[Help] Gardeners Question Time.

[LamieRobertson]

If they are dry, DON'T FEED. Plants need to be under no stress when fed, otherwise they will overdose and it won't do them any good. Water like buggery for a few weeks, then feed, although with Laurels, it's holding them back rather than getting them growing!

Re you and Coldeanseagull

Most of this run were planted two years ago with just a few replacements in December because peeps had nicked them ...so really they should be well rooted by now ...also the soul remains quite moist there.

Re running away with themselves ..tell me about it ..I’ve got enough of them.

I’m wondering if it’s a bit too alkaline

 

[LamieRobertson]

Don't be lulled in to a false sense of security. The rain we've had in Brighton has done nothing apart from lay the dust. Have a scrape of your soil, especially under plants. You will find it's as dry as a bone. My catchphrase on here is becoming "Water like buggery!".

When I posted it was nice and steady and the clouds looked promising ..but bugger all in the end (my new phrase)

 

[Jack Straw]

Re you and Coldeanseagull

Most of this run were planted two years ago with just a few replacements in December because peeps had nicked them ...so really they should be well rooted by now ...also the soul remains quite moist there.

Re running away with themselves ..tell me about it ..I’ve got enough of them.

I’m wondering if it’s a bit too alkaline

As they were so small when they were planted and it was the second hottest summer on record, they probably haven't quite got established thoroughly yet. WATER LI......!
As regards alkalinity, I doubt regardless of what number your soil is, it would be the over-riding factor on the plants' health. I assume your soil isn't clay, hence the alkalinity query? Just keep them watered, then water them again. A mulch would help after you've thoroughly soaked them, but don't use fresh wood chips - they don't do new plants any good due to them tying up the nitrogen in the soil leading to starvation. Well-rotted compost is a winner if you can get some.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

I know we're only speculating because of one photo, but could they be drier than surrounding area because of that wall? I've laid on my side and studied that picture, it still looks like natural leaf drop to me

 

[WATFORD zero]

I don't remember there being so much buggers, buggering and buggery in the radio 4 version of this

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Another tale of lawn woe. Ours was laid about four years ago when we moved in (new build). It's on a slightly slope, the lower point of which is also the shadiest part of the garden, so that part was prone to a bit of moss growth even when the rest looked OK.

Cue the wettest winter in years, combined with fairly heavy clay soil, which left all of the previously decent half absolutely saturated all winter: the moss sprouted everywhere. Now it's dried out again (and how: couldn't believe how dry and cracked some of my flowerbeds were the other day), I've mowed it, treated the moss twice and raked the dead bits out as best I can. I found a bit of old topsoil spare and attempted to reseed it, but despite watering frequently, I'm not seeing much, if any new growth. I still have some substantial parts where the lawn is looking pretty sorry for itself. The instructions said to overseed the existing lawn, but all I'm seeing, two weeks later, is grass seed still lying around. I've tried PatchMagic before, to bugger all effect. What's the deal? Am I just going to have to returf it?

I note how easily clumps of grass crop up in the bloody flowerbeds: not so much in the actual lawn though, dammit.

 

[Dolph Ins]

I can put you in touch with a very good mole killer but is that the way you want to go?

 

[Dolph Ins]

Another tale of lawn woe. Ours was laid about four years ago when we moved in (new build). It's on a slightly slope, the lower point of which is also the shadiest part of the garden, so that part was prone to a bit of moss growth even when the rest looked OK.

Cue the wettest winter in years, combined with fairly heavy clay soil, which left all of the previously decent half absolutely saturated all winter: the moss sprouted everywhere. Now it's dried out again (and how: couldn't believe how dry and cracked some of my flowerbeds were the other day), I've mowed it, treated the moss twice and raked the dead bits out as best I can. I found a bit of old topsoil spare and attempted to reseed it, but despite watering frequently, I'm not seeing much, if any new growth. I still have some substantial parts where the lawn is looking pretty sorry for itself. The instructions said to overseed the existing lawn, but all I'm seeing, two weeks later, is grass seed still lying around. I've tried PatchMagic before, to bugger all effect. What's the deal? Am I just going to have to returf it?

I note how easily clumps of grass crop up in the bloody flowerbeds: not so much in the actual lawn though, dammit.

Grass seed needs to be in contact with the soil and kept moist. The night time temp should be enough for it to germinate now (certainly hope so as oversowed lawn yesterday) so when sowing bare patches I scratch up soil and lay seed then tread it down and as Jack say's water like buggery.

 

[Stat Brother]

I don't remember there being so much buggers, buggering and buggery in the radio 4 version of this

The boys certainly know their audience, well almost anyway.

If they really wanted their sagely advise acted on perhaps a few well choosen 'Rachel says...' or 'Rachel once ...'




I'd run naked through a bramble bush just to disappointedly pollinate Ms du Thame.

 

[Jack Straw]

Another tale of lawn woe. Ours was laid about four years ago when we moved in (new build). It's on a slightly slope, the lower point of which is also the shadiest part of the garden, so that part was prone to a bit of moss growth even when the rest looked OK.

Cue the wettest winter in years, combined with fairly heavy clay soil, which left all of the previously decent half absolutely saturated all winter: the moss sprouted everywhere. Now it's dried out again (and how: couldn't believe how dry and cracked some of my flowerbeds were the other day), I've mowed it, treated the moss twice and raked the dead bits out as best I can. I found a bit of old topsoil spare and attempted to reseed it, but despite watering frequently, I'm not seeing much, if any new growth. I still have some substantial parts where the lawn is looking pretty sorry for itself. The instructions said to overseed the existing lawn, but all I'm seeing, two weeks later, is grass seed still lying around. I've tried PatchMagic before, to bugger all effect. What's the deal? Am I just going to have to returf it?

