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

[Narwin Dunez]

When pulling up the root of a particularly stubborn hedge I fell backward onto my baby apple tree

like this size

and bent it so bad towards it snapped the trunk halfway through and it reaches the floor

It's stood again now but a big gust of wind or a proper knock will probably snap it off. Is there any saving it or shall I take it out and start again?

I hate gardening.

[reddebs]

When pulling up the root of a particularly stubborn hedge I fell backward onto my baby apple tree

like this size

and bent it so bad towards it snapped the trunk halfway through and it reaches the floor

It's stood again now but a big gust of wind or a proper knock will probably snap it off. Is there any saving it or shall I take it out and start again?

I hate gardening.

Bandage it up with a splint of some kind so the split comes back together again and it should be good as new in a few months.

[7777]

We have built a little bedding area but it will get no sun, what are the best plants to get and from where?

[Sarge]

We have built a little bedding area but it will get no sun, what are the best plants to get and from where?

How big is the arera mate? You'll not have a huge selection but we can make it prett for you

[Sarge]

Shade:

Ferns
Acers (Small - Medium - Large Tree)
Lavender
Acuba Japonica (Shrub - Large)
Fatsia Japoinc (Shrub - Large)
Heuchera (Small Plant)
Hydrengea (Medium Shrub)
Hosta
Holly
Bamboo

7777 Here are a few to get you started.

[Filler.]

When pulling up the root of a particularly stubborn hedge I fell backward onto my baby apple tree

and bent it so bad towards it snapped the trunk halfway through and it reaches the floor

It's stood again now but a big gust of wind or a proper knock will probably snap it off. Is there any saving it or shall I take it out and start again?

I hate gardening.

It may be a bit late now, but you could order some grafting tape from amazon. I used it for grafting some apple trees aswell as some 'seal and heal' paste that comes in a small squeezy bottle... it's for protecting cut branches from disease - worked very well.

I'm no expert, but i'd be buying this 'seal and heal' immediately... tie some splints to it, then tie the whole thing to a good strong stake.




Spent a few hours the other night coming up with ideas for a wood fired swimming pool. Think I'll concentrate on other things first. Possibilities tho.

[Filler.]

I caught about 10 mins of the recent Gardeners World on telly the other day and there was a lovely flower for shaded areas being highlighted. Didn't have a pen to write it down, but maybe worth watching. The programme centred on a garden festival at some great Manor House somewhere... and I have to say, that all those garden displays looked absolutely shite.



Has anyone grown kiwifruit outdoors in the UK? If so, where in UK? Am interested to see if it's worth doing at some point. My eldest likes kiwifruit, and I've started to like them ever since discovering something brilliant about them the other day. Peeling them used to irritate me... messy, slippery etc... but if you take a knife and scrape off most of the hair, you can then just chop the ends off, slice them, and eat the skin. Try it if you didn't know this beautiful fact.

[dnkw]

Hi folks

I put up a greenhouse this year and amongst other things am growing cucumbers.

These are pretty well established now (5-6ft high, fruit now developing) but I've noticed that a) the top leaves have holes in and are yellowing (see pic) and b) there are a small number of what appear to be whitefly under some of the leaves.

At this stage of development, if it is the whitefly causing the problem (or even if it isn't), do I need to tackle them? Or are these more of a problem for younger plants?

As an aside, I found this fecker in there just now, could he/she be the culprit (see other pic of flappy thing)?

Thanks in advance!

Dan

[dave 5516]

I caught about 10 mins of the recent Gardeners World on telly the other day and there was a lovely flower for shaded areas being highlighted. Didn't have a pen to write it down, but maybe worth watching. The programme centred on a garden festival at some great Manor House somewhere... and I have to say, that all those garden displays looked absolutely shite.



Has anyone grown kiwifruit outdoors in the UK? If so, where in UK? Am interested to see if it's worth doing at some point. My eldest likes kiwifruit, and I've started to like them ever since discovering something brilliant about them the other day. Peeling them used to irritate me... messy, slippery etc... but if you take a knife and scrape off most of the hair, you can then just chop the ends off, slice them, and eat the skin. Try it if you didn't know this beautiful fact.

Just top and tail the kiwi and then insert a spoon in between the skin and flesh, run the spoon around till both are seperated.

[Sarge]

Hi folks

I put up a greenhouse this year and amongst other things am growing cucumbers.

These are pretty well established now (5-6ft high, fruit now developing) but I've noticed that a) the top leaves have holes in and are yellowing (see pic) and b) there are a small number of what appear to be whitefly under some of the leaves.

At this stage of development, if it is the whitefly causing the problem (or even if it isn't), do I need to tackle them? Or are these more of a problem for younger plants?

As an aside, I found this fecker in there just now, could he/she be the culprit (see other pic of flappy thing)?

Thanks in advance!

Dan

Try this.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/eats-leaves-cucumber-44704.html

[Sarge]

Just top and tail the kiwi and then insert a spoon in between the skin and flesh, run the spoon around till both are seperated.

[dnkw]

Try this.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/eats-leaves-cucumber-44704.html

Thanks!

[Sarge]

Thanks!

