On 21/01/2013 23:48, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Spider" wrote

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Broadback" wrote

After a fairly heavy snow fall on Thursday I cleared my drive. This
was fine until last night we had a light fall, so out to clear the
drive again. Where I had cleared previously under the snow was frozen,
however where I had not cleared it was completely free of ice and easy
to shovel away.

In their native areas the Pleonies I grow spend the winter under a nice
warm and dry blanket of snow. Come the thaw they respond to the slight
rise in temperature, increase in light and melted snow by blooming. It's
a system I try to mimic in a small way by bringing them up under the
eaves of the house in winter where it's slightly warmer, dryer and
shadier.



I haven't dared plant my Pleiones outside. Perhaps I'm a bit too
precious about them, but when a potted plant was outside for the
summer it was attacked by galloping gastropods. I'm also concerned
that they may get too wet and rot. Certainly keeping them inside in a
cool room makes the blooms last much longer. What do you do to prevent
yours being chomped to death, or drowned? Unfortunately, I don't have
a soil border up against mmy house from which they could benefit. Are
yours in pots?


Mine are outside in pots, or more correctly clay pans. Never had any
attacked by snails or slugs as far as I know, did have some trouble with
a squirrel a couple of years ago that obviously thought they were nuts
and made off with a few. Maybe they don't like the small bark chippings
I use as 50% of the compost. Last year was bad for wet which has caused
a few fatalities but others seem to like it and have made up well. I
move mine about according to the season, they spend the summer on top of
the wall surrounding my pond (3,000gals) but in the shade of the house,
so only get a bit of sun first and last thing but have a constant humid
atmosphere. In the winter they come up right next to the house on a N.
facing wall.



Thanks for that, Bob. I may try mine outside again, but in clay troughs
so I can keep them close to the house. I love the edge-of-pond idea
but, unfortunately, our pond is out in the open and would probably get
too much sun. Otherwise it's an excellent idea and would probably help
to keep cranes and other critters from attacking the fish.

I may still keep a small pot of bulbs indoors to replenish any that are
stolen by squirrels (drat! I'd forgotten them) or eaten by slugs. I
don't know how you get away without slug/snail damage, especially since
you offer them constant humidity in the summer. We are overrun with
marauding molluscs:~(.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay