A gallon isn't really enough - a bucketful [usually around 3 gallons] every three or four days is better, until proper rainfall through winter. Our tap water is fine to use directly too - so don't worry about leaving it out to 'clear'. That combination of sun and greedy trees/shrubs is always difficult, and you have grass the other side of the fence too, and this change with our conditions here is making it much harder than it used to be to establish shrubs. In the past, you'd just have dug a hole, slung it in, and left it to get on with it - no problem. I could easily plant shrubs close together, and often not even water them at all once planted [even in summer] they'd just grow and thrive, as the climate took care of watering. I'm far more aware of what I put at close proximity in a bed now, although planting things in summer is still fairly easy if it's a smaller plant, or something that isn't shallow rooted.
It's nice that you're making the space pleasant for lots of folk. I hope they appreciate it. It takes me back to my flat in Battlefield many years ago. I only had a tiny area to work with as mine was ground floor. The back was just grass with nowhere at all for planting. I don't think the other tenants would have been happy if I'd started digging up the grass either! Good luck with it
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@fairygirl Much appreciated. As it so happens, I'm in Shawlands.
3 cans worth tonight (checked my can is actually 2.2 gallons) along with some fresher erracious compost mixed around the edge with the current soil with lots of water and popped some leaves down around the plant but untill I get some bark chips. It'll do for now.
Would I be putting the plant under too much stress if I dug it up and potted it instead?
I don't think it's worth lifting it to be honest. You'd just be watering and faffing even more with it. Just keep an eye on the watering situation for the next few weeks. Hopefully it'll cool down and be more normal by the end of the month which will help. It should improve over winter and you can keep adding mulches to help the soil I used to visit Shawlands quite regularly when I was younger. You're only about 15 minutes away from me. I'm between Glasgow and the famous wind farm [which I can see from the house on a clear day] next to a small NT garden. We have a garden gallery thread where many people post pix of their gardens. I've not been on that for a while, but photos get posted in various places if we're chatting about ponds or particular plants etc.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Late September makes Summer an after-thought in the west of Scotland. The wind & rain is here, and plenty of it. Amidst some 'Sunny intervals', the garden is getting more rain. The poorly Rhodedendron can breathe a sigh of relief.
The online order arrived and both plants now in their new pots. Hopefully these will have a better start with some Ericaceous soil, leaf mulch on top and some bark on top of that. The encore below looks very healthy and came very sodden. The second Azalea is different to the others. It doesn't even look like other azalea I have seen so quite interesting to see the difference in varieties.
These are both hiding from the winds in the empty flower bed next to the poorly Rhod. It's a bit more sheltered but is a good sun position.
NEW BULBS:
Bought some bulbs whilst out for coffee. Not sure if thy are going in the Woodland Border or the Walled border...
Bury the bulbs a bit deeper, and if possible, net or mesh them to prevent them being dug up too easily. The smaller bulbs are more vulnerable though, because they're not usually planted as deep as the bigger bulbs, and squirrels don't dig too far down, so it's crocus and small irises and tulips etc which get taken most often. I tend to lose more bulbs to rot than the squirrels though, and they never seem to touch the snowdrops. I don't find the early anemones much good, but it'll depend on what type you have, and where you have them.
The tulips need sun and good drainage. That one will spread though, as it's a botanical type. Your woodland area for the snowdrops, although they might not all thrive. They can be more reluctant from dry bulbs as opposed to 'in the green' in spring. If it's the blue muscari - it'll spread everywhere.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The Autumn is tightening it's grip on Scotland. The temperatures are falling and night time is creeping just above freezing point.
The Rowan Tree is molting, scattering it's summer leaves and berries over the garden whilst the Dhalias have wound down their efforts.
I wont be wintering the Dhalia tubers despite very much liking how the plant performed and flowered this year. Very beautiful and was the star of the garden with it's vibrant orange flowers.
The Encore Azalea has produced a flower! I got very excited by 1 solitary flower. It's lovely and I can only imagine how it might look next spring in full bloom.
