Self-sown Dahlia 'Bishop's children' are thriving in the first year. I will leave the tubers alone and see if they come up next year. Slightly niggling issue is that the border they are in gets sun a bit late in the day; we'll see. Related to this, the frogs and hedgehogs seem to keep the slugs and snails under tight control. There was some damage to e.g. the dahlias, but very little. I'm counting this as a success in habitat creation. Also, finding a grass snake in the compost heap was amazing. I'm composting a lot more this year partly thanks to lockdown. Tagetes, cleome, nicotiana, nigella orientalis all did well from seeds. Cosmos atrosanguineus, 'Black Magic' was an abject failure at nearly 2 quid per seed, four in total. Only one germinated, and it did not seem very interested afterwards in the concept of growth. Similarly, I am down to a single Coreopsis tinctoria, 'Roulette', but this one at least shows some interest.
I've given up on the raspberry and strawberry patch, it's too dry and/or I don't have the interest to cater to their requirements. It's also increasingly shaded out by a mulberry tree that is really coming into its own now, we had several kilos yield. It's the best kind of success, needing no input from me but allowing me to stuff my face with fruit.
Lockdown helped me tackle various rampant thugs in the garden - Macleaya microcarpa, Acanthus mollis and spinosus. Clearing them created a lot of space for new plants and plans.
@micearguers I would agree - that sounds like a complete success at habitat creation. I'm really envious. We've left our log pile alone, with high grass around it and nettles and ivy covering it. Hoping to add a pond at some point. I'd love to host a grass snake!
@Camelliad it was all your seeding successes that prompted me to reflect on this year, as I am buying fewer plants and try to sow more. Impressive list! "I am not a farmer" made me smile - that's my motto. Can't do with all the cosseting required, the bolting, et cetera! I don't mind mingling the occasional beet or cavalo nero inbetween the ornamental/wildlife planting. But generally they don't amount to much.
The grass snakes (sightings are rare though) arrived after the frogs and the pond - it's a small one, about 3 square meters, but thrives with life. Can thoroughly recommend. It took me ages to plan and execute, but the whole process was enjoyable. A log pile with grass and nettles sounds ideal! If you have space then a sheet of corrugated metal in sunny place is often recommended for attracting snakes (maybe on top of the log pile?).
Regarding floppy plants, I am a bit upset with my Gaura lindheimeri. Self-sown a few years ago, it flops all over the place. Either it needs more support from neighbouring plants, or my soil is too rich, or perhaps it's the seed strain. I'm forever chopping it back. I need to make it work though, love the flowers so much. Fulfilling a similar role (in my flower appreciation), Gillenia trifoliata has no such problems, but flowers less profusely. I aim to raise more from seeds next year.
@micearguers yes I love the idea of a corrugated metal sheet! We have some I think in "the shed that we have ignored since moving in which must be tackled at some point soon".
My Gaura is the same - continuing the theme! We visited a garden a few weeks ago which grew Gaura with a more upright habit and that looked lovely. Had I seen anyone tending the borders I would have asked them about it then and there!
Yes I'd say seed sowing has been my steepest learning curve this year but also the most rewarding one. I've managed to grow some salvia Fairy Queen this year with seeds harvested from last year's plants. I had no idea what I was doing really and was convinced that I was cultivating self-sown weeds right up until they flowered.
New rose Etoile, which is finally the rose I was looking for for years
nemesia
taking dozens of bush salvia cuttings which have successfully struck. Also loads of sedum, pelargonium and diascia - more cuttings through the year than ever before.
compost making is always a joy
bee nest box totally full
my crab apple trees are still alive
Failures:
petunias
potentialla Monarch
I sowed nothing this year, which was a real shame
valerian offic. has self seeded over every suface, which is going to be nightmare
Finally finished cobbling together the fruit cage so had a fair crop of blackcurrants.
Have planted all of the brassicas in there to ward off the dreaded cabbage white. However one must have got to my cauliflower babies before they were planted out in safety so no caulies this year. All other brassicas look really well. At the moment.
I worked copious farm yard manure into the veg. patch. Result. Had to fence it off to keep the dog, my cat and the neighbour hood cats off it. Result. Magnificent runner beans, peas, beetroot, parsnips and globe artichokes. Radishes and perpetual spinach. Tomatoes brilliant this year, in a small greenhouse, carrying between 45 and 50 toms per truss. They are Gardeners Delight so not huge fruit but sweet. Giant onions, first time ever. But they have thick necks so will not store for long.Outdoor tomato plants showing signs of blight. Sowed carrots in a cold frame, delighted with the result. No carrot fly, at last. Delicious, wish I had sown more. Might try a very late sowing of Autumn King.
I carefully thinned my apple trees, then watched as they shed even more fruit. Now I am watching the storm rip most of the remaining half ripe apples off the branches.
The quince has a magnificient 7 fruit on it. Yeh! Sweet corn doing well, nice big cobs, with dwarf beans growing around their bases, just like Monty suggested.
