Tuesday 21 February 2012

Delivery today

Butia Capitata


Chamaerops Humilis


These where my bargain find at a local garden centre, £50 off the first one and £70 off the second and got them delivered too!
Always wanted a Butia :o)

Saturday 18 February 2012

Seedlings

I always love planting seeds, but when they start poking there little leaves through the soil in large numbers, I begin to dread the pricking out.


Don't get me wrong, I love the initial pricking out, but after seedling number 100 (not that I count) it becomes boring, well it does to me.


but then they get bigger and I start to get excited as they grow bigger and stronger


then I start to get excited again.







I want to plant more seeds, but I am having to hold off for a week as I am off to my mums for a few days at the end of next week and hubby would probably kill any new seedlings. So seed planting will re-commence at the end of Feb!

Meanwhile out in the garden, the tulip and allium bulbs I planted in the autumn are already bravely poking there heads through.

Monday 13 February 2012

Propagator & GroLight plus.

You will remember my lovely huge propagater and beautiful growing light,


well, I have had problems with the plugs, they are quite odd shaped and did not like my sockets,


so I have done something all electricians will be telling me I shouldn't, I have plugged them into an extension!


I can assure everyone that I wish to be alive on the opening of my garden and that these cables are well out of the way of any water!

As you can see I have also put a time switch on the light plug. This has made switching on and off alot easier as I didn't have to remember when to do it. Initially I did wonder how long I should put the light on for. On the box it said 18 hours a day. But which 18 hours do you use? I plumped for 4pm to 10am, why? I have no idea it just seemed a good idea at the time. My daughter made me laugh when she said, don't the plants need to sleep? My answer 'I have no idea' lol! Do they?

Well it has worked I planted a load of Coleus seed and Nicotiana on 8th and they are all through.



Top 2 Nicotiana 'Only the Lonely' and 'Variegatum'



Kong varieties


Bog standard Bedding Coleus. I shall use this to fill gaps.


Basjoo, still upright and still firm. Not frozen firm if you see what I mean. Fingers crossed.


Fatsia, been hit by the frost, always looks bad but usually springs back quite quickly.

Inside the house I have one or two plants (wish I had a conservatory)


Lots on the trolley, 2 Bird of Paradise in front, one sending out a new leaf! I am sure they should be bigger?


My Cycas Revoluta I won off Ebay and some baby Alocasia's.


My big Alocasia, which flowered late last year and a couple of weeks ago was looking decidedly ill. So I moved it to where it is now, right by the radiator and it is looking so much greener and healthier.


an assortment of plants, including on the left another Strelitzia.


My Bougainvillea, is flowering, quite how I got it to do this I have no idea, neglect and watering, it really should be potted up.


Orchids, my daughter and I have a few of these. We each grow some and there is a bit of a challenge going on between us as to how many we can get to flower. She currently is better at it than me grrrrr!

Thursday 9 February 2012

Aliens?


or do I have someone living at the bottom of the garden?


Its a good job we are not in a blackout.


Or that Lyneham is still operational, otherwise I could have a hercules landing!


It said 'bright light' on the seed packets, I think I have that! lol!

Wednesday 8 February 2012

Sowing Starts

Now I have my propagater and gro light I decided today was the day to start my seed sowing.


So out came my spread sheet (I am very organised this year) and my seed box and down to the greenhouse I went.


Mixing of seed compost and perlite, clean pots and seed trays, pencil and labels and the sowing began.


Some of my Maurelis's, one looking decidedly dead.

It has suddenly dawned on me, that with all the seeds I have bought, and soon to be sown, I shall have problems fitting all of them into the greenhouse once they start growing, maybe I shouldn't have given my other greenhouse to my sister.


My Bromeliards

Maybe I need to invest in some staging!


The current date for the 'Open Gardens' is 15th July, I would have liked a bit later, but its not bad.


I always keep a small pot of each of my pond plants, just in case I lose some.

Still waiting for the builder to come and OK the wall. Then I can get my 'Wooly Pockets'.



My lovely daughter and her boyfriend helped me move all the soil and the compost. We had such a laugh moving it as the soil had frozen!


Still browsing Ebay, well you never know what you might find!

Thursday 2 February 2012

Deliveries

Do you get excited when you have parcels/deliveries arrive at your door? I do! After my spending spree the other week they have all started to arrive!

First was the wood from Buildbase. My neighbour and I ordered together so we could get free delivery!


this is for my veg beds, I have raised beds but not high enough. The sleepers currently being used, will be moved round the garden to edge other beds. Nothing wasted here!


Then came my Cycas Revoluta which I won on Ebay


Then the bulk buy of Perlite and Vermiculite, which I thought was a bargain and I hope will get me through 2 years, but I suspect with all the repotting I shall need to do, may not!


Dandy's delivered the bulk bag of loam. But only just managed to get it off the road! I have a gravel drive and did not read the small print!!!!!


200 jiffy plugs for my seedlings once big enough.


3 Water troughs. These will be the new homes for my bamboos. I dare not plant them in the ground, with my garden only being 13ft wide, I would be terrified of them escaping into the neighbours gardens!


Then my assortment of plants from Madeira, most are on a heat mat in my heated greenhouse, a couple will remain in my house as I think even the greenhouse will be too cool for them.


A spur of the moment buy, I do like these types of plants, so really wanted to know when and what to pot up into etc!


Then this morning B and Q delivered this lot!



I am not sure there is much more to come apart from some plants due April. I want to get holes drilled in the troughs and get them placed so I can move the bamboo's. One of which should have been repotted last year. The big pots they are in will be used for my Maurelli's, provided they have come through the winter, one is looking very suspect.

My builder comes next week to help do the beds and let me know if the wall is good enough to hold the weight of my planned for 'Living Wall'.

Oh yes, my neighbour in the first cottage has had a tree surgeon in to remove 2 exceptionally large trees. The neighbour in the 2nd cottage got a price to have her Silver Birch removed (one of which has lost a major branch) but her partner said, that he would do it!!! I am very worried for my greenhouse and office now!!!