Yesterday was a "Big" day went back to Capel Manor where I volunteer for first time this year. The plan was to plant up some more Nandina domestica to act as a screen in the Japanese garden but ground was frozen in the morning so spent most of am clearing up prunings from the Arb men who did some work on the larger Cedars & Pines. Got the Nandina positioned & set out but only one planted. Why is it that the exact spot you chose for a plant always has some rubble or old roots or some other obstruction. At least my "Moss path" seems to have survived the winter largely intact.
Pottered about a bit, few spring bulbs showing, most still sleeping. Put in some snowdrops in the green in my planters and cut my side of my neighbours fuchsia.
I’m running an experiment. 3 peaches. One newly grafted, one grown from seed, one dwalf peach rootstock. All are the same size. (Smol) The question is is it worth simply buying rootstock? It’s certainly cheaper at £2.80, and if the peaches turn out to be horrible or it does not fruit at all then I’m out £2.80 and a patch of earth.
Learnincurve, the peach that you've done from seed won't fruit,or it will take a very long time to do so. If you know how to graft them then yes go ahead.
Learnincurve, the peach that you've done from seed won't fruit,or it will take a very long time to do so. If you know how to graft them then yes go ahead.
If it fails to fruit then I’ll use it as rootstock for cuttings from my other peach trees, same as the planted rootstock.
I do wonder how much of rootstock propagation is emperors new clothes, using rootstock you need 2 trees + tape and have a potential unlimited supply. I can find no real solid information as to what happens when you just let it grow so I’m going to find out for myself.
We cleared a bit more space for the new tree planting in March.
We discovered that all the grass cuttings that we stacked up last summer, thinking we would have to take the lot to landfill sometime this Spring have turned into a lovely mulch - the heat in the centre of the pile must have cooked the lawn cuttings - we have started spreading it onto our veg patch, ready to dig in in a month or two time. Good to have something positive happening.
The other positive finding this week is that our pond water PH has dropped down from 9....... to 8.3 which is going in the right direction. I am delighted.
A gentle day today as the weather could not make up it's mind. Set my first early spuds up to Chit. Sowed some more micro-greens indoors and some more salad in Greenhouse for succession. Sowed sweet peas into root-trainers & some Broad beans into modules. Managed to buy Loose Broad Bean seed yesterday at £4.50 for a pint jug full much better value than £2.99 for a pkt of 30 seeds, seed size is more variable so used smaller ones in modules will save larger ones for when I sow direct.
Didn't think I'd get any of my jobs done today as it was so bitter and windy earlier but then it brightened up decently. Think it's more snow/rain/hail later and tomorrow though.
Feel satisified with the 'tidying-up' I've done but really it is just moving stuff from one place to another and collating the piles, slabs, bricks, paving blocks, rubbish, empty pots, roof tiles, piles of weeds.
Picked some stones out the area I'm sowing with grass seed in spring. There's a lot of them (from messing about with the pond) but when the top layer melted I was able to pick some out. Got bulbs coming up in the area and I don't want them squashed with stones and frozen lumps of weed root.
Started thinking about daff and other bulb spaces for next year but really need to wait til they all come up
The resident compost stirrer in my garden had been digging out the bins and moving the last years "cooked" compost into the dustbins to be ready for use. There was a lot of dry lawn mowings I had put on one side to go in the bottom of the bin when all the good stuff had been dug out .
The resident compost stirrer then thought it would be a good idea to incorporate this some of this dry grass into the storage dustbins he was filling.
I will be getting some very grassy borders. He has been advised on the matter.
No gardening done by me today - wet and windy although noticeably milder here - pity that the wind has changed to south west from North.
Did we have beginners luck with our grass cuttings? We have never used them for mulching before - it is a mystery how they have broken down into such a lovely mulch - we are well chuffed!
