How about a gardening thread?

[eng_ch]

	Quote:
	And last but not least, rhubarb syrup.... for one you can make a cocktail with Gin using equal parts rhubarb syrup, gin and mineral water, served on ice.... yummmyyyy!!

Oh that's a recipe I'd like!
I made a rhubarb and apple crumble at the weekend, the first crop off our rhubarb that we planted (in a big pot) last year.


On another note entirely, has anyone seen any snapdragons or azaleas in the shops this year?

	Quote:	eng_ch
	On another note entirely, has anyone seen any snapdragons or azaleas in the shops this year?

I am sowing snapdragons from seeds, always works well. They are called 'Löwenmäulchen' in German or 'Muflier' in French

[smileygreebins]

	Quote:	EastEnders
	It is generally deemed safe to plant the seedlings out after the 'Eisheilige'. I hope your seedlings weill recover and you'll have a good yield all the same at the end of the garden year!!

Huge thanks, woke this morning to find a nice layer of snow over everything so very glad I took protection time yesterday!

[John_H]

Ok experts, another question.. what are these horrible weeds and can I selectively kill them?? They remind me of the face suckers from Alien. They are pretty hard to pull out completely since they are fragile and just break off.. and they leave these big patches of destruction

https://imgur.com/gallery/Q7RQOxE

	Quote:	John_H
	Ok experts, another question.. what are these horrible weeds and can I selectively kill them?? They remind me of the face suckers from Alien. They are pretty hard to pull out completely since they are fragile and just break off.. and they leave these big patches of destruction https://imgur.com/gallery/Q7RQOxE

The flowers are bit too tiny for me too see, can you put up a picture where they are better visible.

At first glance I thought it was chicory...but the flowers don't match

[John_H]

	Quote:	EastEnders
	The flowers are bit too tiny for me too see, can you put up a picture where they are better visible. At first glance I thought it was chicory...but the flowers don't match

Here’s some more .. they spread out in a starfish pattern and the ‘arms’ replant and grow again from there like a web.. I think they kill the grass by just smothering the area .. they grow best in the damp shaded area like beside the wall.

https://imgur.com/gallery/qZ10wrn

[Belgianmum]

	Quote:	John_H
	Here’s some more .. they spread out in a starfish pattern and the ‘arms’ replant and grow again from there like a web.. I think they kill the grass by just smothering the area .. they grow best in the damp shaded area like beside the wall. https://imgur.com/gallery/qZ10wrn

I think it’s an erodium cicutarium or common stork’s bill. Or a different species of erodium but it is definitely erodium.

[John_H]

	Quote:	Belgianmum
	I think it’s an erodium cicutarium or common stork’s bill. Or a different species of erodium but it is definitely erodium.

It’s doing a good job of erodium my grass for sure :-)

Oh now I see it much better, it is Storchenschnabel, herb robert in English/ geranium robertianum and is actually also useable as a healing plant , the leaves are used to make tea with.


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geranium_robertianum

[John_H]

	Quote:	EastEnders
	Oh now I see it much better, it is Storchenschnabel, herb robert in English/ geranium robertianum and is actually also useable as a healing plant , the leaves are used to make tea with. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geranium_robertianum

Hmm I don't think its that.. It says it grows up to 50cm high.

Mine grows literally at ground level only, it hugs the ground and spreads out under the grass like a carpet, the branches replant themselves digging new stems, like an expanding web.
The flowers are tiny, smaller than a little finger nail.

It would be nice to cover a rocky area or something but just doesn't work on my grass

[Tom1234]

I used to have it t my old place.

As our lawn wasn't very big, I used to use a lawn scarifier to lift it a bit and make it easier to see and then dig it out by hand with a knife.

