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Post by cazypops on Jan 5, 2014 15:41:56 GMT
Sweet Peas in loo rolls, what a good Idea. Once they start shooting do you transfer them to the garden or pots bectil? I got some Purple Wall Flowers last summer and I had the best year ever for attracting Butterflies. I even had a Peacock Butterfly which I;d never seen before.  |
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Post by bectil on Jan 5, 2014 17:18:17 GMT
cazypops: Sweet peas like to grow in long containers, so I use toilet roll tubes.. saves faffing about with plastic pots too and they're more or less free  Once they're pinched, roughly over 10cm (?) and have been acclimatized, then they go straight out into the garden - no need potting them on or anything once they've germinated. I bet seeing the Peacock butterfly was quite rewarding!
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Post by caz2golden on Jan 5, 2014 18:28:09 GMT
I guess I was super lucky where I grew up, we saw blue, orange tip, peacock, tortoiseshell, red admiral, painted lady and comma along with the cabbage whites which my dad obviously loathed!! However where I am now I get the odd tortoiseshell and thats about it along with the odd dragonfly!! I like to watch the bees working from flower to flower + getting covered in pollen but even they seem less last few years (dont get the honey bees anymore just the odd bumble bee)!! The prairie mallow that took over the garden was a hit last year with the bumble bees!!  |
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Post by cazypops on Jan 5, 2014 21:16:09 GMT
cazypops: Sweet peas like to grow in long containers, so I use toilet roll tubes.. saves faffing about with plastic pots too and they're more or less free Once they're pinched, roughly over 10cm (?) and have been acclimatized, then they go straight out into the garden - no need potting them on or anything once they've germinated. I bet seeing the Peacock butterfly was quite rewarding! I guess I was super lucky where I grew up, we saw blue, orange tip, peacock, tortoiseshell, red admiral, painted lady and comma along with the cabbage whites which my dad obviously loathed!! However where I am now I get the odd tortoiseshell and thats about it along with the odd dragonfly!! I like to watch the bees working from flower to flower + getting covered in pollen but even they seem less last few years (dont get the honey bees anymore just the odd bumble bee)!! The prairie mallow that took over the garden was a hit last year with the bumble bees!! Yes seeing the Peacock was brilliant, we also got tortoiseshells, and Large Cabbage whites. One day I counted, I think 10 Tortoiseshells in one go on the same plants + I can't remember how many Cabbage whites where there as well, it was a proper sight. I was outside in the garden counting them for the Big Butterfly Count that happens every year between July and August. I think I'll give the Sweet peas another go this year, but I'm going to do them in a large pot this year with a cane pyramid. (that's if I can keep Jasper off them, nothing he love more than digging my pots up.  ) |
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Post by bectil on Mar 31, 2014 17:49:39 GMT
I've had a day of weeding/tidying the garden today. Pruned Lavatera back, cut conifer, weeded (the acer at the bottom of the garden has dropped loads of helicopters and they're sprouting up everywhere.. nusiense they are! ), tidied pots. Don't have much colour in the garden at the moment, I keep meaning to plant some spring bulbs in the autumn, but by then I'm ready to switch off The only plants in flower is the Spiraea arguta, Mahonia, winter Pansies and soon the two brooms (looking forward for them to bloom!). I did my mum a spring pot for mothers day that has some Primroses and daffs in |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2014 18:24:32 GMT
I was actually organised last year and bought a whole load of spring bulbs from Wilkinsons in August......and then forgot to plant them until November!!!!!  They've all come up though and I had a fabulous show of crocus the other week which I'm annoyed I forgot to take a photo of My pots are all big yellow daffodils now Tulips are starting to grow well too so probably another couple of weeks till they look good. My kitchen & living room window is currently full of various pots & margarine tubs fill of sprouting seeds - French marigold, Californian poppies, opium poppies, nasturtium and cosmos. I'm seriously thinking of trying to get an allotment so I can put a greenhouse up and actually have more room to grow LOADS of plants to fill the courtyard. I'm restricted at the moment as can only use the kitchen windowsill and one side of the living room window as Chilli & Lily like to sunbathe there  |
