Watering Houseplants

Watering Houseplants

This Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum) houseplant is being killed with kindness by the family waterer. Too much water kills quicker than too little.This plant likes humidity from a mister or being stood on a damp gravel base but doesn’t want to be flooded.

Watering Houseplants

  • Plants that transpire lots of water from large fleshy or soft leaves need more watering.
  • Plants with frail, rubbery or sticky leaves are generally conditioned to survive with less water. Look at the leaves to learn what works best.
  • Most cacti & succulents with juicy leaves are often able to survive dry spells.
  • Plants that are actively growing need more water and the converse is true in winter when growth is slow they need little or no water.
  • Try aim for evenly moist soil from top to bottom after watering
  • Good drainage in needed for the majority of houseplants so if in doubt err on the side of an open compost
  • Stagnant water is a no-no causing chills, decay and harbouring potential pests.
  • The tepid water with no chemicals is OK or try rain water.
  • Ailing plants should be given only little water and no fertilizer.
  • Gloxinia like other hairy leaved plants dislike water on the leaves as the sun’s heat can be magnified and damage the leaf.

Expert Watering

Tips for Growing Giant Vegetables

Tips for Growing Giant Vegetables

Book Cover

This is one of the many books in my collection but the only one to focus on growing big, bigger and biggest vegetables. If you want to grow giant vegetable for exhibition or to get large crops then there are many pointers in ‘How to Grow Giant Vegetables’ by Bernard Lavery and below.

If you want to see 14 feet long carrots or parsnips, the 28 pound radish or the monster cabbage weighing 120lbs then encouragement to join the monster vegetables growing movement may be our gardeners tip for you in 2011.

Starting with Giant Vegetables

  • A good big one will beat a good small one and that applies to seed so consider what you sow. Good genetic potential will grow good plants.
  • Pumpkins are a good starter vegetable as a heavy weight can be achieved in the first year. It is also fun to see them grow by inches every day.
  • You need to learn by experience so you improve growing conditions, feeding and watering based on your own observations.

Large Crops from a Small Garden

  • Harvested whilst still in peak growing condition, giant vegetables taste every bit as good as smaller varieties.
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Splitting Ornamental Grasses to Increase Stock

Splitting Ornamental Grasses to Increase Stock

Kew 005

 

Quick Tips to Get more Plants by Dividing Grasses

  • The best time to divide grasses is when the roots are  active normally in spring.
  • Grasses need dividing when the clump becomes large and congested. Those with longer growing seasons clump up faster.
  • Deschampsia, Carex and Festuca that flower in early summer, start into growth in late winter so should be divided in early spring.
  • Grasses from warmer climates that flower after mid summer such as Miscanthus, Panicum, Pennisetum and Cortaderia should be divided a little later in May.
  • Evergreen grasses should only be divided in spring.
  • Sedges and small grasses like Hakonechloa and Foxtail grass can be split by hand. Large clumps may need prising apart with two back to back forks. Large Miscanthus clumps may need a saw.
  • Keep divisions well watered until they are established.
  • Surplus can be passed on to friends or replanted – do not let the roots dry out.

The ideal time to divide clumps of  grasses is in the spring, but you may also divide them in Autumn.

Miscanthus in winter

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Greenhouse Wind Protection Tips

Greenhouse Wind Protection Tips

(image source)

Greenhouses are particularly vulnerable to wind damage but here are a few tips to help you improve your glasshouses survival.

Tips to Protect your Greenhouse in Winds

  • Instal your greenhouse in a position that is as sheltered from the prevailing wind as possible. Shelter your greenhouse by situating wind breaks, fences or hedging in the way of the prevailing winds.
  • Avoid areas that look sheltered but are wind tunnels and do not put under trees or where broken branches may fall on the glass.
  • Put in concrete foundations and anchor your greenhouse base securely. Then bolt your greenhouse to the base just as securely.
  • Buy the strongest greenhouse you can afford. The bigger proportion of your total bill you spend on the basic frame the stronger the greenhouse will be.
  • Keep up to simple maintenance, check clips, S hooks and rubber sealing strips if fitted.
  • If anticipating strong or gusty winds make sure that your doors and windows are closed and will stay closed . Put loose equipment away so it doesn’t blow around.
  • After heavy winds check your greenhouse. If some clips have moved this may weaken the fixing of the pane and later it may blow out in a comparatively mild wind.
  • Clips can be kept in place by putting some silicone sealant around them.
  • If glass does blow out of your greenhouse block the hole as quickly as possible even if it’s just with a blanket held on with clothes pegs. You need to stop the wind getting in and causing further damage.
  • Do not  try to repair your greenhouse whilst it is still windy. Take great care of broken glass and dispose of safely.
  • If despite your best efforts your greenhouse is destroyed check you house insurance it may be covered.
Solanum Winter Cherry

Solanum Winter Cherry

It is the season for houseplants and this Solanum capsicastrum was raised from seed probably in a Dutch hothouse for the UK’s pre Christmas market.

What to do with your Winter Cherry

  • Like most Solanums related to the nightshades these attractive berries are poisonous. Do not confuse them withthe edible  Cape Gooseberries – Physalis peruviana that looks similar.
  • Keep the plants in good light or the berries/fruit will fall off and leave the plant bare
  • If your plant is in flower with insignificant white blossom mist spray to encourage the fruit to set. The green berries will then turn orange-red
  • Keep the plants moist and regularly fed and the berries will remain for many months
  • Compost the plant when the berries drop – they are not worth saving
  • Other common names include Jerusalem Cherry or pseudocapsicum but they are not related to Cherry or Peppers
  • Do not confuse with Indian winter cherry known as Indian Ginseng

Cape Gooseberries Physalis peruviana below

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Late Bulb Planting

Late Bulb Planting

Blue bulbs

Apart from late Tulips I think it is best to leave spring bulbs out of the ground – the end of November is too late even though you can buy very cheap bulbs.

