Topic: The RAWK Gardening Thread. (All Questions Answered)

[Sarge]

Page 4!!

[royhendo]

Roy - saw this a thought of you. A pod about stone walls

https://rootsandall.co.uk/portfolio-item/episode-22-natural-stone-with-giles-heap-of-ced/

Just saw this mate, thank you!

[royhendo]

Did a raised bed for the supermarket avoidance.

[reddebs]

Did a raised bed for the supermarket avoidance.

What are you planning on growing mate?

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[CraigDS]

Can you grow loo roll?

[reddebs]

Can you grow loo roll?

You know what if any of you went to a paper factory as a kid with school it's not that hard to make.

Old paper, non glossy, water and a press of some sort is pretty much all ya need.

Failing that next time you're at the supermarket grab all the free newspapers usually sat at the entrance [emoji1]

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[royhendo]

What are you planning on growing mate?

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Got tatties and beets going in first Debs, but I'm following a plan in a book I got for Xmas.

Loo roll? Yeah - we've got dock leaves all over the garden!

[reddebs]

Got tatties and beets going in first Debs, but I'm following a plan in a book I got for Xmas.

Loo roll? Yeah - we've got dock leaves all over the garden!

Niiiice!  It's always good to have a plan.

Some spring onions would be good too.  They're small enough to put all round the edges without interfering with the other stuff.

[royhendo]

Magic! The garden is going full on edible.

[John C]

The article on the news this morning and evening about the plants that could be thrown away is such a shame. One horticulturalist saying he's had one of his best years for growth and it will all go to waste.

[Filler.]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/b3gNTOlZ_dI" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/b3gNTOlZ_dI</a>

[royhendo]

How's the wildlife invasion been for you lads n lasses?

[CHOPPER]

Thanks for asking Royston, a pod of Orca have decided to make the lower gardens water feature, as their new home and interestingly enough, a herd of Impala have taken to grazing on the upper lawn during dawn and dusk. Bar those, the usual water buffalo scenting and the Harem of proboscis monkeys that have been with for two season now, have now decided to Vogue during early morning chorus, everything is pretty much as it should be.

[kellan]

I've got a hanging basket in the garden and the flowers in it (I don't know what they are, it came to me already planted) wilt badly when the basket is hanging but after a few days of it being placed on the ground look perfectly fine again. What's the deal?

[TheMissionary]

I've got a hanging basket in the garden and the flowers in it (I don't know what they are, it came to me already planted) wilt badly when the basket is hanging but after a few days of it being placed on the ground look perfectly fine again. What's the deal?

It's either vertigo or water retention

[gray19lfc]

Inherited an artificial lawn when I bought my house last year. It has weeds growing through/on it. Will a normal weedkiller sort it out?

[The Last Known Survivor]

No, you need to light it on fire and reseed.

[John C]

I've got a hanging basket in the garden and the flowers in it (I don't know what they are, it came to me already planted) wilt badly when the basket is hanging but after a few days of it being placed on the ground look perfectly fine again. What's the deal?

Was it hanging in a place where either rain isn't getting to it or its difficult to water? It's been very sunny and dry lately so they'll all need plenty of water. Twice daily.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

What's the best compost for triffids?

[Red-Soldier]

How's the wildlife invasion been for you lads n lasses?

Been great thanks.  Yourself?

I only mow my lawn 3-4 times a year anyway, so not much has changed there.  But there has definitely been more birds this year.  I sowed some wildflower seeds 18 months ago in the lawn, so they are just starting to really come up now, which is great. 

I manage my garden like a mini nature reserve, so it's always full of creatures to watch 

[jillcwhomever]

Been great thanks.  Yourself?

I only mow my lawn 3-4 times a year anyway, so not much has changed there.  But there has definitely been more birds this year.  I sowed some wildflower seeds 18 months ago in the lawn, so they are just starting to really come up now, which is great. 

I manage my garden like a mini nature reserve, so it's always full of creatures to watch 

Great idea those finches will love the wildflowers.

[reddebs]

Been great thanks.  Yourself?

I only mow my lawn 3-4 times a year anyway, so not much has changed there.  But there has definitely been more birds this year.  I sowed some wildflower seeds 18 months ago in the lawn, so they are just starting to really come up now, which is great. 

I manage my garden like a mini nature reserve, so it's always full of creatures to watch 

That sounds fantastic and probably something I would do if I had a garden.

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[royhendo]

It's amazing how confident the animals are getting round here. We've got deer at the back door round these parts. Got teeth marks on the hostas.

