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#1
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New Gardener COMPLETELY unsure! Help Needed please
Hi All, Just found this forum so hope it can help. This is the 2nd year I've actively been 'doing the garden' - leaving it to Husband in the past to get on with it. I convinced him last year Perennials were the way to go - come up year after year, might be expensive at first but well worth it in the long run. Now I've managed to get myself into trouble by not knowing how to look after this stuff! Example:
Hardy Geraniums - Cranesbill - Just cut them back for new growth, as reached 4' high and leaning sadly to the side. Do I cut them back again in October'ish? Rose bush - I planted it last Summer, it's called 'Rhapsody in Blue'. He's told me to cut a particularly long stalk, saying It's a Sucker, as there aren't any buds on it ... so I cut it and now discover according to the 'Expert' book it probably wasn't a sucker... Achillea - a Red/Pink variety that grows to about 4' tall is now more than 5', in full flower and listing badly. Do I cut them back in Autumn please? How do I gather seeds from Delphinium - do I wait for them to dry ON the plant, or take them off now and put 'em in a paper bag to dry off? See? Sooo many questions that I don't expect to all be answered here, so if someone could suggest a GOOD book, I've a couple of Readers' Digests that don't really go into stuff for beginners like me, the 'Expert' soft backs - got a couple of them, again not really for the beginner. Thanks all in advance, AngeTheUnsure |
#2
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Pruning roses http://www.rosebuddies.com/rules.html This one should help you on seed collection http://www.theseedsite.co.uk/ hope this helps. P.S. I'm not sure if the ugglers can see our posts or not. |
#3
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New Gardener COMPLETELY unsure! Help Needed please
"AngeTheUnsure" wrote in message ... Hi All, Just found this forum so hope it can help. This is the 2nd year I've actively been 'doing the garden' - leaving it to Husband in the past to get on with it. I convinced him last year Perennials were the way to go - come up year after year, might be expensive at first but well worth it in the long run. Now I've managed to get myself into trouble by not knowing how to look after this stuff! Example: Hardy Geraniums - Cranesbill - Just cut them back for new growth, as reached 4' high and leaning sadly to the side. Do I cut them back again in October'ish? Rose bush - I planted it last Summer, it's called 'Rhapsody in Blue'. He's told me to cut a particularly long stalk, saying It's a Sucker, as there aren't any buds on it ... so I cut it and now discover according to the 'Expert' book it probably wasn't a sucker... Achillea - a Red/Pink variety that grows to about 4' tall is now more than 5', in full flower and listing badly. Do I cut them back in Autumn please? How do I gather seeds from Delphinium - do I wait for them to dry ON the plant, or take them off now and put 'em in a paper bag to dry off? See? Sooo many questions that I don't expect to all be answered here, so if someone could suggest a GOOD book, I've a couple of Readers' Digests that don't really go into stuff for beginners like me, the 'Expert' soft backs - got a couple of them, again not really for the beginner. Thanks all in advance, AngeTheUnsure -- AngeTheUnsure Oh dear :-(( Well to start with stand by for a load of flack. Gardenbanter is a "no no" on uk.rec.gardening by the owners. All you need to do is put your tin hat on, ignore the 'owners' and watch the results from those who care. You WILL get some super response, but it is the Gardenbanter bit which raises their hackles. Mike -- The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association. 'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy Reunion Bournemouth August/September 2007 www.rneba.org.uk "Navy Days" Portsmouth 25th - 27th July 2008. RN Shipmates will have a Stand |
#4
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Hi Granity, many thanks for the links. Only looked at the Seedsite so far - was engroced in that! WHAT a good site that is. Can see me spending good time on it. Will look at the Roses one a bit later though,
Thanks again, AngeTheUnsure Quote:
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#6
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New Gardener COMPLETELY unsure! Help Needed please
Don't worry Ange, I don't know what I am doing half the time and I bet I am
old enough to be your Granny:-) I lightly trim Geraniums when the flowering is over, sometimes I get some more sometimes I dont. If the rose sucker pulls off easily then pull it if not resort to cutting it. I would just give the Achillia a bit of support and I have never tried to collect Delphinium seeds, I just cut the dead flowers back and up pop some more. I think that the Expert Books are good but you will get all the help you need from this newsgroup and by googling. good luck and keep posting kate |
