Gold1locks

Where we are. the Big Map.

Thanks Nutcutlet! I am now on

Geraniums

If necessary I pinch mine out when they are about 3-4 inches tall. Seems to work ok. Most times I don't need to do anything. Are you growing them in limited light?

Where we are. the Big Map.

I am being particularly dense tonight (started the plonk rather early!), I have logged on to Google, accessed the map, and my name doesn't appear on the list on the left. What am I doing wrong?

Ground elder

There is only one solution other than covering it with a light blocking sheet for at least 12 months, and it ain't digging!  if there is someone out there Who has Totally eradicated an infestation by digging then please tell me how. 

otherwise, glyphosate is the only solution.

Sorry about typing. Still trying to master my new nexus toy!

Therr

Where do you grow your Allium's?

The thing about alliums such as A. hollandicum Purple Sensation  is that by the time they are in flower the leaves are dying back and look tatty, so the best place to place them is in full sun but behind low perennials such as geraniums, heucheras etc or underplanting them with low growers such as forgetmenots, that will hide the dying leaves. They prefer full sun but most will do ok in light or dappled shade

Going to try the theory of 2 cuts a week

Lawn weed killer won't kill any type of grass. wood green wonderboy is spot on 

. use glyphosate carefully on some leaves of the couch. When it has died give it two weeks - resow, or wait till September to be sure there is no regrowth, and then resow.

Bind weed

You cant get agricultural roundup without a licence. I have some, and I reckon it is the same as the retail version with an added wetting agent. You cash get a more concentrated version in stump killer, but I don't think you need it for bindweed. 

The thing to rremember is that bindweed roots can go down several metres (no kidding) and glyphosate (roundup) only travels down a short distance before it is used up. So the root system below has enough energy left to send up more shoots. If these get to the surface and get enough sunlight the bindweed will get going again. So with this weed you have to ensure you keep on top of it till the root system is exhausted. 

Glyphosate takes 7 days or more before its effect is clearly evident, and meantime some shots from unconnected bindweed plants can appear. This is more likely if you have been digging it out, as every bit of root left in the ground forms a new plant that will  need to be treated separately. 

Glyphosate will work, I can assure you, if you are persistent.

Seedlings

I have, many nmany years ago. I never got the hang of them. Probably me. Must have been actually, as they are still on sale. 

pH meter suggestions, please

Good thinking! Litmus paper should work well for telling whether the soil is acid or alkaline - it doesn't show you how acid or alkaline, but often you don't need to know that. And its easier to buy it on line than universal indicator paper. 

Walnut Tree

It takes a bit longer than that - 7 to 8 years is typical, but it depends on the age your tree was when it was planted.

I had one once. It was in a lawn, and the grass underneath the tree suffered badly from a chemical in the leaves,  a non-toxic, colorless, chemical called hydrojuglone.  When exposed to air or soil compounds, hydrojuglone is oxidized into juglone, which is highly toxic, so nothing will grow under the canopy of the tree. Please note that this does not mean that walnut trees are in any way harmful to humans or pets, as the toxin is only formed in the soil. 

Trimming box.

Delphiniums from seed

Sting in the Tale

Sting in the Tale

ground frost warning

Iris Katharine Hodgkin

Scarifier / aerators / rake

Website problems?

Who else loves the humble sempervivum

BBC Gardening Arrivals - Meeting Point