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Author: tejvan

Growing in Terracotta Pots

Growing in Terracotta Pots

There is nothing like a good terracotta pot. They encourage air flow to roots and the porous nature keeps the temperature reasonable. Old pots can attract moss or algae growth but the distressed look can be most attractive.

pots

Growing plants in pots is a great way to make use of limited space and offer colour all year round. Pots themselves can be an attractive feature for a patio. To make the most of growing in pots, bear in mind these points.

Careful Watering.

The difficult part of growing in pots is that they can easily dry out. To guard against this.

  • Choose draught tolerant plants e.g. silver leaved plants like lavender do very well.
  • Use water retention capsules. These absorb water and expand, this enables the pot to hold more water and reduce the frequency of watering.
  • Place pots on trays so that the trays can catch the water and the plant can gain water from bottom up. (Often when watering pots, water just flows straight out – especially if compost is dry)
  • Crocks. To protect against overwatering, make sure the pots have sufficient drainage and are not blocked with compost. Using broken bits of pots near the base to ensure good drainage. If necessary, put sand into the compost.
  • In the heat of summer move pots away from the scorching of the sun.

pots

A delicate Alpine thrive in a well drained pot

Feeding.

Food in the compost will be exhausted after a few weeks or few months, depending on the growing season. Therefore, they will need plant food. It is better to feed little and often than overburdening them. You could also choose slow release food capsules which gradually release food over the course of a few weeks.

Cycle Plants.

The great thing about pots is that once something has finished flowering you can move them out and put something else in. E.g. once bulbs have finished flowering, you can dig them into some corner of the garden to die back in peace out of the way.

Experiment.

You will be surprised what you can grow in pots. Potatoes can do very well (and make it easy to harvest the crop). Sunflowers and tomatoes can do well in pots.

Related

Saxifraga Irvingii

Saxifraga Irvingii

Saxifraga x irvingii 'Jenkinsiae'

This is a lovely low growing alpine. It flowers in early spring (here pictured flowering in Feb).

it goes without saying that like other alpines, this Saxifraga will benefit from a well drained position to avoid rotting away in a cold waterlogged soil.

It is very low growing, though easily earns its place for its attractive foliage and one of the earliest ‘pink’ flowers of the season.
Saxifraga x irvingii 'Jenkinsiae'
Companion plants

This saxifraga was being grown in rockery of Oxford Botanic Gardens. Nearby were Cyclamen coum, Iris reticulata and snowdrops. Also consider dwarf Alliums such as Allium cyaneum.

An even earlier Saxifraga is Saxifraga burseriana.

See also: ‘Growing Cushion plants‘ Common name for some Saxifraga’s

Saxifraga Irvingii at Saxifraga society

Alpine Garden society

Helleborus Purpurascens

Helleborus Purpurascens

Helleborus purpurascens

This lovely Helleborus could be planted in a ‘black flower’ garden it is so dark.

Growing Helleborus Purpurascens

  • Looks great next to snowdrops (white on purple, creates good contrast)
  • Flowers in Jan, Feb, March.
  • Dies back during Summer, so be careful not to disturb in summer.
  • Hardy against all but strongest frosts.
  • Grows well in shade or partial shade
  • Not too fussy, but prefers humus rich soil – well drained, but retains moisture.
  • Leaf mould makes excellent soil conditioner.
  • Avoid acidic soil. Prefers neutral or alkaline.
  • In summer, removed tattered foliage.

Related

Growing Pulmonaria and Lungworts

Growing Pulmonaria and Lungworts

pulmonaria officinalis

 Pulmonaria Officianalis Red Start has been in flower since mid-January in my Yorkshire garden. The colour is a but special for this time of year.

The lungworts are the genus Pulmonaria of flowering plants / herbs in the family Boraginaceae, native to Europe and western Asia. The name is derived from the Latin pulmo (the lung). There was a time when Lungworts were used to treat pulmonary infections and that is how they got their name.

Features of Pulmonaria

  • There are many different varieties and can easily set seed. If you want to keep track of names and varieties, prevent setting seed and propagate by division.
  • Good companion plants include Helleborus Orientalis, Snowdrops and winter aconite.
  • Flowers in blue or red arrive as early as February
  • Makes excellent ground cover in shady spots.
  • Pulmonaria are liked by bees for their nectar.

Tips for Growing Pulmonaria

  • Cool shady spots. Dislikes drying out in winter.
  • To avoid mildewed leaves, keep well watered, and remove any infected leaves.

pulmonaria officinalis

Growing Garden Peas

Growing Garden Peas

peas

This photo shows some young pea plants ready to grow up some pea sticks.

Garden peas can be one of the most rewarding vegetables to grow because their taste, fresh from the garden, is really something. They also give a good cropping ratio for the amount of land used and so are good for small gardens. Also grown up pea sticks like this they make an attractive vegetable – so could even be grown in your front garden! Modern chefs are keen to use the tender pea shoots with all the pea flavour but none of the starch. I still prefer the mushy peas but it is an acquired northern taste.

As a final bonus, the legume family tend to help put nitrogen back into the soil so are great in crop rotation  before heavy nitrogen users like Green vegetables.
Pea plants
In the early days of sowing they will need protection from frost and slugs. Their leave are tender and so need careful hardening off or covering with fleece during their early days. Also if you are not careful an army of slugs and snails can decimate your crop overnight. See: Methods to reduce slugs

Peas do need supporting, otherwise they will flop over where the crop will be lower and more liable to be eaten by slugs. These pea sticks make an attractive and functional natural support. You can buy them or look for suitable twigs from your own trees. It is good to put them in early and if necessary make a tie to get them started. But, generally, the pea tendrils will find the stick for support.

