How about a gardening thread?

[st2lemans]

	Quote:	davesco
	In Virginia wild garlic is known as Ramps. Does wild garlic/ramps grow in Ticino?

Yes, but I won't tell you where!





Tom

[curley]

Lots of wild garlic in the "Sihlwald". You can smell it when you drive from Langnau a.A. to Sihlbrugg even.

[davesco]

Tom there seems to be enough for lots of people.You really want to eat all that by yourself?

[st2lemans]

	Quote:	davesco
	Tom there seems to be enough for lots of people.You really want to eat all that by yourself?

The answer lies close to your user name.

Tom

[davesco]

	Quote:	st2lemans
	The answer lies close to your user name. Tom

I used to live in Davesco for 15 years and work in Lugano. Guess next Spring I'll have to follow the garlic smell, unless you give me more clues.
As mentioned before I will move back to Ticino, Locarno this summer with my family ( wife is from NC ) and take lots of trips around Ticino as I will be retired and have time to spare.

[st2lemans]

	Quote:	davesco
	Guess next Spring I'll have to follow the garlic smell, unless you give me more clues.

It's academic, but going downhill.

Tom

[meloncollie]

I've been naturalizing Barlauch in a sloped spot in the garden, figuring it would do nicely with little care, eventually becoming a neat, trim, and useful ground cover. My lovely little crop is just about getting ready to pick, maybe another week or so to go.

So enough of garden clean-up for today. I settled down in my deck chair, lost myself in good book, dreaming of the Barlauch pesto, Barlauch soup, Barlauch risotto to come...

Until I looked up from my book to see one very happy Heffalump, rolling and rolling and rolling in the Barlauch, making himself a sun bed.

Now I have no Barlauch and one very garlicky-smelling collie.

Dogs and gardens, dogs and gardens...

Just a tad early still, as my huge area of Aïl des Ours is at 1000m, along a river above us. But in 2 weeks time- happy to take anyone for a nice walk or tell you where it is - happy to share.

[DantesDame]

Made a quick trip to the garden yesterday before my holiday and I was happy to see that the frogs have again made their appearance, as well as (at least) two of the goldfish and a few of the orange-bellied salamanders.

The pear tree buds are HUGE and I can only hope that there will be no late frost like we had last year I'm looking forward to coming back in a week and see what's changed.

[amogles]

Everything has been moving like crazy over this last week. The peach tree is on the absolute verge of bursting into full blossom. And this despite me being worried I had set the tree back too far. The tree had to ungergo emergency pruning in the winter after the weight of snow on another tree had brought that tree crashing down on it and cruely snapped off a number of major branches. I ended up taking a similar number of branches off the other side to restore a semblance of symmetry.

Even the peonies are coming up now. It's almost as if the garden wants to make up for time wasted.

[Rachel Moore]

Wondering if there are any green fingered people out there who could tell me if this is possible or not:


Is it possible to make a plant grow from seeds taken from an apple 4 years ago? They have been kept dry in a container, and we were thinking that we may get the same results as when you sow/plant dry flower or plant seeds you buy in packets.

[amogles]

	Quote:	Rachel Moore
	Wondering if there are any green fingered people out there who could tell me if this is possible or not: Is it possible to make a plant grow from seeds taken from an apple 4 years ago? They have been kept dry in a container, and we were thinking that we may get the same results as when you sow/plant dry flower or plant seeds you buy in packets.

Try it out.

Chances of them germinating decreases with age, but you can always get lucky.

On the other hand, i assume you are aware that apples grown from seed typically don't come true to variety and could even be tiny or totally inedible. So it would be an interesting experiment, but it could be many years until you see any fruit and even then you have to be ready for disppointment.

Commercial apple trees are normally propagated by grafting. The rootstocks are typically quinces and such, not so much hybridized apple seedlings.

[Rachel Moore]

	Quote:	amogles
	Try it out. Chances of them germinating decreases with age, but you can always get lucky. On the other hand, i assume you are aware that apples grown from seed typically don't come true to variety and could even be tiny or totally inedible. So it would be an interesting experiment, but it could be many years until you see any fruit and even then you have to be ready for disppointment. Commercial apple trees are normally propagated by grafting. The rootstocks are typically quinces and such, not so much hybridized apple seedlings.

So there is a slim chance, good to hear. The seeds come from an apple tree that was planted in our garden in 1931 for the birth of someone, the tree was chopped down in 2013. We tried to get roots to grow from twigs we pulled off the tree, but failed, and they all went mouldy so we threw them out. We do however have the seeds from one of its apples.


So would you recommend to just simply stick a seed in a pot of compost and water it, or is there another way of doing it?


Many thanks.

[amogles]

	Quote:	Rachel Moore
	So there is a slim chance, good to hear. The seeds come from an apple tree that was planted in our garden in 1931 for the birth of someone, the tree was chopped down in 2013. We tried to get roots to grow from twigs we pulled off the tree, but failed, and they all went mouldy so we threw them out. We do however have the seeds from one of its apples. So would you recommend to just simply stick a seed in a pot of compost and water it, or is there another way of doing it? Many thanks.