Posts
Yesterday was a "Big" day went back to Capel Manor where I volunteer for first time this year. The plan was to plant up some more Nandina domestica to act as a screen in the Japanese garden but ground was frozen in the morning so spent most of am clearing up prunings from the Arb men who did some work on the larger Cedars & Pines. Got the Nandina positioned & set out but only one planted. Why is it that the exact spot you chose for a plant always has some rubble or old roots or some other obstruction. At least my "Moss path" seems to have survived the winter largely intact.
Last edited: 09 February 2018 11:29:46
Pottered about a bit, few spring bulbs showing, most still sleeping. Put in some snowdrops in the green in my planters and cut my side of my neighbours fuchsia.
I’m running an experiment. 3 peaches. One newly grafted, one grown from seed, one dwalf peach rootstock. All are the same size. (Smol) The question is is it worth simply buying rootstock? It’s certainly cheaper at £2.80, and if the peaches turn out to be horrible or it does not fruit at all then I’m out £2.80 and a patch of earth.
Learnincurve, the peach that you've done from seed won't fruit,or it will take a very long time to do so. If you know how to graft them then yes go ahead.
Did some more seed sowing, parsnips in kitchen roll and put into conservatory
Covered them with clingfilm
If it fails to fruit then I’ll use it as rootstock for cuttings from my other peach trees, same as the planted rootstock.
I do wonder how much of rootstock propagation is emperors new clothes, using rootstock you need 2 trees + tape and have a potential unlimited supply. I can find no real solid information as to what happens when you just let it grow so I’m going to find out for myself.
Last edited: 09 February 2018 15:18:04
We cleared a bit more space for the new tree planting in March.
We discovered that all the grass cuttings that we stacked up last summer, thinking we would have to take the lot to landfill sometime this Spring have turned into a lovely mulch - the heat in the centre of the pile must have cooked the lawn cuttings - we have started spreading it onto our veg patch, ready to dig in in a month or two time. Good to have something positive happening.
The other positive finding this week is that our pond water PH has dropped down from 9....... to 8.3 which is going in the right direction. I am delighted.
A gentle day today as the weather could not make up it's mind. Set my first early spuds up to Chit. Sowed some more micro-greens indoors and some more salad in Greenhouse for succession. Sowed sweet peas into root-trainers & some Broad beans into modules. Managed to buy Loose Broad Bean seed yesterday at £4.50 for a pint jug full much better value than £2.99 for a pkt of 30 seeds, seed size is more variable so used smaller ones in modules will save larger ones for when I sow direct.
Didn't think I'd get any of my jobs done today as it was so bitter and windy earlier but then it brightened up decently. Think it's more snow/rain/hail later and tomorrow though.
Feel satisified with the 'tidying-up' I've done but really it is just moving stuff from one place to another and collating the piles, slabs, bricks, paving blocks, rubbish, empty pots, roof tiles, piles of weeds.
Picked some stones out the area I'm sowing with grass seed in spring. There's a lot of them (from messing about with the pond) but when the top layer melted I was able to pick some out. Got bulbs coming up in the area and I don't want them squashed with stones and frozen lumps of weed root.
Started thinking about daff and other bulb spaces for next year but really need to wait til they all come up
None at all. It has been B cold and raining most of the day. In Cheshire. The ground is squelching and I don't even want to walk on it.
Guernsey Donkey2
The resident compost stirrer in my garden had been digging out the bins and moving the last years "cooked" compost into the dustbins to be ready for use. There was a lot of dry lawn mowings I had put on one side to go in the bottom of the bin when all the good stuff had been dug out .
The resident compost stirrer then thought it would be a good idea to incorporate this some of this dry grass into the storage dustbins he was filling.
I will be getting some very grassy borders. He has been advised on the matter.
'You must have some bread with it me duck!'
No gardening done by me today - wet and windy although noticeably milder here - pity that the wind has changed to south west from North.
Did we have beginners luck with our grass cuttings? We have never used them for mulching before - it is a mystery how they have broken down into such a lovely mulch - we are well chuffed!