How about a gardening thread?

[meloncollie]

	Quote:	Tasebo
	Melloncollie, as you mention not being able to accept them in your lawn, do you have a preferred method?

I use the long handled version of the inverted-V weeder. Put the tip just under the leaves, along the taproot, push down and cut. This cuts the taproot underground rather than pulling it out whole, but the dandelion rarely grows back. I do this every morning (as I walk up and down the lawn, cleaning up after the mutts). The long handled weeder is a godsend.

	Quote:	Tasebo
	does anyone have any experience/knowledge of how best to coax a Bougainvillea into bloom. I did a forum search but that turned up one EF member using that for a name. I have had it inside the basement the last two winters, taking it out once the weather is more or less "winter spring" (Scandinavian 5th season vårvinter). Last summer it didn't ever produce any flowers, although it had foliage. A bit of research has indicated good doses of hibiscus food and cutting back at the beginning of the growing season. But how far should I cut back? Any suggestions appreciated - and if it ever flowers I'll document with a photo.

Caveat: I last grew Bougainvillea in Hong Kong, a rather different climate.

But for what it's worth - how much sun are your Bougainvillea getting? IIRC, they need 5-6 hours of full, direct sun to start blooming again. Mine would remain green during the rainy season but start to bloom profusely once the sun was out in full force. And I remember being told that green indoor plants had to be put out in full direct sun for about 3 weeks before flowering would start. But again - this was a semi-tropical climate. I don't know how cooler temps here would affect them.

I never really pruned mine, I let them grow naturally along our garden wall, snipping off bits when they threatened to block the gate. But if yours are in a pot then I assume you'd need to prune. Since I'm waxing nostalgic about bougainvillea I did a bit of googling to find this on pruning:
http://www.bgi-usa.com/kb/bougainvillea-101/#pruning

(Oh how I miss my Hong Kong garden!)

Good luck!



ETA:

Tasebo, I see you are in Wald ZH - so not too far from Gartencenter Meier in Dürnten. I remember reading in their 'Pflanzenfreund' newsletter about a seminar on Bougainvillea. They do lots of 'how to' events. I'd be tempted to pop in and ask for advice. Just as you go in to the main building there is an advice desk. Take a pic of your plant, ask for pruning/feeding/care tips.The good folks there have never yet let me down, no matter what my question has been.
http://www.meier-ag.ch/cms/gartencenter/index.php

(A word of warning, though: I always seem to leave Meier with a full car and an empty wallet, even when I only popped in for one specific thing. There are just soooooooooo many tempting plants. )

[meloncollie]

Great video, Odile, thanks! I like the V shaped trellising; my raspberry patch is in need of major redesign, methinks. (And I think I cut the wrong canes out... Ah well, there's always next year.)

	Quote:
	I've decided to give up on veg growing and plant raspberries and straberries only- much easier and it will keep us going with fruit for months and then freeze on trays and bag up to keep us going for winter.

I'm moving in this direction too. I've pretty much capitulated in the War On Slugs, so have been shifting from veggie beds to planters. That limits what I can do, but I can live with that.

The plan this year is berries, and (hopefully) the remaining 4 fruit trees, tomatoes under the Tomatenhusli, a row of herbs in the terrace wall, salad greens and a few veggies in planters. We'll see how it goes.

Fresh veggies and salads are available from small growers at our French market every Thursday- and really cheap- so might as well use them. Whereas fresh raspberries are rarer and so expensive- so might as well stick to that- much easier And the best is picking handfuls from the bush and eat them fresh from the hand, a few at at time, all day long- the best. No peat, no artificial fertilisers, no pesticides, no transport- just sunshine.

	Quote:	sups
	beautiful pictures ….really pretty..what kind of organic fertilizer?

Thanks, Sups. No idea what kind of organic fertiliser as the other half had thrown away the old packaging. It smells like old shrimp or fish meal. The dog had a bit of soft poo after that but that was all the evidence she had ingested a bit.

[Belgianmum]

	Quote:	meloncollie
	As for the weeds... honestly, there's no substitute for pulling individual weeds out by hand - especially if you don't know what else is in the bed. I use one of those inverted V weed pullers, does the trick easily. If getting down on hands and knees is difficult, you can get the same weed puller with a long handle. If you know that the entire bed is weeds only, no plants worth keeping, you could hoe the bed - but I find that hoeing doesn't always destroy roots - and then later in the year I'm down on hands and knees again, pulling out by the roots.