Failures. Celery very tough. Spaghetti squash only just set a couple of fruit. Roses very poor. Almost nil blueberries and raspberries. Cosmos a total failure, also zero all annuals sown. Sweet peas poor, my fault, didn't look after them properly. Serves me right. All flowers went over very quickly in the blistering heat. Now we are being ravaged by a storm, runner beans have been blown over during the night. Aw shucks! Who would be a gardener.
@Joyce Goldenlily I didn't know that about sweetcorn and beans - that's really useful. You've had great crop-growing success!! Maybe one day for me.
I struggle with sweet peas too - we have an everlasting one that was here before we moved in and have managed to coax it back to good health. I've decided not to push my luck with the annual sweet peas this year! Only 3 blueberries for us also!
Shame about the wind - I have also just been out to dig out and cut back the casualties. I will be ordering more plant supports for next year!!
I cannot remember the phrase Monty used. It is an age old trick, there are 3 veg. you interplant. I am sure someone here will remember what the 3 are. Sweet corn the tallest and I have a feeling squash might have been the ground level with beans in the middle.
It is blowing a hooley here with torrential rain coming and going. Horrible. We have been warned not to go on the beaches today due to very high tides, huge swells and dangerous rip tides so a beach walk for the dog has been crossed off the list of activities. A family were washed off rocks yesterday, nobody hurt but badly shocked.
Posts
Related to this, the frogs and hedgehogs seem to keep the slugs and snails under tight control. There was some damage to e.g. the dahlias, but very little. I'm counting this as a success in habitat creation. Also, finding a grass snake in the compost heap was amazing. I'm composting a lot more this year partly thanks to lockdown.
Tagetes, cleome, nicotiana, nigella orientalis all did well from seeds. Cosmos atrosanguineus, 'Black Magic' was an abject failure at nearly 2 quid per seed, four in total. Only one germinated, and it did not seem very interested afterwards in the concept of growth. Similarly, I am down to a single Coreopsis tinctoria, 'Roulette', but this one at least shows some interest.
Regarding floppy plants, I am a bit upset with my Gaura lindheimeri. Self-sown a few years ago, it flops all over the place. Either it needs more support from neighbouring plants, or my soil is too rich, or perhaps it's the seed strain. I'm forever chopping it back. I need to make it work though, love the flowers so much. Fulfilling a similar role (in my flower appreciation), Gillenia trifoliata has no such problems, but flowers less profusely. I aim to raise more from seeds next year.
My Gaura is the same - continuing the theme! We visited a garden a few weeks ago which grew Gaura with a more upright habit and that looked lovely. Had I seen anyone tending the borders I would have asked them about it then and there!
Yes I'd say seed sowing has been my steepest learning curve this year but also the most rewarding one. I've managed to grow some salvia Fairy Queen this year with seeds harvested from last year's plants. I had no idea what I was doing really and was convinced that I was cultivating self-sown weeds right up until they flowered.
Have planted all of the brassicas in there to ward off the dreaded cabbage white. However one must have got to my cauliflower babies before they were planted out in safety so no caulies this year. All other brassicas look really well. At the moment.
I worked copious farm yard manure into the veg. patch. Result. Had to fence it off to keep the dog, my cat and the neighbour hood cats off it.
Result. Magnificent runner beans, peas, beetroot, parsnips and globe artichokes. Radishes and perpetual spinach. Tomatoes brilliant this year, in a small greenhouse, carrying between 45 and 50 toms per truss. They are Gardeners Delight so not huge fruit but sweet. Giant onions, first time ever. But they have thick necks so will not store for long.Outdoor tomato plants showing signs of blight.
Sowed carrots in a cold frame, delighted with the result. No carrot fly, at last. Delicious, wish I had sown more. Might try a very late sowing of Autumn King.
I carefully thinned my apple trees, then watched as they shed even more fruit. Now I am watching the storm rip most of the remaining half ripe apples off the branches.
The quince has a magnificient 7 fruit on it. Yeh! Sweet corn doing well, nice big cobs, with dwarf beans growing around their bases, just like Monty suggested.
Failures. Celery very tough. Spaghetti squash only just set a couple of fruit. Roses very poor. Almost nil blueberries and raspberries. Cosmos a total failure, also zero all annuals sown. Sweet peas poor, my fault, didn't look after them properly. Serves me right.
All flowers went over very quickly in the blistering heat. Now we are being ravaged by a storm, runner beans have been blown over during the night. Aw shucks!
Who would be a gardener.
I am just about to buy some potentilla monarch seeds - what happened to yours?
I struggle with sweet peas too - we have an everlasting one that was here before we moved in and have managed to coax it back to good health. I've decided not to push my luck with the annual sweet peas this year! Only 3 blueberries for us also!
Shame about the wind - I have also just been out to dig out and cut back the casualties. I will be ordering more plant supports for next year!!
It is blowing a hooley here with torrential rain coming and going. Horrible. We have been warned not to go on the beaches today due to very high tides, huge swells and dangerous rip tides so a beach walk for the dog has been crossed off the list of activities. A family were washed off rocks yesterday, nobody hurt but badly shocked.