Lets know how you get on.

[SamAteTheRedAcid]

Peeling them used to irritate me... messy, slippery etc... but if you take a knife and scrape off most of the hair, you can then just chop the ends off, slice them, and eat the skin. Try it if you didn't know this beautiful fact.

Someone told me you could just eat the skin as well and I have done ever since. Hair and all Still a bit messy though.

[redbyrdz]

Someone told me you could just eat the skin as well and I have done ever since. Hair and all Still a bit messy though.

I just eat them with a spoon. Cut in half, and spoon the innards out until only the skin is left. Much less messy.

[Sarge]

I just eat them with a spoon. Cut in half, and spoon the innards out until only the skin is left. Much less messy.

Naa bollox to that just eat the full thing.

[dnkw]

Lets know how you get on.

I think it's flea beetles! Just caught one red handed.

Edit: to that end, do I need to worry about them? The Cucumbers are about 6 ft high now, and my tomatoes 3ft. Cheers Sarge!

[Filler.]

Someone told me you could just eat the skin as well and I have done ever since. Hair and all Still a bit messy though.

Stone the disbelievers! I don't find it messy at all... now I don't even bother that much with scraping the hairs off. Quick scrape, top and tail, slice into quarters lengthways, eat. I think my son has been enjoying freaking out some of his classmates with it too It's also packed with all the really healthy bits of a kiwi apparently... visions of an ad campaign involving Joe Wicks fucking one etc. I should be his agent.



dnkw... where do you live to have 6foot cucumber plants?! My biggest is about 18" 

[dnkw]

Filler, they're in growbags in an unheated greenhouse in Cambridgeshire.

I'm not claiming any gardening prowess here (total gardening newbie in fact), they're the ones my dad grows so I thought I'd give them a go. Only thing I've given them outside of water is Chempak 3 when they were growing and then tomato feed now they're forming fruit (under advice, I should add!). 

These are the ones:

http://www.suttons.co.uk/Gardening/Vegetable+Plants/All+Vegetable+Plants/Cucumber+Grafted+Plant+-+F1+Carmen_243611.htm#24361121?vt0=null&vo0=undefined

[Filler.]

Filler, they're in growbags in an unheated greenhouse in Cambridgeshire.

Bugger.. was really hoping you weren't in UK. Feel a bit better knowing that you're doping them tho. Love to see some photos. Cucumbers are my issue this year. growing them in the greenhouse and outdoors. Outdoors I have a lemon cucumber and it's 4" high! 

[dnkw]

Bugger.. was really hoping you weren't in UK. Feel a bit better knowing that you're doping them tho. Love to see some photos. Cucumbers are my issue this year. growing them in the greenhouse and outdoors. Outdoors I have a lemon cucumber and it's 4" high! 

My wife agrees with this sentiment!

Regarding height, the cucumber I'm growing purports to grow up to 3m so it may also be due to being a different type.

[fingermouse]

Total novice gardener here looking for some advice on a newly laid lawn - any help much appreciated as im in a bit of a quandary!

Got the back garden turfed last Thursday. Been watering daily in the evening as advised.

The grass is already getting pretty long, couple of inches at least.

I was advised to cut it at the highest mower setting after 7-10 days but have now also been advised elsewhere not to walk on lawn for 2-3 wks as the roots haven't knitted into the soil and walking on it will cause damage.

So i don't know what to do - how can i mow the lawn if i cant walk on it?

Ive also been  advised not to let the grass get too long, but if I wait 2-3 weeks to mow itll be really long by then and a bit tougher to cut I expect.

Also the bloke who did the turfing job can barely string a sentence together so he's not much help.

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

[Filler.]

My wife agrees with this sentiment!

Must be a different variety. 3 metres is a big bloody plant! Am hoping to nip the tops off mine when they get to 5 foot... but that's months away. Or feels it. I've got 3 metre weeds tho. 

Got the back garden turfed last Thursday.

Oh dear! There are 365 days in a year and I reckon you've picked the very worst one to lay new turf. The day that this little heatwave we're having started? You'll be watering that ALOT morning and night I imagine. I'm planning a returf in my garden, tho I'll be going the seed route... but everything I've ever read says a big no no to laying/sowing grass in the summer, with October being the best. Spring too, but autumn best. I took an early decision to sow the seed myself, so I read about that more than about turfing - so had never really thought about the mower issue!


But there is one answer perhaps:




I dream of having one of these.

[redbyrdz]

You'll be ok walking across it do to the mowing, its not that delicate. The lad who laid it probable walked on it to lay it down.

[fingermouse]

Ok, thanks for the advice gents. Im up in Scotland, so as ever, heatwaves dont really apply!

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

[dnkw]

I've got 3 metre weeds tho. 

 

[Filler.]

Ok, thanks for the advice gents. Im up in Scotland, so as ever, heatwaves dont really apply!

That's good. Should be fine. I'm midlands England and there's no way turf would bed in this week. LOTS of water still needed tho. Grass grows the most just before dawn.

I want a bowling type lawn in mine... I reckon if I aim for the stars... I could have a lawn worth walking on.

