretty good stuff. My neighbour calls it ‘Black Gold’. Says she hasn't seen anything like it since the 1950s whatever that means. The difference is, I have an organic system and I borrow biodynamic methods too. I daren’t tell her as she’ll get me tried for witchcraft.

Cup of coffee and I’ll go make some kindling.

I have been out on even very cold days recently mulching my plants with home made/grown compost. I once worked out how much I made, but it was in kg not tonnes. It might have totalled about three quarters of a ton per year.

My compost has received compliments from "professional gardeners" and some people have asked if they can buy some. No, they cannot, too much (enjoyable) hard work and effort has gone into producing it. I have discovered that plenty of compost on the ground means that weeds do put down strong roots in this heavy clay soil, so weeds are very easy to remove.

It is also excellent for potting up cuttings, which is another of my fascinations with regard to gardening.

 

[Milzy]

Get some Dogwood shrubs.

 

[keithmac]

We've had the moles in over Christmas, might have a go at sorting the lawn out tomorrow.

Saying that its supposed to be freezing cold so maybe not!.

 

[User16390]

Just sown some chilli seed (Capsicum Chinense) in a windowsill propagator. Very early in the year but the larger types need quite a long growing season.

 

[Dave 123]

[QUOTE 5141286, member: 9609"]Any rockery experts ?

I'm building myself a big rockery and just wondered how much space should I be leaving between the boulders ?
View attachment 394681 [/QUOTE]


It depends what you want to grow. If you want some rosette forming alpines like saxifrage and Lewisia you need to wedge them in between rocks so the rosette is vertical- the water will drain off and the rosette won't rot. Incorporate grit into the planting hole.

Things like saponaria (tumbling ted) phlox and aubretia will trail down the rocks.

Some dwarf Daphne might be nice. Other evergreens would be true dwarf conifers, but be very selective as they can smother the whole lot.

Trees- look up things like Salix boydii and Betula trosts dwarf.

A sunny and well drained area will allow you to grow Rhodohypoxis (my favourite)

Things like alpine primula and alpine auricula will do well.

There are lots of choice dwarf bulbs you could plant.

I think your gaps look fine.

 

[Piemaster]

Can you build them into sort of terraced layers? It will give you lots of planting room. I don't want to be negative as its obviously a work in progress but its looking a bit 'current bun' at the moment.

 

[Dave 123]

Can you build them into sort of terraced layers? It will give you lots of planting room. I don't want to be negative as its obviously a work in progress but its looking a bit 'current bun' at the moment.

I was trying to avoid saying that as I'm not as nasty as you are!!!
As @Piemaster says, terraced layers is the aim, though those rounded rocks can be hard to do that with. Make sure you bury most of the rock (hide the money) to try to avoid the plum pudding effect. Once it's planted up it'll be fine. By May you'll forget we said anything!

 

[Piemaster]

I was trying to avoid saying that as I'm not as nasty as you are!!!

I was trying to be nice. I'm definitely not one to consult though as the couple of attempts I've had were, frankly, crap. You're obviously more knowledgeable about appropriate plants.

 

[Dave 123]

I was trying to be nice. I'm definitely not one to consult though as the couple of attempts I've had were, frankly, crap. You're obviously more knowledgeable about appropriate plants.

I was just kidding!

Down in Devon my father in law had a load of big boulders given to him dug up from a road project in Ivybridge.
The smallest of these was 3'x3'x3' and the biggest was 8x6x6. As a trained horticulturist I tried the terraced, large rocks at the bottom but it did and does look like a plum pudding.

Sharp lined rocks is what you need!

 

[PaulSB]

I’ll pop my head up here though take note despite a 44 year career in horticulture I’m not a great gardener!! The allotment is my thing. To be frank what you have is a mound of soil with large stones placed on it. This is unlikely to ever look like anything other than a mound of soil......

Out of interest is the soil spoil from where you appear to have recently layed flags?

Alpine plants don’t necessarily require a rockery to grow well but do require a very free draining soil. You might consider using your stone to construct a raised bed in which you can improve the soil and drainage prior to planting. There are a number of advantages here; you can create a good and suitable local environment, any plants with more specific needs e.g additional drainage can be planted in to pockets of VERY gritty soil etc. you could grow a whole range of different bulbs in small containers and sink these in to the bed when in flower and replace with something else after flowering. This is a technique we employ for a wide range of plants around our garden. A wide range of plants will grow happily in the gaps in the bed walls.

Maintenance of a bed should be simpler as there will be fewer nooks and crannies in which weed can take hold.

I’m presuming your rocks are placed with the flat surface down? If so build the retaining wall with the flat surface facing outwards for the best effect. I find it difficult to tell from the image but it looks like you already have a good amount of straight sided stone.

 

[Dave 123]

@User9609 , alternatively you could just crack on and finish it off. It can be a challenge to make it look like a real, miniature mountain in your garden. Just don't invite us round for a BBQ!
As @PaulSB says, gritty pockets for the exciting stuff.

One thing I forgot to mention is ferns. They wouldn't look out of place here. There are some beautiful ones. They don't all need full shade

http://www.fernnursery.co.uk/

 

[Piemaster]

It can be a challenge to make it look like a real, miniature mountain in your garden.

Think thats really the nub of it. If you have a flat garden, as lots do, making anything like that is a challenge so it doesn't look out of place.
That said, if it's your garden, and you like the result, sod everyone else.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Sowing today. Various hot and sweet peppers, globe artichokes, aubergines and 5 wisteria.

Best of all I tidied out one of my greenhouses. That in itself holds deep satisfaction. I like a tidy GH. The other one is used as a winter refuge and dust Spa by the chickens. Spoilt baskets.

Checked a bit too late, but: According to my biodynamic calendar it’s an apogee day until 1416. Oops.

 

[PaulSB]

Not quite gardening but all part of keeping my allotment running. During the last week when weather allowed I’ve completed non-productive jobs on the allotment:

1. Tidied and cleaned out garage
2. Finished splitting next winter’s logs
3. Tidied and cleaned out woodshed where I also keep netting, canes, pots etc.
4. Sorted out tool shed

Hopefully this week I can turn my two finished compost heaps in to one to free up a bin to start the next cycle.

Some mulching to do and then I’m ready to go