Gardening - what is this?

Anyone used westkand John Innes number 2?

Got some today to fill up a medium Sized pot we took an acer out of to move to a bigger pot

The compost is weird - filled up pot chucked some water in and the water just sat on the surface. I literally had to move ut around it help to help disappate the water. I could've plastered the walls with it afterwards

Never used it but can't see how that can be good for the plants siting in water like that

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Originally Posted by Callum_62

Anyone used westkand John Innes number 2?

Got some today to fill up a medium Sized pit we took an acer out of to move to a bigger pot

The compost is weird - filled up pot chucked some water in and the water just sat on the surface. I literally had to move ut around it help. Disappate the water. I could've plastered the walls with it afterwards

Never used it but can't see how that can be good for the plants siting in water like that

Sent from my VOG-L29 using Tapatalk

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2 reasons I can think of.

JI2 has less peat and will not absorb water as well, which is what you described.

This dry weather, water is just sitting on the surface of the soil and not soaking in.

Best solution would be stab some holes in the bottom of the bag of compost then pour a full watering can into it the day before you want to use it.

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Originally Posted by Callum_62

Anyone used westkand John Innes number 2?

Got some today to fill up a medium Sized pot we took an acer out of to move to a bigger pot

The compost is weird - filled up pot chucked some water in and the water just sat on the surface. I literally had to move ut around it help to help disappate the water. I could've plastered the walls with it afterwards

Never used it but can't see how that can be good for the plants siting in water like that

Sent from my VOG-L29 using Tapatalk

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I have had that quite a bit this year. Let the pot stand in water

On the subject of compost is ericaceous compost recommended for raspberry canes? Planted some autumn fruiting ones a few months back which aren't showing much sign of life and wondering if they need a bit of a boost.

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Originally Posted by He's here!

On the subject of compost is ericaceous compost recommended for raspberry canes? Planted some autumn fruiting ones a few months back which aren't showing much sign of life and wondering if they need a bit of a boost.

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No, ericaceous won’t do the raspberries any harm but won’t make any difference and better used for plants that need it (camellias azaleas heathers etc). Feed the plants with granular or liquid feed, and concentrate on keeping them well watered especially since it’s been dry lately. If they’re not growing much that’s the most likely reason. They also need the sunniest site you can give them. Otherwise They’re a hard plant to kill :greengrin I bet they’ll be fine

Anyone obsessed with lawn care have a hand push rotary lawn mower? Quite fancy one for a) cutting conditions and b) closeness of cut.


Ideally 7 blades as I dont want to pulling/tufting effect the 5 bladed ones can give you.

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Originally Posted by Jones28

Anyone obsessed with lawn care have a hand push rotary lawn mower? Quite fancy one for a) cutting conditions and b) closeness of cut.


Ideally 7 blades as I dont want to pulling/tufting effect the 5 bladed ones can give you.

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I’m in the lawn care business. Push mowers are great but you do have to cut a lot to get the best out of it a wettish Scottish summer would probably need 2 cuts a week.

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Originally Posted by patch1875

I’m in the lawn care business. Push mowers are great but you do have to cut a lot to get the best out of it a wettish Scottish summer would probably need 2 cuts a week.

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Thats my plan :aok:

Grass cutting is how I decompress :greengrin

My shed roof is flowering away with wildflowers including some northern Marsh orchids. 👍

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Originally Posted by hibsbollah

No, ericaceous won’t do the raspberries any harm but won’t make any difference and better used for plants that need it (camellias azaleas heathers etc). Feed the plants with granular or liquid feed, and concentrate on keeping them well watered especially since it’s been dry lately. If they’re not growing much that’s the most likely reason. They also need the sunniest site you can give them. Otherwise They’re a hard plant to kill :greengrin I bet they’ll be fine

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Thanks. They're in a great sunny spot and getting well watered so I might give them some of the feed you suggest, but from what you say I suspect patience is probably what they most require.

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Originally Posted by Jones28

Anyone obsessed with lawn care have a hand push rotary lawn mower? Quite fancy one for a) cutting conditions and b) closeness of cut.


Ideally 7 blades as I dont want to pulling/tufting effect the 5 bladed ones can give you.

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I used a hand-push mower and have done for years… but that’s only because the gear is knackered and never been fixed. It’s good exercise for me 😓

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Originally Posted by WeeRussell

I used a hand-push mower and have done for years… but that’s only because the gear is knackered and never been fixed. It’s good exercise for me 😓

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Do you bag the clippings or let them lie?

I have 3 separate bits of lawn and would really want the hand push for the front which is going to be the pretty lawn. Going to re seed it in the autumn and there’s a fair bit of levelling to do.

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Originally Posted by Jones28

Do you bag the clippings or let them lie?