[royhendo]

I only mow my lawn 3-4 times a year anyway, so not much has changed there.  But there has definitely been more birds this year.  I sowed some wildflower seeds 18 months ago in the lawn, so they are just starting to really come up now, which is great. 

I was gonna say - we did that almost two years ago but not much happened - I'm guessing it takes a good while for them to fight their corner against anything that's already there? I keep seeing stuff about yellow rattle helping them get established... anyone done that?

[Red-Soldier]

I was gonna say - we did that almost two years ago but not much happened - I'm guessing it takes a good while for them to fight their corner against anything that's already there? I keep seeing stuff about yellow rattle helping them get established... anyone done that?

Funny you should mention that.  I've got loads of it starting to flower at the moment.

I sowed them along with the other flowers.  They parasitise various species of grass, helping to open up the sward, therefore giving other plants a chance to grow.

I'm actually thinking of cutting mine out, as I have about 7 different species of grass in my lawn, most of which are nice ones (fluffy and soft when in flower).  I am lucky that my garden is on somewhat poor, acidic soil (good for nice grasses, wildflowers and wildlife).

The bog standard lawn mixes usually consist of the rye grasses.  Tall, vigorous and rich green in colour.  Yellow rattle will struggle against them, but it's worth a go.  You must get the mowing regime right too.

The bees are all over my yellow rattle, so I'll leave it in for a few years and see how it goes.

[Red-Soldier]

Great idea those finches will love the wildflowers.

Yeah, they will love the seeds/buds.  I try to manage my garden for the benefit of insects, as they are generally the foundations off the ecosystem.  Look after them, and everything else should be ok.

That sounds fantastic and probably something I would do if I had a garden.

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I think it is.  I really enjoy it.

[royhendo]

Nice one red-soldier! I might try it but the seeds are expensive eh?

The bit of our garden I’m working on (making a set of raised beds eventually and a meadow bit) is a wild area that’s is riddled with loads of really vigorous grass, cow parsley, ground elder, herb robert and creeping buttercup. There’s also some nice stuff in there (wood anenomes and foxgloves and wild garlic (ID’d by Sarge). Nothing else can get a foothold unless you plant it already established, says the lady at the local nursery... but I keep on sowing stuff I collect in the garden.

Anyway blah blah. Dry stone wall is the next bit. Teaching the nippers how to build one.

[reddebs]

Nice one red-soldier! I might try it but the seeds are expensive eh?

The bit of our garden I’m working on (making a set of raised beds eventually and a meadow bit) is a wild area that’s is riddled with loads of really vigorous grass, cow parsley, ground elder, herb robert and creeping buttercup. There’s also some nice stuff in there (wood anenomes and foxgloves and wild garlic (ID’d by Sarge). Nothing else can get a foothold unless you plant it already established, says the lady at the local nursery... but I keep on sowing stuff I collect in the garden.

Anyway blah blah. Dry stone wall is the next bit. Teaching the nippers how to build one.

To help any delicate wild stuff get established you need to do a scrape Roy.

No "digging" as such just go in and rough up the soil with a rake then sow.

Don't worry about damaging anything else it'll easily recover.

Do it either late summer/early autumn when everything is seeding naturally or early spring as things start to germinate naturally.

Good luck with the walling, I'm hoping to slope off to my brothers next month to help him with some he needs doing.  I'll need to sneak past the Welsh guard though as the borders are still closed [emoji54]

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[royhendo]

Thanks for that

[Red-Soldier]

Nice one red-soldier! I might try it but the seeds are expensive eh?

The bit of our garden I’m working on (making a set of raised beds eventually and a meadow bit) is a wild area that’s is riddled with loads of really vigorous grass, cow parsley, ground elder, herb robert and creeping buttercup. There’s also some nice stuff in there (wood anenomes and foxgloves and wild garlic (ID’d by Sarge). Nothing else can get a foothold unless you plant it already established, says the lady at the local nursery... but I keep on sowing stuff I collect in the garden.

Anyway blah blah. Dry stone wall is the next bit. Teaching the nippers how to build one.

Sounds like its a damp, shady area.  A general wildflower mix is sun-loving, so will not grow there.  You can get woodland mixes though.  I would just leave it as it is, and reduce cutting to 3/4 times are year.

[royhendo]

Sounds like its a damp, shady area.  A general wildflower mix is sun-loving, so will not grow there.  You can get woodland mixes though.  I would just leave it as it is, and reduce cutting to 3/4 times are year.