It's too late for that now, but in case this happens to anybody else, the best thing would be to buy a quince or crabapple or something like that from a garden center and graft several twigs onto it before the old tree gets chopped.

There are plenty of youtube videos teaching different grafting techniques. Success rate is normally pretty high if you do everything right. Or failing that, ask a professional gardener.

Unless you're using some potent rooting powder, I don't think the twigs take root in soil.

Best way to germinate a pip is to stick it in compost and keep it moist. Now is the right time of year so don't wait too long.

Maybe rather than regular geranium compost, look around in your garden center for seeding comost. Typically it is less agressive. A young seedling won't need top nutrients. The seed itself contains all it needs for the first phases of growth. It's only for the subsequent repottings that you need nutritional compost. But if you can't find any, no worries.

From experience, the toughest time for apple seedlings is the first year. so be sure to take good care during the first year and make sure it always has sufficient moisture, etc and that you keep caterpillars, aphids and other nasties away from it. If it survives the first year, at the end of which it will set its first wood, it will probably go on to grow into a nice tree.

[Rachel Moore]

	Quote:	amogles
	Best way to germinate a pip is to stick it in compost and keep it moist. Now is the right time of year so don't wait too long. From experience, the toughest time for apple seedlings is the first year. so be sure to take good care during the first year and make sure it always has sufficient moisture, etc and that you keep caterpillars, aphids and other nasties away from it. If it survives the first year, at the end of which it will set its first wood, it will probably go on to grow into a nice tree.

och, nice to see the word pip, its been a while.


I was going to plant it in one of those really small plastic pots/vases and let it grow, and then move it to a larger pot as it grows. The idea for the moment is to keep it as a pot plant, albeit a large one, but indoors for at least a year or two. The fact that it may or won't produce fruit is not that important, the idea was to keep this tree going "in memory of" the reason it was first planted in 1931.


Thanks again.

[amogles]

	Quote:	Rachel Moore
	och, nice to see the word pip, its been a while. I was going to plant it in one of those really small plastic pots/vases and let it grow, and then move it to a larger pot as it grows. The idea for the moment is to keep it as a pot plant, albeit a large one, but indoors for at least a year or two. The fact that it may or won't produce fruit is not that important, the idea was to keep this tree going "in memory of" the reason it was first planted in 1931. Thanks again.

It's not always easy to keep deciduous outdoor plants indoors. Leaving it outside in the summer helps it harden off. Also winter storage can be tricky. If the plant feels too warm in the winter it might start making leaves prematurely. Such shoots typically have litle value but cause stress for the plant. So pick a location wisely. maybe in a shed or in a basement (by the window so it gets some light) or some other place that isn't heated. Although the plant needs less water during the winter, it still needs a drop here and there so don't forget about it completely.

The growth of young trees is largely limited by the size of the pot. So don't expect it to grow as large as quickly as an outdoor specimen. But you can of course use that as a trick to delay development until you have a suitable location.

Wow been busy this week-end, turned over and weeded my 3 large veggie frames, planted new raspberries, weeded a massive border, and pruned the roses... and just waiting now for the pump to empty the jakuzzi- so I can clean it with vinegar and refill. Not been able to use for last 6 weeks since 2nd knee replacement - so by this evening it will be spanking clean and refilled with warm water and put on 38C - ready for first sess tomorrow. Youpiiiee- after my first post op visit to our local French swimming pool. Water is such a healer.

[Rachel Moore]

By the sounds of all that running about and physical activity today, your operation was a 100% success!!


Mind you don't overdo it though, and enjoy being a pasha in your freshly cleaned jacuzzi, you deserve it!

Ah thanks - yes, second knee has been 100 - perhaps 1000s% better and easier than first one (very badly injured in an accident 48 years ago) - hurrah. I can truly see light at the end of t'tunnel- and a whole new life ahead of me.

I bought the jakuzzi to help with rehab for first knee- and it has really helped.

[DantesDame]

I was also busy in the garden, but not nearly as busy as Odile


I'm still nursing some seedlings on the apartment table, eagerly waiting for the day that I'm comfortable with sending them off to the garden. Meanwhile, the plots are ready for them and the permanent garden residents are doing great!

Generic shot from the walkway


The pear tree seems to have a few more blooms than last year, so maybe I'll get a pear this time?


The apple tree is getting there - last year I only got one apple, but that was after a hard pruning, so I'm hoping for more this year!


The primroses are in full bloom!


The frogs are back! I've seen four so far, which is as many as I saw last year, too.




Yesterday I had a long conversation with one of my garden neighbors. I like talking with her because she is patient with my German comprehension She asked to borrow my lawn mower, so I will be going back on Tuesday to make it available to her. I like my garden: I am meeting some nice people there