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

[Filler.]

I mowed the grass the other day. I mow for ever. Looked so beautiful for 10 minutes in the autumn wind.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Any advice on when to pull the begonias ?  I've lifted one to dry but the others are still looking great.

Can't believe how much the bulb has grown,it's a full fist and was smaller than a conker when I planted it.

[sheepfest]

Love some advice on Hydrangeas please as in when to prune them, pre or post winter?
Not a gardener at all and unfortunately for the plants there are 4 very well established plants which every person I ask about has conflicting advice. We have cut back in winter and spring over the last 5 years but feel like we are slowly killing them.

[bradders1011]

Just moved into a new house and one patch of the garden is covered in these mushrooms



Any advice on how to get rid please? Cheers!

[.adam]

You can't really get rid of them. Or at least, you'll spend a small fortune on treatment that will work to varying extents.

What you're looking at is the 'fruit' of the mushroom. The entire organism is made from what is essentially a network of candy floss like strands underneath your lawn. This is the mycelium network.

The good news is that mushrooms in your lawn are a good indicator that the lawn itself is healthy - the mushroom and the grass form a symbiotic relationship.

If they both you a lot, bear in mind that most mushrooms will only fruit for a very short window (maybe a couple of weeks or so). After that, they'll die back and the organism underground will continue without you knowing it's there.

If you're really bothered, just mow the lawn once/twice a week during the fruiting season and you'll destroy the mushrooms as they start to fruit and you won't see them.

If you pick one and take a photo of the underside, I might be able to help identify it for you. No mushroom is toxic to handle (only when ingesting) so don't worry about touching it.

My lawn now has an annual recurring crop of yellow stainer and red cracking bolete mushrooms which I just let grow out and do their thing. Still waiting for some decent edibles to set up home!

[bradders1011]

Cheers Adam, they're only really in a corner so shouldn't be too much of a bother. Do they all have the same flowering season or different times for different species?

[.adam]

Cheers Adam, they're only really in a corner so shouldn't be too much of a bother. Do they all have the same flowering season or different times for different species?

Different times for different mushrooms. Fruiting depends on the mushroom type, the amount of rain, the temperature for the time of year etc. You might find that they don't fruit next year depending on conditions. The network itself will probably be alive underground but conditions might not have been right for them to fruit.

As an example, I know a few fallen trees near to where I live where there are oyster mushrooms growing on the wood. I pop back each year at roughly the same time - sometimes they fruit, sometimes they don't. One year I think I got about 5kg of mushrooms of the one fallen tree. Next year there were none!

Very few tend to fruit over winter, most prefer spring or autumn when it's wetter but not too hot/cold.

EDIT: Photo of the haul of oysters from one tree last year:

[reddebs]

Love some advice on Hydrangeas please as in when to prune them, pre or post winter?
Not a gardener at all and unfortunately for the plants there are 4 very well established plants which every person I ask about has conflicting advice. We have cut back in winter and spring over the last 5 years but feel like we are slowly killing them.

Are they mophead or lacecap hydrangeas as the advice is different for each of them.

I have mopheads and the advice is leave the heads on them until spring as they protect the new growth in winter.  Cut back in spring but only to the new shoots as they're that years flowers so if you cut back too much they won't flower at all or have very few flowers.

[reddebs]

Woohoo my crab apple tree has arrived for the woodland area 👏👏

[reddebs]

We're down to the last pallet to dismantle ready to build raised beds for the veg plot. 

I'm looking forward to being able to grow things like peas, beans, maybe even some carrots and parsnips.

Then if we've got enough wood left I've another much smaller bed to do that I'd like to grow blueberries in.  If not then maybe put the strawberry plants in as they've not really been successful where they are.

[SvenJohansen]

I planted Larkspur during the summer mainly to attract pollinators and add some purple and blue colours to my garden. I bought them in Woodies. I've since been reading up about them and have found out that not only are they poisonous and toxic to animals but they are a skin irritant too. The packet didn't mention any of this info. I have a cat so I'll be digging them up again soon. They are only seedlings right now so shouldn't be a problem getting them out. But it's a shame that I have to do it at all. It's probably too late in the year to plant anything in their place? And should I dump the compost that they were in out of the pot?

