[Help] Gardeners Question Time.

[jakarta]

There are lots of chilli experts on here but I'm not one of them. I am however aware of this thread. There's probably a more up to date one on here somewhere, but I've spent enough time finding this one!
https://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/show...to-and-Chilli-Growing-Thread&highlight=Tomato
Hopefully, unless someone can answer you specifically, there will be answers on the above thread.

As ever, many thanks! As an aside did the radical prune on our Red Robin at the weekend, it now looks dreadful so we shall see...

 

[Jack Straw]

As ever, many thanks! As an aside did the radical prune on our Red Robin at the weekend, it now looks dreadful so we shall see...

As long as any leaves left on it don't look dreadful, you're in with a chance. We love photos on this thread, especially "before" and "a little while after".
Another American web site, but applies here too.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/or...ne Red Tips?,susceptible to scales and aphids.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

Your Dracaena is about to flower?

Have you seen dracaena flowers? not a lot to write home about really!
I was right about the weather slowing things down, although a bit of a maroony band is showing near the spa.......nearly gave it away!

 

[jevs]

Having a fondness for spicy foods and seeing as we were given a packet of chilli seeds a couple of years ago, in a lockdown moment they got sown into a small (15cm dia) pot and left to their own devices. Nothing happened for weeks but with this recent spell of hot weather we now have a dozen of the little tykes poking their heads up.

Clearly they will need splitting up but having only previously grown tomatoes, cucumbers and soft fruit have no idea how big chilli plants get and hence pot size?

And yes we threw away the seed packet which would have told us this...

Which also means we don't know how hot they will be if we do get any...

It's not Monty Don stuff here at Jakarta Towers!

I've grown loads of chillis in the past. Firstly, are you in the UK? If you are, I sow my chilli seeds in January in electric propagators. Chillis love heat and i found bottom heat (sat directly on a reptile heat mat) worked a treat for germination.
There are so many varieties from all over the tropics....central America, south America, the sub continent, south east Asia etc. Where they come from can determine how to grow them, however, as a general guideline, most chillis will grow between 12 and 36 inches. They like warmth and humidity and light. Water when they start to dry out and feed weekly with miracle grow or tomato food when they start to flower.
Some people say that the more you neglect them, the hotter the chilli will be.
I do feel that your seedlings might not come to much this year (if you're in the UK).....they can over winter well in a greenhouse or conservatory heated to a minimum of 5 degrees C at night and this would give you much better plants next year.
I've grown mine in 3 litre pots in just normal multi-purpose compost.
Good luck, maybe next year you can pick and choose what varieties you want to grow. There's so many out there and if you have a glut, they freeze well. [MENTION=259]Jack Straw[/MENTION] had loads of mine a few years ago.

 

[jakarta]

I've grown loads of chillis in the past. Firstly, are you in the UK? If you are, I sow my chilli seeds in January in electric propagators. Chillis love heat and i found bottom heat (sat directly on a reptile heat mat) worked a treat for germination.
There are so many varieties from all over the tropics....central America, south America, the sub continent, south east Asia etc. Where they come from can determine how to grow them, however, as a general guideline, most chillis will grow between 12 and 36 inches. They like warmth and humidity and light. Water when they start to dry out and feed weekly with miracle grow or tomato food when they start to flower.
Some people say that the more you neglect them, the hotter the chilli will be.
I do feel that your seedlings might not come to much this year (if you're in the UK).....they can over winter well in a greenhouse or conservatory heated to a minimum of 5 degrees C at night and this would give you much better plants next year.
I've grown mine in 3 litre pots in just normal multi-purpose compost.
Good luck, maybe next year you can pick and choose what varieties you want to grow. There's so many out there and if you have a glut, they freeze well. [MENTION=259]Jack Straw[/MENTION] had loads of mine a few years ago.

Thanks for the reply, Sullington is on the Posh Side of the South Downs...

Sounds like we have a project on our hands.

We'll see how they get on this Summer, I'm guessing once they start to put out their proper foilage I had better split them, have plenty of plastic pots.on hand. They will be living next to a South facing brick wall with no shade so it sounds like they should enjoy that. They are next to our Toms so when we feed them they will also have a slug of Tomorite or whatever.

Luckily we have a brick Built Conservatory which we added to our Central Heating system when it got constructed. As a consequence it never gets that cold and we have overwintered Non-Hardy Fuschias etc. in there so maybe it will be Chilli Summer in 2021!

 

[Jack Straw]

Have you seen dracaena flowers? not a lot to write home about really!
I was right about the weather slowing things down, although a bit of a maroony band is showing near the spa.......nearly gave it away!

It was the "drag on" cryptic clue that steered my towards Dracaena, being one its common names. I give up. We'd better not be disappointed. I can't sleep wondering what it could be!

 

[Stat Brother]

It was the "drag on" cryptic clue that steered my towards Dracaena, being one its common names. I give up. We'd better not be disappointed. I can't sleep wondering what it could be!

