Garden whinge

[Rosefriend]

Jun 15, 2013 6:57:50 GMT Ladygardener said:

Yes, I have dozens of canes and supports around the garden but at the same time I like to see the plants/flowers swaying and growing in a normal fashion. This year I am growing lower plants and flowers but with the raised borders some of them are still 3-4 feet tall.

I have always found it extremely difficult to stake plants and make them look lovely. The only time I managed it was when I went next door and cut loads of hazel and sort of criss crossed and draped them all over the place to hold things in place... OH said that if I carried on the neighbour wouldn't have any trees left !!

RF

[Auricula]

Haylofts have always responded to me straight away and replaced the odd plant which has not thrived without any quibbling.

[Tig]

I had one 'sick' salvia, but I cut the top off before it died completely and managed to root it in some water. It is growing away nicely now. I did lose one of their hellebores, the others have grown on fine so I know it wasn't me. I've not bothered letting them know though. Just keep thinking how tough times must be for companies at the moment, and the cost of postage is phenomenal! It wouldn't bother me with T & M though

I've got a 'cane' garden at the moment, loads would just be lying in a heap if I hadn't tied things up.

[Jilly]

Aren't they just Jasmine, I'v got a small forest in the spare room, I've no idea where they're going to go  .

As Jasmine says Geranium & Ladygardener I'd definitely let Hayloft know as they are very good about replacing things, you've reminded me that I must do the same about Geranium Crystal Lake, of the 3 bare roots that I got, 2 are romping away & one's got not so much as a shoot.

Also as Jasmine says most of the salvias are really easy to root, which one is it that you 2 have lost, with the amount of us that got that collection I'm sure one of us can get a replacement going for you. All of mine are thriving, even Peach Parfait which was decidedly unhappy looking at the start (she says pride going before a fall no doubt  )

I use a lot of straight stems from when I cut back the Buddlieas & Tree Peonies for supports, also OH has made me some hoops from really stiff green coated wire that don't look too intrusive, you can't stake everything though & I'm more worried about the Oriental Poppies, they've not flowered before & I've got 2 big buds just waiting to burst (one in the front garden ) they'll last about half an hour I reckon if they come out this weekend 

[Jasmine]

I put one of these round all my peonies and poppies - they've got them on special offer in Wyevales at the moment!

www.peakdistrictcreations.co.uk/members/artisan-plant-support/

[Ladygardener]

Well done Jasmine I've yet to see roots on mine. The pelargonium however have roots and the Nepetia I'm happy to say.

[Auricula]

 I don't know where I've put my baby salvias  so I don't know how they're doing 

[Ladygardener]

I missed a whole page when I replied earlier, I keep forgetting to look at the page number since we went to V5.
I'll check in the morning which one is poorly and see if I can chop the head off it like you did Jilly.
Rosefriend is that the neighbour who has now gone?

Some of you may remember the ongoing (since January) saga with Garden Answers and the missing seeds offer. They had never arrived. Well I've finally received my free packets of seeds, they came from T&M and all have pictures of the flowers/veg on them. I have no idea how I got them I'm just glad I did.

[Rosefriend]

Jun 15, 2013 20:48:14 GMT Ladygardener said:

I missed a whole page when I replied earlier, I keep forgetting to look at the page number since we went to V5.
I'll check in the morning which one is poorly and see if I can chop the head off it like you did Jilly.
Rosefriend is that the neighbour who has now gone?

Some of you may remember the ongoing (since January) saga with Garden Answers and the missing seeds offer. They had never arrived. Well I've finally received my free packets of seeds, they came from T&M and all have pictures of the flowers/veg on them. I have no idea how I got them I'm just glad I did.

Yes that's right Ladygardener - actually his hazel trees helped me a lot through the years, had he but known it !!!

Nothing there now and as I put on my garden thread the next challenge is to come with the new tenants - single Mum and a football playing 9 year old girl!!! So much for the owner getting someone that would fit in with our ages!! We have already said that anything and everything that is broken will be paid for and no kids in the garden...our garden just isn't made for kids...!!

RF

[Ladygardener]

Footballs and gardens with plants and flowers just don't go together Rosefriend . Hopefully they'll have a bit of respect and play somewhere else. I had a big fall out with the sister of my neighbour a few years ago because they came to visit with their 2 boys who proceeded to play football in my neighbours garden. Of course the ball came over and broke plants in my garden and I was very firm with one of the spoiled little boys. His mum came out and tore me to shreds but I stuck to my guns and said children should be shown the consequences of their actions. The next time they came to visit the mum again started saying how upset the child had been because I'd given off to him, I said well I was upset too and I was glad he learned his lesson. Frosty is the word to describe how we are to each other since although she admired my big daisies and I potted some up for her last autumn and gave them to her in the springtime. The boys have'nt played football when they visit since.

[Rosefriend]

Jun 16, 2013 6:05:10 GMT Ladygardener said:

Footballs and gardens with plants and flowers just don't go together Rosefriend . Hopefully they'll have a bit of respect and play somewhere else. I had a big fall out with the sister of my neighbour a few years ago because they came to visit with their 2 boys who proceeded to play football in my neighbours garden. Of course the ball came over and broke plants in my garden and I was very firm with one of the spoiled little boys. His mum came out and tore me to shreds but I stuck to my guns and said children should be shown the consequences of their actions. The next time they came to visit the mum again started saying how upset the child had been because I'd given off to him, I said well I was upset too and I was glad he learned his lesson. Frosty is the word to describe how we are to each other since although she admired my big daisies and I potted some up for her last autumn and gave them to her in the springtime. The boys have'nt played football when they visit since.

Well the owner broke his promise although I can see that he has to find someone that will pay and look after the place and not trash everything.

