How about a gardening thread?

[JagWaugh]

	Quote:	DantesDame
	Unless, of course, they just want me to remove the plum tree because there is so little left of it..

I've tried similar drastic measures, twice with apple, and once with another fruit (might have been plum, but I can't remember).

In the end I thought the tree would recover, but after about 5-8 years some rot or such set in in the old trunk and the tree died the following year. Had I just felled the original tree, and planted a new one, which after 8 years would have been a healthy fruit producing tree.

[amogles]

I don't want to discourage anyone but my own experience with plum trees is that once they start to go, they don't come back.

Apples are maybe a bit more yo yo esque and will sometimes recover. But only under very good conditions

[meloncollie]

	Quote:	DantesDame
	My next project is to build and install a hedgehog house - I am really overly excited about this. I just hope that there are little "igels" around who are looking for a home. If anyone has any suggestions, feel free to toss them my way. I've been reading up on the internet, but most everything out there is from the UK.

From the Igelzentrum, ideas for building an Igel Haus:

http://igelzentrum.ch/images/Doc/igelhaus.pdf


The most important thing seems to be to keep a 'messy' area of brambles, branches, etc. Not only does this provide ncessary protection for the hedgehogs but also provides feeding ground - no bugs or slugs, no Igels.

Also, if your garden is fenced, make sure that there is an opening somewhere large enough for a fat hedgehog to get through. An adult hedgehog will usually travel over a larger area as he forages for food, you don't want him locked into your garden alone, nor prevented from returning.

---

Trick is convincing your neighbors that a hedghog-friendly garden is a good thing.

Mine seem to want all traces of nature erased, everything tidy, controlled, and bare. A bramble pile is an anathema, apparently. How sad that so many people move out into the countryside to enjoy nature - and then demand that the countryside be concreted over or turned into a designer rock Alpinarium.


A bit of natural untidiness is a good thing, for hedgehogs and for all of us.

[DantesDame]

	Quote:	amogles
	I don't want to discourage anyone but my own experience with plum trees is that once they start to go, they don't come back.

Yay, what you and Jag said is probably the reality of it. Maybe I should just face the fact that the plum has to go. In a year or two we'll know if the apple trees are worth keeping or if one should be replaced by something else.

[DantesDame]

	Quote:	meloncollie
	From the Igelzentrum, ideas for building an Igel Haus: http://igelzentrum.ch/images/Doc/igelhaus.pdf

Thank you for the link

	Quote:	meloncollie
	Also, if your garden is fenced, make sure that there is an opening somewhere large enough for a fat hedgehog to get through. An adult hedgehog will usually travel over a larger area as he forages for food, you don't want him locked into your garden alone, nor prevented from returning. Trick is convincing your neighbors that a hedghog-friendly garden is a good thing.

No worries here: this is a city allotment that prohibits fences and encourages wildlife

[meloncollie]

WRT trying to rescue fruit trees:

Something I just read about, from Meier's 'Schweizer Gartenfreunde' January newsletter, page 13:

http://www.meier-ag.ch/cms-wAssets/d...e_arbeiten.pdf

Apparently it is recommended that one brush away moss and other topical deposits, as these can promote parasites and disease.

You have to do this on a frost-free day using a medium strong wire brush, and it is recommended that you apply Winteröl and/or Cupramag afterwards.

It might be too late for me to see if this helps my sad remaining cherry tree, as we cut it back to the trunk this fall. But I'll try it on what little remains and see what happens.

Finding a frost-free January day this winter, though...

We have been struggling against Schrottschusskrankheit (I think - if not that, some other nasty) for many years, the poor tree has been limping along producing buds that flower then die, no fruit. As the damage only started after a hail storm severely damaged the bark it seems to makes sense that whatever is harming the tree has been trapped and flourishes in our wet weather. Perhaps had I brushed off the moss and other growth I might have saved the tree?

Anyway, have any of you ever done this? Does it really help?

