Filed under: Uncategorized
Ok over the last year I have been very busy getting married but I have been out planting vegetables over the 3 months. One of the best things has been harvesting the crops. Having never really done any with vegetables it has been a bit an eye opener. I have only really had radishes and they were really different to the lame weak tasting ones that I got from the supermarket.
Gardening highlights this month has been that all the box cuttings I took last year have survived. The only problem I have been no longer got any room in the garden to put them. So it looks that they will have to go to Ireland.
The other high light this year has been the acanthus mollis seeds I got from beara seeds that I planted out last year are about to flower and I am really happy with the erigeron Azure Fairy seed I got from them..
Filed under: Gardening tips
With the weather as nasty as it is I must admit to looking for jobs to do in doors for my parents’ garden in Beaconsfield. So this morning I set about to clean up the old tools that they have hanging around the garage – because that will save them money and is always good practice in this recession everyone tells us is just round the corner. I picked up a very good tip on my City and Guilds course a couple of years ago – if you want to get rid of rust on tools, dip some wire wool in turpentine and gently rub the rust away. It works very well and it keeps you out of the cold when it’s snowing!!
Happy Easter.
Filed under: What I'm reading online...
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Regular tips from this comprehensive – great ideas! can’t wait to get out in the garden this weekend myself!
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Good all round resource
Filed under: What I'm reading online...
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Here is a good post about using seed trays – very realistic about growing and the potential of seeds and their germination. Good for getting started!
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Jobs for the garden for February – does what it says on the tin!
I haven’t been posting too much recently time has been taken up with the wedding plans. This is fast approaching less than three months help!! However in September Last year I took a couple of cuttings from an unknown rose, a climber, in my parents garden. Dug a small slit drench, used a bit of rooting powder. They have are now starting to develop little leaves, and all appear to be healthy. Bearing in mind how expensive roses can be the frugal side of my brain is swelling in pride. It was the first time I have taken rose cutting and all have taken.
Bouyed by relative success so far I have gone a little mad over the last few weeks and whizzed around the place, taking cuttings from all the shrubs I like. These include Photinia Red robin, a camellia and some that I have no idea what they are. It’s only been a couple of weeks and they all seem to be doing ok. But it’s still early days.
Cheers
Hi
I have planted up a load of seeds a couple of weeks ago. All from a new company called Bearaseeds, which were pretty cheap. Have been very pleased with the germination, as nearly all the seeds have done so. The Lupins have been great, and I have now way too many. I was surprised that some of the hardy geraniums such as “Bill Willis” and “Dark Reiter” have already germinated, I was under the impression that they would have taken a little longer. I can’t wait to see what this “Dark Reiter” geranium seed is going to look like when it flowers.
I have both sets of my propagators on full blast, and have about 30+ seeds on the go. Unfortunately they are in my parents garage, and I am concerned that they are not getting enough light, which may effect germination of all seeds.
However so far all the echinacea and AGAPANTHUS Umbellatus “Blue Umbrella” have germinated. So maybe I am worrying too much.
Filed under: What I'm reading online...
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Make your own flower online – not as good as growing, but good fun if your fingers are itching to be greener!
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This is a good little posting about how to get seeds started indoors. They are right that it’s addictive!
Filed under: What I'm reading online...
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A fun blog about a small vegetable patch in Bath. I want one – sigh
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Get inspired about cooking as well as growing…
Filed under: Seeds
It’s that time of year that I start to think about two things for the garden. The first is to start to tidy the garden up. Not really feasible as the weather is pants, and it’s a mucky job. So I’ll put that off for a couple of weeks.
However the other thought is buying seeds for summer. I have to admit that other thought concerns seeds. I am absolutely fascinated by them. How those tiny little buggers grow into massive plants. The question is what shall I grow. There are always my favorite annuals grown every year Salvia Blaze of Fire, Sweet peas (love the smell), french marigolds and some ruebeckias (irish mist). As I adore Delphiniums, I always grow too many and too many variaties. This year a couple of the pacific giants, maybe blue jay and king arthur, and two NZ hybrids “Dusky Maidens” and “Purple Pagans.” Then maybe a couple pelagoniums Maverick White and Infinity Scarlett. I have got a good deal on these seeds.
It’s so easy, most of the time just place the seeds on top of moist compost cover lightly with vermiculite. Keep the soil wet, and at the right temperature. Pot them out when they are big enough to handle.
Bearing in mind how much the cost of the plants are in the garden centres, and how easy it is raise them, it is a no brainer.
Filed under: Uncategorized
I call this blog The Frustrated Gardener because that’s exactly how I feel. I love gardening, I like being outside working on the land, but I am stuck inside at work and living in a big city with little access to greenery and definitely not a garden to work on!
However, it’s not all doom and gloom. I have access to my parents’ garden and the lucky buggers get my gardening services for free! My parents have just built a place in Ireland with a massive 1 acre garden which at present has only hedges and grass, and I am looking forward to making the most of that opportunity.
I am obessed with growing seeds much to my girlfriend’s amusement and annoyance, and to my parent’s benefit.
If I can’t actually do gardening as much as I want to, I can at least write about my plans for the future, my work on my parents’ gardens, the window boxes at our flat and my tips for growing and nurturing from seed.
I hope you enjoy it.