I can.

 

[Creaky]

I wonder if anyone can offer advice regarding lawn care and grass cutting. Our garden has a heavy clay soil that gets sodden in the winter, (this year large areas were actually underwater), which tends to make the grass area compacted even when not trod on.

I realise the ideal would be to aerate it but that really is not practical on over an acre of grass. My question regards cutting the grass - I use a tractor mower on roughly a weekly basis during spring, longer periods during summer and/or dry periods.

For the first cut of the year I collect the grass with a brush collector and for subsequent cuts I don’t collect the grass, removing the collection net but still using the brush which stops the cut grass from clumping.

The problem I have is that I am tending to get areas where the grass is not growing very well, especially in areas where the soil is heavily compacted. Even when those areas are aerated the best I can and reseeded, the following year the problem returns. I do fertilise spring and autumn and in general terms the grass is fairly reasonable - I’d just like it to be uniform if possible - the grass in the local park has a similar soil structure and apart from under trees the grass is in super condition - how do they manage that?

This is the worst area which gets very wet in the winter:-


And this is an example of the bald bits:-

 

[Jack Straw]

As happens with grass on clay soil, compaction becomes a problem. Even regular mowing with a ride-on will add to this. Not cheap, but not that expensive, I would consider getting a horticultural contractor in twice a year to "Vertidrain" (multi-spike) the whole area. This is like fluffing up a squashed pillow, letting the air in, increasing the space water can penetrate and hence helping it drain away.
On clay, the moisture in the soil is crucial when timing this operation. Too dry and the tines on the machine may not be able to penetrate deep enough. Too wet and the holes left by tines smear, and you make things worse.
This operation tends to be carried out once in Spring just as the soil is drying out, and once in autumn when the soil softens a little.
The reason why a lot of Council sports surfaces don't suffer from drainage problems is that they more than likely carry this out.
I used to use Pete Mannington who was excellent. I don't know if he's still working but I've PM'ed you his contact details I have from four years ago;

Here are a couple of links for a bit more info regarding vertidraining.
http://www.thomasjcrummy.com/verti-draining/
https://turfcareblog.com/football-groundsman-monthly-guide/

 

[WATFORD zero]

Blimey mine have been in for ages and have started coming up. Didn't know you were supposed to soak them!

View attachment 122763

Hi [MENTION=1320]Notters[/MENTION] - Any updates on your Peonies ? (And remember, size isn't everything !)

Here's three of mine



Although, If I'm absolutely honest, one of those may have been in there for a few years The new ones are coming along, but not sure they are going to flower this year.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Eggshells,had a little look on Youtube and it seems Eggshells in various forms can be used in many ways in gardening. One such way was using a Eggshell after say a boiled Egg as a seed planter,pop a bit of compost in along with your seed bit of water and say put on a windowsill until things start to happen,hopefully. However are you supposed to remove that very thin inner membrane ?

 

[Jack Straw]

Eggshells,had a little look on Youtube and it seems Eggshells in various forms can be used in many ways in gardening. One such way was using a Eggshell after say a boiled Egg as a seed planter,pop a bit of compost in along with your seed bit of water and say put on a windowsill until things start to happen,hopefully. However are you supposed to remove that very thin inner membrane ?

Do some with, and some without and see if there's any difference in the result. Photos here much appreciated.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Jack,seen this online. Just need to know. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG6jE-FkrZU

 

[Jack Straw]

Jack,seen this online. Just need to know. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG6jE-FkrZU

I have seen this. It all makes sense. It mentions leaving the membrane in around 3:20.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

It's finally happened!
And.........it won't upload a photo
Is there a size limit to uploading pictures?

 

[Stat Brother]

It's finally happened!
And.........it won't upload a photo
Is there a size limit to uploading pictures?

Yeah, because I'm a bit 'special' when this happens to me I open the photo in paint.
Then resize it down by lots.
Save that image.
Which should then upload.


I'll hazard a guess the kidz on this thread (like there are any) are currently wetting themselves laughing.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

I checked the photo size, it's well within the allowable, I'll try again later.....I'm now going to pluck my nose hairs with pliers

 

[WATFORD zero]

I checked the photo size, it's well within the allowable, I'll try again later.....I'm now going to pluck my nose hairs with pliers

Still waiting, how much nose hair do you have FFS

Try posting a reply and then go and edit post, manage attachments (just under the actual edit window). That sometimes works

 

[vegster]

I've been working during lockdown to cross breed an African Violet with a Venus Fly trap.... I'm going to call it an African Violent .

 

[Coldeanseagull]

OK, let's try this

No, didn't work

Nor did that.

It says I'm allowed a jpeg of nearly 10mb, I'm trying to upload 6.5mb but everything I try says failed, failedfailed!

Dracunculus vulgaris



Ok, that worked. Bit of an anti climax now but the actual spathe is 21 inches long. The smell is like a dead, rotten fox that has shat in the back of the car on a hot summers day