Gardening tips and ideas

[jordsmum]

Does anybody know if the busy lizzies I have just b*ght will be OK as a few people have been telling me that there is a disease in them this year which is killing other plants? I b*ght them from Aldi and they look fine to me but I wouldn't know really what I'm looking for and can't find anything on line about it for this year only from previous years.

I've also just b*ght Aldi Busy Lizzies, they are great quality plants and such value for money. In previous years some larger retailers didnt stock them because of a disease, but I haven't heard anything negative last year or this. I always b*y them to make up hanging bags which I put on the concrete posts between the fence panels in my back garden. Really pretty when in full bloom and provides colour till the first frosts. The bags are similar to these

I also replant the same bags in autumn with winter pansies (also Aldi) which gives some colour through the winter months.

[ejwrank]

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/busy-lizzie-advice-page

But I would think it would be OK if you keep them in pots -- then if you have a problem you can just ditch the lot, use clean new soil and replant. But what do I know?

[akh43]

Also, killed the snail eggs that the pot had. Watch out for those little yellow 'beads', No!!, they are not fertiliser!

I always wondered what the little yellow beads were and now I know, thanks very much for posting this When I was in the garden at the weekend there were loads of these in my pots. How do you kill them? No wonder I have so many snails in my garden.

[Sunny Saver]

My neighbours have, well had now, a huge terracotta plant pot, which they've given to me now . A lady on freecycle has saved me lots of plants and seeds for my garden. She's a bit of a trek away, but they suit my colour scheme and I wanted those flowers anyway. I haven't seen her garden yet, but I think I want it, it sounds perfect.

[Diane65]

Love the hanging bags Jordsmum especially as I had never heard of them and they look so pretty.

Ejwrank thanks for the information and we'll have non of this What do I know? You are a wealth of information and we are all learning from you.

What are you planting in your terracotta pot Sunny Saver? You have a very kind neighbour and fabulous lady on freecycle.

Been talking to a friend and she says I need feet for my terracotta pot with the lilac in it as the roots are prone to being eaten by ants so as it has forecast rain that can be my job for this weekend then at least I've done something.

I have noticed a lot of packets of mixed wildflowers seeds and one of my neighbours has put them in tubs and my oh my what a glorious display so I'll be adding them to my list for tubs for the side of the house as apparently they don't need much looking after just sprinkle them on your compost and just watch them grow.

[baty]

My neighbours have, well had now, a huge terracotta plant pot, which they've given to me now . A lady on freecycle has saved me lots of plants and seeds for my garden. She's a bit of a trek away, but they suit my colour scheme and I wanted those flowers anyway. I haven't seen her garden yet, but I think I want it, it sounds perfect.

If the pot is large and you will only be using the top area for plants, check the size the plant will grow to, then you could fill the bottom 1/3 or 1/4 with stones / rocks. It would be a waste to fill will the whole container with soil / compost when the plants only use the the top one or two thirds.

If the pot is really big, then put a bit of old hose pipe in to reach (near) the bottom. You can then pour water down that.

akh43 - I wear gloves when gardening ... .. I sometimes squish them as I find them, sometimes pick them out and bin the lot.

[Sunny Saver]

Baty, it's got dead soil in it now, I mean it must be shit, not even weeds in them, so can I put good soil on top or should I empty it out.

My neighbours threw away a lot of terracotta pots last year, left them on road opposite, luckily I saw and managed to nab some, but not all. They've only a few pots left now and I've told them to just bring over, don't bother taking then across the road .

[akh43]

akh43 - I wear gloves when gardening ... .. I sometimes squish them as I find them, sometimes pick them out and bin the lot.

I use rubber gloves when gardening, I had loads left over from when DD left and I always ruin gardening gloves. I did try squashing them last week, but it was grossing me out there were so many, I was wondering if there was an easier way as still loads left. They must have thought my garden was paradise for them, now I am determined to get rid of them as best I can.

I also keep finding what look like monkey nuts amongst my plants no idea where they are coming from

[baty]

Sunny-Saver, get all of the soil out, you don't know if the soil has any diseases or lurking bugs and slugs.

Do give it a good scrub as well. This will give you a good idea about the inner size of the pot. If you are not going to use a plant which will (eventually) )have roots that go to the bottom, then fill it with some garden stones, why waste money on compost / john innes etc. Also, like Diane said, get some pot feet to take it up from the ground. Why make an easy path for the slimy and many legged critters.

If using garden soil, try and mix in some compost type stuff, even the likes of the grow bag. Just to the stop the soil from getting compacted by watering from the top all the time. I have a pot of sage cuttings where I didn't follow my own advice, now has a hollow in the middle where I have watered it

[ejwrank]

Husband decided last year to take an interest in the garden and planted lots of wildflower seeds in a raised bed (along with our perennial herbs). It looked great in bloom and got him hooked so he has now planted wildflower seeds in a variety of areas and we are hoping for similar displays. This also solves the dilemma of weeding as we never know if it's a weed growing or a wildflower so we just leave it alone which suits us but may not suit a more fastidious gardener!