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Post by tonib on Mar 31, 2014 20:05:45 GMT
I've had a day of weeding/tidying the garden today. Pruned Lavatera back, cut conifer, weeded (the acer at the bottom of the garden has dropped loads of helicopters and they're sprouting up everywhere.. nusiense they are! ), tidied pots. Don't have much colour in the garden at the moment, I keep meaning to plant some spring bulbs in the autumn, but by then I'm ready to switch off The only plants in flower is the Spiraea arguta, Mahonia, winter Pansies and soon the two brooms (looking forward for them to bloom!). I did my mum a spring pot for mothers day that has some Primroses and daffs in Sounds a good gardening day bectil Our Mahonia has stopped flowering now, our spiraea Jpseph's coat is flowering well but I wasn't sure which was spiraea arguta so checked & goggle referred to "Bridal Wreath" which I thought we had & it flowers early summer! Bet you mum liked the spring pot I was actually organised last year and bought a whole load of spring bulbs from Wilkinsons in August......and then forgot to plant them until November!!!!! They've all come up though and I had a fabulous show of crocus the other week which I'm annoyed I forgot to take a photo of My pots are all big yellow daffodils now Tulips are starting to grow well too so probably another couple of weeks till they look good. My kitchen & living room window is currently full of various pots & margarine tubs fill of sprouting seeds - French marigold, Californian poppies, opium poppies, nasturtium and cosmos. I'm seriously thinking of trying to get an allotment so I can put a greenhouse up and actually have more room to grow LOADS of plants to fill the courtyard. I'm restricted at the moment as can only use the kitchen windowsill and one side of the living room window as Chilli & Lily like to sunbathe there my crocus are basically gone now as well @gillykat but we've still got daffodils blooming in the beds & some more still to come whilst we have a lovely display of daffodils & hyacinths & an odd tulip in one pot & tulips in another - should be white crocuses & red tulips but they come at different times! You do much better than me with seeds I go for perennial plants as, although I like the bedding plant displays, I can't be bothered with continually digging up & replacing annuals each year. However our garden has been weird this year. We've had lavender flower buds showing colour all winter & they are now starting to open the actual petals!!! A rose has bloomed (one one flower mind you) & there are flower buds on some of the others. We've also got a magnolia flowering, grape hyacinths, primula denticulatas *white & purple ones) & hellibores (dark crimson/mauve & white ones). this combination seems to almost cover all seasons! Everything else seems to be growing well. |
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Post by scallywag on Mar 31, 2014 20:18:09 GMT
Our magnolia was beautiful, in full bloom, then the frost came last week, now we have burned brown flowers on it Grrrrr tonib |
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Post by tonib on Mar 31, 2014 20:25:59 GMT
Oh what a shame scallywag, luckily the frost didn't get the buds as they are only opening now. Its the lavender that gets me I know its been mildthis winter as they've not died off (lost some in previous years) butmainly because they are trying to flower all winter - normally a summer thing!!! |
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Post by bectil on Mar 31, 2014 20:41:17 GMT
tonib, I've noticed that with the lavender in my garden. Also the geraniums which I planted in a pot last year has started to flower again - I've cut the stems back to a healthy bud and removed any dead stems, ECT. Might have them for another year, usually the frost has killed them by now. Also, they were red when I planted them, for some reason they are now pink @gillykat, there has been a fabulous show of spring bulbs this year. I've had lots of crocus' in my front garden too It sounds as though you've had a lovely show! You've done better than me for sowing seeds. I've sown sweetpeas, purple cone flowers and primroses (primrose haven't taken I don't think). I need to sow pumpkins, cosmos, peas, wild flower mix, rudbekias, poppies, aqualegias.. and more An allotment sounds like a good idea! Are you unable to buy a cold frame for your courtyard? I'm planning on buying a wooden cold frame with the plastic windows - I've had a couple of the cheap (!?) plastic cover cold frame/greenhouse from the supermarket but I've given up on them. They're useless, plus it doesn't help that my cat liked lying on the top of it, which she use to stick her claws into the plastic cover, making holes in it, so it would leak