I note how easily clumps of grass crop up in the bloody flowerbeds: not so much in the actual lawn though, dammit.

It tends to take 3 weeks for grass seed to germinate. You may be pre-judging? Did you use fresh grass seed? Old grass seed tends to lose its viability after a few months. Don't be afraid to tickle up any bare patches to a good three or four inches deep. Then rake fresh grass seed in to the top 1/2" - 1" of prepared soil. One full hand-full covers 1m2. This will get it germinating and the birds can't get at much of it. Then WATER it gently! Keep it watered each week until it's established.

 

[Jack Straw]

I don't remember there being so much buggers, buggering and buggery in the radio 4 version of this

Horticulture has moved on since then!

 

[Lady Whistledown]

It tends to take 3 weeks for grass seed to germinate. You may be pre-judging? Did you use fresh grass seed? Old grass seed tends to lose its viability after a few months. Don't be afraid to tickle up any bare patches to a good three or four inches deep. Then rake it in to the top 1/2" - 1" of prepared soil. This will get it germinating and the birds can't get at much of it. Then WATER it gently! Keep it watered each week until it's established.

Ah thanks. Maybe I'm being impatient. I had a new box of seeds. I did try and tread the seeds in a bit, and have been watering gently since then.

I shall wait a bit longer before giving up

 

[LamieRobertson]

As they were so small when they were planted and it was the second hottest summer on record, they probably haven't quite got established thoroughly yet. WATER LI......!
As regards alkalinity, I doubt regardless of what number your soil is, it would be the over-riding factor on the plants' health. I assume your soil isn't clay, hence the alkalinity query? Just keep them watered, then water them again. A mulch would help after you've thoroughly soaked them, but don't use fresh wood chips - they don't do new plants any good due to them tying up the nitrogen in the soil leading to starvation. Well-rotted compost is a winner if you can get some.

Taken note of all of that....they aren’t mine ..a customers....ive planted many of these....normally as hedging and bare rooted (i have a good supplier...i only mentioned the alkaline bit as the only other incident ive had similar to this was in an area where it definitely was chalky.

I generally only plant Hedging over Winter allowing them a better chance of getting their roots down or at least not baked by a hot sun...i always pester customers over watering ....and with a rider that i cant guarantee how they will turn out...nature dictates ...but boy i do get annoyed if they dont bother ...hard work for nothing.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I know we're only speculating because of one photo, but could they be drier than surrounding area because of that wall? I've laid on my side and studied that picture, it still looks like natural leaf drop to me

Lol....nah it’s quite a damp area....sorry i should have sorted the photo out but was in between jobs and meant to post it last week

 

[LamieRobertson]

The boys certainly know their audience, well almost anyway.

If they really wanted their sagely advise acted on perhaps a few well choosen 'Rachel says...' or 'Rachel once ...'

View attachment 122384


I'd run naked through a bramble bush just to disappointedly pollinate Ms du Thame.

Your pollinating bits might not be working if the bramble gets attached

 

[Weststander]

Taken note of all of that....they aren’t mine ..a customers....ive planted many of these....normally as hedging and bare rooted (i have a good supplier...i only mentioned the alkaline bit as the only other incident ive had similar to this was in an area where it definitely was chalky.

I generally only plant Hedging over Winter allowing them a better chance of getting their roots down or at least not baked by a hot sun...i always pester customers over watering ....and with a rider that i cant guarantee how they will turn out...nature dictates ...but boy i do get annoyed if they dont bother ...hard work for nothing.

I planted a long mixed natives hedgerow in Feb 17 with bare whips. Sods law, the ensuing heat wave summers meant countless trips with two large watering cans, good exercise. (The border is just out of long hose pipe reach from our house and up a slope too, so water pressure would be iffy anyway).

The Hazels and Crab Apples really struggled with the endless heatwave conditions, but needless to say Hawthorns could cope with anything.

Three years on, looking good.

 

[Jack Straw]

I generally only plant Hedging over Winter allowing them a better chance of getting their roots down or at least not baked by a hot sun...i always pester customers over watering ....and with a rider that i cant guarantee how they will turn out...nature dictates ...but boy i do get annoyed if they dont bother ...hard work for nothing.

I've just (almost) finished a garden make-over for a friend. Because of the current situation, I can't go there to ensure the grand's worth of plants I put in are being watered enough. I went past last week on my daily bike ride to find the earth all cracked and the plants showing the first signs of stress. I've spoken to them to drum in how important it is to WATER LIKE BUGGERY until we get rain of biblical proportions. I will cycle past again in three weeks time to see if they've followed instructions.
I fully understand how frustrating it is when the people whose garden it is aren't getting the water on enough after a lot of time and effort has been put in to improve the look of their place.

 

[Jack Straw]

This is the garden I've just mentioned above. Before and after. Still needs mulching and I'm going to put a low stake and rope "fence" on the right-hand side when things get back to normal.

 

[Stat Brother]

Your pollinating bits might not be working if the bramble gets attached

The whole sorry incident would be over so quickly she's unlikely to notice either way.


Still, I'll be happy.

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Some advice is required from NSC's finest horticultural experts:

I have a large patio pot containing an attractive Heuchera which survived the winter ok, however it is now wilting. On closer inspection the roots appear to be under attack from little white crescent-shaped grubs, approx. 1cm long.

I fear these may be Vine Weevils, so I've manually removed as many as possible and then applied a drench of 'Provado'. However the little blighters keep coming back. The Heuchera is putting up a plucky defence but doesn't look that great. I'm reluctant to retire it completely and so would like to pot it on.

I plan to re-use the original pot for some Sweet Peas. Is it safe to do so?