If you sow indoors during March, they will be ready for planting out late April and this will give a good crop around July. They are quite quick growing so you can stagger sowing by 3 weeks to give you a longer cropping season.

Related

How To Make Your Garden Eco Friendly

How To Make Your Garden Eco Friendly

Sunflowers

There is a lot more interest in organic and eco friendly gardening. There is no better place than the garden for taking practical steps to help the environment. These are some simple suggestions that are quite easy to implement in your own garden.

Dealing With Slugs

The ubiquitous slug pellet can be quite damaging to wildlife, birds or cats may eat them by mistake. Instead of slug pellets there are many organic methods you can use.

  • Beer traps. Slugs are attracted to sunken pots of beer and drown in the beer.
  • Slug Nematodes. These are a nematode which are a natural foe of the slug. Watered into the soil they will prevent slugs growing in a certain area for upto 4 weeks.
  • Physical barriers to pot plants
  • Encouraging frogs – see pond.

Dealing With Pests.

Rather than use chemical sprays which kill many types of insects, try attracting insects who will do the job for you. One of the best ways to deal with pests such as green fly is to encourage their natural predators. For example, it is possible to attract more ladybirds, which will devour a huge amount of green fly. To attract ladybird grow plants that they like such as buddleia. You can also try ladybird boxes to help overwinter them.

Wildlife Pond

A pond will make an attractive feature for any gardener and will definitely help the organic gardener. In particular try to encourage frogs. Frogs will do a great job in eating slugs, one of the great pests of the garden. To encourage frogs, make a pond which easily accessible from the edges and provide enough cover. If you have fish, try protecting the frog spawn.

Composting.

Composting should be looked upon as an art in itself. There is great satisfaction in taking part in the natural recycling process of the garden. A well maintained compost heap will provide a steady supply of organic fertiliser and soil improver. If you have a neighbour who just send their lawn clippings to the tip, offer to take them and use them in your own compost heap. Well rotted compost is better than artificial fertilisers because it also acts as a soil conditioner. see: how to make good compost

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10 New Year Gardening Resolutions

10 New Year Gardening Resolutions

Verbena
verbena bonariensis

My gardening New Year Resolutions

  1. Enjoy The Garden. Will take time to enjoy the garden without feeling obliged to pick up weeds …
  2. Grow more from seed. There is a thrill in growing things from seed. Will use cold frame and pots to grow sweet peas. – Hard work, but, one plant always worth the effort.
  3. Will be more focused in Doing jobs. A lot of my gardening is done without planning. I just go out in my slippers to pick some flowers and before I know it – I’ve started cutting back a shrub and pulling up pernicious weeds. It means I often do jobs without proper tools or focus. If really target 1 problem at a time with all the right equipment, you can solve it rather than doing things half heartedly.
  4. Be Bolder. As gardeners, we often think what would other people do, what are we supposed to do. I’m going to be bolder in planting sweet peas and tall plants in front garden, which has traditionally been a place of low growing bedding plants.
  5. Time Saving Plans. Some bamboo has become time consuming, because it is sending runners all over the place. Rather than dealing with the endless runners – I’m just going to take it all out and replant something new or a bamboo which definitely doesn’t send runners everywhere.
  6. Build a Pond. A pond will attract more wildlife and add a new element of interest. I have been put off doing it because it is a big project, so I’m going to scale down the size to something more manageable and add it.
  7. Spend as much time Planting as weeding. Last year, I was always weeding and creating wonderful beds of blank soil. The result was I didn’t have enough time to spend time growing plants from seed / diving e.t.c. This is the fun part of gardening so I will do more of it.
  8. Grow Something new. For the past few years, I have been relying on same plants. There is great fun in trying something new from seed – something completely different and see how it gets on.
  9. Visit More Gardens. The best way to gain inspiration from a garden is not through books or talking about it, but visiting other gardens. Visiting  professional and well kempt gardens you come back with lots of enthusiasm for creating a better garden and also combinations of plants which work well.
  10. Clean Tools. A good gardener doesn’t just keep order in the garden, but, also his tool shed. If tools are kept in great working order – blades sharp and well oiled then it makes the whole experience of garden more enjoyable.

 

Best Gardening Tools

Best Gardening Tools

From my experience of gardening, these are some of my favourite and most useful gardening tools.

  1. Secateurs. When it comes to secateurs, there is no  point in buying some cheap variety. I recommend buying a really good pair and looking after them (i.e. don’t leave them out in the rain!).    Secateurs are the most versatile and indispensable tool in the garden. They can be used from everything from pruning to picking flowers. With secateurs you can feel like an artist in the garden! – Secateurs at Amazon
  2. Long Handled Shears. I’ll never forget the first time we bought my mother a pair of long handled shears, it makes the job of cutting lawn edges so much easier and more satisfying. Don’t break your back and knees using old shears. Get some long handled shears and make it easier. Long handled shears
  3. Stainless steel spade and trowel are expensive but well worth the extra investment. Do not short change on your tools.
  4. Bulb Planter. A bulb planter makes planting bulbs easier but also more targeted and specific. It means that you can plant bulbs in grass or borders. It is particularly useful for small gardens where you need precision in planting bulbs. Bulb Planters
  5. Cold Frame. A cold frame offers excellent value for the keen gardener. If you grow a modest range of seeds, you can get a lot of benefit from a cold frame without the cost and difficulty of a greenhouse. A cold frame can be used for hardening off plants and bringing plants on. Cold Frame
  6. Hoe. On a dry day when the soil is dry, there is nothing more satisfying than  a bit of hoeing, killing off all the unwanted weeds, with easy movements, a great gardening job – much easier than getting down on your knees with a trowel. Hoe
  7. Garden Stool. Great for getting up off the ground and keeping your knees dry. Can be turned over for impromptu stool. Garden Stools