obelixx

Perennial seedlings - what now

A proper cold frame will give them better protection and allow you to lift the lid and ventilate on warmer days plus add an extra blanket of newspaper or some such when very cold nights are forecast.   You can also line it with bubble wrap for extra insulation.

Autumn Sowing Sweet Peas

I believe Monty actually said that so far, teh autumn sown sweet peas have performed better but it remainsto be seen whether or not the spring sown ones catch up by staying in flower for longer in the season and thus producing as many blooms.

Either way, given the winters here and the difficulties of getting them through, I shall be sowing sweet peas next Feb or March.   Didn't have space or inclination this year but I do for next.

New gardener rose question

Yes, clean off and bin or burn all the affected foliage when it drops so the spores don't stick around for next year.   Keep your roses well fed from early spring to late June so they are strong enough to withstand disease. 

Talkback: How to insulate a greenhouse

I have a 6' x 8' aluminium greenhouse which I bought from a friend when she went home to the States.  It came with ready cut bubble wrap and plastic clips and it does just take me 30 to 40 minutes to install it.   It's the emptying, cleaning and restocking afterwards that takes the time.

I'm considering buying extra buble wrap to give the walls a double layer this winter as it's been relocated to a sunnier site and, as yet, has no electricity supply for the heater.

Wisteria

Shugs - leaf fall is not the best time to prune.  It should be done in summer and winter.   See here for advce from the RHS - http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=242

Wisteria

They're a fast growing climber that can, with skill and attention, be trained as a standard type tree.   Many take years to get to flwoering maturity and they need pruning in July and January to encourage the formation of the flowering buds.

Not a hedge plant.

Non flowering geraniums this year

A bit late for this year but try giving them a high potassium feed next year to encourage flowering.  Rose or clematis fertiliser will do or tomato.

what can you start now

Chinese Greens such as Pak Choi and Japanese Mizuna can be sown now for a quick crop that shoul dbe ready by October.

I have some carrots I sowed in pots in the second week of August which have germinated well and are now 2" high which is 2" more than the ones I've sown in the ground for the last 4 years.  The pots were a last ever chance for them but it seems to be the way to go.  Now we're back from hols I can move them to a sunny site at the front as they no longer need to be grouped in the shade for automatic watering and that should speed up growth.

You can plant onion sets for a crop next July and spring cababge plugs if you can find them.  Bit late for sowing them though.  It's also a good time to plant a new starwberry patch.

I'm also going to have  a go at a last crop of beets, turnips and spnach in teh hope they'll germintae quickly in the September warmth.

Gardeners' Question Time

It's on at daft times for gardeners with families so I rarely listen but I do sometimes remember to listen on my PC when I'm doing dance club admin.

Harvesting Squash

I'd say leave it to grow on but it'll need plenty of watering and maybe a bit of feeding too.

Generally speaking, squash require a gerat deal of space and light and plenty of moisture and food to grow well so are better off grown outside in the ground or on a compost heap where they'll get pollinated by passing insects.

Encouraging bats in our gardens

Beechgrove this weekend

Weekend 22 March

Good Morning - 21 March

Choosing chillies

Hanging baskets and window boxes

New shed - any tips?