Gardening

[craigollerton]

'ch', 'ch', 'ch'...'itting'! My personal vibes are that it will be a good season for the garden this year be it flowers, veg or fruit that you choose to grow. Very mild start to the year. In the UK at least.

[Bellringer]

Not a very mild start here in Conwy Craig, it's freezing this morning - current temp -5C. Bright and sunny though.
Snowdrops are starting to look good.

[Paddy]

I was hoping to start putting some bulbs in my planters. Daffs, tulips etc. But I've been told I'm too late. Is that right?

[Merddin Emrys]

too late really but if you've got them (and they may well be shooting by now) put them in anyway. A couple of years ago someone I knew bought a bag of daff bulbs very cheap about this time of year. He did'nt bother planting them properly but just chucked them on the soil and emptied a cheap bag of compost over, they all came up very nicely!

[Yorkie]

My view is quite simple.  Plant the stuff and if it is worth its salt it will grow.  If not the bulb, seed, cutting or whatever apparently just lost its will to live!      D)

[craigollerton]

I was hoping to start putting some bulbs in my planters. Daffs, tulips etc. But I've been told I'm too late. Is that right?

You are fine to plant the bulbs, being told it's too late still doesn't leave any viable options. Leaving them until the end of the year you may find many will have sprouted thus depleting their stored energy reserves or fail in storage and start rotting. Pop them in now and don't delay, just don't expect the same vigour until the following season as bulbs accumulate their reserves months in advance before spring. They will be ok though.

Happy Growing.

[Trojan]

'ch', 'ch', 'ch'...'itting'! My personal vibes are that it will be a good season for the garden this year be it flowers, veg or fruit that you choose to grow. Very mild start to the year. In the UK at least.

Sorry Craig  must change my glasses prescription.

My avocados and lemons are coming along well.

[Trojan]

I was hoping to start putting some bulbs in my planters. Daffs, tulips etc. But I've been told I'm too late. Is that right?

Maybe not Paddy. Batty's Nurseries are open until five.

[craigollerton]

'ch', 'ch', 'ch'...'itting'! My personal vibes are that it will be a good season for the garden this year be it flowers, veg or fruit that you choose to grow. Very mild start to the year. In the UK at least.

Sorry Craig  must change my glasses prescription.

My avocados and lemons are coming along well.

Lemons, very exotic Trojan. I'm sure you have bounty's of lemons with the warmth over there. I have a calamondin orange myself indoors presently. When I get round to putting my greenhouse up, I will have a go at either lemons or limes I think. I've started a few pomegranates from seed, i'm not expecting anything for at least 3 years. In the UK they are an ornamentle, though with a better than average summer I could expect some small fruits from it.

[brumbob]

A 25ft Eucalyptus toppled in the wind today (not looking forward to sawing that up)
all my Cordylines and semi exotic plants lost to the frost and snow  :rage:
It's going to be an expensive time in the spring at the garden centre 

[craigollerton]

Tremendous shame to lose such a large tree. Will you be replacing like for like, or trying something different this time? A mexican palm or monkey puzzle tree would be a good suggestion for you Obviously whatever you put would have to look right in it's place.

[brumbob]

I'll probably leave the tree, we have two others(if they survive this wind)
although they are very fast growing, i'll never see a new one in maturity as we will be moving in a couple of years
but the palms etc, I will definately have to replace.

[Hugo]

Did that Spiraea of yours survive after the hacking you gave it last winter?   

[brumbob]

Yes, Hugo, looking dormant at the moment but should be fine.

Eucalyptus tree trunk (about 8" in diameter) all cut up into manageable pieces now ready to take to the recycle yard
thank god for shredders and reciprocating saws
Shame I hadn't got a wood burner, I bet eucalyptus smells wonderful burning.

[Fester]

Eucalyptus essential oil smells wonderful burning... but it should be diluted to 10 parts water to 1 part oil.
Even then, it is so strong that it is like having 25 packets of Tunes or Lockets one after the other!