Early sowings on heat like tom's and chillies were fine, but there's no way I could put all later crops on heat for months to stabilise all the fluctuations caused by your coal/peat usageA lot were <5/10pc germination rate in cells, and ended up doing mass sowings and pricking out.
What's the best way of killing weed seeds in one's own compost that hasn't come up to temp pls? BTW i'm not going to pass it through a sink of bleach. TIA x
Oh yeah, and about that, I always get funny looks from the Mrs too.
I am 70 years old had gout all week & heard today my nephew had died suddenly with the big C... I was only at his mothers funeral 18 months ago my sister again the big C - he was only 50 ish
I tend to use good bought compost for seeds, but too many chem's are seeping through nowadays and want to use my own, but there can be a lot of weed seeds surviving the cook unfortunately/unskillfully. I've never seen Don in action, but I know that my compost gives my plants good vigour when potting on, etc.
T shirt & jeans - or when I was a manager shirt & tie & decent trousers - he walked around Chelsea Flower show like a tramp ......
My old supervisor named them the Gin & Tonic brigade - spot on he like me can plan a garden in my head - no need for fancy drawing plans ......
GOT opened the thread mate - how's your quince doing ?
Thanks Joey! Your beds look great there.Right start afresh - Dig up the plants you want to keep & put them in containers & prune back & water well - dig & fork your plot over a spit deep {spade} get some top soil & landscape the area into a crown in the middle - remove any perennial weds as you go on - get a roll heavy duty membrane off e bay & metal pegs do a double cover the water seeps through it so don't worry when clear order the rounds pebbles from a builders merchants & cover no more than 1/2 an inch -
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Plant wise you need to aim to have the taller plants in the middle evergreens if possible & cascade down look at the height & width of the plants youe plant - aubretia & Arabis at the edge - Scabious, Lupins, Hydrangea the small hybrid types - Carnations choose double flowering ones - Hosta's etc - think before you plant - if you purchase them buy plug plants & grow them on yourself = cheaper for you - this will be maintenance free use bone meal when planting with a good compost -
Water every plant in well & if dry repeat until established - to plant move the gravel back cut a X with scissors & dig your hole with a trowel & place the Ground cover back & gravel around each plant it the best way -
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My garden is now full hardly any gravel to be seen - Yes we make changes - if any plants don't perform etc - aim for colour all year around too - read up on what you like & what you buy - ornamental grass - etc etc - you choose what you want etc plan it pout before planting etc get back to me when you have the blank canvas -
my garden now -
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Are Crocs okay?My old supervisor named them the Gin & Tonic brigade - spot on he like me can plan a garden in my head - no need for fancy drawing plans ......
I owed a lot in life to those two brothers who I learnt so much off - my exams were mundane, but I passed them with distinction thanks to those 2 - took their advice on most things in life too - plus worked hard all my life many weekends etc etc on crap pay too - worth it in the end
We won many cups at the Liverpool show & The Southport show - my top grower was invited to show at Chelsea & declined - he hated book worms !
He built his team in the nursery & I was proud to have had the opportunity to work with them all - most have died bar him he is in his 90s but very ill - I never met a better grower than him, He was a top florist, Tree grower, shrub grower & bedding & pot plant grower He was a chargehand at the age of 21 years old at Western House Liverpool corporation, before joining HUDC & I tried to emulate his style of management & growing & propagating plants - one & a 1/4 million before I retired with ill health with a superb team I built up ....
@tonyhorne Knows where I worked from the age of 16 years old
I know it sounds long winded but until you do the preparations as I stated & start with a blank sheet you need a colourful low maintenance garden & the little lay out membrane which has to be porous & the buy the gravel by a ton of it or 1/2 depending on your plot check if your soil is acid or lime -{ if other gardens have blue flowered Hydrangeas in your area its slightly acid - DM me if you want to know favourable plants - as what I like you & your wife may not like - you need to aim for hardy colour all year round with flowering & foliage hardy plants - your area is it in a windy spot etc etc - determines what you plant etcThanks Joey! Your beds look great there.
I originally asked for this sage advice around 14 months ago but I'm pleased I can now go ahead and start planting.
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Sorry for your and your family's loss Joey. That's grim.I know it sounds long winded but until you do the preparations as I stated & start with a blank sheet & the little lay out membrane which has to be porous & the buy the gravel by a ton of it or 1/2 depending on your plot check if your soil is acid or lime -{ if other gardens have blue flowered Hydrangeas in your area its slightly acid - DM me if you want to know favourable plants - as what I like you & your wife may not like - you need to aim for hardy colour all year round with flowering & foliage hardy plants - your area is it in a windy spot etc etc - determines what you plant etc
also learn how to propagate as an insurance you can take cuttings to have in the bank if you lose any favorite plants - even a kitchen window silll you can propagate plants on in small container's
Sorry I picked it up late today as my nephew has died aged 50 years old with the big C
Crocodile shoes who are you Jimmy Nail FGS
I was only at his mothers my sisters funeral about 2 years ago ..... 50 ish is no age is it ....
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