[dnkw]

Love to see some photos. Cucumbers are my issue this year. growing them in the greenhouse and outdoors. Outdoors I have a lemon cucumber and it's 4" high! 

Sorry Filler, just saw that you asked about photos - I don't normally need asking twice for that sort of thing.

[Filler.]

What's this permaculture thing then? Does anybody practise it, or know about it? If so... what's a really good book on it?


Just caught a programme just now (The Hampton Court Palace Garden Show on BBC2), and it had a slice about permaculture... that permaculture 'is really taking off right now' or summat. Sounds almost exactly what I want from my garden... all plants being in some way edible. Not totally, but they showed ferns that you could eat aswell as flowers, berries etc... BUT... a huge part of it also requires large areas that are just left to their own devices - so just like my fucking garden then.

I'd heard, and come across this term before, but does anybody know of a good book?

Sorry Filler, just saw that you asked about photos - I don't normally need asking twice for that sort of thing.

They look good. Mine are about 12" high!!!

[.adam]

Morning, all. Would like to encourage the ivy growing on my house to make its way further across the front aspect (see picture) but it is more inclined to grow up rather than across. I constantly keep it trimmed so that it does not rise above the bottom of the top windows to stop this (actually needs a trim now - that's a job for the weekend).

Any suggestions on how to encourage it to grow the way I want it to go? Was thinking putting blobs of glue on the brickwork and running string across in the direction I want it to go to give it something to grab a hold of - would this work?

[Filler.]

Any suggestions on how to encourage it to grow the way I want it to go?

With Ivy, the best way to grow it I find is to dig a big trench around the roots so you can dig out as much as possible, then fill the trench with acid. Leave to soak for a few weeks and then set about it with a flamethrower some months later.

[Filler.]

Been designing my garden the last few days. Scale model. Must be mad, but I have huge ambitions.

In a difficult year with my mum passing we managed to grow cucumbers and aubergines in my 6x4 greenhouse, aswell as a few herbs etc and my blueberry bush goes in there for the whole of August so no room for much else.

Blackberries still being picked and frozen, the raspberries are still giving us puddings. The beans have sadly died. Christ... going to have to buy beans now. No cranberries this year, and the gooseberries got dwarfed under weeds as did the strawberries. Am currently trying to pot them on. Won 2nd prize in the village vegetable competition with my lemon cucumbers tho. Not sure who or what came first, but some fucking obvious vote rigging going on there.

Next year: New greenhouse, outdoor kitchen, pizza oven. Hmn.

[Lawnmowerman]

Morning, all. Would like to encourage the ivy growing on my house to make its way further across the front aspect (see picture) but it is more inclined to grow up rather than across. I constantly keep it trimmed so that it does not rise above the bottom of the top windows to stop this (actually needs a trim now - that's a job for the weekend).

Any suggestions on how to encourage it to grow the way I want it to go? Was thinking putting blobs of glue on the brickwork and running string across in the direction I want it to go to give it something to grab a hold of - would this work?

That's a good looking house mate. You're mad growing that common ivy on it. Despite the potential damage to brickwork and any wood and the absolute mankyness of it with the dirt it collects, it's a magnet for wasps come end of summer

[Lawnmowerman]

With Ivy, the best way to grow it I find is to dig a big trench around the roots so you can dig out as much as possible, then fill the trench with acid. Leave to soak for a few weeks and then set about it with a flamethrower some months later.

[Giovanni]

Anyone got any experience with Buddleia removal?

How big does it need to be to have caused an issue with your house?

[Corrie Nick]

That's a good looking house mate. You're mad growing that common ivy on it. Despite the potential damage to brickwork and any wood and the absolute mankyness of it with the dirt it collects, it's a magnet for wasps come end of summer

Agree. We had ivy growing up the back of our old house. By the end of each summer it was absolutely rampant! Had to hack it down from the windows and guttering. But it was also full of wasps and big bastard spiders too. Thankfully no nesting birds so we were able to hack it all down and paint the back wall and it looked much nicer.

Had some Virginia Creeper at the front which was nicer. It’s seasonal so turned red in autumn and then shed all its leaves so nowhere near as high maintenance as ivy.

[Lawnmowerman]

Agree. We had ivy growing up the back of our old house. By the end of each summer it was absolutely rampant! Had to hack it down from the windows and guttering. But it was also full of wasps and big bastard spiders too. Thankfully no nesting birds so we were able to hack it all down and paint the back wall and it looked much nicer.

Had some Virginia Creeper at the front which was nicer. It’s seasonal so turned red in autumn and then shed all its leaves so nowhere near as high maintenance as ivy.

And your house changes with the seasons. More in tune with its surrounding and the environment. Lovely stuff.

[Filler.]

Really enjoying January in the garden. Wish I could be out there more often. So much to do it's ridiculous. I've got this idea in my head and there's absolutely no way on earth that I'll be able to achieve it. That's the problem.

[Filler.]

Really trying to do an hour a day EVERY day this year. Failing, but that's the idea.

[Geppvindh's]

Right, so we've been given an oregano and a parsley plant by a friend. We have no garden and have no experience dealing with these. Any tips/link that could be useful? Ta!