Gran/Grandads Gardening Corner

Oh, that's OK Nanabilly - but I think it was whitewave who said about the extra leaves on suckers.
I was counting ours the other day as well but it's too wet to go out there and do anything about them - although most seem to be soft new growth not suckers.
And they are busily flowering away again for the second time this summer.

Thank you jalima. I will go count the leaves next time I am out the back garden.

jalima

If they are suckers they will have I think it's 6 pairs of leaves. Or at least more than the other branches. Probably won't hurt them anyway if you take them off by mistake. But it could be just soft new growth. This will harden later and then you can prune later in the winter if you want to . If it is a sucker you need to follow it down to where it grows from the under the ground snd take it off.

We were given 2 climbing roses along with a rose arbour to go over the garden steps . One of them has red soft growth on it ,ordinary branch like but red and soft ..is this just new growth or is it what my dad used to call suckers? and they need chopping off ..anyone know please

sorry, wasn't laughing about clematis wilt but just in relation to its namesake ...

Wilt!
I said further up-thread (or it could be another thread) that it is very pale and insipid this year - DH will give it some well-rotted horse manure and I will take pleasure in chopping it back. I always like to give them another chance!

jalima shame it may just be a case of wilt. If you want to save it cut it right down mulch a good couple of inches or so feed in spring and sit back and wait.

ps DH is going to give him the chop, you'll be pleased to hear.

We don't have an Aldi nearby unfortunately because I would like Mrs Cholmdley to join our clematis family.
The President seems to be following the fortunes of its namesake, just useless this year.

On the way back from the hairdressers I walked past Aldis and outside they had some lovely clematis for £4.99!!! That is incredible value.

There was Hagley hybrid a soft pink, Mrs Cholmdley a soft blue (one that I covet) and loads of others in beautiful condition. So folks if you have a space get there double quick as I reckon they will go like hot cakes. I must go out into the garden and see if I can make space for Mrs Cholmdley then dash out and buy her

Good idea, Nellie - I might try it, if it's not too late.
Anything planted in open ground here gets swamped by knee-high weeds in a week or 2.

Gillybob your garden looks really good.

My hydrangeas are still being chomped. I am hoping when the stems become really woody they may become too tough for slugs to eat. if I cannot get them growing well they will be on my list of doesn't grow for me and give up.

My tomatoes are looking good. They were in pots standing by the side of the house but the pots were too small. (I had been planting them into these small pots for years and they grew well weather permitting) After they had blown over yet again, now really laden with toms that are begining to ripen I took action.
Shot off up the road to B & Q bought six plastic buckets for a £1 each and got OH to drill holes in the buckets and I repotted them. They are looking good.

thanks Tricia..might pass up on the cow manure though!

That could be the answer J52 - I think our soil is alkaline so the colour may have changed.
DH would love to have a blue hydrangea and, despite putting hydrangea colourant in the soil, they revert to pink.

Just saw my name on here - I'd forgotten about this thread.
Do you mean the wooden troughs husband made for strawberries?
There are 4 troughs, 180cms long, 30cms apart. Each 18cms deep but sort of sloping back at the base. Wedges of wood to support each end.
Yes they're lined with plastic. Filled with allpurpose compost. No holes but the water drips through cracks in the wood etc.
The first year he had the idea to water them with water mixed with cow manure then strained - he dragged me to a nearby cow farm to ask for some manure and we shovelled it into our trailer
When he has an idea he really goes for it!
It's south facing. The whole thing is on a frame fixed to the wall - about bottom trough is 60cms off the ground

Also Tricia what size troughs work?

Most of the information online seems to be from American sites so not sure if relevant to a climate such as where I live.

My soil has always supported Hydrangeas and Rhododendrons very well so assumed quite acid although a treasured Azalea (sp?) didn't look too good this spring either. It did flower but not as good as usual. Is it possible for the soil to change ? Maybe I need to buy one of those testing kits?

gilly could be. I fed my wisteria in the hope it would encourage it to flower, that's the recommended feed for flower isn't it? Not that the wisteria has flowered!! In fact I have a feeling that the graft is failing which will be bloomin' annoying as it cast a small fortune.

Jalima do you think there has been a change in the soil structure from acid to alkaline or vice versa. They might react like hydrangea.

I don't think my Hydrangeas are too dry ww as we have had a fair bit of rain plus we water everything well during dry spells. The ones in pots are doing fine . I am wondering if it could be lack of potassium ? The leaves are lush and green and the plant itself looks really healthy just no flowers. I suppose even plants can go through miserable periods .

Question for Tricia..do the troughs have drainage holes? Are they lined with black plastic? I really want to try strawberries again..no success 20 years in this house!

This was on some gardening programme and I can't remember what they said, which isn't much help. But it obviously happens. I can't remember them saying dig it up though. Google it

I have realised that The President has not died but has changed from a vibrant purpley blue to an insipid nearly white mauve.

Any tips on how to revive The President or should I just take the plunge and give him the chop?

Any advice welcome.

Gilly, two of our hydrangeas had brown curly ends on some leaves. We're north west and usually don't need to water pots, or garden, in the spring. I suspect they'd become too dry. I watered and fed but feel guilty as I didn't talk to them, either kindly or sternly, they've perked up and are in flower now. I never cut them back, I leave the flowers on till spring. I did cut some old wood from the centre of the largest, oldest hydrangear and it seems to have given it a new lease of life.