BobTheGardener

Talkback: How to build a raised vegetable bed

A4, Treated timber used to contain arsenic, copper and chromium, but their use in wood preserving treatment methods has been long since banned.  If you are using new pressure treated timber, it should be fine.  Using reclaimed treated timber could pose a slight risk as it may have been treated with one of the banned substances, although it would be rather old timber by now (I seem to recall the ban came into effect in the 1980s.)

amerilis

Hi Rosemarie, have a look here, which is a pretty good summary of what to do:

http://www.amaryllis.com/pac.htm#afterbloom

advice on taking Geranium cuttings

Alan, have a look at this video which shows you how to do it.  Ignore/skip the advert at the start:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9xPErTg95c

Why I never buy online

I agree with many of the points, but also with Verdun regarding choice - the average GC cannot hope to match the multitude of varieties available online from specialist nurseries.  For bedding plants and gardening sundries etc (many of which are available much cheaper online), I always go to the local GC to try and help them stay in business.

I've found the condition and packaging of plants sent by post to be very good on the whole and on the rare occasion when there has been a problem it has always been quickly put right usually with profuse apologies (and often freebie/voucher etc) from the supplier.

Hellebore's

Rain, I should also say that you need to prepare the ground well by digging in plenty of compost, preferably leaf mould if you have any,before planting.

Hellebore's

I think we are pretty much saying the same thing anyway, Verdun.  I also find the orientalis are much less fussy.

pruning

Still just buds on the Forsythia here (E.mids) with snowdrops still in full bloom and only 3 or 4 dwarf daffs showing (out of hundreds still in bud!)  I also like Ribes - that is also still only buds.

Just call me buddy, buddies!

Hellebore's

Hellebores are woodland plants, so normally grow under dappled shade from trees.  They need moist soil.  However, as long as you don't plant them in full sun on light soil which is prone to drying out, they should be fine.  I have a couple of H. Niger in an East-facing border which is shaded by a garage to the South,  so I would say either spot would be fine, so choose the one with the dampest soil.

More plants needed

I agree, Busy-Lizzie - I use Geranium wallichianum 'Buxton's Variety' all around my garden.  It's fast growing, has both pretty leaves and flowers and it makes a great low-growing ground-cover.

New build house, new build lawn - help to start off the right way.

Unfortunately, it's common on new builds for the builders to dispose of their waste (scalpings, broken brick, even bits of wood etc) by dumping it in the gardens and just bulldozing it flat, covering with a couple of inches of topsoil and then laying a lawn on top.  If you are planning on having any flower borders or other planting areas, I would be tempted to get started on those now and digging down to see what is underneath the grass.

ID trumpet flower

Bee spotting

New deliveries

Flower ID

Oh no, lily beetles are back!