It's a long story since I last posted to my gardening endeavours. I have moved and created a new garden though. It is coming on fine, and I am enjoying a small manageable garden.
I put some seeds in my propagator about a week ago. I am desperate to grow hollyhocks again. Yes this morning they have just popped through! These are supposed to flower in the first year.
I also have a tray of basil sprouting. I also put tomato plants and coriander to sprout.
Yesterday I bought a new azalea for the border. I also bought five tree paeonia seeds. I didn't realise how challenging the little seeds might be, as the instructions were hidden in the packet. Still I love a challenge. I love peonies. Also if I do get a result with plants it takes 5-7 years before they flower. The anticipation will be excruciating waiting to see what I get!
I have a beautiful maple in a pot, and I bought some training wire yesterday as I decided to start trying to get more of a classic bonsai look to it. I also have some Olive trees I bought as a screen hedge. I think when the weather warms up and the risk of frost has passed I will encourage these a little bit with some training wire.
I think if the stems of the Olives are more lateral they might put out more shoots on the branches. Some of the branches are obviously sprinters that are not fruit bearing. I don't want to cut them out as I won't have enough tree left. I have been using a mixture of yoghurt whey mixed 1 part to nine, per litre with half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to spray on them for the sooty mood they had. This winter they are hardly showing any signs of it.
I have also sprayed the leaves with a weak solution of sequestered seaweed, and given them a few feeds through the roots. This last couple of days they have been 'asking' me to start feeding and spraying again. I think this weekend we are supposed to have cold weather, so I don't want to spray until I know the temperature is settled at about 9 degrees for a few days.
I moved rose bushes, and a clematis a couple of days ago. I also planted cuttings I got started last year of variegated fuscia. I find pottering about and planning what I am going to do very therapeutic and relaxing.
I hope to start a communal herb garden nearby, and have started planting some pretty things outside my fence for the summer. I have a couple of packets of bee and butterfly mix I want to find somewhere to scatter to help the insects.
I have found I have 'superworms' in my garden, they are snacking on the fallen olive leaves. I went to plant a couple of cyclamen and found what looks like nests of leaves under the ground! I decided If the worms like the Olive leaves so much I will pick them up as usual, but them put them through the blender and make a cool compost out of them so they can eat them more easily. They are such huge juicy fit looking worms the blackbirds pull out of my lawn.
Happy spring gardening everyone.
I put some seeds in my propagator about a week ago. I am desperate to grow hollyhocks again. Yes this morning they have just popped through! These are supposed to flower in the first year.
I also have a tray of basil sprouting. I also put tomato plants and coriander to sprout.
Yesterday I bought a new azalea for the border. I also bought five tree paeonia seeds. I didn't realise how challenging the little seeds might be, as the instructions were hidden in the packet. Still I love a challenge. I love peonies. Also if I do get a result with plants it takes 5-7 years before they flower. The anticipation will be excruciating waiting to see what I get!
I have a beautiful maple in a pot, and I bought some training wire yesterday as I decided to start trying to get more of a classic bonsai look to it. I also have some Olive trees I bought as a screen hedge. I think when the weather warms up and the risk of frost has passed I will encourage these a little bit with some training wire.
I think if the stems of the Olives are more lateral they might put out more shoots on the branches. Some of the branches are obviously sprinters that are not fruit bearing. I don't want to cut them out as I won't have enough tree left. I have been using a mixture of yoghurt whey mixed 1 part to nine, per litre with half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to spray on them for the sooty mood they had. This winter they are hardly showing any signs of it.
I have also sprayed the leaves with a weak solution of sequestered seaweed, and given them a few feeds through the roots. This last couple of days they have been 'asking' me to start feeding and spraying again. I think this weekend we are supposed to have cold weather, so I don't want to spray until I know the temperature is settled at about 9 degrees for a few days.
I moved rose bushes, and a clematis a couple of days ago. I also planted cuttings I got started last year of variegated fuscia. I find pottering about and planning what I am going to do very therapeutic and relaxing.
I hope to start a communal herb garden nearby, and have started planting some pretty things outside my fence for the summer. I have a couple of packets of bee and butterfly mix I want to find somewhere to scatter to help the insects.
I have found I have 'superworms' in my garden, they are snacking on the fallen olive leaves. I went to plant a couple of cyclamen and found what looks like nests of leaves under the ground! I decided If the worms like the Olive leaves so much I will pick them up as usual, but them put them through the blender and make a cool compost out of them so they can eat them more easily. They are such huge juicy fit looking worms the blackbirds pull out of my lawn.
Happy spring gardening everyone.
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