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Author: tejvan

fritilliaria
Growing Snake’s Head Fritillary

Growing Snake’s Head Fritillary

fritilliaria-2

Fritillaria meleagris

This is a popular variety of Fritllaria grown in wet meadows. It is often found in Oxfordshire.

These Fritillarias also go by the common name ‘Snake skin’. Over the years, it has picked up several common names included chess flower, frog-cup, guinea-hen flower, guinea flower, leper lily and snake’s head fritillary.

Description

  • Fritillaria is a genus of the lily family.
  • Flowers – purple and white cheques
  • Leaves – delicate green thin leaves
  • Bulbs contain poisonous alkaloids.
  • Height: 30cm
  • Fritillarias form a nodding head from these early flowering spring bulbs that are so evocative of the British meadows and damp fields.

Growing Fritillaria

The most important thing about growing Fritillaria is they like to be in moist soil. They often grow well in meadows which get flooded.

  • Position:  Happy in full sun or partial shade
  • Soil: humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil. When planting try add well rotted compost or leaf mould.
  • Flowering period: April and May
  • Hardiness: fully hardy
  • Bulb depth: Plant bulbs four times the height of the bulb; plant on their side to avoid the base getting waterlogged and rotting. The bulbs are fragile so handle with care.

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Be Safe from Poisonous Garden Plants

Be Safe from Poisonous Garden Plants

Datura, Brugmansia or Angels Trumpets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Datura also called Brugmansia or Angels Trumpets are not very angelic particularly when it comes to dangerous plants. They could easily feature in an Agatha Christy thriller.

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After our recent post – Flowers that can be eaten. We though it worth sharing a list of plants which are dangerous if eaten. In addition avoiding consuming these plants many common problems arise from contact with the sap.

  • Aconitum – Monkshood
  • Arum – Cuckoo pint.
  • Colchicum – The autumn crocus
  • Convallaria – Lily of the Valley
  • Cytisus – the Broom – All parts can be fatal if eaten.
  • Daphne – Shrub grown for its beautifully scented flowers. Berries very dangerous
  • Delphinium – All parts Highly toxic – can be fatal if eaten
  • Digitalis – Foxgloves cause irregular heart beat and digestive problems. Digitalis is used in heart medicines but is poisonous eaten straight from plant
  • Gloriosa superba
  • Laburnum – Beautiful flowers that flower in May but can be fatal if eaten
  • Lantana – (Spanish Flag)
  • Nerium – A beautiful conservatory plant
  • Phytolacca – The poke weed
  • Ricinus communis – Castor Oil Plant. Not to be confused with Fatsia.
  • Taxus – A hedge favourite.
  • Veratrum – The false Hellebore.

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Be Also Careful Not To Eat

  • Daffodils
  • Chrysanthemums
  • Buttercups
  • Hyacinth
  • Wild mushrooms that are really Toadstools

Eating these can cause various health problems.
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Poisonous Plants For Animals

  • Ragwort is poisonous to animals and can cause kidney failure and liver damage which is irreversible. Often fatal to horses and cattle and a number of dogs die by eating a small amount.
  • Other Senicio plants and Castor beans can also be fatal to animals.
  • Leaves and branches of Oleander produces digestive problems.
  • Even the water that flowers have stood in can become poisonous to animals.
  • Datura stramonium and Angels Trumpets are poisonous to humans and animals.
  • Easter Lily is poisonous to cats and dogs should not be allowed to eat cocoa shells.
Extending the Bulb Flowering Season

Extending the Bulb Flowering Season

 

Tulips

Spring flowers are always well received as a way to herald the coming summer. Because spring bulb flowers are highly valued take the opportunity to extend the flowering season, especially in key pot locations.

Start with a careful selection of varieties. Early season, mid season and late varieties exist for Tulips and Daffodils. Crocus are a bit harder but there are autumn varieties for flowering of late bulbs.