The Original Rhod is looking too great but this is too be expected. Trials and Tribulations.
With a new sense of perspective from doing a bit of planting (not calling myself a "gardener" just yet, I can't wait for Spring. I can't wait to go plant daft.
The bulbs are in. Well, all of them aside from the Muscari and the anemones. I popped the bulbs into the former Dhalia pots, now they have been retired for the season. The pots have a little bit of staked mesh covering them to thwart the local squirrel population.
The snowdrops got popped into the woodland border underneath the Deciduous Azalea.
I ended up removing the orange Dhalia tubers whilst planting the bulbs so mind end up attempting to bring the tubers on in spring despite my earlier post.
My interest in Azaleas continues as I added yet another to the collection. This time a 2l pot of the vibrant red "hotshot" variety. I couldn't help myself on Sunday as there was a Dobbies on route to lunch and I had £10er burning a whole in my pocket. I had an unused pot and eracacious soil left over so that made my decision to get another very easy.
That is good and I hope the squirrels avoid your guarded bulbs. I also have muscari and anemone (blanda). I was thinking of anemone nemorosa too. Which sort do you have? I have planted the muscari, but not the anemone or tulips. I will be planting tulip clusiana too (for the first time). I will be growing most in pots but will try to find space in the soil too.
I cannot grow snowdrops, but do love them. It is that time of year I think, when thinking of spring is a real tonic.
That sounds like serendipity ( the ericaceous compost, pot, he azalea. £10 and route to Dobbies....)
I don't grow dahlias because of the snails and slugs in my garden, but I think they are gorgeous flowers!
Sorry to witness the demise of the forum. 😥😥😥😡😡😡I am Spartacus
I have the same issue with slugs which to my dismay, found out this year. This Dhalia was in a terracotta pot with copper tape round middle and slugs never went near them. Found them munching in a tapeless plastic pot next to it, in amongst the Hydrangea and African daisy. Only the Hydrangea for slug lunch right enough.
It's the blanda variety of Anemones. Not sure what I'm going to do with them at he moment. Would be nice amongst one of the azalea pots but might end up a nuisance. Have you grown anemone before?
It's amazing how serendipity works with these Azaleas. I'm sure I'll have a new gardening fad in spring.
As for the bulb's success, Spring can only answer that one.
Posts
That combination of sun and greedy trees/shrubs is always difficult, and you have grass the other side of the fence too, and this change with our conditions here is making it much harder than it used to be to establish shrubs. In the past, you'd just have dug a hole, slung it in, and left it to get on with it - no problem. I could easily plant shrubs close together, and often not even water them at all once planted [even in summer] they'd just grow and thrive, as the climate took care of watering. I'm far more aware of what I put at close proximity in a bed now, although planting things in summer is still fairly easy if it's a smaller plant, or something that isn't shallow rooted.
It's nice that you're making the space pleasant for lots of folk. I hope they appreciate it. It takes me back to my flat in Battlefield many years ago. I only had a tiny area to work with as mine was ground floor. The back was just grass with nowhere at all for planting. I don't think the other tenants would have been happy if I'd started digging up the grass either!
Good luck with it
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
3 cans worth tonight (checked my can is actually 2.2 gallons) along with some fresher erracious compost mixed around the edge with the current soil with lots of water and popped some leaves down around the plant but untill I get some bark chips. It'll do for now.
Would I be putting the plant under too much stress if I dug it up and potted it instead?
Do you have your own garden thread?
I used to visit Shawlands quite regularly when I was younger. You're only about 15 minutes away from me. I'm between Glasgow and the famous wind farm [which I can see from the house on a clear day] next to a small NT garden.
We have a garden gallery thread where many people post pix of their gardens. I've not been on that for a while, but photos get posted in various places if we're chatting about ponds or particular plants etc.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Amidst some 'Sunny intervals', the garden is getting more rain. The poorly Rhodedendron can breathe a sigh of relief.