I have 3 separate bits of lawn and would really want the hand push for the front which is going to be the pretty lawn. Going to re seed it in the autumn and there’s a fair bit of levelling to do.

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If you leave the clippings you are effectively fertilising the lawn so it will grow faster, I always remove grass cuttings to reduce fertility and encourage wildflowers.

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Originally Posted by Colr

Excellent to see a gardening thread on here. Its been a gap in the conversation for some time for us fogeys.

Personally, I’m having a bit of bother with my espeliered apple trees. The leaves are drooping on one (but not its neighbour) and some of the leaves have gone a bit yellow.

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Sorry for the late reply. I forgot I saw this late.


I'm in the same position, I have 4 apple trees and 2 pear trees in what I laughing call my orchard. Had them all a few years now and I've seen something similar happened with one of the pear trees. First time it's happened. I took my thumb nail to the bark and it's green underneath so it's still alive.

I can't think why one tree is affected and the others aren't. Sorry for not being a bit more useful.

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Originally Posted by Moulin Yarns

Sorry for the late reply. I forgot I saw this late.


I'm in the same position, I have 4 apple trees and 2 pear trees in what I laughing call my orchard. Had them all a few years now and I've seen something similar happened with one of the pear trees. First time it's happened. I took my thumb nail to the bark and it's green underneath so it's still alive.

I can't think why one tree is affected and the others aren't. Sorry for not being a bit more useful.

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Thanks. I’ve given them more water and some liquid seaweed fertiliser and they seem to have stabilised. Not sure what the current deluge will do.

I planter the early this year and am amazed that fruit seem to be coming through.

Not sure if I should thin them out to get a better crop.

Got cherries, blackcurrents, pears and blueberries coming as well.

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Originally Posted by Colr

Thanks. I’ve given them more water and some liquid seaweed fertiliser and they seem to have stabilised. Not sure what the current deluge will do.

I planter the early this year and am amazed that fruit seem to be coming through.

Not sure if I should thin them out to get a better crop.

Got cherries, blackcurrents, pears and blueberries coming as well.

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Thinning is a personal choice. Thin apples and get larger fruit but I leave mine and the poor fruit usually drop off early. I keep the best for eating, the rest go to jam and pies and I have made cider the last couple of years. Occasionally you will get a poor year but don't worry.

Blackcurrents are prolific!!! I have had so much that I used some for dyeing wool.

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Originally Posted by Moulin Yarns

Thinning is a personal choice. Thin apples and get larger fruit but I leave mine and the poor fruit usually drop off early. I keep the best for eating, the rest go to jam and pies and I have made cider the last couple of years. Occasionally you will get a poor year but don't worry.

Blackcurrents are prolific!!! I have had so much that I used some for dyeing wool.

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Look forward to that.

My dream would be to have a walled kitchen garden!!

Save that for when I build my house in East Lothian!

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Originally Posted by Jones28

Do you bag the clippings or let them lie?

I have 3 separate bits of lawn and would really want the hand push for the front which is going to be the pretty lawn. Going to re seed it in the autumn and there’s a fair bit of levelling to do.

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I was jesting really mate as it's a standard lawnmower (collects the grass and you empty it) so probably not the rotary type you were referring to.. it's just that the gear is knackered so requires pushing and pulling everywhere.

Fortunately I live amongst a lot of farm land, so clippings get tossed over the fence/dyke into fields and woods... or to the chickens who I am reliably informed enjoy feeding on cut grass.

I actually find cutting the grass bordering on therapeutic rather than a chore during these times :agree:.... well, more so when it's bone dry and easy-cutting... rather than soaking wet, boggy and chewing up the lawn.

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Originally Posted by Jones28

Do you bag the clippings or let them lie?

I have 3 separate bits of lawn and would really want the hand push for the front which is going to be the pretty lawn. Going to re seed it in the autumn and there’s a fair bit of levelling to do.

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How do you plan to level the lawn? I’ve got a few bumps and hollows I’d like to get shot of. Is just a case of top dressing and seeding every autumn?

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Originally Posted by I'm_cabbaged

How do you plan to level the lawn? I’ve got a few bumps and hollows I’d like to get shot of. Is just a case of top dressing and seeding every autumn?

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I’m going to get hold of some top dressing soil - sieved down to 4mm so pretty fine and sterile too. I’ve got bumps to take out so I’ll take the turf out with a spade and dump it, fill those hole with sand then I’ll top dress the whole lot with top dressing soil and re-seed it all, use a pallet to level by dragging it behind me, roll in the new seed and give it a good sprinkling.

There’s loads of stuff on YouTube, premier lawns Belfast and Ryan Knorr lawn care are good channels to have a look at.

