ED Gardening thread

[Sue]

Not sure whether this is the appropriate place to put this, but not sure where else to put it!

It struck me that discussing our gardens and related issues didn't really fit into either the existing nature thread or the vegetable swap thread.

So I'm starting this one.

First, I wonder whether people would be interested (next year maybe) in sharing car space/petrol costs to visit gardens eg Sissinghurst, Great Dixter, Beth Chatto's garden?

Second. I wonder whether people would be interested in meeting up to talk about their gardens?

Third, I just wanted to share that I sowed a load of very old seeds in the Spring, including some twenty year old scented leaved pelargonium seeds, and they've virtually all germinated. I had been keeping them all in a sealed box in the fridge, so maybe that was why. Only problem has been trying to find space for all the plants!

To those of you who had a load of seeds from me last year (I think it was) I do hope you had similar success!

[The Minkey]

Good idea, Sue. I thought I'd done well to get almost 100% success rate with my 3yr old tomato seeds (open packets, not kept in fridge). Expecting a low germination rate, I planted extra and now have a tomato forest out back. The germination of your 20yr old seeds is quite stunning.

I don't drive but, health permitting, I'd be up for sharing petrol costs to visit gardens, also for meeting up to talk about our own, swap seedlings etc ;-)

Mine needs a complete overhaul but for the moment it's working quite well as a wildlife garden which I'm really pleased about as when I moved in there was no garden action at all.

[Sue]

Mine is somewhat wild as well - I had fallen-down trellis replaced with fencing earlier in the year, and the garden looked like a mass of bare earth due to collateral trampling damage.

I sowed loads of annual stuff to fill in the gaps as a temporary measure, and now everything has run totally riot.

Unfortunately I misjudged the height of some of it, and now I have vast (but very picturesque) milk thistles hiding plants beneath and attacking me every time I go near, and some very beautiful poppies completely collapsed and lying on the ground :-S

[Alec John Moore]

I've let the brambles grow in a part of my garden. They have been bearing fruit for the last few weeks and the blackberries are delicious. Have managed to train the kids to pick them when they are just ripe, when they come off the plant with just a little bit of pressure. Great with vanilla yogurt. Oops, turning into a food post.

[stephent]

FYI The Dulwich Society also organise garden visits, in case you weren't aware.

[Sue]

stephent Wrote:

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> FYI The Dulwich Society also organise garden

> visits, in case you weren't aware.

xxxxxxxx

Thanks, no I wasn't aware, but as I've never seen that society mentioned on here, I presume it's not for East Dulwich?

[stephent]

It's more concerned with the village, but I believe anyone is welcome to join.

[Thomas Micklewright]

This months talk at the blue brick cafe is about gardening and vegetables, 18th august, 7.30pm.

Tom

[Tarot]

Its good to have a wild spot in your garden,but you dont seem to see many nettles these days which butterflys like to

lay their eggs on.But recently in East Dulwich there have been a variety of buterflies.

The very large patterned brown and black one ,little brown ones, and the little blue ones simliliar to the old Camberwell Blue.

But there was one iwas watching the other day,it appeared to be a fluffy looking orange colour like a fishermans fly.but just before I could get a better look a wood pigeon swooped down and ate it.plenty of cabbage whites though,and the bees are abundant on the Lavender, there are plenty of the larger Ladybirds flying around so there are less aphids about.

[LadyDeliah]

I usually let some nettles grow in my garden and make nettle tea with the fresh nettles using a cafatiere. You need to use rubber gloves to harvest and chop the nettles up, but it tastes really nice.

I'm loving my garden at the moment. I have 2 grapevines with loads of bunches of grapes, my 5 year old apple tree has produced loads of apples for the first time and I have a nectarine tree, about the same age which is weighed down with fruit.

I also have cob nut bushes which I planted at the same time as the two trees, and they have produced nuts for the first time this year. I want to put a bit more time into the veg though because I have been a bit slack this year. Got some stuff out but not much. I might make some raised beds and deep fill them with soil for next year, so that it's easier to plant without getting loads of weeds.

[Tarot]

Hope you grow Dock leaves in your wilderness patch,m,lady.

[LadyDeliah]

I have a wild flower border, but don't think there are any dock leaves.

