hollie hock

Seeds are up

More seed sowing done here, white cornflowers, corncockles, morning glory, sweet peas,sunflowers, night scented stock, white echinencia, mallow and some more snapdragons, lychins and others. All got from seed swops here and locally and in the sales at 25p a packet last year

From the earlier sowings, overall not bad results so far, forget me nots are doing really well, looking like little plants. white snapdragons, got 3 survivors and are doing well. Wallflowers a little bit leggy but doing ok, with true leaves. Cleomes not so good lost some due to the cold weather.

Gardengirl really pleased that the false sunflowers are poking through, no sign of mine yet but they wont be long.

Good news Sam re the verbenas there's hope for mine yet, no sign of anything but they've had a bit of water and still outside.....45 is loads

So far the little lupins are doing ok

Seeds are up

Hi Lyn, I know the dilemma. All my other Lupins bar one are putting on loads of growth already. The ones I've put out are very small, 3 leaves, but had really good roots, I thought that maybe their growth was being stunted so they had to go in. I would say that if yours are large then they should be alright. To my knowledge they are fully hardy.

Nasturtums are very suspectable to frost damage, if you have a sheltered spot to move them outside to they might be alright. I've had some that I thought I'd lost to frost but did survive.

Seeds are up

Haven't sowed anything else yet..............might see how I feel tomorrow, I've got plenty to do.

Have planted out the rusell hybrid lupins that I grew from seed last year. They were generally neglected and in the coldframes/outside from last Summer onwards. Had a good root system on them so fingers crossed I might have some new Lupins in flower this year.

Seed Sowing

I start most of my seeds off on a heated kitchen window sill in a wilkos propagator  and then move them out to my coldframes to harden off before I prick them out to individual pots/cells.  I use some seed compost that I like and see what happens.

A of the success depends on the weather and the growing on conditions. Last year the Winter/early Spring was a lot milder so I've found that my seedlings did a lot better than this year. Having said that I've more than enough to be going on with  and the gardening year is still young

Help...Pompom Primula

I planted a few of these out of pots when I moved here, completley forgot about them. Didn't see anything of them last year but this year they are back..........but only flowering so far  in the leaf rosette like yours Sam. Different colours than I remember but I'm learning that primula colours are unpredicatable

Too late to plant Tulip/Daff bulbs?

Good news, the late ones I planted are also shooting through. Will consider some Tete a Tete for a shady bed that I have. Thanks

Has spring arrived for you yet?

artjak, I know what you mean, I'm just waiting for a prolongued bit of sun to open up all the lovely crocus. Nearly happened today

What about a seperate section for absolute beginers.

Hello, there's all sorts of experience on here. I like how nutcutlet puts it. I've had my garden for just over 2 years, but have been growing houseplant for years. I'm neither a beginner or an expert (who is?) just someone with some experience of what I grow. 

Have to say though as you've been on an allotment for over 40 years I'm sure you have loads of good advice and tips.

Primulas gone to seed

Hi Bob, thanks for the info. I wondered if they were insect pollinated too. I've can't recall seeing any bumble bees/pollinators on mine but it goes to show a lot goes on with out us seeing it. The primulas seem to have evolved with their long term success in mind. Very successful plants, I like the native varieties, started out as pale yellow but now who knows. A lot of the other colours are too garish for my taste. Will look out with interest for other colours. I like the science behind stuff too.

Opinions wanted

Thanks for all your comments. Have to say I'm surprised that generally that there is a consensus of agreement for the landlord on this case. The garden was part of the  national garden scheme of which the landlord knew about and actively promoted, even tarted up the property for the tv cameras. It just seems  crazy to me that a wild life haven that was created at no cost to the landowners was either ripped up or gravelled over at the cost of the previous tenants. The property hasn't been advertised as vacant or available for let yet.

I would have to correct you BB that this estate is not a public effort......far from from it. They are a private rural estate/landowners who have been renting out for 100s of years. I have no idea who "our lovely granny is" so wasn't trying to make any comparisons.

My final point would be that this landlord passes on the cost of maintenance and insurance on to their tenants.It's them that pays.

I do appreciate your comments, thank you

Verbena B

Hardy annuals

Plant ID

When to prune Arabis alpina "snowcap"

Problems

Opinions wanted

Unknown plant/shrub

What is this?

Echinecias

Completely new to veg growing

Still disappointed

Hardy Fushias

Snap dragons

How to post a link?

Spammers