How about a gardening thread?

[curley]

I was already surprised to read that expats have a "Schrebergarten" in your post further up
If you are able to cope with the society-rules there you're fine anywhere

It's nice and big too, eih?

[DantesDame]

	Quote:	curley
	I was already surprised to read that expats have a "Schrebergarten" in your post further up If you are able to cope with the society-rules there you're fine anywhere

My husband is Swiss; I'm not sure if that was how we got the garden, or if it was my charming personality

As for the rules, it appears that I am learning them as I break them. So far, so good though: only one note on the shed door so far!

	Quote:	curley
	It's nice and big too, eih?

It is "just right". Big enough to keep me busy and small enough not to feel overwhelmed.

[curley]

	Quote:	DantesDame
	My husband is Swiss; I'm not sure if that was how we got the garden, or if it was my charming personality

I'm sure it was your charming personality

	Quote:	DantesDame
	As for the rules, it appears that I am learning them as I break them. So far, so good though: only one note on the shed door so far!

Best way

[Massa]

Does anyone have any experience with aerating their lawn please? We live nr Hausen am Albis and our lawn is on clay and as a result absorbs water like crazy making it very soggy and slow to dry out.

I was wondering whether it was worth hiring a machine for a day to do it - or whether to use a long garden fork first. Our lawn is not large maybe 32m2.

Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks!

[Belgianmum]

	Quote:	Massa
	Does anyone have any experience with aerating their lawn please? We live nr Hausen am Albis and our lawn is on clay and as a result absorbs water like crazy making it very soggy and slow to dry out. I was wondering whether it was worth hiring a machine for a day to do it - or whether to use a long garden fork first. Our lawn is not large maybe 32m2. Any suggestions welcome. Thanks!

I do ours every year. Spring or autumn is best so you'll have to wait until spring now.
It looks horrendous after it's been done but it starts to look much better after a while.
If I do it in autumn I usually put a mixture of lawn sand and lawn soil over it afterwards which helps to break the clay up over winter.
If I do it in spring I put seed in the gaps and fertilise well.

I alternate between aerating and scarifying but I have my own machine. You could just go over it with a long garden fork now and the use a machine in the spring.

[Massa]

@ BelgianMum - Thanks very much for the great feedback & advice! We'll try the fork approach first this weekend and then plan some further attempts over the course of the year and judge progress accordingly.

[krlock3]

In our back garden, one of our wire fences is rather unsightly. This doesn't matter to me in the winter but in the Summer it grows with weeds which I periodically remove.

Would anyone have a recommendation for a good creeper, that is pretty and easy to manage, that would cover it in the summer months? If so, I just plant it at spaces below the fence and let it do it's stuff?

[amogles]

	Quote:	krlock3
	In our back garden, one of our wire fences is rather unsightly. This doesn't matter to me in the winter but in the Summer it grows with weeds which I periodically remove. Would anyone have a recommendation for a good creeper, that is pretty and easy to manage, that would cover it in the summer months? If so, I just plant it at spaces below the fence and let it do it's stuff?

How much sunlight does the location get?

If the answer is a medium to high, a vine looks pretty and has the aditional benefit of producing yummie grapes.

[Tom1234]

And if it doesn't get much sun, a Clematis produces loads of leaves and flowers.

A Montana probably has the least interesting flowers but grows really quickly.

[Belgianmum]

Honeysuckle would do the job pretty well and is very easy to grow.

[curley]

	Quote:	krlock3
	In our back garden, one of our wire fences is rather unsightly. This doesn't matter to me in the winter but in the Summer it grows with weeds which I periodically remove. Would anyone have a recommendation for a good creeper, that is pretty and easy to manage, that would cover it in the summer months? If so, I just plant it at spaces below the fence and let it do it's stuff?

I got a groovy one in my little garden. No idea what it's called (I rent) but I could post a photo tomorrow (it's dark now ), someone else might know.
Doesn't lose it's leaves in winter either.

[legallyspeaking]

I have been eyeing a schale of tiny succulents in a flower shop window. But at CHF 50+ it is quite expensive because i want to have multiple ones. Do any of you grow hens and chicks or other small succulents? Any advice on where can I buy them for more reasonable price? I am in Zurich but we often travel to Konstanz or Waldshut and can also buy from there.