How To Have Bulbs flowering for several weeks in Spring

  • Choose sets of bulbs to flower at different times throughout the spring and place into aquatic baskets or transferable containers.
  • For the  early flowering bulbs, plant these in a greenhouse to help their early flowering. Then plant the ‘aquatic baskets’ into the target pot.
  • As a general rule, bulbs need to be planted at a depth of 2-3 times the bulb height.
  • After the first bunch of bulbs have finished flowering, you can remove the aquatic basket and place another set of bulbs into the ornamental pot. In this way you can have  3 -4 sets of flowering bulbs in the same ornamental pot throughout spring. This is an excellent way to give the impression you are an expert gardener.
  • People will be impressed by the long flowering season of your pot, and they may not even realise how you are able to do it.
Mixed Penstemon Plants

Mixed Penstemon Plants

penstemon

Penstemon’s have been an excellent, low maintenance plant for me. They can start flowering in June and still be flowering 4 months later in October. They mostly require well drained soil and protection from heavy frosts. Dead heading is advisable as it will encourage new flowers.

Once or twice a year, I would recommend adding a general fertiliser applied at the base of the plant, taking care to follow the manufacturers instructions. They don’t need a heavy manure of strong nitrogen feed as this will just encourage excessive leaf growth and make them more susceptible to aphids.

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How To Get A Bigger Tomato Crop

How To Get A Bigger Tomato Crop

Tomatoes are great fun to grow. They can also be very rewarding; to get a bigger crop follow these simple but effective tips.

  • Pinch out side shoots to focus energy on forming fruits rather than green growth.
  • Pinch out the growing tip when 6 trusses have formed Allowing only 5 -6 branches enables the energy of the plant to be focused on the 5 trusses; this will maximise the yield.
  • Cut away ruthlessly any diseased or dying leaves. It is important to allow sufficient air to circulate, especially around the base of the plant.
  • Keep the area clean and tidy, this helps to minimise the spread of fungal diseases common in tomatoes.
  • When the flowers are blooming, give the plants the odd flick with your finger, this helps to pollinate the plant. This can be useful, if there are not many bees in your greenhouse.
  • As temperatures rise, keep the plants well watered. Also it helps to water down the greenhouse in the morning. This helps keep the temperature lower.
  • Feed little and often with tomato food
  • Stake plants to support the growing weight of the tomatoes.
  • In October take the green tomatoes and place next to ripe apples, this will help the green tomatoes ripen extending the cropping season into October and November.

I always under perform on my greenhouse tomatoes – against my brother-in-law at least.
This year I am trying lots of varieties including old favourites, Ailsa Craig, Moneymaker, Shirley and Gardeners Delight. Hopefully at least one of them will live up to my demands and if not it will be down to my inconsistent watering, failure to feed properly or not pinching out or removing excess leaves.

Green Tomatoes

Some other hints and tricks of the trade

  • Add a spoonful of sugar to your watering can every now and then
  • Pinching out side shoots helps increase the fruit yield and if the shoot is about 4” long it will probably root as a cutting in moist soil and give you an extra plant.
  • Grow a bush variety like Supersweet 100 in between cordons in your greenhouse for greater variety and use of space
  • To encourage good pollination and fruit setting tap the plants to dislodge pollen as you go past
  • Try a ‘Tumbler’ tomato in a hanging basket for small cherry tomatoes
  • Remove growing tip from greenhouse plants in August or when 6-7 trusses have set. Outdoors when 4-5 trusses have set
  • Put a couple of banana skins under each plant -it may be an old wives tale but they do have lots of Potash
  • Stake plants in the greenhouse and run a support wire to tie heavy crops too
  • Grow some French Marigolds close to tomatoes to discourage aphids and white fly
  • Spread the fluff from your Hoover around the base of established plants
  • Wrap green tomatoes in newspaper at the end of the season so they can ripen slowly

See also: Tips for growing tomatoes

Daffodils from Oxford And Yorkshire

Daffodils from Oxford And Yorkshire

daffodils

This picture was taken in late March at the University Botanic Gardens Oxford. I’m not sure of the variety, but, they remind me of tete a tete. The White betula (Birch) provides an interesting contrast to the lush green of early spring. In the background is the River Cherwell, flowing under Magdalen Bridge.

