I got a nice "ville de lyon" clematis from morrisons a couple of weeks ago for less than £2.50, Paired it with the hulthemias to scramble about. They grow quickly its definaley a nice way to pick up some cheaply. Very very wet here currently! No gardening lately as its been too wet, but hoping to tidy and plant bits over easter weekend.
Oh, I have buried graft for most roses this year deeper than what I usually do, so as to protect from draught. Though that is my own theory that a bit deeper root system will get water from deep in soil. Now if that stops from getting more basal then its not good.
Nice to hear toads update Mr Vine Eye. Kids will be thrilled to watch those. My neighbour has a small pond and we get visiting frogs sometimes.
@ElbFee I noticed you said you hadn't cut back your Wisteria , if it's not trimmed twice it won't flower well. I have a white one. It gets it's whippy bits cut back in August, and then in February any long side shoots, from the main stems, get cut back to two buds. This is supposed to encourage flowering. The one year I left it so it would grow to cover the area I needed, it didn't flower as well. Hope this helps.
Thank you @purplerallim. My Wisteria should grow as a weeping tree. I understand the two buds. However, how will I ever get to branches? I did cut back the Octopus arms last fall. May I ask you to have a look:
..fresh basal on 'Forever Royal'.. 'Desdemona' is always one of my first roses to bloom.. usually late April.. ... a young 'Marie Pavie'.. new red basal I notice.. doing very well, already buds showing.. ..upside down photo of a Pulsatilla.. .for those new to clematis, don't be afraid to pinch out the growing tips on gr. 2 and gr. 3 clematis, about half an inch up.. by doing so, it quickly produces 2 new shoots either side = more flowers..
To me that looks to have been cut back far enough @Johnny Crosby The only other thing might be to thin out the end "fingers" , but as mine is against a fence they are growing differently. Maybe this year leave some of the whippy bits, maybe just shortened if needed, and if they are growing upwards tie them down so they weep, they will then harden into the shape you want.
That’s curious that you rarely get new basals @ElbFee.
I normally bury the graft 2-3” (5-7cm) and winter protect my one or two tender roses by mounding up compost around the base and up the canes. Most of my roses produce at least one new basal a year, although some are more willing that others. Gertrude Jekyll I have to regularly thin because it produces far too many! I do feed well, mulch with manure and occasionally remove older, woody canes- maybe that helps..
It’s recommended to bury the graft for lots of reasons - winter protection, prevent wind rock, reduce the chance of rootstock suckers, to allow the rose variety to develop it’s own roots and, so I also understand, encourage basals. If you want to control spreading growth on very vigorous roses you are advised to plant the graft above ground, so it surely must follow that burying the graft will encourage new basals?
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On the graft burrying: seems a tough one to balance frost protection with light to trigger growth.
@WAMS - I can't remember to be honest. I think I tried to get the deepest part to 70 or 80 cm deep. But not certain.
That's only in a small area the rest is more shallow.
They're probably overwintering in the wildish area around it, long grass, log piles or compost heap.
Very very wet here currently! No gardening lately as its been too wet, but hoping to tidy and plant bits over easter weekend.
Nice to hear toads update Mr Vine Eye. Kids will be thrilled to watch those. My neighbour has a small pond and we get visiting frogs sometimes.
I noticed you said you hadn't cut back your Wisteria , if it's not trimmed twice it won't flower well.
I have a white one. It gets it's whippy bits cut back in August, and then in February any long side shoots, from the main stems, get cut back to two buds. This is supposed to encourage flowering. The one year I left it so it would grow to cover the area I needed, it didn't flower as well. Hope this helps.
'Desdemona' is always one of my first roses to bloom.. usually late April..
... a young 'Marie Pavie'.. new red basal I notice.. doing very well, already buds showing..
..upside down photo of a Pulsatilla..
.for those new to clematis, don't be afraid to pinch out the growing tips on gr. 2 and gr. 3 clematis, about half an inch up.. by doing so, it quickly produces 2 new shoots either side = more flowers..
I normally bury the graft 2-3” (5-7cm) and winter protect my one or two tender roses by mounding up compost around the base and up the canes. Most of my roses produce at least one new basal a year, although some are more willing that others. Gertrude Jekyll I have to regularly thin because it produces far too many! I do feed well, mulch with manure and occasionally remove older, woody canes- maybe that helps..
It’s recommended to bury the graft for lots of reasons - winter protection, prevent wind rock, reduce the chance of rootstock suckers, to allow the rose variety to develop it’s own roots and, so I also understand, encourage basals. If you want to control spreading growth on very vigorous roses you are advised to plant the graft above ground, so it surely must follow that burying the graft will encourage new basals?