Hi Ergates .... it's the trapped nerves in my spine keeping me awake - waiting on an operation - daren't tell the surgeon what I've been doing lol. good luck with your verbena, the wonderful people in here have to tell me ten times what to do before I dare have a go (husband also got me a sub to the RHS but it's all gobbledygook to me lol), maybe we can wing it together?
Haha! There is such a temptation to get as much done before your op, as you’ll probably have to rest it afterwards! I’ve pulled some muscles pulling out brambles this week, but it’s so satisfying I can’t stop. I keep thinking I’ll just do one more! i find pruning very stressful, as I really don’t know what I’m doing. So I just leave it and end up with huge shrubs that don’t flower. I daren’t even think about trying to grow roses. Have a look at the plants that root in water thread. I’m tempted to snip off a bit of the verbena and stick it in a jam jar. I’ve done that with bits of Hebe ( from a flower bed in a local car park! ) and also got some cuttings from hydrangeas to grow roots in water. This forum has proved to be the best source of advice I’ve found so far. Also worth looking on YouTube for videos on how to take cuttings of specific plants, or how to prune them. Some are useless but some do show details up close which is very helpful. Hope you get back to sleep soon. I’m going to do some logic puzzles to clear my mind, then try again! Take care.
it's the nettles I can't stand - you've never heard so much swearing in your life - it's an hour of kindle for me until I nod off then back to the grindstone tomorrow, got more mulching to do .... xx
What are you two like! Don't be frightened to have a go with the cuttings of V. bon, but just bear in mind that anything that roots, needs potted up and moved on. If you have loads at this time of year that are big enough to be in pots of their own, you need somewhere to overwinter them outside, and they'll need a little bit of shelter to make it through winter. You might be ok @Ergates with your climate, but I've forgotten where you are @ren.b. Unless you're in a much colder area than me though, up against a wall, even under a bench or similar, will be enough in most winters. If in doubt, wait until late spring/early summer to do the cuttings. They'll root in no time, and you don't have to worry about protection for them, or have stuff all over window sills in the house I hope you're not knackering yourself though, and I hope your op goes well. I've had back problems since I was a teenager, due to my job, and it isn't funny. I still use heated back packs almost every day on it. Got one in place just now. I'm just used to it, and there isn't anything that can be done for it. Your stream should settle well enough, but it'll be an ongoing problem with silt being brought in, and through it, so you'll just have to accept that you may need to do some maintenance now and again. @punkdoc has a stream running through his garden, so he may be able to give you some pointers if he sees this.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Hadn’t thought of that, Fairygirl. All my windowsills are currently occupied. There is one sprig on the VB that got knocked on the way home, so I might cut that off and try rooting it, but leave any major propagation till next year. Thanks for the reminder on that.
If you can get it rooted over the next few weeks @Ergates, you should be able to get it outside. I put several round the edge of a 3 or 4 inch pot - just any compost, but I usually add some perlite or similar, just so they have a nice free root run.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I might do that, Fairygirl. I have a bag of vermiculite, hopefully that will do as an additive. I have a ‘plant hospital’ behind the tool shed where I store things I don’t know what to do with. There are a few baby acers I retrieved from the lawn under our sadly, recently deceased big acer. Also my potted on hydrangea plants and several grisellinia, which had self seeded in the wrong place. I’ve got several rooted-in-water hydrangeas to put in pots as well. Maybe that’s enough for one year.
Posts
i find pruning very stressful, as I really don’t know what I’m doing. So I just leave it and end up with huge shrubs that don’t flower. I daren’t even think about trying to grow roses.
Have a look at the plants that root in water thread. I’m tempted to snip off a bit of the verbena and stick it in a jam jar. I’ve done that with bits of Hebe ( from a flower bed in a local car park! ) and also got some cuttings from hydrangeas to grow roots in water.
This forum has proved to be the best source of advice I’ve found so far. Also worth looking on YouTube for videos on how to take cuttings of specific plants, or how to prune them. Some are useless but some do show details up close which is very helpful.
Hope you get back to sleep soon. I’m going to do some logic puzzles to clear my mind, then try again! Take care.
Don't be frightened to have a go with the cuttings of V. bon, but just bear in mind that anything that roots, needs potted up and moved on. If you have loads at this time of year that are big enough to be in pots of their own, you need somewhere to overwinter them outside, and they'll need a little bit of shelter to make it through winter.
You might be ok @Ergates with your climate, but I've forgotten where you are @ren.b. Unless you're in a much colder area than me though, up against a wall, even under a bench or similar, will be enough in most winters. If in doubt, wait until late spring/early summer to do the cuttings. They'll root in no time, and you don't have to worry about protection for them, or have stuff all over window sills in the house
I hope you're not knackering yourself though, and I hope your op goes well. I've had back problems since I was a teenager, due to my job, and it isn't funny. I still use heated back packs almost every day on it. Got one in place just now. I'm just used to it, and there isn't anything that can be done for it.
Your stream should settle well enough, but it'll be an ongoing problem with silt being brought in, and through it, so you'll just have to accept that you may need to do some maintenance now and again. @punkdoc has a stream running through his garden, so he may be able to give you some pointers if he sees this.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I'll send him good wishes - if he's looking in later on. Take it easy @punkdoc x
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I put several round the edge of a 3 or 4 inch pot - just any compost, but I usually add some perlite or similar, just so they have a nice free root run.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...