Jess is in the Garden

Latest posts by Jess is in the Garden

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Neighbor waterproofing fence and my vegetables!

Posted: 11/04/2013 at 14:02

If he uses chemicals like creosote to treat his fence then yes, they could leach into your soil when it rains, for example. That wouldn't be too great. Could you create a barrier say with a line pf bricks, for example, just along the back of your veg bed, where it borders his fence, to contain the soil on your side more?

The other option you could possibly consider would be to take out your bed altogether, and replace it with a ready made wood raised bed of the same sort of size (you can buy them for veg, or make them yourself). It would mena some work for you, but then since it's just a large, shallow box it wouldn't be prone to any leached chemicals from next door. Quite nice to have veg slightly raised up too, easier on you back and creates some height

bulbs throughout the seasons

Posted: 11/04/2013 at 13:56

Good point nut...I hadn't considered the leaves bit

Perhaps I should just cultivate as you say, then plant already sprouted sterbergias early September...I know I should post a picture (would help but camera on the blink!) but the reason i wanted to add some interest in autumn is that this is really a very mini, mini meadow, 1m square in the middle of a plum slate urban garden. Sounds a bit silly, but i really wanted to do my bit to attract bees and butterflies this year as much as possible! Apparently small meadows can work too! And whe the annual cornfield mix dies back late August, it'll look very sparse and very obvious where it is sited.

Yes I have a crab apple in a semi shady part of the garden, so I'll stick the cyclamens in there. I thought cyclamen hederifolium (which you also get in the Med) also grow in sun though?

By the way, the mini meadow will be in full sun Spring and Summer.

Today I feel so happy....

Posted: 11/04/2013 at 13:50

aaah FloBear

Identification of Tree!!

Posted: 11/04/2013 at 13:49

flowering cherry flowers I think, as well, though Gold1locks is right that it's easier if you see the bark too

GardenIng jokes

Posted: 11/04/2013 at 13:47

not a HINT of irony

GardenIng jokes

Posted: 10/04/2013 at 21:37

Verdun

Today I feel so happy....

Posted: 10/04/2013 at 21:33

Ouch Berghill!

Thanks Pentillie - your post has made me smile and you are so right - I am happy too - weather predictions for north London are on the up (20 degrees end of next week - digging out the Tshirts!) and we all 3 spent a lovely afternoon pottering in our tiny garden - OH tidying shed, daughter aged 5 watering with her small can and me removing the latest neighbourhood cat poo from new beds, inspecting my new plants and dreaming about all the other ones I still need to buy (but can't rwally afford - hey ho!)

SPRING IS COMING - no, really it is - HANG IN THERE EVERYONE

bulbs throughout the seasons

Posted: 10/04/2013 at 21:26

Very true Nut - I didn't know the difference either until I got my seeds the other day - mine is only 100% cornfield annuals mix and no perennials. Apparently it'll do best on good soil too, rather than poor.

Thanks for the advice Welsh - so unless I need to mow (which hopefully I won't as there'll be little or no grass) then corms/bulbs are ok? Just wondering how long my annuals will last until I can remove them, to give space to the autumn bulbs...if it's late August/early Sept, could I also plant my cyclamen hederifolium and Sternbergis crocuses in early September straight after I remove the cornfield annuals, and still get a good display into autumn?

bird box

Posted: 10/04/2013 at 21:22

Thanks all - mine has a sloping roof. Still no birds in it though but possibly OH hammering and generally pottering to and fro from his adored shed isn't helping...