The online order arrived and both plants now in their new pots. Hopefully these will have a better start with some Ericaceous soil, leaf mulch on top and some bark on top of that. The encore below looks very healthy and came very sodden.
The second Azalea is different to the others. It doesn't even look like other azalea I have seen so quite interesting to see the difference in varieties.
These are both hiding from the winds in the empty flower bed next to the poorly Rhod. It's a bit more sheltered but is a good sun position.
NEW BULBS:
Bought some bulbs whilst out for coffee. Not sure if thy are going in the Woodland Border or the Walled border...
Anemone - Mixed
Tulip - Clusiana
Muscari
Allium - Graceful Beauty
Allium - Sphaerocephalon
Snowdrops
Will need to have a think on how to keep the squirrels at bay.
The smaller bulbs are more vulnerable though, because they're not usually planted as deep as the bigger bulbs, and squirrels don't dig too far down, so it's crocus and small irises and tulips etc which get taken most often. I tend to lose more bulbs to rot than the squirrels though, and they never seem to touch the snowdrops.
I don't find the early anemones much good, but it'll depend on what type you have, and where you have them.
The tulips need sun and good drainage. That one will spread though, as it's a botanical type. Your woodland area for the snowdrops, although they might not all thrive. They can be more reluctant from dry bulbs as opposed to 'in the green' in spring.
If it's the blue muscari - it'll spread everywhere.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The Rowan Tree is molting, scattering it's summer leaves and berries over the garden whilst the Dhalias have wound down their efforts.
I wont be wintering the Dhalia tubers despite very much liking how the plant performed and flowered this year. Very beautiful and was the star of the garden with it's vibrant orange flowers.
The Encore Azalea has produced a flower! I got very excited by 1 solitary flower. It's lovely and I can only imagine how it might look next spring in full bloom.
The Original Rhod is looking too great but this is too be expected. Trials and Tribulations.
With a new sense of perspective from doing a bit of planting (not calling myself a "gardener" just yet, I can't wait for Spring. I can't wait to go plant daft.
The bulbs are in. Well, all of them aside from the Muscari and the anemones.
I popped the bulbs into the former Dhalia pots, now they have been retired for the season. The pots have a little bit of staked mesh covering them to thwart the local squirrel population.
The snowdrops got popped into the woodland border underneath the Deciduous Azalea.
I ended up removing the orange Dhalia tubers whilst planting the bulbs so mind end up attempting to bring the tubers on in spring despite my earlier post.
My interest in Azaleas continues as I added yet another to the collection. This time a 2l pot of the vibrant red "hotshot" variety. I couldn't help myself on Sunday as there was a Dobbies on route to lunch and I had £10er burning a whole in my pocket.
I had an unused pot and eracacious soil left over so that made my decision to get another very easy.
I'll pop some photos up soon.
That is good and I hope the squirrels avoid your guarded bulbs. I also have muscari and anemone (blanda). I was thinking of anemone nemorosa too. Which sort do you have? I have planted the muscari, but not the anemone or tulips. I will be planting tulip clusiana too (for the first time). I will be growing most in pots but will try to find space in the soil too.
I cannot grow snowdrops, but do love them. It is that time of year I think, when thinking of spring is a real tonic.
That sounds like serendipity ( the ericaceous compost, pot, he azalea. £10 and route to Dobbies....)
I don't grow dahlias because of the snails and slugs in my garden, but I think they are gorgeous flowers!
I have the same issue with slugs which to my dismay, found out this year.
This Dhalia was in a terracotta pot with copper tape round middle and slugs never went near them.
Found them munching in a tapeless plastic pot next to it, in amongst the Hydrangea and African daisy. Only the Hydrangea for slug lunch right enough.
It's the blanda variety of Anemones. Not sure what I'm going to do with them at he moment. Would be nice amongst one of the azalea pots but might end up a nuisance.
Have you grown anemone before?
It's amazing how serendipity works with these Azaleas. I'm sure I'll have a new gardening fad in spring.
As for the bulb's success, Spring can only answer that one.