How does your garden grow?

[VladimirIlyich]

1 hour ago, Section_31 said:

Patchy as fuck my grass this year due to some leaves not being picked up. Have put grass seed down last week but still waiting for them green shoots. Moody as fuck my lawn.

Don't they say that lawn's moods reflect that of their owners? 

[Dave D]

3 hours ago, Section_31 said:

Patchy as fuck my grass this year due to some leaves not being picked up. Have put grass seed down last week but still waiting for them green shoots. Moody as fuck my lawn.

I cut my grass far too late last year (probably late November) In the summer I had levelled it out a bit with a layer of soil and seed. After the cut it never really grew back so each downpour has flooded the patio with a nice dark brown 2 inch deep soil soup. 

[bossy]

We moved house in December. The garden is big, lots of bushes, trees and god knows what else. We also have… a greenhouse, a proper one and I have no clue how to use it, but I’ve bought a book by Titchmarsh. 
Two days ago the blossom outside the bedroom window exploded to life, ridiculously beautiful. Other stuff starting to reveal itself; more cherry blossom trees, darker pink, elderberry trees, a yellow one (ha, my ignorance), a big tall willow tree with yellow fuzzy buds. Amazing.

we are going to see what comes up and have a bash at a load of toms in the greenhouse, perhaps with courgette and herbs. Very lucky.

 

[Champ]

5 hours ago, Section_31 said:

Patchy as fuck my grass this year due to some leaves not being picked up. Have put grass seed down last week but still waiting for them green shoots. Moody as fuck my lawn.

No-one’s grass is going to look good yet after the lashing it’s had this winter. We can only hope it will dry up soon and a few weeks of more light and warmth and then is the time to go to work on it. Gardening is a long game

[Champ]

1 hour ago, bossy said:

We moved house in December. The garden is big, lots of bushes, trees and god knows what else. We also have… a greenhouse, a proper one and I have no clue how to use it, but I’ve bought a book by Titchmarsh. 
Two days ago the blossom outside the bedroom window exploded to life, ridiculously beautiful. Other stuff starting to reveal itself; more cherry blossom trees, darker pink, elderberry trees, a yellow one (ha, my ignorance), a big tall willow tree with yellow fuzzy buds. Amazing.

we are going to see what comes up and have a bash at a load of toms in the greenhouse, perhaps with courgette and herbs. Very lucky.

 

Very exciting.

 

We (I) await updates 

 

PS I can’t be doing with Titchmarsh

[Jennings]

6 hours ago, Section_31 said:

Patchy as fuck my grass this year due to some leaves not being picked up. Have put grass seed down last week but still waiting for them green shoots. Moody as fuck my lawn.

Don't worry - that's all fixable.

 

I mix my grass seed in with topsoil. Really stamp it down too. Ge generous with the seed. It'll come back and look really good.

 

Also use one of the feed & weeds, once your seed is established.

 

Lawns can take a lot of effort, but look great when done well. I bought a Suffolk Punch especially to do the lines.

 

I have loads of moss this year, so just put down some killer. Will give it a couple of weeks then rake it out. Hope I get shut of it.  

[bossy]

12 hours ago, Champ said:

Very exciting.

 

We (I) await updates 

 

PS I can’t be doing with Titchmarsh

The yellow tree is Forsythia and we also have pink camellias flowering with some daffs  about to. 
Titchmarsh was the only greenhouse book in our shop!

[Champ]

1 hour ago, bossy said:

The yellow tree is Forsythia and we also have pink camellias flowering with some daffs  about to. 
Titchmarsh was the only greenhouse book in our shop!

I wouldn’t have bothered.

 

I like gardening books for design ideas but tend to go online for advice these days. Instagram is very good too

[Dave D]

14 hours ago, Jennings said:

Don't worry - that's all fixable.

 

I mix my grass seed in with topsoil. Really stamp it down too. Ge generous with the seed. It'll come back and look really good.

 

Also use one of the feed & weeds, once your seed is established.

 

Lawns can take a lot of effort, but look great when done well. I bought a Suffolk Punch especially to do the lines.

 

I have loads of moss this year, so just put down some killer. Will give it a couple of weeks then rake it out. Hope I get shut of it.  

Ive got loads of Moss this year- is the killer a spray or a dry thing? Just thinking about the dog if I have to leave something on the area   

[Jennings]

Just now, Dave D said:

Ive got loads of Moss this year- is the killer a spray or a dry thing? Just thinking about the dog if I have to leave something on the area   

I used a box of granules. Only been down a week. so can't comment on results. I have a dog too - I recall the box said it was safe once it was rained/watered in. 

[Champ]

You men and your quest for the immaculate lawn

[Jennings]

2 minutes ago, Champ said:

You men and your quest for the immaculate lawn

Haha - I know what you mean, but the little things make it worthwhile.

Like when the Father-in-Law said "Your lawn is looking good, Jennings. What do you do to keep it so think and free of clover and dandelion."

"Oh nothing really. Just some basic maintenance', I lied.

[Champ]

1 hour ago, Jennings said:

Haha - I know what you mean, but the little things make it worthwhile.

Like when the Father-in-Law said "Your lawn is looking good, Jennings. What do you do to keep it so think and free of clover and dandelion."

"Oh nothing really. Just some basic maintenance', I lied.

