Gardening

[Stanley]

That will be difficult Peter as the ground is full of roots... We shall take a chance and see what happens.

[plaques]

I'll tell you now what will happen. Leave lilac roots in the ground and it will sprout up again. It may take some time but its a very persistent plant.

[Stanley]

I believe you are right Ken, but will I live long enough for it to block out the light again?



The front garden now Ian has finished the tidy up. The white covering isn't fertilizer it's the out of date fine oatmeal I gave Ian to mix with the seed so he could get a reasonably even spread. Now we watch and wait......

[Stanley]

I keep going out to look at it. Really pleased I did something about the Lilac!
(Is there anything I can dose the stumps with to inhibit growth?)

[Tizer]

There are several methods suggested here. Homebase I haven't tried any, we've usually left any stumps to decompose and simply rubbed off any buds that form on them. If fungus grows on it that will have the enzymes to digest the wood. You might even get some pretty toadstools or bracket fungus! That won't be a problem for you because you won't have any trees or shrubs to get infected from the fungus. I'd just leave the stumps and see what happens. You can always use a chemical treatment later if necessary.

[Stanley]

That sounds sensible Peter. I can catch any re-growth early.....

[Wendyf]

It has been too windy today to do much outside so I have been tidying in the tunnel. It wont be long before there is a bit of salad stuff to nibble.

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[Stanley]

That looks promising Wendy! Nothing showing in the front garden yet apart from a lot of very tiny two leaved shoots.... (The chives survived the clear out!). I live in hopes of my wild flower meadow!

[Tizer]

Give it time!

[Stanley]

I note that my Lilac stump has poked out some very vigorous shoots that have grown 3" in a week! I shall deal with them this morning!
You're right Peter, I can now clearly differentiate between the meadow seedlings and weeds. They too will be attended to.

[Stanley]

The warmer weather is having an effect. I think the wild meadow seed has taken!

[Cathy]

Ooo progress, finally

[Stanley]

It'll move fast now Cathy......

[Wendyf]

What are you hoping to see in your mix Stanley?

[Stanley]

That's a good question and I can't remember all of them but it's a mixture of flower and seed bearing plants with enough perennials in to ensure a follow on next year. I shall probably top up with another dressing of seed in spring next year, or whenever advice tells me to.

[Tizer]

Did you not keep the seed packet?

[Stanley]

Certainly not! I am an engineer not a gardener....

[Tizer]

If you went to buy a bird feeder you'd be asking if it was for metric or imperial nuts!

[Stanley]

Don't be silly Peter, any fule knoes that peanuts are Imperial sizes, they were around long before Napoleon and the French Revolution forced the Metric System on the world.....

[Sue]

Don't be silly Peter, any fule knoes that peanuts are Imperial sizes, they were around long before Napoleon and the French Revolution forced the Metric System on the world.....

[Stanley]

[Stanley]

Interesting how the annual weeds are more vigorous then my wildflower meadow seedlings!

[Sue]

Wild flower meadow is very fussy. Normal weeds are usual vigorous plants that grow in any conditions . I have never had success with wild flower mix and I have planted them several times. The ones that were in my brothers flat have not germinated in the garden, I think my soil is too rich for them

[Stanley]

It will be interesting to see if a brown fingered engineer can succeed. All I can say at the moment is that there is a thick crop of tiny two leaved seedlings. I shall keep you informed.

[PanBiker]

If they fail Stanley you could try chucking a few poppy seeds about they like disturbed earth and will generally grow anywhere.