[reddebs]

I planted Larkspur during the summer mainly to attract pollinators and add some purple and blue colours to my garden. I bought them in Woodies. I've since been reading up about them and have found out that not only are they poisonous and toxic to animals but they are a skin irritant too. The packet didn't mention any of this info. I have a cat so I'll be digging them up again soon. They are only seedlings right now so shouldn't be a problem getting them out. But it's a shame that I have to do it at all. It's probably too late in the year to plant anything in their place? And should I dump the compost that they were in out of the pot?

to be honest mate if the cat hasn't touched them so far I'd leave them. 

There are literally hundreds of plants that most of us have in our gardens that are toxic but unless they are eaten in large quantities they're typically harmless.

[SvenJohansen]

to be honest mate if the cat hasn't touched them so far I'd leave them. 

There are literally hundreds of plants that most of us have in our gardens that are toxic but unless they are eaten in large quantities they're typically harmless.

Ah ok thanks for the advice. I will leave them grow a bit so if the cat gets curious then I'll get rid. She doesn't really go for my flowers except for a Red Peace Lily I had during the summer, Someone told me it's known as a Nuns Saddle. I'm trying to find a picture of it coz it was a lovely looking flower. And Lilies are supposed to be bad for cats. Maybe that's why she dug it up the fecker!

Found it.......

https://plantcaretips.in/red-peace-lily/

[reddebs]

Ah ok thanks for the advice. I will leave them grow a bit so if the cat gets curious then I'll get rid. She doesn't really go for my flowers except for a red lily I had during the summer that I don't know the name of. Someone told me it's known as a Nuns Saddle. You'll know what it means when see a picture of it  And Lilies are supposed to be bad for cats. Maybe that's why she dug it up the fecker!

Yep lilies, daffodils, foxgloves to name a few 👍

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Alstroemeria  (Peruvian lily) aren't poisonous.

[reddebs]

Looks like I'm going to have to make changes to the bog garden as with all this rain it's been completely waterlogged which even bog plants don't like.

It's definitey going to need a much deeper layer of gravel/grit before the soil is added to hopefully give a it bit more drainage which means digging out at least 8-10" of soil.

We also need to raise the height of the pond on that side by about the same so it holds more water before it starts to overflow into the bog garden. 

We're talking a huge amount of work again, not least having to remove all the rocks, boulders and pebbles to even get to it 🤦

[WhereAngelsPlay]

I see a trip to your local plant hire in your future 

[reddebs]

I see a trip to your local plant hire in your future 

Nah we did it all by hand apart from digging the pond out.  I paid a man with a digger to do that, much cheaper and quicker 😂

[Slippers]

Nah we did it all by hand apart from digging the pond out.  I paid a man with a digger to do that, much cheaper and quicker 😂

My father dug our fishpond,I asked him not to because we weren't ready to set it up and the next thing I know he's only visible from the waist up and wanting to know what shape we'd like it to be.

[reddebs]

My father dug our fishpond,I asked him not to because we weren't ready to set it up and the next thing I know he's only visible from the waist up and wanting to know what shape we'd like it to be.

There's too much rock and stone in ours to have done it by hand plus it's also really heavy clay so it's like concrete in the summer and a swamp in winter.

It took me months just to dig over the existing borders and I got nothing but complaints when I asked Paul to create the veg plot so not a chance he was going to do the pond 👍

[cormorant]

What's everyone got planned for this year?

Split my flowering here. Stuck a conifer in where I usually plant my wildflowers. Made two separate container spaces on my patio. Kept one for the wildflowers and done another for some other type of flower that I sowed the weekend before last. Way behind where I was at this time last year with it being much cooler. Plus my upstairs neighbour has had a new bathroom fitted and dumped her old one on the lawn pending it getting it taken away over the next week or so so while I am in Spain. Wish I had total control and it would be so much easier.

[reddebs]

What's everyone got planned for this year?

Split my flowering here. Stuck a conifer in where I usually plant my wildflowers. Made two separate container spaces on my patio. Kept one for the wildflowers and done another for some other type of flower that I sowed the weekend before last. Way behind where I was at this time last year with it being much cooler. Plus my upstairs neighbour has had a new bathroom fitted and dumped her old one on the lawn pending it getting it taken away over the next week or so so while I am in Spain. Wish I had total control and it would be so much easier.

New spuds (1st earlies) are in and up, onions are already growing, 2nd earlies going in this weekend after I've finished partying.

Got over 250 cuttings and seedlings ready to go out when it's warmed up a bit.  Peonies are already in bud.  Azaleas have been/are beautiful.  All the tree saplings have growth and leaves.