OK I've googled it but it didn't really help me. What does the inverted V weeder look like? I might actually have one but I'm interested to find out for sure but as I don't know what your one looks like it's a bit difficult. If I haven't got one I'll buy one as I've got a large area to weed before I can start planting.
I'm using a combination of hoe and hand held garden fork at the moment.

	Quote:
	Fresh veggies and salads are available from small growers at our French market every Thursday- and really cheap- so might as well use them. Whereas fresh raspberries are rarer and so expensive- so might as well stick to that- much easier And the best is picking handfuls from the bush and eat them fresh from the hand, a few at at time, all day long- the best. No peat, no artificial fertilisers, no pesticides, no transport- just sunshine.

Aforementioned neighbour keeps me well supplied with salads and veggies but would like to grow some soft fruits. I've earmarked a spot in the bed near my brand new fence to plant some raspberries and strawberries.

	Quote:	argus
	Thanks, Sups. No idea what kind of organic fertiliser as the other half had thrown away the old packaging. It smells like old shrimp or fish meal. The dog had a bit of soft poo after that but that was all the evidence she had ingested a bit.

It's probably some kind of fish,blood and bone meal. Excellent as fertiliser but a bit whiffy when first applied.

[meloncollie]

	Quote:	Belgianmum
	OK I've googled it but it didn't really help me. What does the inverted V weeder look like? I might actually have one but I'm interested to find out for sure but as I don't know what your one looks like it's a bit difficult. If I haven't got one I'll buy one as I've got a large area to weed before I can start planting. I'm using a combination of hoe and hand held garden fork at the moment.

It's one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Ames-True-Temp.../dp/B00004S1Z5

I brought this one from the US, but IIRC have seen them at Hornbach as well. The short version are available from Coop B/H, Landi, etc.


One of my most used garden tools.



(Actually, you could say it's really v-shaped rather than inverted-V. Depends on which way is up, I suppose. )


ETA:


In German, it's a langstiel Unkrautstecher or Löwenzahnstecher.

[Tasebo]

	Quote:	meloncollie
	ETA: Tasebo, I see you are in Wald ZH - so not too far from Gartencenter Meier in Dürnten. I remember reading in their 'Pflanzenfreund' newsletter about a seminar on Bougainvillea. They do lots of 'how to' events. I'd be tempted to pop in and ask for advice. Just as you go in to the main building there is an advice desk. Take a pic of your plant, ask for pruning/feeding/care tips.The good folks there have never yet let me down, no matter what my question has been. http://www.meier-ag.ch/cms/gartencenter/index.php (A word of warning, though: I always seem to leave Meier with a full car and an empty wallet, even when I only popped in for one specific thing. There are just soooooooooo many tempting plants. )

Thanks Meloncollie, you just reminded me why I haven't actually been in to Meier - and made me laugh as well. I reach the Landi on foot, buy only what I can carry back up the hill. Actually that isn't trueIf I have had a goodday I ask them to keep it to the side after I pay and go fetch the car from the other side of the train track where my lazier OH parks in the morning. I think I feel a garden centre outing coming on...

I will ask them about the Bougainvillea - I figured if they grow in Northern California (warm but also cold and less humid than HK or Houston) I could attempt it in CH. I put it against a white wall outside where it gets all-day sun.
I am determined!

[Belgianmum]

	Quote:	meloncollie
	It's one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Ames-True-Temp.../dp/B00004S1Z5 I brought this one from the US, but IIRC have seen them at Hornbach as well. The short version are available from Coop B/H, Landi, etc. One of my most used garden tools. (Actually, you could say it's really v-shaped rather than inverted-V. Depends on which way is up, I suppose. ) ETA: In German, it's a langstiel Unkrautstecher or Löwenzahnstecher.

Thanks.

Now I haven't got one of those but I think I most probably need one. Between weeding and helping the 'invalid' my back is pretty much done in.

We don't have Hornbach or COOP B/H near here so I couldn't get there until the boy is capable of getting the bus to school again and I don't have to act as taxi but there are two Landis in very close proximity so I'll try there tomorrow.

BM come and get strawberry plants when you want- might even find enough raspberry plants going astray to get you going. Will be around on Saturday and on and off next week.

[Tasebo]

	Quote:	Belgianmum
	Thanks. Now I haven't got one of those but I think I most probably need one. Between weeding and helping the 'invalid' my back is pretty much done in. We don't have Hornbach or COOP B/H near here so I couldn't get there until the boy is capable of getting the bus to school again and I don't have to act as taxi but there are two Landis in very close proximity so I'll try there tomorrow.

