blueberry77

When to plant spring bulbs

I only have a small space so all my bulbs go in pots: crocus, snowdrops, narcicus already in and sunk in the ground. Easy to move out of the way when they are dieing back

Have any of you tried straw as a winter mulch ?

I have quite a bit of spare straw and was wondering whether it would do as a winter mulch on my vegetable patch. Last year I put down a layer of manure, but it's unlikely I'll be able to do that in time for this winter.

Will the straw rot down OK, does it improve the soil etc ? Am interested in anybody's direct experience with this.

Thanks.

Growing Sweet Peas

Thanks David, I've always Spring sown before but lost most of them this year with the weather. Will try Autumn sowing hopefully for a better result

Growing Sweet Peas

If the sweet peas are sown now, when is germination expected ? That is, do they come through in a few weeks as usual and then just sit dormant as small plants through the rest of winter - or what ?

Ideas for some instant Autumn colour please

Thanks all. I've got some Violas and hardy Chrysanths.

Ideas for some instant Autumn colour please

Have some empty space and would like a quick splash of colour, but bit stuck for ideas. Pot mums maybe or something similar ?

Potatoes

I put in Vivaldi and Lady Christl, dug up seven tops and got enough for about 3 dinners. Dreadful. Have some sarpo mira in a barrel which will leave for a few more weeks and hope to get a few more from that.

Herbs dying

I've lost a couple of rosemary plants, can't work out why exactly. Must have just been over stressed and not coped.

Harlequin Ladybirds

The advice I read was NOT to kill as there is too much risk of people not recognising some of the more obscure natives and thinking they are the "bad guys" (eg 14 spot, kidney spot, 10 spot and so on)

Bees

They like sage and oregano (marjoram), most herb flowers.

The RHS has a list, arranged by season which is something to bear in mind - keep the food sources available throughout the year.

www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/Sustainable-gardening/Plants-for-pollinators

Anyone oop North started planting yet ?

Overwintered failures

Broad beans again

Watterlogged soil, everything rotting

Holes in soil

Have any of you tried straw as a winter mulch ?

Ideas for some instant Autumn colour please

Is there anything that can go in now for an autumn crop ?

Does everyone know about the rhs plant finder ?