The pond and wildlife area is coming on nicely and the rabbits are enjoying digging everything up every night little bastards 😂

[SvenJohansen]

Lovely to see the bees coming out of hibernation. Noticed a couple of bumblebees over the last week visiting my borage and hyacinth. My cat keeps trying to catch them though so will have to watch out for that.

[reddebs]

I've got a huge backlog of plants, seedlings and cuttings all stuck in the house waiting for some calm, warm days to get them planted.

I've barely started sowing the summer annuals and the ones I have sown are really struggling to germinate as there's not enough sunny days to set them off.

I bought radish, spring onions and beetroot seeds a few weeks ago that I've not sown yet as it feels pointless whilst the weather's so bad 😟

[royhendo]

Hiya guys. Enjoying the read as always.

We're mostly hard landscaping this year. The mulching worked well although it's amazing how ground elder can still be alive after two years under polythene. It's like some sort of alien life form. Anyway there's enough breathing space for the rest of the stuff to get a foothold and the plan's worked fairly well - perennials and meadow planting and some veg/fruit - so next up is the shrubby layer and the screening of the boundary.

[reddebs]

Hiya guys. Enjoying the read as always.

We're mostly hard landscaping this year. The mulching worked well although it's amazing how ground elder can still be alive after two years under polythene. It's like some sort of alien life form. Anyway there's enough breathing space for the rest of the stuff to get a foothold and the plan's worked fairly well - perennials and meadow planting and some veg/fruit - so next up is the shrubby layer and the screening of the boundary.

I think ground elder, a bit like ivy, needs constantly pulling up to get rid of it properly but even then it'll come back 😟

Sounds like you're well on top of things anyway Roy.

[AlphaDelta]

Hello folks,

First time in here and looking for some advice. I have fairly substantial borders in my back garden which I am debating buying bags of slate to cover over.
The soil hasn't been dug over since last year and I was all for just literally sprinkling the slate on, such is my ignorance of gardening.

Someone in work said that I need to put something down first though, otherwise the weeds will grow through the slate. What is this and where can I get it?

Someone also said having slate on your borders stops cats crapping there, which is something I am keen to do.

Ta

[reddebs]

Hello folks,

First time in here and looking for some advice. I have fairly substantial borders in my back garden which I am debating buying bags of slate to cover over.
The soil hasn't been dug over since last year and I was all for just literally sprinkling the slate on, such is my ignorance of gardening.

Someone in work said that I need to put something down first though, otherwise the weeds will grow through the slate. What is this and where can I get it?

Someone also said having slate on your borders stops cats crapping there, which is something I am keen to do.

Ta

Tough one that mate as yes normally if you're putting down slate or pebbles or gravel you'd normally cover the ground with a membrane first but that's normally if it's a path or similar that's not got any plants growing.

Trying to put membrane round existing plants, especially mature ones, is nigh on impossible and you'll still get weeds coming through on the gaps that are left.

Weirdly planting ground cover plants in between everything will also keep the weeds at bay though probably won't keep the cats away.

If you put the slate down deep enough, like 3-4 inches, it'll do the job so long as you pull the odd weed as it is appears so they don't take hold.

[AlphaDelta]

Tough one that mate as yes normally if you're putting down slate or pebbles or gravel you'd normally cover the ground with a membrane first but that's normally if it's a path or similar that's not got any plants growing.

Trying to put membrane round existing plants, especially mature ones, is nigh on impossible and you'll still get weeds coming through on the gaps that are left.

Weirdly planting ground cover plants in between everything will also keep the weeds at bay though probably won't keep the cats away.

If you put the slate down deep enough, like 3-4 inches, it'll do the job so long as you pull the odd weed as it is appears so they don't take hold.

Superb, thanks Debs

[liverbloke]

Superb, thanks Debs

and can i just add to debs brill advice - there are different thicknesses of membrane

too thin and the weeds will just work through it - so don't skimp on that

BUT in saying that, what i did when my girl bought the wrong stuff was to simply put another layer on top, but don't faff like i had too and get the better stuff

[Filler.]

Good luck everyone. Hugs.

[Filler.]

I am 75% into sowing all the seeds I have in my boxes. Some are sow by 2012 etc. The plan is to sow the lot. Germination will determine my future. I must have sown 30-40 plants this weekend.


Some positive asparagus news... 2 pots have gone for it after a year. Very pleased.

[Filler.]