Landi should have one - I've seen them at our local branch. Buy the best or better quality one for the most comfortable handle. Although endlessly repetitive and relentless, I find weeding amazingly calming - and provides a great excuse to stay outside in the increasingly light evenings.

[lucy_who]

Couple of noob questions:

(1) I've been growing some rosemary and lavender plants from cuttings in the UK. Will I be able to bring them into Switzerland?

(2) I am now the proud owner (renter!) of a pergola and would dearly love to grow a Rambling Rector rose up it. Does anyone know of any Swiss stockists?

Cheers

Tschanz roses are official stockists for David Austen Roses- above Morges near Lausanne. He is very well-known in gardeners circles. www.rosiers.ch

However, I can't find rambling rector in the catalogue, will look again. But be careful, my neighbour had one in the UK and within a few years it was MASSIVE- and covered about 5m x 5 m- totally wild (beautiful- but only flowered for a couple of weeks once a year).

No problem with bringing plants and soil over from uk- there are some plants which are banned, like buddleia and cotoneaster- but otherwise you are fine.

[lucy_who]

Super, thank you!

Looks like Spring is truly with us now. Garden full of crocuses, celandines, blue scillias, daffs and wild violets, and field covered with wild crocuses, purple and white- and everything springing into life - just love it

The redstarts and wagtails arrived this week, and red kites and buzzards soaring all over the place. Waiting for the swallows and house martins to arrive and take their quarters in the barn- hurrah. I just love our winters- but I love Spring when it comes happy.

	Quote:	lucy_who
	Couple of noob questions: (1) I've been growing some rosemary and lavender plants from cuttings in the UK. Will I be able to bring them into Switzerland? (2) I am now the proud owner (renter!) of a pergola and would dearly love to grow a Rambling Rector rose up it. Does anyone know of any Swiss stockists? Cheers

I've also found a big selection of roses at hauenstein (zurich-oerlikon, rafz, baar) and wyss (bern, volketswil, aargau etc). I can't see your location on the ipad, so these places may not work for you. I bought 2 rosa rugosa (i think that's right) at hauenstein -sometimes we call them beach roses in the US - really lovely fragrance. And i've seen David Austin roses at coop bau and hobby and wyss.

We've brought plants into Switzerland from the Netherlands, no problem.

I'm in the Netherlands this weekend. We sat outside and watched two storks fly around their nest. Very cool.

If any of you ever go to the Birmingham area of UK, David Austin roses is a great place to visit- with all their roses planted in a great garden- June is best time. another great garden for roses is Kiffsgate in the Cotswolds- almost opposite another fabulous English garden, Hidcote Manor.

	Quote:	lucy_who
	Couple of noob questions: (1) I've been growing some rosemary and lavender plants from cuttings in the UK. Will I be able to bring them into Switzerland? (2) I am now the proud owner (renter!) of a pergola and would dearly love to grow a Rambling Rector rose up it. Does anyone know of any Swiss stockists? Cheers

Looks like my regular online supplier has a selection of rambling roses. The peach and pink ones look lovely.
http://www.baldur-garten.ch/unterkat...3Anotavailable

[SOBEIT]

My Daffodils have turned out great.

[Confloozed]

	Quote:	Belgianmum
	It's probably some kind of fish,blood and bone meal. Excellent as fertiliser but a bit whiffy when first applied.

Fish parts have a lot of nitrogen in them. Excellent for vegetable gardening. However, last year, when I bought whole fish and cleaned them, this time, I used their guts, and parts for fertilizing the land.


Problem, foxes love it. They basically would dig out whatever I buried, and made for a real mess. If you have foxes in your area, which is basically all of Switzerland, it's a risk they will dig out everything else trying to get at the fish smell.

	Quote:	argus
	Looks like my regular online supplier has a selection of rambling roses. The peach and pink ones look lovely. http://www.baldur-garten.ch/unterkat...3Anotavailable

Baldur is a good source of unusual things....inexpensive enough so that if it dies, i can try something else. My mini peach tree and raspberries from last year made it through the winter. I also bought a "duft rose" that looks good after spending the winter in my little greenhouse. My Landi fig trees made it too!

If you visit the UK, it's totally worth joining the National Trust to visit all of these fabulous gardens. I did it by joining the Italian FAI - they have a reciprocal arrangement.