#7
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New Gardener COMPLETELY unsure! Help Needed please
AngeTheUnsure writes
Hardy Geraniums - Cranesbill - Just cut them back for new growth, as reached 4' high and leaning sadly to the side. Do I cut them back again in October'ish? They die back for the winter. Take off the dead stuff. There's lots of hardy geraniums which don't reach anything like 4ft. Try G endressei for masses of pink flowers through the season and good tolerance of all sorts of soil conditions. Rose bush - I planted it last Summer, it's called 'Rhapsody in Blue'. He's told me to cut a particularly long stalk, saying It's a Sucker, as there aren't any buds on it ... so I cut it and now discover according to the 'Expert' book it probably wasn't a sucker... Now you know that he isn't necessarily the world's greatest gardening expert ;-) It's worth at first leaving suckers until they get leaves. If the leaves are like the rest of the bush, then it's probably not a sucker, if the leaves are different (eg more leaflets), then it is a sucker. In due course you will get to know your rose, and recognise the suckers at an earlier stage. See? Sooo many questions that I don't expect to all be answered here, so if someone could suggest a GOOD book, I've a couple of Readers' Digests that don't really go into stuff for beginners like me, the 'Expert' soft backs - got a couple of them, again not really for the beginner. Don't worry too much. Do what seems sensible, and observe the results. Plants on the whole want to grow. Sometimes they won't grow because they don't like the conditions (eg you've planted a sun-lover in the shade, or something that likes to be kept moist on a dry bank), but if they are growing, they won't usually die because you've failed to cut them back, or pruned them at the wrong time of year. So just try and relax and enjoy the garden, and don't let anyone tell you that there is only one right way to do anything. -- Kay |
#8
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New Gardener COMPLETELY unsure! Help Needed please
"AngeTheUnsure" wrote in message ... Welcome to URG Ae......are you a child if the 70's ? Your name instantly made me thing of the Rolling Stones :~)) Hi All, Just found this forum so hope it can help. This is the 2nd year I've actively been 'doing the garden' - leaving it to Husband in the past to get on with it. I convinced him last year Perennials were the way to go - come up year after year, might be expensive at first but well worth it in the long run. Now I've managed to get myself into trouble by not knowing how to look after this stuff! Example: Hardy Geraniums - Cranesbill - Just cut them back for new growth, as reached 4' high and leaning sadly to the side. Do I cut them back again in October'ish? I tidy them up a bit for the winter and you can always do it again in spring before they really take off. You can use bits of twiggy branches to support them (and other 'floppy' stuff) Stick the twigs in before the plants get going and they will cover the twigs as they grow up through. Rose bush - I planted it last Summer, it's called 'Rhapsody in Blue'. He's told me to cut a particularly long stalk, saying It's a Sucker, as there aren't any buds on it ... so I cut it and now discover according to the 'Expert' book it probably wasn't a sucker... He Ho - never mind. It will grow back :~)) Suckers grow from the root stock that the rose is grafted onto. Here's a site with info about suckers, so you can tell the difference: http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/r...202028813.html and here's one about rose pruning: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...26as_qdr%3Dall Achillea - a Red/Pink variety that grows to about 4' tall is now more than 5', in full flower and listing badly. Do I cut them back in Autumn please? They die down in winter so tidy up once the plants get messy looking. w do I gather seeds from Delphinium - do I wait for them to dry ON the plant, or take them off now and put 'them in a paper bag to dry off? Leave on the plant as long as possible to ripen. Then tie a bag around the seed head before cutting it off. This way you won't loose any seed when you tip it upside down :~) Hang up somewhere dry so that the seed is 100% dry before sorting. See? Sooo many questions that I don't expect to all be answered here, so if someone could suggest a GOOD book, I've a couple of Readers' Digests that don't really go into stuff for beginners like me, the Expert' soft backs - got a couple of them, again not really for the Beginner.. Pop down to the local library and see if they have a book you like to look of. You can then order it or try to get one from eBay etc if its out of print. Thanks all in advance, AngeTheUnsure |
#9
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New Gardener COMPLETELY unsure! Help Needed please
On Jul 24, 11:14 am, AngeTheUnsure AngeTheUnsure.