My grass was only good the first year it was returfed (is that a word) and after that the moss returned and the perennial weeds arrived. I battled with it every year with limited success until I succumbed to the idea of incorporating my thinking about the rest of the garden, working with rather than against the conditions and adding to rather than reducing the diversity. I’m sure I’ve said before I never realised I could come to see dandelions as an early food source for bees rather than invaders sent to taunt me

[Captain Willard]

On 19/03/2024 at 18:40, Champ said:

No-one’s grass is going to look good yet after the lashing it’s had this winter. We can only hope it will dry up soon and a few weeks of more light and warmth and then is the time to go to work on it. Gardening is a long game

Gardening is a good lesson in life,  you over estimate what you can achieve in the short term and under estimate what you can achieve in the long term if you persevere. My roses are finally coming good 3 years after planting them as bare roots. These things take time. 

[Captain Willard]

18 hours ago, Jennings said:

Haha - I know what you mean, but the little things make it worthwhile.

Like when the Father-in-Law said "Your lawn is looking good, Jennings. What do you do to keep it so think and free of clover and dandelion."

"Oh nothing really. Just some basic maintenance', I lied.

Praise for your garden is the best praise. 

[Champ]

1 hour ago, Captain Willard said:

Praise for your garden is the best praise. 

I’ve been thinking about you as, encouraged by my son’s gf I’m going in for my 3rd season growing dahlias. I was ready to set them aside but she’s so keen I didn’t want to let her down.

I so hope we get some warm weather and I can come back and show you our results

[Captain Willard]

2 hours ago, Champ said:

I’ve been thinking about you as, encouraged by my son’s gf I’m going in for my 3rd season growing dahlias. I was ready to set them aside but she’s so keen I didn’t want to let her down.

I so hope we get some warm weather and I can come back and show you our results

Keep going. Let me know if you want a couple of tubers. 

[Champ]

2 minutes ago, Captain Willard said:

Keep going. Let me know if you want a couple of tubers. 

Aw, that’s so kind. I might take you up on that.

So many questions…

Do you lift yours?

Have you got signs of life yet?

Have you taken cuttings from your tubers?

[Captain Willard]

1 minute ago, Champ said:

Aw, that’s so kind. I might take you up on that.

So many questions…

Do you lift yours?

Have you got signs of life yet?

Have you taken cuttings from your tubers?

 

I m off to the Surrey Dahlia Society tuber sale this weekend. These people are serious growers so they sell excellent stock 

 

I lifted some this year and 50% of them rotted away because they got frozen despite being in a shed. The winters down here (just south of london) are pretty mild so I think I'm going to leave them in the ground from now on. 

 

No signs of life yet, maybe the a tiny bud. I wont start to really worry until mid April. The tubers in the ground seem solid. 

 

I split them every October then replant the tubers. They seem to prefer that.  

[Champ]

4 minutes ago, Captain Willard said:

 

I m off to the Surrey Dahlia Society tuber sale this weekend. These people are serious growers so they sell excellent stock 

 

I lifted some this year and 50% of them rotted away because they got frozen despite being in a shed. The winters down here (just south of london) are pretty mild so I think I'm going to leave them in the ground from now on. 

 

No signs of life yet, maybe the a tiny bud. I wont start to really worry until mid April. The tubers in the ground seem solid. 

 

I split them every October then replant the tubers. They seem to prefer that.  

1. Dahlia society. I love these parallel universes 

2. As I reported last year the tubers I bought didn’t really do much last summer so I’m not surprised about half of the rotted. I’m starting with 5 tubers from lasted year which I potted last week and placed an order yesterday with Farmer Gracy (excellent site) for some more.

4. I follow Anya the money saving gardener on instagram and if I get some decent shoots I may try taking some cuttings and try the division that you’ve suggested later on

[Captain Willard]

1 hour ago, Champ said:

1. Dahlia society. I love these parallel universes 

2. As I reported last year the tubers I bought didn’t really do much last summer so I’m not surprised about half of the rotted. I’m starting with 5 tubers from lasted year which I potted last week and placed an order yesterday with Farmer Gracy (excellent site) for some more.

4. I follow Anya the money saving gardener on instagram and if I get some decent shoots I may try taking some cuttings and try the division that you’ve suggested later on

Yes you get some great stock from  Farmer Gracy. I also travel to Amsterdam a lot with work so buy tubers there and sneak them home in my hand luggage. 

[Dave D]

Hmmmm

 

 

*googles tubers

[Captain Willard]

On 19/03/2024 at 15:08, VladimirIlyich said:

Don't they say that lawn's moods reflect that of their owners? 

In my experience of political campaigning for Mrs Willard,  front gardens are a pretty reliable guide to voting intentions. A scruffy front garden with a French car on the drive is invariably a Lib Dem. 

[polymerpunkah]

On 20/03/2024 at 07:06, Champ said:

You men and your quest for the immaculate lawn

 

One of my mother's neighbours spends hours on his lawn.

 

To the point that cruel we started to call him "Groundskeeper Willie".

 

He's actually a great guy, married to an old family friend and who has more than once came to my mother's rescue with various home repairs etc., who just happens to like the look of a perfectly grown and mown checkerboard lawn.

 

And now his brother-in-law, who lives next door, has taken on the challenge, so two perfect lawns, side by side.

 

My mom's lawn, on the other hand....

[lifetime fan]

On 25/02/2024 at 09:34, Captain Willard said:

The frogs have come back !  Every year I worry they won’t make it through the winter so it’s a joy when the ponds are full of frogs once again. As I get old, these things give me more pleasure than the unmentionable.