[Belgianmum]

If I can gear myself up to hearing a long diatribe about how much weight they've all lost/gained etc and what delicacies they're eating at the moment I'll ask my brother in law about what he does. They've had regular hedhog visitors for years at their place and have rescued/rehabilitated quite a few.
Piles of leaves and twigs in more than one location are certainly recommended.

As for the plum tree I agree with the others, they're very difficult to get back once they've got to that state and don't really fruit very well even if you can save them. Best to start afresh in my opinion.

[amogles]

	Quote:	DantesDame
	No worries here: this is a city allotment that prohibits fences and encourages wildlife

Useful secondary effect. Hedgehogs keep the slugs in check. They're really good at it.

So I can't imagine any gardener not wanting that.

But one thing you need to watch out for is slug poison / pellets. If your neighbours are posioning slugs that could be bad news for your hedgehog.

The pellets from Landi say on there it doesn't harm animals. I have not seen any evidence in my garden that any animals even go near it. I have a hedgehog under the shed, other peoples cats, blackbirds, robins, a woodpecker, a Jay sometimes, a squirrel sometimes, a fox & some toads. The Bio pellets are the only thing I use in the way of anything artificial + I am use them sparingly as well as the plastic plant shields when my seedlings go outside. If I didn't, there'd be nothing left. The snails & slugs are huge.
We have 2 problems at the moment - voles making tunnels in the lawn & holes all over, and a mole or something of that ilk which has eaten the roots off my artichokes & killed them. they all keeled over one by one. When I lifted the plant top there's only a hole underneath, so I shall have to invest in some of their solar deterrents to see if that works when I plant new artichokes this year.
There are no fences or barriers around our garden so things can come & go as they please. I even occasionally look up to see a stray human being who doesn't realise they are actually in my garden .

[McTAVGE]

3 questions about a crab apple tree:


- what is it called in French?
- do they grow well in Swiss climates (Geneva)?: would be in full sun exposure, well drained soil.
- are they easy to keep trimmed, as on a small patch of soil and cannot go too high or too wide.


Finally, do you have any other idea of "dwarf" trees that would give a blossom in the Spring, interesting foliage or berries in Autumn and definitely not grow beyond 3 meters in height?


Odile?

[amogles]

	Quote:	McTAVGE
	Finally, do you have any other idea of "dwarf" trees that would give a blossom in the Spring, interesting foliage or berries in Autumn and definitely not grow beyond 3 meters in height?

How about:

- Rowan tree
- Elderberry tree
- Trifoliate orange (a favourite preoccupation of mine, very underestimated)

[Belgianmum]

	Quote:	McTAVGE
	3 questions about a crab apple tree: - what is it called in French? - do they grow well in Swiss climates (Geneva)?: would be in full sun exposure, well drained soil. - are they easy to keep trimmed, as on a small patch of soil and cannot go too high or too wide. Finally, do you have any other idea of "dwarf" trees that would give a blossom in the Spring, interesting foliage or berries in Autumn and definitely not grow beyond 3 meters in height? Odile?

They are called pommes sauvage in French and they should grow just fine in Geneva. They don't really require much pruning but you should go for a dwarf variety as the normal ones can grow pretty tall.

Mountain ash (sorbier in French), elder ( the black ones have lovely foliage and pink flowers) or maybe flowering cherries.

[meloncollie]

	Quote:	McTAVGE
	Finally, do you have any other idea of "dwarf" trees that would give a blossom in the Spring, interesting foliage or berries in Autumn and definitely not grow beyond 3 meters in height?

A comment on dwarf trees:

I planted dwarf cherries, a dwarf pear, and a dwarf ornamental plum. All grew way beyond the expected height. (Cue neighbor complaints...) One of the cherries was over 6 meters meters when we chopped it down.

One reason that has been suggested by the garden center for the unexpected growth was that I had planted the trees too deep. I grew up hearing 'ya gotta dig a 10 dollar hole for a two dollar tree' - well, apparently that is not necessarily the case.

