[Help] Gardeners Question Time.

[Green Cross Code Man]

Now I've seen your post!
My sisters p. nigra is in flower and has been for nearly a year. The clumps I've acquired aren't yet, but it comes true to seed apparently...well according to data from the last flowering event. It's not a gregarious flowerer, as in not a worldwide event, so I'm hopeful

Interesting. I guess it must be a sport that is stable then for some reason. It is one of the earliest bamboo introductions to Western Europe and I had thought most plants would be from that stock.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

Interesting. I guess it must be a sport that is stable then for some reason. It is one of the earliest bamboo introductions to Western Europe and I had thought most plants would be from that stock.

Closer inspection today of my sisters bamboo today and it has the look of p. nigra var henonis. It's not, but it looks like it! it's also sending up more shoots, but these culms aren't like the thick spring ones.
Here's something from UK bamboo site
Phyllostachys nigra - a clone has flowered this year but others have shown no signs of flowering and continue to grow normally.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Closer inspection today of my sisters bamboo today and it has the look of p. nigra var henonis. It's not, but it looks like it! it's also sending up more shoots, but these culms aren't like the thick spring ones.
Here's something from UK bamboo site
Phyllostachys nigra - a clone has flowered this year but others have shown no signs of flowering and continue to grow normally.

Hmm. On gardening on the edge forum, the responses on a recent thread seem less positive. Henonis, without looking it up, isn't that a green culmed form with black variegation?

 

[Coldeanseagull]

Hmm. On gardening on the edge forum, the responses on a recent thread seem less positive. Henonis, without looking it up, isn't that a green culmed form with black variegation?

Because it takes a couple of years to actually turn black, the newer culms take on a henonis appearance, hence why I said this one looks henonisy.
Boos never cease to amaze me, it's probably why I get excited like a panda when I acquire a new one

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Because it takes a couple of years to actually turn black, the newer culms take on a henonis appearance, hence why I said this one looks henonisy.
Boos never cease to amaze me, it's probably why I get excited like a panda when I acquire a new one

Do you have many? I've probably asked you before, forgive me if so. I once had 54 species but slowly got rid of them when the opportunity to have a nursery passed me by. I've only got about 16 or 17 species now.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

The nigra make 15.
Still trying to get borinda papyrifer....but I won't pay extortionate prices for my stuff, because I'm very tight!

 

[A mex eyecan]

Found this thing growing in my garden, don’t ever recall planting anything that looks like it. Any ideas what it actually is? I’m assuming some type of weed grown through from the hedge.

 

[The Grockle]

Found this thing growing in my garden, don’t ever recall planting anything that looks like it. Any ideas what it actually is? I’m assuming some type of weed grown through from the hedge.

We get it growing in a damp part of our border, my mum said it was a fig wart??

 

[Coldeanseagull]

It does look like figwort, scophularia or something

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

The nigra make 15.
Still trying to get borinda papyrifer....but I won't pay extortionate prices for my stuff, because I'm very tight!

Is papyrifera very expensive? I had a friend in Gloucester, unfortunately lost contact with him and I believe he had the largest collection of bamboo in the UK if not Europe. He gave me a division. It's hard to divide I think, without disturbing it a lot as it is fairly tight clumping. I had a culm pop up about a foot and a half from the clump, slightly more than usual and I planned to try a division, however it aborted. Aborted culms are the bane of a bamboo enthusiast.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

Prices range from £15 to £40, not a lot really I know, but it's more than my pocket money will stretch to as I packed up work last year so I count every penny(until I get my state pension)

 

[Weststander]

A question for @Jack Straw or any other lawn experts here - I prepared a small trench of 4" to 6" ready for soil and then turfing on top. The overall effect to create a level lawn up to an edging of clay pavers already set in concrete and then mortar. Should I purely just use topsoil as the medium, or enrich with eg by mixing in well rotted manure? Just thinking ahead to our long drought summers, I'm trying to help the roots, because we're on chalk and water/nutrients leach away.