wrote: See? Sooo many questions that I don't expect to all be answered here, so if someone could suggest a GOOD book, Looked up and down the shelves to see what I've got (and I've got a few) but of all of them one stood out for you, Cassel's Encyclopedia of gardening by Anita Pereire. It is really entirely comprehensible to the beginner. It covers everything, from gardening techniques to trees and shrubs, flowers (2,000 of them), fruits ... from making ponds to grafting, from garden camouflage (yep) to dividing dahlia. Huge big pages, great pictures, comprehensible english (and beleive me there) 20 quids, (mine was a present). Maybe put it on your xmas list. HTH |
#10
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Morning Mike, and thanks very much for your reply and advice. Seems already I've got some very useful advice...all within what, 24 hours?
AngeTheUnsure Quote:
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#11
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Hi Sacha, thanks for your help. THIS is the kind of advice needed!
AngeTheUnsure Quote:
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#12
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Morning Chaps! La Puce, Kay, Kate & JennyC.
Well, Bet you're not old enough to be my Granny, Kate .. I'm a LATE DEVELOPER IN THE GARDEN! The Achillea is really untidy now but hey, so be it. I'll wait till it stops flowering. Jenny C... got it in one. Yep, Child of the 70s alright, AND Stones fan. Thanks for your help here. La Puce, book sounds like it wld be useful. I'll see if it's available via Amazon used section. Thank you, Kay, thanks. I've cut back the CranesBill now, where they'd fallen forward, it exposed lots of new growth at base, so it doesn't really look like they've been cut back! This Garden is less than 5 years old. New build. We're the 2nd owners and the previous were most certainly NOT GARDENERS so starting from scratch. What Idid last year and earlier this, any old gardens with plants in that had been sold for new development - I asked permission to dig up plants that were otherwise gonna be destroyed by the builders - that's how I got the CranesBill, Day Lillies, Paeonies, Bulbs, Acanthus (which are NOT happy) and a few others. It's quite a largeish garden, and to completely stock from Garden centre would be prohibative price-wise. Cheers all ... off to dead-head!! |
#13
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New Gardener COMPLETELY unsure! Help Needed please
"AngeTheUnsure" wrote in message ... Morning Mike, and thanks very much for your reply and advice. Seems already I've got some very useful advice...all within what, 24 hours? AngeTheUnsure The wealth of information on here is unbelievable. There is also a terrific amount of lurkers (should that be 'is' or should it be 'are'?), anyway, something for someone to pick me up on ;-( The advice ranges from the good to the excellent but you will see if you stay, there is a great deal of agro on the site as well :-(( My wife is the gardener, I am the nuts and bolts "Can you put me a path in there Mike" man. When we took over this garden in 1986, it was a children's and dogs playground :-(( We have since had it open to the public :-)) Hope you have not been toooooooooooooooooooooo washed out. We have been very lucky :-)) Not like some poor people I saw when I was driving through the Thatcham Area last Friday. :-(( Mike -- The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association. 'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy Reunion Bournemouth August/September 2007 www.rneba.org.uk "Navy Days" Portsmouth 25th - 27th July 2008. RN Shipmates will have a Stand |
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