Colourful pots that are available - see Filling the Gaps, below |
Today's opening shot shows pots on our patio at home. However, this blog comes to you from a cold and rather less colourful Buxton. A pity since it can be lovely, here
It's a brief visit following a week or more of downtime. Nothing to do with pandemic and even ping-demic, rather some other nefarious bug that has doing the rounds and chose to lay old Codger low. However, the break in our usual routine presents something of an opportunity. So, unashamed, we wish to promote a charity venture that deserves support wider than that of the families immediately involved
Channel swim for Mencap
Training on Ullswater |
I think a grandfather can be forgiven for a touch of pride and using this blog to promote the charity aspect - all donations are going to Mencap, the mental health charity. You can find out more in this video ...
And, should you feel inclined to donate, then simply click here!
The main flower border at its best three weeks ago |
Filling the gaps
Back to gardening! Before leaving home, I was pondering the gaps in our flower border. Such gaps appear as the high summer flowering period comes to an end. This this year seems more gappy than usual. You may be in the same situation so here are some suggestions of ways we might help:
1) Drop in a dahlia. Dahlias are cheery plants and so versatile. Codger's nursery has a fair selection that are potted up and ready to go. You have the choice of planting out (easily done) or simply dropping the pot in place (very easily done)
Zinnias are great for colour |
3) Impress with geraniums. We have some really good quality geraniums planted up in both large pots and troughs. These can look particularly good at the front of the border
4) Or, distract with a hanging basket. Only a few left so you'll need to be quick with this one
A small selection of the many perennials available |
Planning a border
In fact, this present period of late summer, is a good time to plan border improvements. I recently stumbled upon an excellent video that is full of really helpful design tips from a professional gardener. He sets out beautifully clear design principles that even old Codger could follow
The video takes the form of an interview between the Middle-Sized Garden lady (Alexandra - sorry, surname escapes me) and the head gardener, Tom Brown, at West Dean Gardens in Sussex. Very thoroughly recommended! [late edit: I've just noticed that a mis-read is possible - it is the garden that is Middle-Sized not the lady!]
Dazzling dahliasThe same lady has also given space to a Danish gardener, Claus Dalby. Perhaps readers will be thinking I should get out more but I shall risk recommending three videos in one blog (if we include the Mencap video). Mr Dalby grows his magnificent dahlias in pots and they look great. He is also very helpful in suggesting effective companion planting. Take a look and I think you will be impressed
Weeds and other green material added |
From the sublime to the ridiculous? Here's the third tip in my short series on composting: give the heap an occasional treat! By which I mean, add stable manure. I'm told that there are more horses living in urban areas these days than in the countryside - surprised? So, there's some manure near you! Hunt around and you are likely to find a supply - look for a pile of black bags by the gate
Topped of with the contents of a black bag! |
Now a word of warning. When you open the bag don't be surprised if you get little more than wood shavings. Remember, the you are getting the result of 'mucking out'. So, it's best to get two or three bags and blend the result
Think of yourself rather like those people whose job it is to blend tea or coffee. Experience will educate you!
As you can see, the bigger yield is on the right |
Very much earlier in the year I mentioned an experiment in growing potatoes - Pink Fir Apple, in fact
I was interested to see if the type of container made any difference. So, I planted three of these salad potatoes in a large plastic pot
And then I put three, of a similar size, in a felt growing bag (seen the photo below). I was careful to use the same compost mix to cover both sets
Back in early February |
Just the other day I noticed the tops dying back and thought I ought to take a look. The photo (above) shows the result. Those on the left were grown in the plastic pot. The better yield, on the right, were the potatoes grown in the felt growing bag
I know very little about these bags but I suspect that they are sometimes used by local cannabis growers. I reclaimed my bag from a local walkway where the results of such a growing enterprise had been dumped. That's Codger recycling again - and to good effect in this particular case
Telling a bee from a fly
About the same time in February, I published a photo of what I thought was a bee. Regular reader, Rachel White, helpfully corrected me - the photo showed a bee-like fly
I was pleased to be put right and am now in a position to better inform myself. The book shown was purchased at a branch of The Works (in Buxton, actually, just this week). I mention it in case anyone else would like to get a copy - as you can see, it costs £6 at the discounted price. The book is by Jean Vernon. It is an easy and fascinating read - it also has some excellent photographs
- 276 species of bee
- 7,700 species of wasp
- 7,000 species of fly (including 280 hoverfly
A plant straight out of a 9cm pot |
See what I mean? - an easy-to-fill triangle |
The other week I mentioned purple-podded beans - look how they turn green in the pan! Great flavour - we shall grow this variety again next year |
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