New to gardening and in need of help!
Kirstin84
Posts: 12
Hi everyone, I'm new to gardening other than doing my hanging baskets and hay rack! We bought our first home and the gentleman who previously lived here and died clearly loved his garden. I feel I owe it to him to get it back in shape and looking good. plus I'm actually really enjoying it.
However, I'm a total novice and have a lot to learn! I have a few questions I hope you could help me with.
firstly my mum gave me some giant marigolds which I planted up in a bed I've totally weeded along with a few other bedding plants but they are not flowering. Do the giant varieties flower later? I can only see one bud on about 12 plants and tempted to remove them.
Secondly, our soil is hard and dry, is the best option to try and get manure? I'm not keen as my kids play out, a.though not actually on the flower beds of course.
Thirdly, in one area there are very woody roots from an old plant that had spread. I've tried digging them out but struggling! Is there a better otion?
finally... I'd like to have perennials that are reasonably low maintenance, though I don't mind a bit of work. Where do I even start In planning the layout and what to plant? I guess I also need something's that are evergreen so everything isn't bare after the summer?
sorry to ask so much and seem so useless but you seem like the right eople to ask and I hope you're willing to help a new Gardener!
many thanks
Posts
Gosh where to start: soil, need to leave a hose running on this to get it nice and wet, if you manure it now, then you need to dig it in but come autumn and winter, just keep laying on top And the worms etc will do the rest. If lay manure on top as it is, then the underneath will remain dry. Why loathe to with kids? If you work this soil, then next year it should be ready for planting up. Plants: really depends what you want to achieve, low work? Then look for spreading plants such as monbritia (spelling), self seeders foxglove. My suggestion is to get the soil ready over this year and winter, whilst designing how you want the bed to look next year ie tall at the back, shrubs, spreaders, colour etc. keep an eye on the forum as find out behaviours of various plants. Marigolds I can't answer sorry. Hope helps.
Hi Kirsten
Get well-rotted manure (you can buy it in bags from the garden centre) and it's not unpleasant - very little difference in appearance from ordinary compost. Not smelly and your kids won't get covered in flies or unpleasant stuff
It would be good to post some pics of the garden on here (click on the green tree icon) and then we can tell you what you've got, what needs to happen to it and what you can plant that will go well with it
What an adventure
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I have perennial and biennial garden, you need to think ahead, so you will sow seeds for foxgloves, delphiniums, lupins, aquilegia and more! Do that now or bit later. Scrounge some cuttings from people if you can, nows the time for Salvia Hotlips, Bowles Mauve, etc.
Do you have a greenhouse? Ideal for seed sowing.
Dont pick the flower buds off the Marigolds, they are just msking roots before flowering and once they start, will go on till Autumn if you regularly deadhead them.
The only way to get rid of those roots is to dig!
We would love to see some photo's maybe get an idea of the size.
Dont be afraid to ask any questions, we all had to learn once. Always someone here grows what you're going to adk about.
Have a look on this site at a thread called Wish list and seed swap, you may pick up something you want for free.
All my garden is from seeds, cuttings etc from friends and family, it neednt cost you anything apart from soil improvers and compost.
Hi Kirstin, the manure will improve the soil but you need to get it broken up, I imagine as it's dry etc there'll be crustiness, so you'll need to keep forking through (or if strong and have time digging it over) . As well as that, it would be beneficial to throw chicken manure pellets down throughout the summer. If you fork through, then you're letting air in and breaking up the soil which helps to condition it and gives worms a chance to work the manure through. Agree with Lyn and Dove x good luck
The back garden we're half way thrugh fencing it and half just turfed half of it as it was bare ground.