[meloncollie]

	Quote:	legallyspeaking
	I have been eyeing a schale of tiny succulents in a flower shop window. But at CHF 50+ it is quite expensive because i want to have multiple ones. Do any of you grow hens and chicks or other small succulents? Any advice on where can I buy them for more reasonable price? I am in Zurich but we often travel to Konstanz or Waldshut and can also buy from there.

Go to a garden center rather than a flower shop. Small florists will generally be quite a bit more expensive than garden centers.

Most garden centers, as in plant nurseries, will still be a bit pricey.

If you can wait until spring, there will be inexpensive pots of hens and chicks (Sempervivum) galore in Hornbach and Coop B/H. The DIY store garden centers usually do not stock their outdoor plants in winter but some carry indoor plants year round.

Buy a nice ceramic planter and do up an arrangement yourself. The mark-up charged for ready made arrangements is ridiculous.

[FrankZappa]

	Quote:	Belgianmum
	I do ours every year. Spring or autumn is best so you'll have to wait until spring now. It looks horrendous after it's been done but it starts to look much better after a while. If I do it in autumn I usually put a mixture of lawn sand and lawn soil over it afterwards which helps to break the clay up over winter. If I do it in spring I put seed in the gaps and fertilise well. I alternate between aerating and scarifying but I have my own machine. You could just go over it with a long garden fork now and the use a machine in the spring.

Admirable devotion to your "gazon anglais" (English quality lawn). Our lawn is turning into a moss garden (pretty!) full of wild flowers (ditto), but I'm wondering if it'll soon be time to rent an aerating machine. If I scarify, there'll be nothing left . And it takes me an hour to cut the ... err ... moss, so I'm not motivated to do it with a fork. Thoughts?

[edot]

I need advice. I have about a 4 meter stretch off terrace where I need about 1.5-2 meter high privacy screen.

I had Thuja, but they died. And sucked. I‘d like something that I can grow in 4 60 cm pots, so mostly vertical, and relatively drought resistant. Any suggestions gratefully accepted.

My terrace also needs a good cleanup. Can anyone suggest someone to do this? Winterthur area. About a two day job, some hauling of dirt, etc. I‘m just not mobile enough right now.


Thanks!

[curley]

	Quote:	edot
	I need advice. I have about a 4 meter stretch off terrace where I need about 1.5-2 meter high privacy screen. I had Thuja, but they died. And sucked. I‘d like something that I can grow in 4 60 cm pots, so mostly vertical, and relatively drought resistant. Any suggestions gratefully accepted. My terrace also needs a good cleanup. Can anyone suggest someone to do this? Winterthur area. About a two day job, some hauling of dirt, etc. I‘m just not mobile enough right now. Thanks!

Verein Läbesruum.
They do good work and you do something "good" using their services.

They may also have an idea for your plant-solution.

[Belgianmum]

	Quote:	edot
	I need advice. I have about a 4 meter stretch off terrace where I need about 1.5-2 meter high privacy screen. I had Thuja, but they died. And sucked. I‘d like something that I can grow in 4 60 cm pots, so mostly vertical, and relatively drought resistant. Any suggestions gratefully accepted. Thanks!

Something like photinia might work well.

[Massa]

	Quote:	legallyspeaking
	I have been eyeing a schale of tiny succulents in a flower shop window. But at CHF 50+ it is quite expensive because i want to have multiple ones. Do any of you grow hens and chicks or other small succulents? Any advice on where can I buy them for more reasonable price? I am in Zurich but we often travel to Konstanz or Waldshut and can also buy from there.

Animal welfare & husbandry laws are much stricter in CH than across the border- hence the higher price point. If you care about their welfare maybe it’s best to buy locally within CH. Look at the FSVO website for more info.

[Belgianmum]

	Quote:	Massa
	Animal welfare & husbandry laws are much stricter in CH than across the border- hence the higher price point. If you care about their welfare maybe it’s best to buy locally within CH. Look at the FSVO website for more info.

I think they mean these hens and chicks rather than the feathered kind.

I have to admit that the term was a new one on me in regards to succulents and I had to look it up.

[Tom1234]

	Quote:	Belgianmum
	I think they mean these hens and chicks rather than the feathered kind. I have to admit that the term was a new one on me in regards to succulents and I had to look it up.

Some people call them house leeks too which seems a bit weird.