obelixx

Talkback: Hostas and slugs

I have too many hostas for copper/eggshells and so on and very persistent slugs.   I have, however, used wildlife friendly slug pellets for several years and find them very good.  I have cats, dogs, loads of birds, hedgehogs, amphibians and insects.

You need to be organised and scatter the first few pellets around susceptible plants in late winter or early spring to get them as they emerge from hiberation and then every couple of weeks to catch the stragglers and the newly hatched before they have time to breed or feed.   I start on Valentine's Day as it's easy to remember.  

You can also spray with a garlic solution as they don't seem to like that either.

camelia yellowing

This is called chlorosis and results from iron and/or magnesium deficiency.

You can fix magnesium deficiency by giving it a foliar feed of Epsom salts 1 tbs/15ml to one gallon/5 litres.  Iron deficiency can be helped by giving it a feed of sequestered or chelated iron which makes it accessible to the roots.    Camellia's cannot take up these two minerals when there is calcium present in the soil or the water so always water with rain or distilled water and give occasional tonic of liquid rose or tomato food to help it make good flower buds each year.

Your top performing MAUVE or PURPLE clematis!

Arabella - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=110 not self clinging so needs guiding round supports or can be allowed to scramble as ground cover.

Etoile Violette - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=26 - vigorous, hardy and flowers for months

Brunette - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=38 turned out not hardy enough for me but lovely

Fireworks - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=171 taking its time to establish in my garden but worth waiting for.

Jackmanii - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=237 common but a good doer

Pagoda - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=237 more subtle

Purpurea plena Elegans - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=237 smaller fussy flowers but hardy and lasts well

Star of India - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=428 luscious velvety flowers

The preisdent - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=428 another common one but a good doer

Rahvarinne http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=535 luscious paired with Nelly Moser

The Vagabond - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=535 

Venosa Violacea - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=585 not hardy enough for my garden but worth trying

Your top performing BLUE clematis

Etoile Violette is definitely a stunner but very purple, as its name suggests.

For me, Perle d'Azur does well - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=365 

and Crystal Fountain - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=1843

and Beauty of Worcester - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=80

and Blekitny Aniol aka Blue Angel - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=88

There are some good blue alpina forms but they're not hardy enough for my garden.   Have fun choosing.

Toad spawn

When we had our pond excavated, chappy with the bulldozer asked me what fish I would be getting.  None, i said, it's for forgs and toads and newts.  He had a fit of hysterical giiggles at the idea of a mad English woman paying good money to have a pond for wild amphibians.   He still comes and does odd jobs for us.  The latest is the new shed base and he loves to know what the English ahev been up to.

Been so cold here the frogs and toads are only just getting into mating mode.  heaven knows what they'll think of a daft Labrador boouncing around the pond but at least he and Rasta see off the mallards that might eat the spawn..

Trees suitable for a private road

If you have acid or neutral soil you could try liquidambar which has golden foliage in spring, green through summer and then glorious reds and purmples in autumn.  It will get to over 12 metres high and about 8 metres wide but only after 25 years or so.

However, you could consider a native tree such a sorbus aka rowan or whitebeam.  They have creamy flowers in spring and then berries in autum and attractive foliage.  They will provide food and shelter for insects and birds.

Have a look at these - http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1852 
 - http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=4151
 - http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1856

They all have an Award of Garden Merit form the RHS and none will get to more than 8 to 12 metres high.

EVIL Japanese Anemone

Thanks Rosie but I've tried several times with no success and don't want to kill off any more.

I can't hang my hanging baskets anymore.

And choose ones that don't get too big.  have alook at this site which lets you select clems by colour, flowering time, pruning group, eventual size and so on - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/

Pot growing Mahonia x media "charity"?

You can prune back after they've finished flowering but if you don't reallly like them and can place your pot against a sheltering wall, why not grow Winter Sweet instead.  It has pretty, perfumed flowers through winter so shoud be very good for any insects that are about - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/howtogrow/3297316/How-to-grow-wintersweet.html

Chelsea chop

I once spotted 4 species of bee on one sedum flower head so will be keeping all mine but they do benefit from a chop or they flop on my fertile soil.    I take the specatibles back quite short and cut the purpley one by a half.

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?