- CLOSED - Tips and Advice

[Undercover Elsa]

Re: Garden Corner: for the green fingered amongst us

Going back to the subject of tree stumps, we had a big eucalyptus cut down last year, and cut it off horizontally at about 3 ft. Rather than kill the stump I made a feature of it and use it as a plantpot stand in summer and a bird table in winter..works really well. Don't know if you can see it very well here, under the flowers between the burner and the tub..

[MrsD]

Re: Garden Corner: for the green fingered amongst us

we've had a cherry tree stump at the front for about 10 years, it finally rotted enough earlier on for Mr D to pull it out, think the wet weather had finally done for it.

interestingly I was in a big garden centre yesterday looking for liners for my fence pots which have rotted away in the rain and the amount of dead/drowning plants was amazing, they had all been reduced to 50p/25p, picked up a couple that I'll put in the conservatory to dry out and see if I can bong them on. One of the guys was telling me they've lost a fortune this year.

[vint1954]

Re: Garden Corner: for the green fingered amongst us

Most commercial weed killers like path clear are safe as soon as they dry. With six dogs and a cat at Hooray Hall and miles of paving and cobbles I have to be careful. All I do is wait for a dry day and keep them all in for an hour. You have to be careful with the new gel product though as they remain active for a while.

Common Table salt works great on moss and most weeds in cracks between paving slabs. I have never heard of using Vinegar. I suppose salt smell less as well

Now if you want moss to grow, Stale milk is the answer. Pour or paint it on and give it a week for the smell to die away and just watch the moss grow. Great for making artificial stone look a century old.

Diluted Bleach also works on moss and any lichen

[vint1954]

Re: Garden Corner: for the green fingered amongst us

Going back to the subject of tree stumps, we had a big eucalyptus cut down last year, and cut it off horizontally at about 3 ft. Rather than kill the stump I made a feature of it and use it as a plantpot stand in summer and a bird table in winter..works really well. Don't know if you can see it very well here, under the flowers between the burner and the tub..

Looks good Elsa, I was sat in the garden at 5.30am his morning and have decided to go with Handy's idea of a climber. Ideal spot for a passion flower unless there is a decent clamatis that flowers throughout the summer.

I will try and take a picture later on. It is a real mess with a huge mock orange tangled up in it. It too had grown to rediculous proportions, pushing up through the Bay.

Must get on with it as it looks a mess.

[Undercover Elsa]

Re: Garden Corner: for the green fingered amongst us

Honeysuckle is good too...grows like mad though..it's covered our pergola in 2 years and flowered on and on all year through the bad weather. Smells gorgeous too, of course!
That's a wisteria too on the right but the last cold winter knocked it back and it's never flowered yet.

[vint1954]

Re: Garden Corner: for the green fingered amongst us

I have just cut a Honeysuckle down. It too went berserk and was covered in blackfly.

[Undercover Elsa]

Re: Garden Corner: for the green fingered amongst us

Aww I hate blackfly. I have this purpley black frondy shrub..not sure what it is..but it gets covered in horrible black eggs all over the branches, with tiny black beetles.
I just jet them off with the hose though and the ducks feast on them..

[vint1954]

Re: Garden Corner: for the green fingered amongst us

Rose clear will kill them

[vint1954]

Re: Garden Corner: for the green fingered amongst us

Ok,

Here is my stump.

[Handyman]

Re: Garden Corner: for the green fingered amongst us

Diluted Bleach also works on moss and any lichen

I must post up a picture of the flagstones and cobbles. Vint your right about bleach, best thing going for clearing lichen.

From our local Farm Supplies 5 gallons of Hypo Chlorate (5 x stronger than Domestos) is around £20. I dilute it 1-5 in the back pack sprayer. It cleans the York stone flags a treat.

Go with the Pashion Flower as you will get a longer season.
Of course you could plant a Spring and Autumn flowering Clematis together to get colour through the year.

Montana for spring and Autumn Arabella.

A lot of folk make the mistake and don't hard prune them. My Boss included as they flower on new growth.

Regards, Handy

[Handyman]

Re: Garden Corner: for the green fingered amongst us

Ok,

Here is my stump.

Too much information Vint

Was it cold as we can't see anything here

Regards, Handy

[PriorityOne]

Re: Garden Corner: for the green fingered amongst us

Does anyone know what would kill off ground elder? My friend has this all over her garden and she's really depressed about it. She's been told the only way to get rid of it is to dig it all out....

[vint1954]

Re: Garden Corner: for the green fingered amongst us

I must post up a picture of the flagstones and cobbles. Vint your right about bleach, best thing going for clearing lichen.

From our local Farm Supplies 5 gallons of Hypo Chlorate (5 x stronger than Domestos) is around £20. I dilute it 1-5 in the back pack sprayer. It cleans the York stone flags a treat.

Go with the Pashion Flower as you will get a longer season.
Of course you could plant a Spring and Autumn flowering Clematis together to get colour through the year.

Montana for spring and Autumn Arabella.

A lot of folk make the mistake and don't hard prune them. My Boss included as they flower on new growth.

Regards, Handy

Thanks for the tips Handy.

I think I will go with a passion flower. I have one growing in a pot at the moment.

[vint1954]

Re: Garden Corner: for the green fingered amongst us

Too much information Vint

Was it cold as we can't see anything here

Regards, Handy

The old 10inch stump joke eh!

[vint1954]

Re: Garden Corner: for the green fingered amongst us

Does anyone know what would kill off ground elder? My friend has this all over her garden and she's really depressed about it. She's been told the only way to get rid of it is to dig it all out....

What a bugger. I am sure that Handy will recomend glyphosate, but I dont think you can ever be trully free of it.

If you dig it up, you only need a smal peice left in the soil for it to sprout again