diggingdoris

Unhappy Magnolia Grandiflora: frost damage?

It sounds like a fairly new tree, maybe 5 years old. I've got a 22 year old one and I remember that for the first 7-8 years it did not have many flowers on it. It's worth the wait though as my one is about 15ft high and has about 40 flowers on each year. Your one sunds a bit poorly and may need some TLC.

When to prune

Many thanks ! Secateurs at the ready!

When to prune

I keep a gardening calendar, where I add notes for each month's tasks as a yearly planner. I know lots of pruning needs to be done in March and as it's the 1st tomorrow, is it too early to start? I know a frost straight after pruning can damage shrubs, but there is such a long list of stuff to do in March, I just can't wait to get started! And the sun is shining which is spurring me on!

Dalek Style composters How to turn?

I use a garden fork to turn my stuff when it's half full, but as I'm careful to layer green and brown waste it does not need much turning.

I find 3 daleks suits me. One with fresh stuff added each day, one full and 'cooking', and one ready for use. I usually take some out of the top with a spade then remove the bin and put the contents in my ballbarrow, to be moved round the garden where needed. Any twiggy bits go back in at the bottom of the empty bin to rot a bit more.

what to do with paper whites now

Oh I've put mine in the greenhouse to die off and was going to plant them in a tub. I've not had them before, and thought I'd do what I do with other indoor bulbs. I heard on the radio someone saying it's a waste of time putting indoor hyacinths in the garden after flowering. But i've got dozens that bloom beautifully each year, and they all originated as indoor Xmas presents.

Seems a shame to bin the paperwhites though.

on their way to garden near you!

The fieldfares and red wings have been to my garden and stripped all the beries off my cotoneaster and next door's holly tree. It was while the snow was on the ground and was a wonderful sight.

Flower in the garden...

I couldn't live without lilies! Any colour , any shape, just love the scent!

Which? Compost reviews

It's a job to know which one to buy this year. If last years examples are anything to go by, I just hope it's better quality, as some of the 'stuff' they called compost was little more than recycled rubbish! 

Talkback: Carol Klein: Life in a Cottage Garden

Just seen Carol's cottage garden on my +box. I'd love to have the series on a DVD, my daughter would as well. PLEASE BBC!

Watterlogged soil, everything rotting

My borders are waterlogged as well and I lost several shrubs last year from the same problem. No doubt I'll lose a few things this year. Just when the borders look as if they are drying out along comes another downpour. I agree it's very disheartening to see plants that you've nurtured for years , end up in the compost bin. Especially the ones I'd grown from seeds or cuttings. My topsoil is lovely stuff that I've worked on for 40 years, but deep down is solid clay, so the water sits on top of that. It's difficult to predict what the weather is going to do and plant accordingly, because as nutcutlet says a few years back we had drought and hot sunny spells, so we planted plants to cope. We can't just dig all those out and start again. So it's a lottery. Just keep your fingers crossed we get a mixture of weather and then some of the garden will thrive !

flowering rhubarb

Hypericum Magical Red Star Pruning?

Scrapbook problems

When to prune

Buddleia pruning?

Photos hiding text

Wintering Fuchsias

cucumber numbers

Deutzia dilemma

buried snails

Non climbing beans

Trachelospermum jasminoides

Poorly Aucuba

can't get a photo on

Is this a euphorbia