I am 75% into sowing all the seeds I have in my boxes. Some are sow by 2012 etc.

Can't be long till a tomato seed will cost as much as a human seed surely?

[.adam]

A question to see if anyone has any ideas.

I have privets at the end of my drive - they're maybe around 7 foot tall.

I added an extra one last year as I blocked off an extrance to the drive and wanted to fill it so I had a continuous row of privets.

The issue is, the area where I've added the extra privet doesn't get a great amount of light as it's hidden behind the existing privets.

It's been a year now and the newly added privet isn't bushing out (it's gained a fair amount of height but isn't bushing).

Any suggestions other than give it loads of feed and water? Last year I watered it frequently but this year I've started early on the Miracle-Gro.

Photo below if you're struggling to visualise. New privet is on the left.

[reddebs]

Usually if you want plants to bush out you crop the top as thisencourages new growth further down. 

The original hedge will have been trimmed regularly as it grew to give it that fullness at the bottom. 

Maybe if you top that one plant by a foot or so now whilst it's in full growth then take the whole hedge down by a similar amount in the winter the two will catch up?

[Red-Soldier]

A question to see if anyone has any ideas.

I have privets at the end of my drive - they're maybe around 7 foot tall.

I added an extra one last year as I blocked off an extrance to the drive and wanted to fill it so I had a continuous row of privets.

The issue is, the area where I've added the extra privet doesn't get a great amount of light as it's hidden behind the existing privets.

It's been a year now and the newly added privet isn't bushing out (it's gained a fair amount of height but isn't bushing).

Any suggestions other than give it loads of feed and water? Last year I watered it frequently but this year I've started early on the Miracle-Gro.

Photo below if you're struggling to visualise. New privet is on the left.

Trim the bushes back around it.  Looks like it's struggling to compete for the light.  I don't use chemicals in my garden, so not sure what miracle gro will do.

[.adam]

Thanks, all.

Have tried everything that's been suggested. Took about thee foot off the existing hedge earlier this week and have thinned them as much as possible unless cutting it back to bare wood. Have also clipped the top of the new one too.

I will carry on keeping the existing hedge in check and will continue to feed and water the one which is struggling for light.

The one on the right hand-side was also put in at the same time as the struggler and that was has taken fine as it's on the end where it can get sun.

I have a feeling it'll eventually establish but it'll just take a while.

[reddebs]

This could go in a number of threads as it's gardening, wildlife and happy 👍

We've always kept an area of the garden for wildlife and have enjoyed seeing butterflies, crickets, grasshoppers and other insects amongst the grasses.

Last year we added some wildflower seeds to one particular part and I'm happy to say we've now got yellow rattle growing 😁

[Red-Soldier]

This could go in a number of threads as it's gardening, wildlife and happy 👍

We've always kept an area of the garden for wildlife and have enjoyed seeing butterflies, crickets, grasshoppers and other insects amongst the grasses.

Last year we added some wildflower seeds to one particular part and I'm happy to say we've now got yellow rattle growing 😁

That's great.  I've got it covered across my patch (formerly lawn).  It's absolutely fantastic at keeping the grass down and therefore, I've got so many different wildflowers growing now.  My meadow buittercups are about a metre high!

Yellow rattle is also great for pollinators - keep an eye out for the bees landing on it.

It's an annual, so make sure you let it seed before cutting.  You'll have loads of it in a few years, if managed correctly.

I started my wildflower meadow about 5 years ago, and every year is different 

[reddebs]

That's great.  I've got it covered across my patch (formerly lawn).  It's absolutely fantastic at keeping the grass down and therefore, I've got so many different wildflowers growing now.  My meadow buittercups are about a metre high!

Yellow rattle is also great for pollinators - keep an eye out for the bees landing on it.

It's an annual, so make sure you let it seed before cutting.  You'll have loads of it in a few years, if managed correctly.

I started my wildflower meadow about 5 years ago, and every year is different 

I'm disappointed the ragged robin hasn't grown as in theory it's perfect growing conditions for it as it's pretty waterlogged all winter. 

We've got lots of other things though.

Lots of cuckoo flowers which had a male orange tipped butterfly on it yesterday. 

Cow parsley, oxeye daisies, herb Robert, vetch, trefoil, cut leaf geranium, thistles, curly dock (yes I leave them) ☺️

There's a couple of small buttercup type flowers too that I'm still trying to identify.  Google lens says ones a type of potentilla and the other a star grass 🤷