[Help] Gardeners Question Time.

[Nigella's Cream Pie]

I've done it about 6 times over the years, 4 were complete flops, seed isn't cheap. Usually because an un-forecast dry spell arrived and lasted for months.

The ground's now moist enough, so do it just before the coming rain .... Friday and Saturday look wet.

R4 GQT advice:
1. Remove all moss and weeds.
2. Break up surface to a fine tilth.
3. Sow at 15g/MS. I'm going to try 5g/MS, three times, to give an even spread. By hand.
4. Lightly rake over.

Lawn seeding soil as well?

 

[Coldeanseagull]

Lawn seeding soil as well?

I use any old crap that I've got left at the end of the summer. This normally includes stuff from the compost bin. It's lightly sieved, then mixed with copious amounts of seed. Some for the lawn, some more for the birds

 

[Weststander]

Lawn seeding soil as well?

No.

I wasted money on that in the past.

I would still buy it, but only on a bigger project where I'm buying volume in anyway.

 

[Jack Straw]

Ah yes, gardening. I'm looking at sowing grass in a week or so.

I've never done this before, is it likely to succeed at this time of year in the Brighton area?

Do I need to get a hurry on, or wait for it to have rained a bit? Thanks in advance

Are you over-sowing an existing lawn, or starting from scratch?

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

That's wonderful! Looks like you've got a Virginia Creeper too. It looks like Parthenocissus tricuspidata, which is a self-clinger.
I would hang on until the leaves have fallen off of the Virginia Creeper so you benefit from the wonderful autumn colour and you can then see where the branches are.
If you can get a cherry-picker up to the house, I would hire one of those, and completely remove the VC and leave the Hydrangea.
If you like the VC, perhaps cut all growth above the guttering and around the windows, but you would need to do that every year or two. Just hope it hasn't clung on too enthusiastically!
As for the Hydrangea, I would cut it level with the underneath of the upstairs windows. It's nowhere as vigorous as the VC, so shouldn't give you any frequent problems.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Monstrosity!?

That's a bloody nice tree.

Each to his own...

Ignore this, answering the first page years too late!

 

[Jack Straw]

Looks like they've done a really good job. It's looking good!

 

[BrightonCottager]

If you have a pond in your garden, please break the ice on it to give amphibians a chance. In the last big freeze, I found 4 dead frogs trapped under the ice in my small pond. Thank you.

 

[Wardy's twin]

If you have a pond in your garden, please break the ice on it to give amphibians a chance. In the last big freeze, I found 4 dead frogs trapped under the ice in my small pond. Thank you.

Were they dead or had they gone into deep hibernation. The reduced oxygen should be less of an issue if they were hibernating. Also note you need to be careful about breaking the ice as that can create a shock wave. Best thing is to put a floating object in pond and take it out which allows oxygen in and also provides a better way to break up ice if required.

 

[BrightonCottager]

Were they dead or had they gone into deep hibernation. The reduced oxygen should be less of an issue if they were hibernating. Also note you need to be careful about breaking the ice as that can create a shock wave. Best thing is to put a floating object in pond and take it out which allows oxygen in and also provides a better way to break up ice if required.

They were very dead. Thanks for the tip about floating object

 

[Taybha]

Anyone know what this is please ? Ta muchly

 

[Jack Straw]

Anyone know what this is please ? Ta muchly
View attachment 156972

Tricky due to the photo not being the best. I've got my suspisions, but I'm seeking confirmation from a friend. I won't give you my guess yet, in case I'm wrong. Back in the near future!

 

[Taybha]

Tricky due to the photo not being the best. I've got my suspisions, but I'm seeking confirmation from a friend. I won't give you my guess yet, in case I'm wrong. Back in the near future!

Lovely thank you

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Anyone know what this is please ? Ta muchly
View attachment 156972

Pulmonaria?

 

[Jack Straw]

Lovely thank you

My friend needs more info too. Last summer, how tall and what colour flowers, if any? For what it's worth, we've come up with Phlox, Helenium and Ceratostigma plumbaginoides. It may not be any of these! Could you take a clearer photo, close-up, with a coin in it to get a sense of scale?

 

[Jack Straw]

Pulmonaria?

Another possiblility, but the leaves aren't speckly?

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Another possiblility, but the leaves aren't speckly?

True. May be my eyes, but what about Forget me not?

 

[LamieRobertson]

True. May be my eyes, but what about Forget me not?

Not with that root system imho

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Not with that root system imho

That's right. Quite fleshy aren't they.

 

[Weststander]

Mouse-ear hawkweed (Pilosella officinarum)

Edit:
Trifolium rubens