Nevertheless I will plant some bulbs in pots.

  • The trick is to get some decent roots as soon as possible. The flower will already be in the bulb and need support and encouragement to excel in bloom.
  • Plant bulbs in a pot, water and keep in a cool dark spot.
  • Bring out into a cool greenhouse, window box or under the house eaves after Christmas. Provide maximum light.
  • I have just planted a lot of species crocus bought on the cheap. All I needed to do was avoid damaging the early sprouting corms.
  • Do not use rich compost or add any fertilizer.

Muscari alba

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Wet Snow Garden

Wet Snow Garden

Christmas pudding tree

Snow on this honeysuckle Lonicera made it resemble a Christmas pudding. I must keep my pudding out of the shadows!

Snow that is wet and beginning to thaw is very heavy. Dry powdery snow wont do as much damage to shoots twigs and branches.

The eucalyptus just behind survived many winters but has out grown its space so had to be chopped down this autumn

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Growing Dactylorrhiza Madeira & Marsh Orchids

Growing Dactylorrhiza Madeira & Marsh Orchids

Dactylorrhiza foliosa

Dactylorrhiza foliosa sometimes named the Madeiran Orchid or Dactylorhiza foliosa

Dactylorrhiza Species

  • Dactylorrhiza elata is from the Mediterranean region. It has an AGM implying it is hardy and easy to grow. the purple cone of flowers from April reaching 2 feet high.
  • Dactylorrhiza alpistris has interesting leaf markings but only grows 10″ high.
  • Dactylorrhiza incarnata, flowers slightly later.
  • Dactylorrhiza majalis and Dactylorrhiza praetermissa  the Marsh Orchids appreciate damp, not waterlogged  ground and are reasonably vigorous.
  • Dactylorrhiza foliosa  (shown above)  has several large spikes of pink-purple, individually large, flowers.
  • Dactylorrhiza Maculata or Fushii  are “Spotted Orchids” with lovely purple flowers in April to June.

Growing Tips

  • Dactylorrhiza are strong growers and flower freely in damp garden conditions.
  • They are suited for a damp spot, in full sun, without shade or for growing in pots.
  • Orchid seed needs the presence of   microscopic fungi for germination and whilst Dactylorrhiza seed freely they are best propagated by division.
  • Dactylorrhiza wants an open, moisture retentive, neutral compost.
  • The reason for the name, Dacty (finger) Rhiza (root) is immediately apparent when you see the tubers. The new tuber is produced at the end of the growing season as an appendage to the old tuber that produced this years flower spike in mid to late May.

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Sweet Pea Seeds or Plants

Sweet Pea Seeds or Plants

Sweet Pea Heathcliff

I have had a disaster this year with my sweet peas sown last Autumn. They didn’t fare too well in the cold greenhouse. I gave them a long root run but probably didn’t give them consistent watering and TLC. So by spring they were thin specimens with lacy leaves eventhough I had pinched them out. Because they didn’t look too good I didn’t feed them up and cosset them but just plonked them in the ground. Well it serves me right and I have a very poor showing at the moment.

Next year will be different and I have already made plans and placed an order for 36 plants from Unwins ‘Super Fragrant Collection’. which consists of Heathcliff, Bobby’s Girl, Valentine, Southampton, Scartlett, and Lively Lassie. I will take delivery in March or April 2009 of healthy plants grown by a nursery. As I have paid good money for them I will take great care, prepare the ground and look after them. Hopefully we will get the sun to make them excel.

Unwins are Sweet Pea specialists and the plant collections I could have chosen include Showbench, Cut flower, and Mixed unnamed collections. They also do plentys of seed varieties and mixes. So for me next season it is plants over seeds (but may be I will do some seeds as well). I am not yet ready to join the National Sweet Pea society but if I do well with my plants I may well do so

January Fruit and Vegetable Tips

January Fruit and Vegetable Tips

Snow garden

With snow lying deeply and icicles hanging from many roofs it is strange to be thinking of 2017.

January Tasks for Fruit and Vegetables

  • Check stored apples and vegetable clamps.
  • Chit early potatoes, for planting in April, by placing in trays rose end up towards the light.
  • Several vegetables can be cropped when the ground is unfrozen including, Leeks, Sprouts, Parsnips, Winter Cabbage, Turnips, Salsify and Sprouting Broccoli.
  • If those vegetables appeal to you buy some seed now for spring planting.
  • Sow  Leeks and Chervil in the greenhouse.
  • Start winter digging. Tidy up under fruit trees and remove mummified fruit.
  • Plant new fruit bushes and cane fruit.
  • Prune apples and pears and fertilize with a high potash feed or wood ash.

Other Tasks for January around the Garden

    • Keep permanently planted containers in groups in a sheltered spot.
    • Privet and Hawthorne hedges can be hard pruned in mild weather to reduce height or width.
    • Clean greenhouse and summerhouse glass to let in more light.
    • Avoid over-watering houseplants and do not leave behind curtains to get frosted.
    • Spread well rotted horse manure or compost.(not on houseplants!)
    • Sow alpines and other seeds that need exposure to frost.