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Originally Posted by Jones28

I’m going to get hold of some top dressing soil - sieved down to 4mm so pretty fine and sterile too. I’ve got bumps to take out so I’ll take the turf out with a spade and dump it, fill those hole with sand then I’ll top dress the whole lot with top dressing soil and re-seed it all, use a pallet to level by dragging it behind me, roll in the new seed and give it a good sprinkling.

There’s loads of stuff on YouTube, premier lawns Belfast and Ryan Knorr lawn care are good channels to have a look at.

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👍

Pulling this thread back up. Getting into gardening - installed a few raised beds in the garden and have got a hydroponics set up inside too.

Anybody got experience of growing onions? I bought some onion sets which I’ve planted out. The instructions on the packet said to plant 5cm deep and recover with soil which I did.

Subsequently, from doing some research online on feeding etc. I’ve noticed all the sources online say to plant just below the surface with the tip showing.

Are the instructions on the packet duff? Should I try dig them up and start again?

Not sure if this is the right thread but anyone built their own fence? Is it easy enough?

I've a small hedge parametre around my front garden and the hedges aren't that great - to sparse and prone to weeds building up underneath them. I'd like a small wooden fence around it instead and I'll then dig out an area infront of that to plant flowers. Just looking for something c.3ft tall.

Is it just a case of popping some posts in (using concrete mix?), then nailing some cross-beams between them and then nailing some planks to those beams?

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Originally Posted by overdrive

Pulling this thread back up. Getting into gardening - installed a few raised beds in the garden and have got a hydroponics set up inside too.

Anybody got experience of growing onions? I bought some onion sets which I’ve planted out. The instructions on the packet said to plant 5cm deep and recover with soil which I did.

Subsequently, from doing some research online on feeding etc. I’ve noticed all the sources online say to plant just below the surface with the tip showing.

Are the instructions on the packet duff? Should I try dig them up and start again?

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I always plant with the tip showing, I put a cloche over them until they are at least 5cm. Reason for doing it is birds will often pull them up when just planted, my way allows them to establish roots.

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Originally Posted by Moulin Yarns

I always plant with the tip showing, I put a cloche over them until they are at least 5cm. Reason for doing it is birds will often pull them up when just planted, my way allows them to establish roots.

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I've put a net over them. Think I'll pull them up and re-plant.

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Originally Posted by danhibees1875

Not sure if this is the right thread but anyone built their own fence? Is it easy enough?

I've a small hedge parametre around my front garden and the hedges aren't that great - to sparse and prone to weeds building up underneath them. I'd like a small wooden fence around it instead and I'll then dig out an area infront of that to plant flowers. Just looking for something c.3ft tall.

Is it just a case of popping some posts in (using concrete mix?), then nailing some cross-beams between them and then nailing some planks to those beams?

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Straight forward mate, measure well, sink some posts and use post crete, mind its rapid set and 1 bag per post. Have a spirit level, string line, a good cordless drill and plenty screws, a nail gun on hire could be quicker but if you are just taking your time then drill and screws (or if your old school a hammer and nails) you can get plenty lumber for panelling at B&Q or a builders merchant. Oh and a cross cut saw or bench saw 👍

A good thread on gardening from here a while ago. http://https://www.hibs.net/showthread.php?346545-Gardening-and-the-art-of-patience with some really good tips. It'd be interesting to see how the gardens in that post progressed over the last couple of years.

Attachment 26694Attachment 26695Attachment 26696


I'm going to build one of those pondless waterfalls in the summer. Attachment 26697

Re doing the back lawn. Trying to get to putting green standard. Originally had some drainage work (perforated pipe etc ) in but still drained terribly. Original soil is dreadful and basically clay. Did some of my own to compliment it and also built a large soak away in the very worst part tied into that drainage system. I killed the existing lawn off and spread 4 x builders bags of concrete sand and 3 x70/30 sand/compost mix spread on top. Rotovated it all in and that’s where I currently am at.
Rake it level and put another 3 x 70/30 sand/compost mix with a finer grade as rootzone. Sow the seeds. Continually water and wait.

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Originally Posted by greenlex

Re doing the back lawn. Trying to get to putting green standard. Originally had some drainage work (perforated pipe etc ) in but still drained terribly. Original soil is dreadful and basically clay. Did some of my own to compliment it and also built a large soak away in the very worst part tied into that drainage system. I killed the existing lawn off and spread 4 x builders bags of concrete sand and 3 x70/30 sand/compost mix spread on top. Rotovated it all in and that’s where I currently am at.
Rake it level and put another 3 x 70/30 sand/compost mix with a finer grade as rootzone. Sow the seeds. Continually water and wait.

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Hope that's no weeds around the edges waiting for some new grass to invade!

:greengrin


Sounds, and looks, like hard work.. Good luck.

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Originally Posted by overdrive

I've put a net over them. Think I'll pull them up and re-plant.

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OK, will need do something other than a net. Something has ripped it overnight. Not managed to get out to actually assess the damage.