It has been but we got rid of a lot of dead tree growth there so it's sunny enough now. We'll persist with it - it's been an overgrown orchard by a stream basically, so you're spot on, but this year we're seeing a few things we haven't seen since the hard core pruning session. The eldest is a dab hand with the wee saw.

[reddebs]

It has been but we got rid of a lot of dead tree growth there so it's sunny enough now. We'll persist with it - it's been an overgrown orchard by a stream basically, so you're spot on, but this year we're seeing a few things we haven't seen since the hard core pruning session. The eldest is a dab hand with the wee saw.

Sometimes you can't go wrong with letting nature do it's own thing.  Now you've had a clear out and let the light in it'll develop its own ecosystem.

Then in a year or two add stuff you'd like to see there.

[Col]

Anyone any experience with stopping wild roses or grapevines from growing?

We've got large bits of our garden that were left properly overgrown before we got the house and these things act like they could survive the apocalypse.

[Red-Soldier]

Anyone any experience with stopping wild roses or grapevines from growing?

We've got large bits of our garden that were left properly overgrown before we got the house and these things act like they could survive the apocalypse.

How come you don't want the wild roses?  They should be able to take a heavy pruning each year, if you want to keep them under control.

[Crosby Nick]

Our back garden is completely paved and still haven’t got round to putting any pots in after 5 years of being here. We have a small bed at the front which has one glorious rose bush, with tons of yellow roses in full bloom at the moment. Should I be chopping off the heads of the dead ones now, or should I wait til they’ve all died?

Think it often blooms a second and third time through the summer too.

[Col]

How come you don't want the wild roses?  They should be able to take a heavy pruning each year, if you want to keep them under control.

They're all-consuming.
Never stop growing, too many thorns, and they wrap up anything they come into contact with. Very easy to lose a dog inside as well!
(Oh, and they've not actually bloomed in 3 years... they're just thorn bushes at this point).

[ToneLa]

Ordered chilli plants online, sound, do this every year.

Went the socially distanced offie and bought some ale to socially distance myself with. I come back and the postman has left one of his cards, "over the fence"

... there's my box of plants marked FRAGILE and he's hurled it over! I left the garage open just in case??

But they're happy now in hanging baskets. Looking forward to the Scotch Bonnet one shooting up in no time in this weather.... and yes, I've handled those before, note to self: put contacts in BEFORE you check your plants each morning 

Anywho question:

Got some dry patches where the grass has died. I've raked it over, made holes quite near to eachother, removed what I could, and planted new grass seeds. I've moistened the ground there and will continue doing so when we don't have rain. Anything else I can do to sort the horrid dry patches?

[jillcwhomever]

Ordered chilli plants online, sound, do this every year.

Went the socially distanced offie and bought some ale to socially distance myself with. I come back and the postman has left one of his cards, "over the fence"

... there's my box of plants marked FRAGILE and he's hurled it over! I left the garage open just in case??

But they're happy now in hanging baskets. Looking forward to the Scotch Bonnet one shooting up in no time in this weather.... and yes, I've handled those before, note to self: put contacts in BEFORE you check your plants each morning 

Anywho question:

Got some dry patches where the grass has died. I've raked it over, made holes quite near to eachother, removed what I could, and planted new grass seeds. I've moistened the ground there and will continue doing so when we don't have rain. Anything else I can do to sort the horrid dry patches?

   Just as well they are hardy plants hey. 

[John C]

Our back garden is completely paved and still haven’t got round to putting any pots in after 5 years of being here. We have a small bed at the front which has one glorious rose bush, with tons of yellow roses in full bloom at the moment. Should I be chopping off the heads of the dead ones now, or should I wait til they’ve all died?

Think it often blooms a second and third time through the summer too.

You'd have thought Sarge would at least try to achieve the mission statement in the thread title of "all questions answered" wouldn't you Nick mate.

For what it's worth I'd say dead-head them.

[Red-Soldier]

It has been but we got rid of a lot of dead tree growth there so it's sunny enough now. We'll persist with it - it's been an overgrown orchard by a stream basically, so you're spot on, but this year we're seeing a few things we haven't seen since the hard core pruning session. The eldest is a dab hand with the wee saw.

I work in nature conservation/land management, it's my job to know these things 

They'll be quite a few seeds already in the seedbank that will now grow through, due to the site being opened up.  Although, one of those things may be bramble, so best to keep and eye on that.