How about a gardening thread?

[sups]

Hi chrissie, welcome to the forum.
If you have an AXPO outlet in your vicinity you can collect all you want free of charge, all you need to take there is a container/container. otherwise check out Landi they generally have good garden products at relatively reasonable prices.(sorry I don't know john Innes)...hope this helps

There is Jonh Innes ... and John Innes - different 'numbers' for different mixtures. Switzerland is trying very hard to give up peat btw.

From RHS website (Royal Horticultural Society/Wisley UK):

John Innes Compost

Soil-based seed and potting composts formulae containing loam, sand, peat, (or peat substitute), ground chalk, and varying amounts of added fertilisers, according to their purpose. The formulae was developed by the John Innes Horticultural Institute in the 1930s. J I Seed Compost contains some added superphosphate; J I Nos 1-3 contain the ‘JI base mix’ of fertilisers (i.e. hoof and horn meal, superphosphate and potassium sulphate), in increasing quantities. J I No 1 contains the least base mix (suitable for temporary bedding plants), J I No 2 contains more base mix (for pot plants preferring poorer soils), and J I No 3 contains the most base mix (for vigorous pot plants with heavy feeding requirements, and for long-term pot plants). There are also ericaceous versions for acid-loving plants. As loam is currently in short supply, not all brands actually follow the original formulae.


I'm very lucky to have space and access to plenty of horse manure for layering - got 8 large insulated bins on the go!

[chrissie7]

Thank you, Sups - I will try Landi.

[Papa Goose]

A question for the gardening types, would an orange blossom tree survive here, or would Swissy winter be the end of it?

[sups]

Papa goose,
an orange blossom tree will survive only indoors unless they specify that it is cold hardy.

[sups]

@ODILE:
Tell me all about it...what do you do with horse manure, is it fresh dung that you process? and how do you use it I mean quantity mixture etc...I am all ears.

[ceppych]

	Quote:	Papa Goose
	A question for the gardening types, would an orange blossom tree survive here, or would Swissy winter be the end of it?

If by orange blossom tree you mean philadelphus, which is known as mock orangeblossom, then that will survive outside in the garden.
The real miniature citrus, orange or lemon, unfortunately won't.

[Maria80205]

	Quote:	Tom1234
	Why take a photograph and post it here (preferably un-squashed)?

Here is a photo, finally got him in action. I think it IS a stink bug.

[Tom1234]

	Quote:	Maria80205
	Here is a photo, finally got him in action. I think it IS a stink bug.

It appears to be a European variant:

Rhaphigaster nebulosa

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhaphigaster_nebulosa

We've had them in our garden too.

We own a large field around the house, and a neighbour puts her 2 horses in 2/3rds (other 3rd is kept for the fabulous wild flowers). So when she takes the horses elsewhere after a few weeks, I pick it all and put it in layers in the compost bins - other layers being grass, garden waste (not weeds) and corrugated cardboard + of course lots of worms. I leave each bin for at least one year, then empty, use in garden (and give to neighbours) and restart.

The forced bulbs I got cheaply from Aldi are blooming (surely brighten up wintry days in the flat):

[sups]

	Quote:	argus
	The forced bulbs I got cheaply from Aldi are blooming (surely brighten up wintry days in the flat):

sure that should brighten up the room.

	Quote:	argus
	The forced bulbs I got cheaply from Aldi are blooming (surely brighten up wintry days in the flat):

Make sure you plant them out so they will come back again and again in years to come. If you haven't got space - give them to someone who has. And if anybody buys indoor arrangements made with bulbs, and also primroses, I'll very happily give them a home when you have finished with them Pretty please (will happily pay postage). Lovely pale muscari and tete-à-tete daffodils (our daughter used to call me 'daft Odile' every Spring).

	Quote:	Tom1234
	It appears to be a European variant:

You say that as if the 'original' is American.

	Quote:	Tom1234
	Rhaphigaster nebulosa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhaphigaster_nebulosa We've had them in our garden too.