Wild Daffodil Facts

  • The wet winter has not damaged the crop of our native wild Daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus.
  • This species has pale yellow flowers, with a darker central trumpet and long, narrow leaves are slightly greyish green in colour. The two-tone look is one way to tell them apart from their garden relatives.
  • Wild Daffodil are found amongst the dappled shade of an ancient woodland or pushing up through the grasses of a damp meadow.
  • ‘Daffodil Dale’ aka Farndale near Helmsley in N Yorkshire has glorious wild daffodils in April.
Seeds For Children to Grow With

Seeds For Children to Grow With

Where are the next Generation of Gardeners?

  • Children will grow with the knowledge they acquire from sowing and cultivating seeds.
  • If they take care the plants will also grow
  • Pea and bean seeds are popular as they are easy to handle and germinate quite quickly. Nasturtiums and sweetpeas are popular flowers.Bulbs and tubers can be great buy get the children to handle them gently and plant the right way up
  • Thompson & Morgan have a good choice of Seeds with a selection for kids.Book Cover

Some of the other varieties good for growing with kids include:

  • Kit for growing Cress – Cress is perhaps the easiest plant to grow, you don’t even need soil; just a small tray and a bit of light
  • Nasturtium – Jeepers Creepers – another fast growing colourful variety – needs little care.
  • Antirhinnum. (and give a prize if they can learn how to spell it correctly.)
Growing Courgettes

Growing Courgettes

Courgettes
Courgettes

Courgettes are an easy crop to grow and well cared for will produce an excellent crop of tasty veg. Global warming in the UK, has made this crop even more successful and can be grown out of the greenhouse, even in the north of England.

Tips for Growing Courgettes

  • Sow from late March to May in pots to make easy planting out later. Make sure soil is well manured and fertilised, the plant is a heavy feed.
  • Early courgette plants should be grown in a warm greenhouse to protect against any frost and cold temperatures. They do well in full sun.
  • Courgettes do better in warmer climates, heat will give a bigger and faster crop.
  • Protect from slugs in the early stages of growth. But, once established they are fairly pest resistant.
  • Crop regularly when courgettes are 4-6 inches. Cropping encourages more vegetables to be made and stops them turning in to marrows.
  • When growing in the greenhouse be ruthless in removing any fungal leaves or fungal vegetables. This fungal disease can easily spread if not kept in check.
  • If you grown courgettes in the greenhouse you may find the leaves can become too big. If this is the case, you can remove some of the bigger leaves without much loss. It is important to ensure good airflow.
  • When vegetables are forming it is important to keep well watered and well fed. A proprietary tomato feed is an excellent food for the cropping vegetable.

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Winter Flowering Plants

Winter Flowering Plants

Winter can start in December and continue through March (we even worry about snow in May up north) but do not let that put you off flowering plants.
iris unguicularis

Iris Unguicularis. Popular name Algerian or winter-flowering iris. This is an ideal plant for poor soil in hot and dry location, facing south. This is from Oxford Botanic Gardens and is flowering in the depth of November when the rest of the garden is frosted over. A lovely plant which isn’t fussy if you choose the right location.

Orchid Stenoglottis longifolia

Orchid Stenoglottis

This variety of Orchid can flower in the depth of winter, but needs a heated conservatory.

Crocus cambessedesii

Crocus cambessedesii.
A great November flowering Crocus. Delicate petals. Here grown in a heated greenhouse.

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Spring Flower Photos

Spring Flower Photos

Here in the UK it feels very much like the depth of a wet winter. It is gwetting a bit lighter in the morning and there is little colour in the garden. It’s hard to imagine in a few more weeks, the garden will spring to life. I hope the gardener springs into life too!

These are a few spring scenes to give us a taste of things to come.

daffodils

Daffodils by River. …

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