So - whatever dwarf tree you choose, ask an expert how deep a hole you should dig for that particular variety.


Good luck!

[DantesDame]

I was taking over the "weather!" thread and then remembered that there is a gardening thread - and here it is!

Just yesterday I finally found an Igel Haus. I was going to make my own, but I tore a ligament in my thumb a few weeks ago and that really put a cramp into my schedule Fortunately I have friends to help with the heavy lifting

[DantesDame]

And now a question: does anyone know about pond fish?

I was surprised to discover at least five fish living in my little pond

The pond


Some of the fish



When I realized that I had fish I immediately read up on how to care for them. I got a mass of information, but am not sure what is applicable to my situation.

This is what the pond looks like at the end of the season:


I pulled out some of the dead vegetation, but there is still a lot left. Does anyone have any suggestions on what - if anything - I should do? There are also frogs, and possibly some sort of salamander (?) living in there.

Thanks for your advice!

The advice is you want a wildlife pond that will attract frogs, toads and newts, etc - is NOT to have fish as they will eat spawn. But it seems a bit late for that the biggest danger for them is heavy ice and debris will will make them suffocate- so always place an inflatable ball on the pond to allow escapes of toxic gases building up.

But yours survived the winter. A few flakes from the pet shop will help them build up strengh.

Spring came a few weeks ago, and then snow and ice again- just had to fish out 11 dead bloated frogs that got caught out! Poor things. (yuk)

Great to see you have a plank in situ, so any hedgehogs or other wildlife falling in will be able to escape. If you can, top up water with rain water rather than tap, in case they use chlorine. I can do so now that our Commune has changed water system which is now UV treated rather than chemicals.

[Confloozed]

	Quote:	zeropond
	Hello I am zeropond I have to thank you to given me a member of this forums. I have nothing any answer to your question about a gardening. But I have to known only from gardening you must planted those plant in which give the nutrition to other plants. Thank you

I look forward to your other amazing posts.

[DantesDame]

	Quote:
	The advice is you want a wildlife pond that will attract frogs, toads and newts, etc - is NOT to have fish as they will eat spawn. But it seems a bit late for that the biggest danger for them is heavy ice and debris will will make them suffocate- so always place an inflatable ball on the pond to allow escapes of toxic gases building up. But yours survived the winter. A few flakes from the pet shop will help them build up strengh. Spring came a few weeks ago, and then snow and ice again- just had to fish out 11 dead bloated frogs that got caught out! Poor things. (yuk) Great to see you have a plank in situ, so any hedgehogs or other wildlife falling in will be able to escape. If you can, top up water with rain water rather than tap, in case they use chlorine. I can do so now that our Commune has changed water system which is now UV treated rather than chemicals.

Thanks!
The frog I saw today was pretty big, and I don't know what the other creature was before it dove back down. Today I pulled out a lot of the mossy vegetation, and some more dead stuff. I have the two rain barrels rigged up to overflow into the pond, to reduce the amount of "topping up" needed And yes, I am considering picking up some fish food, although I do not want to give them too much artificial help... Sorry to hear about your dead frogs

And yes, the plank is there just for the reason you mentioned, although I will probably find something more aesthetically pleasing later.

[DantesDame]

I also put the hedgehog house in place! Right now it looks a little exposed but that's because I just whacked the bushes back into shape. They'll fill in quick enough and provide shade and cover. And soon there will be salad-eating snails right outside the front door

Try not to interefere with the pond and debris, etc, at this critical time of year for mating and egg laying. The mud at the bottom of our pond is full of dragonfly larvae (blue aschnae) for instance. They are also ferocious egg eaters and tadpoles- but at least is natural, unlike goldfish ...

My favourites are the many alpine newts- black with the brightest of orange bellies - so cute. Before next winter it would be a good idea to leave a pile of twigs and leaves near the pond- so any newts, etc, would have somewhere nice to shelter. A garden toooo tidy is not good for wildlife