[hibbs]

Help...any idea as to where I can get my garden shears sharpened please? Many thanks.

[Alec John Moore]

I'm pretty sure I've seen a sign advertising this service at the wee garden centre on Upland Road, Plantnation I think it's called. Very nice guys who run it by the way.

Alec

[hibbs]

Thanks Alec.

Alec John Moore Wrote:

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> I'm pretty sure I've seen a sign advertising this

> service at the wee garden centre on Upland Road,

> Plantnation I think it's called. Very nice guys

> who run it by the way.

>

> Alec

[Sue]

LadyDeliah Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I usually let some nettles grow in my garden and

> make nettle tea with the fresh nettles using a

> cafatiere. You need to use rubber gloves to

> harvest and chop the nettles up, but it tastes

> really nice.

>

> I'm loving my garden at the moment. I have 2

> grapevines with loads of bunches of grapes, my 5

> year old apple tree has produced loads of apples

> for the first time and I have a nectarine tree,

> about the same age which is weighed down with

> fruit.

>

> I also have cob nut bushes which I planted at the

> same time as the two trees, and they have produced

> nuts for the first time this year. I want to put

> a bit more time into the veg though because I have

> been a bit slack this year. Got some stuff out but

> not much. I might make some raised beds and deep

> fill them with soil for next year, so that it's

> easier to plant without getting loads of weeds.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

You are so lucky to have a garden with space for all that!

My veg consist of a hanging basket/three pots of micro tomatoes, a couple of pots of salad leaves, a bay tree in a pot and some herbs!

But then that's partly because I don't want the whole of my very small garden filled up with veg, as I like to sit and see flowers. Next year I'm aiming to compromise and plant some picturesque veg like ruby chard (though I think it tastes pretty horrible) and French beans with nice flowers (but then you don't get the sweet pea smell).

Can't have everything I suppose :-S

[Marlene]

I have a little garden as well which I have filled up with pots of tomatoes and tuscan cabbage, peas and running beans and carrots. All growing, but the weather is not so good for the tomatoes. They are taking time to ripe this year, due to so much rain in the last few months.

I also mix flowers and vegetables together so I have a lot of green and colour at the same time.

Has anybody had trouble with tomatoes this year?

[Sue]

Marlene Wrote:

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> Has anybody had trouble with tomatoes this year?

xxxxxx

Mine are still green, but I haven't grown them for many years so I can't remember when they are supposed to ripen :))

Also it's a new variety which is supposed to have tomatoes the size of redcurrants, but mine are much bigger than that!

[The Minkey]

Mine are all still green apart from one plant on whose trusses there are now a couple of turners which must mean it's about to start happening in earnest. They're in a position to get maximum sunshine when it's about. I'm just hoping it isn't a year for blight as it's been so wet and humid.

[Marlene]

Mine are the italian type, plus I got some garden delight and cherry tomatoes. There are grwoing but there are still green. As I remember thye normall start to go red during the month of August when it is hotter and sunnier. Tomatoes need a lot of sun, regular watering (but not flooding). I grew mine without using the feed as it makes leaves going yellow and rolling. I have used our compost made with vegetable scraps etc. Tomatoes are normally ready to be picked up from the second half of August and during 1st week in September. If they haven't turned red by that time, it will be very difficult, especially if the weather turns out nasty. I also help the plants to produce fruit, by taking out the flower slowly without causing damage. In fact after few days the flower has been on the plant and starts to dry out, if you pull it out, you can see the tomato berry growing underneath.

[Sue]

I believe you can ripen tomatoes indoors on a sunny windowsill, if the worst comes to the worst?

[Ridgley]

I am having the same problem, my tomatoes are not ripe I just have to keep an eye on it.

[Sue]

I gave all my veg growing books to my daughter, but depending on the weather conditions I believe outdoor grown tomatoes may not ripen until September sometimes?

[Ridgley]

Ok thanks

[The Minkey]

The wet and cloudy July slowed things down a fair bit. All of my plants are Gardener's Delight. I've just nipped out the growing tips to allow all the plants' energy to divert into the fruit as I don't think there's time now for any new flowers to ripen into fruit with what's left of the season.