 

[Jack Straw]

A question for @Jack Straw or any other lawn experts here - I prepared a small trench of 4" to 6" ready for soil and then turfing on top. The overall effect to create a level lawn up to an edging of clay pavers already set in concrete and then mortar. Should I purely just use topsoil as the medium, or enrich with eg by mixing in well rotted manure? Just thinking ahead to our long drought summers, I'm trying to help the roots, because we're on chalk and water/nutrients leach away.

I assume your trench measurement of 4" to 6" is the depth, rather than the width? If so, you will have problems as soon as it gets dry. Is it impossible to dig down to 12"?

 

[Weststander]

I assume your trench measurement of 4" to 6" is the depth, rather than the width? If so, you will have problems as soon as it gets dry. Is it impossible to dig down to 12"?

Yes the depth, down to solid chalk, a long project near the end.

1.1m cubed volume required.

 

[Jack Straw]

You'll need to break up that chalk down to 12", and incorporate any old top soil, and finish off with just top soil for the last 6". There's no need to add any enhancer of any sort. I was told that if you need proof that grass doesn't need organic matter added to the soil, look at the South Downs!

 

[Weststander]

You'll need to break up that chalk down to 12", and incorporate any old top soil, and finish off with just top soil for the last 6". There's no need to add any enhancer of any sort. I was told that if you need proof that grass doesn't need organic matter added to the soil, look at the South Downs!

I will stop at the 4” to 6”.

It’s a huge improvement on the weed ridden turf laid by Braybon’s in 1941, on just an inch of topsoil … immediately below that flints and chalk bedrock.

Saving me a load more trips to the tip.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

If you're re turfing rather than seeding, make sure it's a drought resistant type. It's great when you get a turf that's being grown on an enriched, friable soil...it establishes well and looks good. Chuck it on top of good old south downs chalk, it'll drain like piss through a colander!
I prepared mine a few years ago with a 6" layer of good stuff, heeled in and then leveled. Turf went down well but I watered it every other day....even when it rained.
It's been down 14 years now and a lot has succumbed to weed invasion. The lawn weed killers nowadays joe public can buy, leave a lot to be desired.
I'm slowly getting rid of the grass by widening borders and beds as grass is a PITA to keep looking after

 

[The Grockle]

I always go down the sowing route rather than turf, need to be patient and protect from birds/feet though obviously.

 

[Weststander]

If you're re turfing rather than seeding, make sure it's a drought resistant type. It's great when you get a turf that's being grown on an enriched, friable soil...it establishes well and looks good. Chuck it on top of good old south downs chalk, it'll drain like piss through a colander!
I prepared mine a few years ago with a 6" layer of good stuff, heeled in and then leveled. Turf went down well but I watered it every other day....even when it rained.
It's been down 14 years now and a lot has succumbed to weed invasion. The lawn weed killers nowadays joe public can buy, leave a lot to be desired.
I'm slowly getting rid of the grass by widening borders and beds as grass is a PITA to keep looking after

My thoughts exactly with our other lawn. I spent years turning a 6’ high jungle, meticulously removing weeds including all roots, concrete footings etc into a bowling green esque football pitch. Turfs laid on perfectly flat bought in top soil. Weed, feed, moss killer, aerating, scarifying, overseeding. Didn’t stop Bird’s Foot Trefoil (incredible for bees) and moss. Other than this summer, we’ve had heatwaves far greater than anything seen before, created forever bare patches and a launchpad for weeds. Ornamental lawns are artificial, it’s a bore fighting nature.

I finally bit the bullet, I’m creating a chalk land meadow instead.

The repair job (in my first post) is a small part of the other lawn, making a neat lawn up to paver edging. Meaning the mower will do everything, no need to buy a strimmer for lawn up to a summerhouse or old retaining wall. I’m accepting that weeds will invade, that the lovely new lawn look will be gone in three summers.

 

[Jack Straw]

The repair job (in my first post) is a small part of the other lawn, making a neat lawn up to paver edging. Meaning the mower will do everything, no need to buy a strimmer for lawn up to a summerhouse or old retaining wall. I’m accepting that weeds will invade, that the lovely new lawn look will be gone in three summers.

Ensure the soil level before you lay the turf is 1" above the paver edging. This is so that when all is settled and established, the grass level is slightly above the edging and you can run the mower overlapping the pavers so all the grass is cut.