gardengirl6

What is this?

A Chrysalis of some sort, but I wouldn't know if it is a butterfly or moth.   I often come across them, and just put them back where I find them.   

Help me plant these plant pots

Your tubs look great.    I have a hydrangea in a tub about the same size.   It has been there for several years, and flowers abundantly.    It does like a lot of water, though.

HOYA - WAX FLOWER

Hoya is definitely a houseplant.

Houseplant SOS from complete novice!

I think you are being a bit optimistic about Bob.   Leave him for longer and I am sure he will produce shoots eventually. 

I recently chopped down a 26-year old yucca, leaving a stump in the pot.    There were no signs of life for two months.     Now I have FIFTEEN new shoots!  

composting

I would imagine they would get rather too heavy to rotate, but then you might have good biceps!

Cats!!!

In my experience, nothing much works to deter cats.    Can you hang your feeders up high where the cat is unlikely to be able to get the birds? 

I have had some success by planting a couple of curry plants where a local cat liked to do its business and they certainly deterred him. 

I have also found that spiky stuff you nail to the top of fences works as they definitely don't like to walk on it.        

Can anyone identify this plant please

How lovely to have been given such a beautiful plant.    I remember having them in my bridal bouquet!

liquid plant food

I have clumps of stinging nettles behind my greenhouse, which I regularly cut down but do not remove.    I put them into the compost bins, as they are great organic compost accelerators.

Help me plant these plant pots

I have the same problem.    A tub with a Goldcrest conifer does give a lovely splash of bright green.    Two tubs in the shade are planted with tulips for the spring, and geraniums for the summer - and both flower well.    I also have two hanging baskets which don't get any sun at all!   These are filled with the usual geraniums, fuschias, verbenas, petunias, lobelia, etc.    I get round the lack of sun by having two baskets on the back wall which get sun all day long (when we are lucky enough to have any!).   Each week I take the baskets down to dead-head them and then put them back again the other way around.   So each basket gets a week of sun followed by a week of shade!      They look great!     I guess you could also do this with tubs, but they would be heavier to move.   Hope this helps.

Are Hostas really for shade?

A few weeks ago, Monty Don said it was a fallacy that hostas need shade.    I agreed with him, as mine are in full sun all day, and flower well every year.    He said full sun is fine as long as they get lots of water.    Mine are in pots, standing in saucers of water.