Flowerchild

Fork Handles

Good morning all,

Back again after having been ill. Finally the weather is picking up and for the last week or so we've been having loads of sunshine and good temperatures. My strawberries are doing quite well and the first small "crop" was yummie!

So I'm very busy at the moment doing four things at one time ( trying to that is...). The laundry needs washing - second load is in the machine, I will be cleaning the downstairs today, need to pay a lot of bills and the garden is calling me too...mmm, what shall I do first?

I saw that you all have been having the most terrible Summer in ages. Am feeling very sorry for you guys.  Hopefully the weather we're having will come to you soon.

BTW, work has come to an end already due to me being ill so back to square 1 for me.

Rose Disease What is it?

To me this looks like a case of mildew, caused by damp weather.

Acer Griseum problem

Hi Paul,

Acer griseum loves it's soil to be slightly acidic, well-drained and with lots of humus. Many clay soils are too alkaline and very compacted so that could become a problem. Maybe a photo can enlighten us?

Fork Handles

Morning all,

Looking grey still, but hopefully it'll be a nice day. It's going to be warm enough though. We have been promised 25C today.

Off to work in a few minutes, yay!!

Hydrangea macrophylla

Í think the leaves have been battered by wind, rain and cold weather in general. To me this doesn't look like a shortage of potassium.

Fork Handles

@ Geoff, yes you will be passing it.....but only by boat as we're on the other side in the province of Limburg. I do have a very tall step ladder so I 'll try my best that day. You might run into my cousins though, they both have been living there since their studies at the University of Amsterdam.

@ Kate, no I wouldn't want to wear a hat either as they give me headaches, so no Ascot for me then.

OK, dinner time.  

Help with poorly pear tree please!

I agree with Alina, could be pear rust. IMO this could also be caused by the Pear Leaf Blister Mite so I think that a photo could enlighten us all, if that 's possible.

Fork Handles

@ Kate, Oooow that 's a relief, now I only need to find my hat..... should I ask Alice?

@ Geoff, now that is Spain for you. Garden centers overthere are famous for their dresses    BTW, aren't you coming to Holland soon? If you can do visit the Floriade but make sure the weather is nice otherwise it can be very dissappointing.     

Staking a Tree

Most trees only need staking for a year or two. With a Birch tree I would try to keep it there as long as possible as Birch's have a very shallow root system. Do check the tie regularly as these are fast growing trees and re-new when it becomes to tight.  

The tree will not straighten itself so if you want yours to be straight you'll need to tie it to the current stake, or elongate the stake and then tie the tree to it.

Fork Handles

Hi Inka, glad to meet you on this thread again. How's life in your beautiful corner of the world? Hope the sun comes shining through for you. I find that grey mornings - unless it's raining - are often followed by sunny afternoons.

I love Amaranthus', especially in a large bouquet  with (wild) summer flowers and grasses. 

@ Kate, isn't that the normal time for stembeans to flower? I would think that the leaves have to do with the weather off late and the beans are doing their usual thing.