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Original poster

plants...

14 replies

lavender1 · 12/09/2004 21:47

have just started this thread as suedonim and misdee thought it might be good to have a plants thread about all sorts of gardening questions etc......am off to bed as up very early tomorrow but will about over next few days

OP posts:
misdee · 12/09/2004 21:51

i have a question about grass. i want a nice lawn, no weeds etc, but the previous tenants left the lawn in a state. there are holes everywhere which i need to fill. i cant afford to returf the lot, but want a smoother lawn. one that i wont fall down the holes and bumps. what do i do?

suedonim · 13/09/2004 15:50

Hello, Lavender! First a question about perennials. I've got some penstemon, japanese anenomes and scabious that I'm growing on from plug plants. They're in 4in/20cm pots. What shall I do with them over the winter? I don't think they'll survive if I plant them out (last year here in N of Scotland overnight temps went down to minus 16deg!!) but I don't have a greenhouse.

When books mention storing things in a 'frost-free place' what does that mean? Is it somewhere that doesn't drop below freezing point or somewhere where you don't get the actual frost rime?

And finally - hedges!! We planted a beech hedge about 5/6yrs ago. Some of the plants are about 6-8ft tall and the main stems are quite thick. How do I encourage it to thicken up, bearing in mind an odd-job man cut the leading stem at the top of them all last year?

Thank you if you've got this far!!

Original poster
lavender1 · 13/09/2004 21:52

will reply to these in the next few days as again have a very early (4.30am!!) time to get up...night

OP posts:
nutcracker · 13/09/2004 21:57

Ooooh great I have loads of questions as our garden is in a right state.

My front lawn is manily all weed, whats the best thing to do, weedkiller ??Or just returf the whole lot.

The back garden also needs returfing as the previous tennants had a bonfire and it's just generally in a state.
In really needs levelling out though too.

Will think of more questions

Avalon · 13/09/2004 22:10

Hi lavender, glad I can pick your brains! I'd like a couple of plants in pots to sort of mark the entrance to a 'mini-courtyard' area I'm planning. What springs to mind is lollipop bay trees - but I want a bit more change ie, flowers in spring or summer. Any ideas? They don't need to be evergreen.

bobs · 13/09/2004 23:24

OOOh a gardening thread... I luuuurv gardening .
Avalon - I have a cordyline in a pot - in the summer I plant bedding plants and in the winter pansies at the base (green one are hardier than red ones I think) - buy smaller (and cheaper) as they grow, after 3-4 yrs plant them in the garden and buy something else for a change.

for lawns - feed weed and mosskiller will help with some (not all) weeds - use the autumn one from now. fill the holes in now and any really bad bits returf - good time to do it now if you can find the turf.

Won't answer any more - not an expert anyway!!!

Now a question - what plants will root in water? - have tried sedum spectabile - great results, but have an open garden every yr with plant sale and would like to try others. (I like seeing the roots grow )

cab · 13/09/2004 23:29

Typed a HUGE reply to this thread and it's gone - vever mind, bobs is here now.
Bobs fuschias and hebes?

Avalon · 13/09/2004 23:56

bobs - interesting idea, I hadn't considered cordylines. Do they have sharp edges, or am I thinking of yuccas? Are they fully hardy? - it can be quite windy in my garden and things do sometimes get a battering.

bobs · 14/09/2004 19:04

Shame cab - I'd be annoyed as my typing's really slow!! Don't have a problem with hebe cuttings in compost but fuschias...mmmm - will try
Avalon - cordylines have long sword-shaped leaves -not sharp. I bought me green one 8" high 3 yrs ago, it has been outside ever since and is now 3 ft. I also have a red one planted in the garden, but they are not supposed to be as hardy apparently.
If it is windy, put stones in the bottom of the pots and don't put in anything that grops too tall or you will be forever picking it up.
Suedonim - penstemons are not as hardy as the other two so should be kept in till next June. I don't have a greenhouse either but use 3 mini greenhouses that sit against the house wall with 3/4 tiers and a plastic cover £20-30 from Homebase/B&Q etc - all my cuttings etc live in there quite happily over winter. I also use a wooden table in front of a glazed window in my garage. Otherwise leave them on a window sill in the coolest room and keep the compost just moist till spring

sis · 14/09/2004 20:23

bobs, lemongrass roots in water. I bought a pack from waitrose which had two lemongrass 'lump' in in and I only used one and stuck the other in water and it rooted within a week. not sure how economical it would be for selling though!

suedonim · 16/09/2004 19:45

Thanks, Bobs - don't know how I missed this thread until today!!

Original poster
lavender1 · 16/09/2004 20:17

oh glad you replied to those bobs cos don't know everything about gardening only some bits....I mean if anyone wants any advice on shrubs, planting seeds, taking cuttings and general garden maintenance care can answer a few things like that

OP posts:
TraceyP · 16/09/2004 20:50

Red cordylines are hardy, or at least the one I've got in my garden is! It's been there about 4 years and has done from a foot tall to about 3 and a half feet, we neglect it totally and it still looks great.

TraceyP · 16/09/2004 20:51

I mean "gone", not done. Pish, rubbishy keyboards, all the keys in the wrong place

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