Bookertoo

A garden full a weeds!

We lost the use of an allotment because we had it rotovated - it was a mass - we were not aware - of mares tail.  All got chopped up, with the docks and other perennials, then each and eery piece grew a new plant in an amazingly short time - it became a write off as the mares tail meshed, the ground elder went over that mass and then the brambles came through - enough was enough & we stopped. 

Fuchsia cuttings

Seems slightly odd that they have roots and no shoots, but as that is the case I'd be inclined to give them a bit more time before you start again - what have you got to lose really?  Time and patience often win. 

Compost for runner beans and sweet peas in a pot

Add some JI2  (you don't need 3, they are not mature, established plants which is what 3 is for) to whatever you use.  As they are going to be in a plastic pot, they will need the weight to stop them falling over as the runners get bigger.  Are you growing the sweet peas with the runners?  You may find that as the runners are large strong plants that the sweet peas get overrun - runners are pretty enough to go it alone, then you will get the full benefit of the sweet peas elsewhere.  When runner beans were first introduced they were classed as an ornamental because of their lovely flowers. 

Re-planted Sunflowers - Leaves wilting, generally not as expected

Don't worry too much, they will almost certainy recover -  it does not matter how careful you are removing plants from their growing cells or pots, some root damage will be done.  Then they go into a new place, with different soils - and then we wonder why they wilt?  Wouldn't you?   Give them a bit of time and patience, don't over water, that will kill them quicker than most things - now you have watered them in as you planted them, leave well alone - nature will want them to grow and it is very likely that they will. I hope the areas in which you have planted them are sunny, they are not called sunflowers just because of their looks, the love planty of sunshine as they grow (but then, don't we all?)

sweet pea - are mine annual or perennial?

Spencer waved are annual - easy way to tell after they have flowered is if they are perfumed or not - annuals are, perrennials are not.  Any just labelled 'sweet peas' are going to be annuals, the others cost more usually.  No, sweet peas are not difficult to remove, just pull them off their supports when they either get too moldy for you to bear, or actually dry up and die off, the roots are small and pull out easily.  Sometimes they will seed around a little bit, which can be fun to find a seet pea where you least expect it.  They grow quite happily over shrubs and along the ground, they don't always have to go up supports.  Spencer are just a type of sweet pea with particularly wavy edged petals - usually sweetly perfumed as well, though some colours seem to have more perfume than others.  The most sweetly perfumed are the smaller ones such as the original cuprani, but are not as striking as the newer hybrids such as spencer.  Much will depend upon what you are growing with them of course, they do better on their own as the tendrils can twist about other plants and probably be a minor problem, but it is not one I have come across. 

Strawberry Mata

Mine live on a shelved theatre, similar to that upon which people used to show auricuas, but of course very much bigger.  I have found slugs several feet up a wall on the way to hanging baskets, under upstairs window sills - don't think pot feet will deter these.  The ring of vaseline I know often works, but it hasn't here - tried WD40 as well, but they just laughed and kept travelling.  Egg shells, sawdust, grit, porridge osts. the dry stuff that is sold as a deterrant, garlic wash, human hair, animal hair  - tried them all over the years, and so far all that has worked is the copper tape - and even then they crawl up the wall and drop into the pots if I am not watchful.  We do have the very big slugs which are disgusting to see but good as they eat the little ones which are the ones which do the damage to the plants.  I guess I could stop growing so many hostas but that is not about to happen any time soon. 

hoses

that's what happened here, when the first wasn't right, they sent me another which did work - hope it goes well for you too. 

Another plant identifier please....

yes, they are indeed easy to pull out, but it is the places in which it manages to get tht can make it difficult!!  I spent a good deal of yesterday removing them before they all seeded, and some I just cannot reach, inside shrubs, behind taller plants with delicate stems and so on - there will never be an end to them once they have arrived - which is fine, but you can have too much of a good thing!

Another plant identifier please....

Interesting, I've had brunnera for several years and they have politely stayed where I put them.  Agree with myosotis (forgetmenot)  they seed everywhere no matter what the labels says.  There are several bunneras, Jack Frost has the whitest foliage as ou might imagine, and there is one called something like 'looking glass' or similar - again, very white splotched leaves and those lovely clear blue little flowrs. 

Can anyone identify?

One of the most gorgeous alpines or edgers I think, tough old bird too, comes back after whatever the weather throws at it - chop it back and away it goes - lovely thing. Varous shades of reds, yellows and pinks.  The one shown is one  of the best I feel. 

Solomon's seal

For whom do we garden .............

frosted lilies

out of season plants

bird feeders

Hazel nut queries

Flippin' pigeons