How about a gardening thread?

[Confloozed]

	Quote:	DeezBeez
	So covering with pine tree branches is best for the garden? I have mulched pine branches (we just trimmed our 200 year old tree)

You'll start to see this method used soon but many people. At least here in the north.

[Confloozed]

Going to Landi I think might be a good first solution for you. They don't always speak English but it's a farmers gardening store.

	Quote:	DeezBeez
	So covering with pine tree branches is best for the garden? I have mulched pine branches (we just trimmed our 200 year old tree)

Curious here- are you talking about a pine tree or a spruce? I always thought that they can't be 'trimmed' (us Brits call it 'prune') - how did you do it?

I never bother covering anything in the garden despite altitude - all my plants are now perenials and totally hardy- apart from dahlias I dig up and store every year.

[amogles]

	Quote:
	Curious here- are you talking about a pine tree or a spruce? I always thought that they can't be 'trimmed' (us Brits call it 'prune') - how did you do it?

Good point.

Spruces, as indeed firs and most other conifers are self pruning. Their shape is natural and if you try and prune them or force them into a different shape, they react in strange ways. So don't do that. You could wreck your tree.

In English there is sometimes confusion between pines and spruces as the wood of the spruce is sometimes called pinewood. And people also confuse firs and spruces. As a quick summary, firs and spruces both grow in christmas tree shape whereas pines grow in a more irregular shape and tend to have longer and more tufty needles. Firs tend to have needles arranged in a flat way along boths ides of the young twigs whereas on spruces they grow roundabout in all directions, but this alone is not a foolproof distinction as there are variants of both that break the rules.

Then you also have yews which also have needles and especially when young can be confused with any of the above.

So its a linguistic and botanic minefield.

When I bought roses from Tschanz above Morges, the best rose seller in Romandie who has David Austin Roses- I asked him about roses that would be hardy for our location. I asked him about covering bases over winter, and said best not to- it encourages mice and other critters, and disease/fungus. He said just a layer of leaves and make sure the earth covers the base well- and leave well alone.

Brilliant sunshine, so will be out today planting the bulbs bought in the UK and cutting down all perenials to the ground. BTW, has anyone seen bulbs of Poets Narcissi for sale anywhere? There used to be fields and fields of them when I was a kid- same for daffodils earlier in the year- but they have mostly gone. I want to re-establish some to grow 'wild' in our back field.

[Belgianmum]

	Quote:
	I never bother covering anything in the garden despite altitude - all my plants are now perenials and totally hardy- apart from dahlias I dig up and store every year.

I don't cover anything here either ( although we're not very high at 470m) and everything has come up every year so far. Maybe if we have a really cold winter I may lose one or two but it hasn't happened so far. I don't even bother digging up the dahlias anymore and so far they've been fine too.

I do however wrap the pots on the patio in bubble wrap to protect the roots. The agapanthus were magnificent this year.

Lovely to hear the agapanthus are thriving down by the Lake- make sure you also put bubble wrap UNDER the pots too, not just around.

For me, the key is to adapt to conditions and grow what will be happy and thrive where you are- rather than try and fight nature all the time. My 'curate's' garden à la Gertrude Jekyll is great- the David Austin roses are transplanted from our UK Midlands garden are thriving too- with smaller flowers- brilliant.

[Tom1234]

	Quote:
	Lovely to hear the agapanthus are thriving down by the Lake- make sure you also put bubble wrap UNDER the pots too, not just around.

We put a 3-4cm block of expanded-polystyrene ceiling tiles under each pot.

Bubble wrap ends up popping if the pot is really heavy and it slides around too when you're trying to manoeuvre the pot into position.

[Belgianmum]

	Quote:	Tom1234
	We put a 3-4cm block of expanded-polystyrene ceiling tiles under each pot. Bubble wrap ends up popping if the pot is really heavy and it slides around too when you're trying to manoeuvre the pot into position.

I have my pots standing on those foam tile things they use under swings etc in the children's playgrounds, I guess it's the same idea. I then wrap the bubble wrap tightly around the pots. It's worked fine every year so far (five winters in total this will be the sixth)

Here are some of the agapanthus.

[newtoswitz]

	Quote:	Belgianmum
	I have my pots standing on those foam tile things they use under swings etc in the children's playgrounds, I guess it's the same idea. I then wrap the bubble wrap tightly around the pots. It's worked fine every year so far (five winters in total this will be the sixth) Here are some of the agapanthus.

I just use two lengths of 25x40mm wood under each pot - they allow air to circulate, and they're smaller to store than a solid piece the full size of the pot.

Plus bubblewrap of course, for the more important ones.

[sups]

SO!! the crocuses are out
AND
I thought I just saw a cherry blossom

Well, snowdrops were all out- but we've had about 4' of snow in last few days- so although the gardening season started in last week's sun - it is not over for a while...

See how it goes

[sups]

I just bought a seed starting tray(for the windowsill) from landi and a couple of seeds to start.
I have never done this before and wanted to ask from the experienced ones

1. is it the right time to start now(tomatoes, knolkhol, peppers, white radish, etc

2. the seed tray doesn't have drainage holes...do I need to make holes?

3 It has a transparent lid around 3inches height...do i leave it on?what happens when the seedlings are taller and it is not yet time to sow outside?

Please share your views and tips with me

hoping to learn a lot....can't pin down my excitement.
regards

I have a propagator, which is like a seed starting tray with - heat mat and lights. I use it to start chilies.

I've started my seeds in those coconut disks. Poured just enough water in the tray to expand the disks and keep them damp. Then stuck seeds in the expanded disks. Put the cover on and let it go. It makes a sort of greenhouse. Don't poke holes in it - it keeps the moisture in.

Once the seedlings get too high, I do take the top off.

Chilies take a long time and they can't go outside till at least may. Maybe longer. Other stuff can go out a couple of weeks after the last frost, after hardening off.

Does the top have a vent? I vent mine every so often.

I'm not an expert by any means.

[sups]

Thanks edot for the precious tips, i need to buy the cocodiscs yet,. No the cover is tightfit nd doest have a vent

[sups]

Do your seedlings get leggy with artificial light?

	Quote:	sups
	Do your seedlings get leggy with artificial light?

Hya, another keen foodie cum gardener her

I don't know what you mean by plants getting leggy , but i presume it could mean you want to help the growth with artificial light??

I have done this once and it wasn't the best idea. I have found it's best to start early enough with planting the seeds (which you are, bang on time) and then give them the time they need to grow in their own time.

The plants I tried to force a tad like that, were not very healthy and yielded a lot less harvest over the season outside later on.

I would not use the light with stuff that regularly grows here. Because these are peppers, they get 14 hours/day of light and temps in the high 20's. I turn the light off in mid April. These guys don't go outside till June. They are slow. So no, they don't get leggy.

I'm growing poblano, ancho type peppers.

[Belgianmum]

	Quote:	Belgianmum
	I am now extremely happy to report that it was not a figment of my imagination and my feathery little sprout now looks like this.

It survived another winter and is sprouting again, much earlier than last year. Maybe this year I'll get flowers too?

Just come in for a nice cup of tea after spending most of the afternoon tidying up in the garden. My back decided it was time to take a well earned break.

Are any of you planting annuals/flowers this year? If so, which ones are your favourite and why?

I will be planting seeds with the kids in the coming weeks. My favourites are tall Cosmos, Nasturtiums and Sweet Peas.. oh, and Sunflowers.

Do you wait and plant directly in the garden or sow them to start in pots/trays?