How about a gardening thread?

[sups]

Bleedinghearts are very pretty and they almost grow like weeds once they get started.

[sups]

LEMONGRASS
I finally bought a few stubs of lemongrass from migros, put them in a glass of water and in a weekstime they have begun rooting. Couldn't believe my eyes since they all looked so shrivelled and their bottoms were dries and brown....But see it is very easy. I still haven't bought enough pots to get them planted in.

[JanerMacP]

	Quote:	sups
	Janer, if you build a raised bed on the blackberries they wont grow there but they are very stubborn and might send out suckers from the sides of these beds.. It is sad that you have to put the blackberries to sleep...but I understand you want space for somethng manageable. why not put a few plantain containers, that will limit their suckering.

If I only had that area with the berries I would think twice, but there's 4 other patches in the yard where I can get them. Stupid blackberries!

[Odile]

You do make me laugh with this gardening thread - my garden is still under several feet of snow so gardening is hardly on my mind. Going skiing instead ...

[sups]

Ok so now they have predicted a slight warm up upto +8C this week Hope the weather sticks to the predictions at least. SICK AND TIRED OF THIS GREY WEATHER

[Odile]

Sorry, but you live in the 'wrong' part- up here in the Jura mountains it has been a glorious winter, cold, crisp, blue skies and lots of sunshine to make that snow twinkle Just been out in the garden for 1 hour - and for the first time this Winter there is a definite smell of Spring in the air - and bulbs are coming through all around the house walls - where the snow has melted. Glorious

[argus]

With nighttime temperatures of -2 and -3 degrees C these few nights, should I borrow one of the dog's towels and cover the bulb tips in the balcony? Don't want them to get frost bitten and die.

Yay, next Wednesday and Thursday are predicted to be 14 to 16 C!

[sups]

	Quote:	argus
	Yay, next Wednesday and Thursday are predicted to be 14 to 16 C!

Muah muah ARGUS...waiting for wednesday, so is my garden.
I don't think you need to cover crocuse, but I am no expert here.

[smoky]

Aaahhh....lovely time of the year! Can walk around the garden and see new little green growing tips emerging

I was SO delighted to find my "Merzglöcken" survived my frantic search for their little bulbs before the bull-dozer moved in to shovel earth - everyone had forgotten about their little habitat - so I went out last year and moved aside piles of rotting leaves to search for them, and replant. And they`re flowering!

From now on it`s watching the growth of the daffodils/tulips and other bulby things that come before full summer.

[MacGregor's Daughter]

Some of my crocus and snowdrops are sticking out, but a little disappointed that out of the 10 or so crocus I planted only three show. I guess the neighbor's cat digged them out when going to the bathroom in the very spot where they are.

[Odile]

In the UK all our crocuses were eaten by squirrels - I gave up. i've planted loads here, and they are multiplying happily, so are the tulips, daffs, fritilaries, muscari, and saffron crocuses. 1000s of different types of snowdrops were already here when we moved. Our field is full every Spring (still covered now with 40cm of snow) of wild white and purple crocuses, stars of bethlehem and scillas.

[MacGregor's Daughter]

	Quote:	Odile
	In the UK all our crocuses were eaten by squirrels - I gave up. i've planted loads here, and they are multiplying happily, so are the tulips, daffs, fritilaries, muscari, and saffron crocuses. 1000s of different types of snowdrops were already here when we moved. Our field is full every Spring (still covered now with 40cm of snow) of wild white and purple crocuses, stars of bethlehem and scillas.

That must be so beautiful! Make sure you post a picture when it's all in full bloom.

[Odile]

Total technophobe granny me - but I'll get another EFer to do it for me The meadow at the back of the house is very ancient, as is the house (16C)

[sups]

	Quote:	MacGregor's Daughter
	Some of my crocus and snowdrops are sticking out, but a little disappointed that out of the 10 or so crocus I planted only three show. I guess the neighbor's cat digged them out when going to the bathroom in the very spot where they are.

sames story here, our neighbors cat digs out the bulbs, chases critters in the soil and then tops it up by using the same as his potty., but i still manage to see a few purple heads peeping out. yay

[Maria80205]

Hi all,

I'm helping a friend make a raised bed from scratch. The soil hasn't been worked with and it appears to be of the old cow pasture variety. I understand that I will have to add a lot of volume to the bed. I was thinking half garden compost (bought from the store) and then standard garden soil. Would this translate into Gartenhumus and Universalerde? Any suggestions are welcome. Anyone living on the Silver Coast of Zurich have any compost they want to part with?

Cheers!

[sups]

Maria,
find the nearest Axpo outlet they have a heap of compost free to any taker.
otherwise you could fill up the bed with vermiculite/ hydrokugeln, even I know some using unclumping kitty litter.

[argus]

My tricolor crocuses at first peep early March. And my neighbour's winter aconites. (And now it's snowing - boo hoo - covered the pots of sprouted tulips and something else, can't remember what, with a towel.)

[Nastarana]

Hi all, I am a gardening novice hoping to start a little balcony garden with a variety of veg, herbs, flowers and other plants, as well as building up my collection of indoor plants.

I don't speak the lingo quite yet and I'm finding the whole researching through google translate a frustrating experience. Can someone please recommend the best garden provider shops here, as well as any online shops (particularly for someone on a budget!).

Also, I am hoping to get my hands on some worm castings. Anyone got any leads?

I am based in Zug.

Thanks a mill

[argus]

	Quote:	Nastarana
	Hi all, I am a gardening novice hoping to start a little balcony garden with a variety of veg, herbs, flowers and other plants, as well as building up my collection of indoor plants. I don't speak the lingo quite yet and I'm finding the whole researching through google translate a frustrating experience. Can someone please recommend the best garden provider shops here, as well as any online shops (particularly for someone on a budget!). Also, I am hoping to get my hands on some worm castings. Anyone got any leads? I am based in Zug. Thanks a mill

Plants from Aldi are quite affordable but be careful to check for any infestations.

If you want the usual plants, you can get them from most garden centres near you.

If you want more unusual plants, baldur-garten.ch has plenty, but not always affordable and it's in German and French if I remember correctly.

[edot]

Landi is a great source for reasonably priced plants, herbs, flowers, pots, etc.