	Quote:	John_H
	Hmm I don't think its that.. It says it grows up to 50cm high. Mine grows literally at ground level only, it hugs the ground and spreads out under the grass like a carpet, the branches replant themselves digging new stems, like an expanding web. The flowers are tiny, smaller than a little finger nail. It would be nice to cover a rocky area or something but just doesn't work on my grass

Got it, it's smaller sibling

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geranium_pusillum

[omtatsat]

Is it significant that the Clematis flowers have come out 3 weeks earlier than usual. Was it the Lockdown that changed the climate?

[KiwiSteve]

	Quote:	John_H
	Ok experts, another question.. what are these horrible weeds and can I selectively kill them?? They remind me of the face suckers from Alien. They are pretty hard to pull out completely since they are fragile and just break off.. and they leave these big patches of destruction https://imgur.com/gallery/Q7RQOxE

Digging up with the roots with the famous swiss army knife is a pleasant sunny afternoon occupation. Spread some lawn seed/earth mixture in the gap that results.
Alternatively you could go the chemical route by spot poisoning on the leaves with round-up. Takes even longer. The selective weed killers for lawns are more toxic than round up.

[Rjellsch]

	Quote:	omtatsat
	Is it significant that the Clematis flowers have come out 3 weeks earlier than usual. Was it the Lockdown that changed the climate?

In conjunction with global warming. The reduced air pollution/particulates and slightly elevated rainwater temperatures triggered the flowers earlier.

[Urs Max]

You probably want to mow the Storchenschnabel often enough to keep them from seeding. Some literally catapult their seeds, IIRC up to a couple meters.

[John_H]

	Quote:	John_H
	Well.. I already Impulse bought the fake grass :-) We would quite like that whole area between the garage and the patio to be nice underfoot, going to and from the hot-tub to patio to the pool. Maybe even a strip going from the patio to the door on the right of the photo, that's the bar Right now there are 4 big uneven concrete slabs in the corner which need to go anyways, that's where the tub will sit, they'd burst it.. So I'm going to have a 40mm deep hole there. I could just throw the grass down like a big rug I suppose.! ** The things one does with extra time working from home

Well I done my little hottub corner.. Used an old fashioned spade and lifted around 50mm of turf which I repurposed on some uneven ground behind the piscine.. I squared off the area and added about 25mm of sand, so that I have space for top soil down the line .. a bit of flattening, some anti weed layer and hey .. it looks not bad for a days work..

https://imgur.com/gallery/0mjpEmX

	Quote:	EastEnders
	I am sowing snapdragons from seeds, always works well. They are called 'Löwenmäulchen' in German or 'Muflier' in French

I love them, but never heard the name 'mufilier' - my dad always sowed some and we call them 'gueules de loup' (wolf's mouth/gob).

[Pancakes]

	Quote:	John_H
	Well I done my little hottub corner.. Used an old fashioned spade and lifted around 50mm of turf which I repurposed on some uneven ground behind the piscine.. I squared off the area and added about 25mm of sand, so that I have space for top soil down the line .. a bit of flattening, some anti weed layer and hey .. it looks not bad for a days work.. https://imgur.com/gallery/0mjpEmX

Looks good!

I think I had seen you mention before that you were going to be using one of those inflatable hot tubs. I've thought (more like fantasized) about getting one of those for our garden. Once you get yours set up, I'd be curious to know what you think of it.

[John_H]

	Quote:	Pancakes
	Looks good! I think I had seen you mention before that you were going to be using one of those inflatable hot tubs. I've thought (more like fantasized) about getting one of those for our garden. Once you get yours set up, I'd be curious to know what you think of it.

We’ve had ours for three years now, just the first time using it here in the ‘new’ place.. its an Intex Layzee spa brand, fits 4 adults who are quite friendly :-)

Once setup you can just leave it, change filters and add chlorine etc. I empty it few uses though and replace the water.. it’s very easy, out of the box and setup in 30 mins, an hour to fill it, 6 hours to heat it to 35 degrees.

It’s good fun. We bought it from Aldi I think.. Although it’s Intex, the box and instructions were Aldi branded ..

You obviously need a hose to fill it but also consider where you will empty it .. another length of hose to a drain or something ..