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Post by smilesbetter on Apr 1, 2014 5:23:24 GMT
Hello! New to this convo... I love gardening! I live in a city so no garden yet (although wanting to get one of the many beautiful allotment style gardens near my flat in a few years), but I do a fair bit of balcony gardening. The summer is super hot here with little rain so it's hard to keep things hydrated but apart from that they grow very well and the veg I grew last year (my first year doing this) was fantastic. This year I'm being a bit experimental and growing small lettuces, carrots (which I'm not sure about), and I got teensie red onions from the supermarket which you apparently plant and they grow big haha, so we'll see how they go. Also got peppers, tomatoes (last year I had an amazing tomato plant that grew looooods of delicious tomatoes, I never had to buy any all summer!), peas and a few different herbs are left over from last year (and a left over gooseberry plant which hasn't had gooseberries yet) but they look quite dead and I don't know if I can bring them back to life or if I should replace them. Planning to grow some low maintenance flowers on long boxes which hang off the balcony and outside the cat net, any ideas on what would be good) hoping to attract some butterflies and bees, we had loads last year and it was Erika & cat TV!! We might also get one of those insect hotels for the wall and see if it gets used over winter at all. We've got some bird feeders hanging around on the balcony and front facing window, for the cats, but so far no interest. Any idea on how to get birds to come to them? There's a tree outside our balcony but it's relatively unused compared to the much bigger tree about three doors down which seems to be bird paradise. Pfft, lucky cats in that building! I'll see if I can find a picture of Carlotta on the balcony garden last year. She was always out there! It's nicely shaded with an umbrella when they go out and we now have a little table that hangs inside the balcony just for the cats, so it's perfect for them to sit in the warmth and watch the goings ons outside. Anyway blah, that's my little garden! I was really proud of it last year but it's hard work if both my man and I go on holiday at the same time. It needs watered twice a day at least and is quick to go into drought (except the desert plants left over from last year, but they may be dead...). Any ideas on a home made watering system suitable for a small balcony would be great! Our neighbour could top it up with water as she comes in to feed and hang out with the cats at least twice a day when we're away usually anyway but I can't ask her to water all my plants (there's a lot for such a small space) twice a day, and it would be nice to not have to do it twice myself too  |
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Post by bectil on May 20, 2014 18:47:22 GMT
I sown some wild flower seeds into a pot the other week, which have germinated. I put a bit of plastic mesh over the pot, so my cat wont lie in it and/or go to the loo in it - I'll take it off in a few days or so Also in the same photo are some purple cone flowers and pumpkins (last years pumpkin seeds).  I also planted out my sweet peas  |
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2014 10:06:27 GMT
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Post by scallywag on May 21, 2014 10:51:30 GMT
Crikey....I can't believe I didn't put a pic of my daffs & tulips on here (so where DID I put it?  ??  ) A snap shot from your day  |
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Post by bectil on May 21, 2014 17:44:30 GMT
Crikey....I can't believe I didn't put a pic of my daffs & tulips on here (so where DID I put it? ?? ) A snap shot from your day Was going to say, I've deffenertly seen the spring photos somewhere Oww, you've got bleeding hearts! Did you grow that plant? I've heard they're not easy to grow. On the way to one of my gardens, I pass a nice sized bleeding hearts shrub, and the flowers on it were BEAUTIFUL! All your pots look lovely |
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Once they're pinched, roughly over 10cm (?) and have been acclimatized, then they go straight out into the garden - no need potting them on or anything once they've germinated.
)
They've all come up though and I had a fabulous show of crocus the other week which I'm annoyed I forgot to take a photo of 
?? 
) They've all gone over now and been removed to die down naturally in a border around the back and last week I planted a load of Tagetes (french marigold) and californian poppies (escholtzia) for the bees and hoverflies. Still need to get some sweet peas and nasturtium in though....I've been SO disorganised this past few weeks 