However we have said to the owner that if the GH, or whatever, gets broken then either she or he will have to pay. Our garden is everything to us and I will not have kids picking flowers or knocking their heads off with footballs, climbing over the fences to get balls etc etc...

We shall start as we mean to go one - she can like it or lump it. What exactly I do if things really do get spoiled all the time, - well I don't know. I am just hoping that this woman will keep her child and the kids that visit in check!!

RF

[Geranium]

Well done, Jasmine. I might try that!

Thanks for the Hayloft advice. I'll email them about the dying one.

The wind has wreaked havoc amongst my plants too - especially the Aquilegias, and I've had to prop  plants up too, and tie in others.

[Ladygardener]

Good idea for you to have had that conversation with the owner Rosefriend Hopefully he'll have spoken about it to the woman who is going to rent and it won't become a problem. You're right to start as you mean to go on and get it out there right away so they are'nt in any doubt as to what will happen.

[Ladygardener]

I've been and had a look and my poorly Salvia has really perked up. Fingers crossed it will continue to thrive, it's Laura. I have them in the cold frame with the lid opened.
Just a question Jilly, or anyone do you just take a cutting in the usual way, below a leaf joint then remove the bottom leaves and pop it in water? It's just that none of mine have roots yet.

[Jasmine]

That's what I did Ladygardener - it took a few weeks but little tiny roots have just started!

Best way forward Rosefriend. I'm dreading who we'll get next door. My lovely neighbour has disappeared since the house was put up for sale and it's amazing how quickly the garden has become a mess - apart from the grass which he cuts.

Those supports are so easy Geranium just as long as you put them in early! I have broken things trying to put them in later

[Jilly]

Fingers crossed for you on the neighbour front Rosefriend & Jasmine, I had the problem of dodgy neighbours for years, when we first moved here we had retired people who where gardeners both sides but when they moved on  . The middle eastern family on one side are no trouble really now that their building work has finished, they just built a huge extension across the whole back garden & never go into the front except to walk through it (it's a lovely wildlife area ).

The dreadful people who produced 5 children in 10 years have now gone, luckily there's a large wall between the gardens at the back that side, I did use to get balls on the odd occasion, but it was more the noise. They were horrible people, I never heard them speak a kind word or even speak without shouting to their (I'm sorry but it has to be said) equally revolting children  . The children were taken into care in the end & the adults did a flit. I've now got a lovely single mum who's a teacher with 3 children, she has a bit of trouble with the teenage boy (the police have been round on the odd occasion) but he doesn't cause us any trouble & the little girl is delightful & even comes round with her Mum when I'm giving plants away.

[Ladygardener]

Thanks Jasmine that's what I did so hopefully I'll see some roots soon. I agree, the garden can become a jumble of weeds in just one year.
Jilly wildlife areas are all in dontya know. It's good that you have a decent neighbour now and that that awful family have gone.

[Geranium]

The poorly Salvia is 'Peach Cobbler'.



I don't think cutting the top off would help, do you? I have their customer service number, and I'll phone them tomorrow.

[Ladygardener]

My little one looked poorly and wilted not unlike that but it somehow came back to life again Geranium. There does look to be life at the top right of your little plant. I took mine out of the pot I'd planted it in and put it into mp and perlite to grow. Mine is still quite small and weak since I cut off all the wilty (like that word) leaves.

[Geranium]

I'll try repotting it then, but it seems very 'wilty' indeed,  Ladygardener.

[Ladygardener]

Yes it might be a case of destroying it or it might never be a strong plant you see. One thing I did find was a bit of mould growing on one of the leaves Geranium.

[Geranium]

I honestly think it's an ex-Salvia, Ladygardener, but as you said yours looked similar, I'm giving it one final chance.

[Ladygardener]

Worth a try Geranium. I find it almost impossible to get rid of plants, even when I know they're done.

[Jilly]

I think I may have found a bit of a problem with the Salvias, I went out last night to see if there was a spare shoot on my Peach Cobbler to get going for you Geranium, not yet, because all the shoots have got flower buds on them. This may be the problem, because unless the buds change colour significantly when they come out, Peach Cobbler appears to be red 

[Auricula]

Istill can't remember where my pots of baby salvias are

[Tig]

Geranium that salvia is 'healthier' than the Lemon Pie I managed to rescue. I would take the stem on the left side off, remove the larger wilted leaves and cut the top ones in half, and just stick it in some water on a shady windowsill. It took about 10 days for roots to start on mine, and since I've potted it up it's starting to bush out quite nicely.

I shall go and look for my Peach Cobbler, just looked at Haylofts picture of it and it is more of a pinky peach than an orange peach!

[Jilly]

My Peach Cobbler buds are the same colour as Hot Lips buds Tig... still they may change when they come out  & of course Hot Lips starts off all red & doesn't develop the white until later in the season. I would suspect my notoriously bad labelling, but because they all look the same I was particularly careful with the Hayloft ones.

Auricula how can you lose a collection of 10 plants?  , actually no forget I asked, I've lost bigger things than that when I've done a bit of planting after a few glasses , I don't usually lose them when they're still in pots though.

[Jasmine]

Jun 18, 2013 9:02:13 GMT Jilly said:

I think I may have found a bit of a problem with the Salvias, I went out last night to see if there was a spare shoot on my Peach Cobbler to get going for you Geranium, not yet, because all the shoots have got flower buds on them. This may be the problem, because unless the buds change colour significantly when they come out, Peach Cobbler appears to be red 

Don't forget the wise words I got from Haylofts last year - the temperature can effect the colour of plants.
It is entirely plausible that the strange spring we have had could make a peach flower red!  

[Ladygardener]

I remember that.

[Geranium]

Thanks, Tig, I'll have a try. I rang Customer Services at Hayloft yesterday and they're sending me a new plant...no quibbles, no evidence needed.