Could be any of dozens of species of shield bugs, from the picture, and there are hundreds. Very common throughout Europe.

[Tom1234]

	Quote:
	You say that as if the 'original' is American.

Why American? I said European, rather than Asian or some other place.

I meant to ask my resident entomologist about it last night but she was busy working.
I'll ask her today.

	Quote:
	Make sure you plant them out so they will come back again and again in years to come. If you haven't got space - give them to someone who has. And if anybody buys indoor arrangements made with bulbs, and also primroses, I'll very happily give them a home when you have finished with them Pretty please (will happily pay postage). Lovely pale muscari and tete-à-tete daffodils (our daughter used to call me 'daft Odile' every Spring).

Even if they have been 'forced'? I read on a couple of websites that they might take two years before blooming again (if ever), but my Canadian friend says her previously forced daffodils bloomed out in the garden every year for two years before dying out (maybe from a lack of fertilizer).

Please PM me your address and I'll gladly send the bulbs to you after the leaves have died down. Should I put them out on the balcony while the leaves are drying up?

[Belgianmum]

	Quote:
	Make sure you plant them out so they will come back again and again in years to come. If you haven't got space - give them to someone who has. And if anybody buys indoor arrangements made with bulbs, and also primroses, I'll very happily give them a home when you have finished with them Pretty please (will happily pay postage). Lovely pale muscari and tete-à-tete daffodils (our daughter used to call me 'daft Odile' every Spring).

I've got some you can have. We won't have anywhere to plant them initially when we move so you're welcome to them.
I'll get some perennials from you later on in the year when the garden's sorted.

[StarbugHayley]

Hello. I'm new, and I'm not yet living in Switzerland (with some luck, may end up in Zurich! And I'm so thrilled with the idea, I've joined the English Forum half a year early! Ha ha!).

I live in Vancouver, and I have a south-facing balcony in my rented apartment that I absolutely PACK with container plants. I like to grow pole beans and grow a 'screen of beans'! And I LOVE to grow tomatoes! As many varieties as is possible!

I have a few nerdy gardening questions, if you'll indulge me! (I'm so happy there are gardeners on this forum!!!).

- is it (generally) accepted that a balcony in a rented apartment can be packed full of planters in Switzerland (or specifically in Zurich, if that helps narrow the scope of the question)? Does it matter depending on the building or discretion of the landlord? (i.e. something akin to 'strata' rules?) Or 'for the most part' can you put whatever you like on a balcony?

- I've heard about these *legendary* Polish 'raspberry' tomatoes from a former coworker (who was kind enough to tell me all about the seeds at length, but wouldn't help me translate to order them online! A real tease!!!! Argh!). Has anyone grown something similar to a "malinowy" (pomidor malinowy) tomato? As good as the 'legends' say? Here's a link for an example: http://www.ogrodniczy.eu/product/id/3744,pomidor-malinowy-warszawski Obviously this a Polish variety, but surely someone must be familiar with it (assuming it's as delicious as I've been told!).

- I've heard that 'garden plots' are generally tended by the retired/older folks, and that there isn't a 'young' gardening culture per se (or 'yet')! Is that true? I know there's a fad of 'urban agriculture' taking over N America (HOORAY!), so I find it hard to believe it's confined just to our continent.

I'm sorry for the long post - I'm a real enthusiast when it comes to growing fresh and yummy food just outside my window! Thanks for any replies!

	Quote:	Belgianmum
	I've got some you can have. We won't have anywhere to plant them initially when we move so you're welcome to them. I'll get some perennials from you later on in the year when the garden's sorted.

Perfect - I just love to exchange plants. Many of the plants int he garden remind me of the friends who gave them to me in the UK - and I have many friends in the UK who often think of me, because of the plants I gave them for theirs. Actually, I should organise a plant swap here in the Spring for charity.

You could even benefit from some of my fabulous compost!

[junun]

Hi, I´m new here in switzerland, cn you recommend me some crops i could grow at home for spring. and at around what month can i start growing them? thanks !!!