Ainsjane's Outbox

I have a lovely book from the RHS - Hanging Baskets RHS Pratical. Its a box set of about five books.

You can go to rhs.org.uk site to look at what they have.

I make 6 hanging baskets every year which do go in full sun. I purchase a hanging basket set of plants 18 plants in a pack) from B & Q which have the following:

Side - begonia's, busy lizzies, lobilia, pertunia's - these are all trailing.
Top - centre with a geranium, pelrgonium, busy lizzies.
Chives also do well in hangin baskets

You could do a busy lizzie ball -

Tools

Large flower pot to support baskt
Pencil
Craft knive
plier

Materials

Recycle paper liner x 2
30cm (12in) wire hanging basket x 2
Potting compost
Plastic flower 9cm (3.5 inch) plastic flower pot (to act as a reservior)
Plastic coated wire
chain

Punch out planting holes
fill with compost and add plants
do the same for the second basket, but cut a hole in the bottom to place the plastic flower pot
put the two sections together and wire
put on chaing and water well

watch the busy lizzies form a nice ball.

I use bran round my plants as the smell and the dryness keeps pests at bay. You can buy them smart price and crush. The garlic idea looks good as this was on gardners world on Friday evening. I also use nematode but that for slugs.

I have never heard of this as it forms the tomato. The only thing to remove are side shoots and if the plant has excessive leaves you can remove them, this way power goes to producing the flower which them becomes the tomato. I would also recommend planting in rings in your grow bags as this gives a better root ball, retains water and higher yield. If you don't have the rings them a large plastic pot with the bottom cut out works just as well. I did this first and then purchased the rings.

Good luck.

Debs

Pruning overgrown Clematis montana
Clematis montana is the most vigorous of the deciduous Clematis species flowering in late spring on the previous year's ripened growth.

Pruning of established plants is usually kept to a minimum. Winter-damaged growth should be removed in spring. After flowering overlong shoots can be cut back to healthy buds. The simplest way to do this is to use shears to clip over the plant to keep it tidy.

Due to their vigour older plants, especially if neglected, may become a mass of congested growth. It may be possible to thin out this growth, but often the only practical solution is to cut all the stems back to within a few inches of the base. If this is done in early summer and the plants watered and fed during the growing season they should flower the following spring but if the pruning is carried out in winter a whole flowering season will be lost.

Hope this helps.

Debs

Just point it in the right direction it will do the rest. I have several round the garden and now just have to trim them back, but be careful when they get bushey as blackbirds love to make nests in them.

Debs

I leave mine in the ground every year. I put plastic over them then put a good covering of mulch. Once you get them through their first year they tend to come back ok. I am look at un covering mine next week but will be keeping a eye out for frost and if I no one is on the way I will pop a fleece over them. I am in Preston, Lancashire.

I have ordered some more from the national dahlia society which arrived today. They will be potted on and once a good size they will be going outside. The only problem is slugs so I am getting ready to spray my second batch of nematodes. I love dahlia's and grow the gaints.

Best regards

Debs

I don't think you have the below but though I would send this information if it does turn out to be lead mould.

I think you have either over water or it maybe down to feed. Just take the leaves off and see what happens. I have had a few leaf problems with my large beef steak tomatoes but it has been after I have fed them. I have taken the leaves off and they are doing ok. I alway stip my tomato plants of excess leaves and use grow bags but with tomato rings in them as this gives a better yield.

Tomato leaf mould (Cladosporium fulvum)

Symptoms

Patches of pale greyish-brown mould develop on the underside of leaves of tomatoes growing in the greenhouse. A yellowish blotch is usually seen on the corresponding upper surface. Lower leaves are usually infected first, and dead leaves wither but do not fall. When infection is severe the mould may develop on both leaf surfaces, and occasionally even flowers and fruit are affected. Infection of plants growing outdoors is rare.

Cause

The mould growth contains huge numbers of spores of the causal fungus. The first symptoms may develop in April or May, but the disease is usually most troublesome from June or July onwards. During warm, moist conditions the disease can develop very rapidly.

How does the disease affect a tomato crop?
Because the vigour of the plants is reduced, the yield will also be reduced. In addition, if the disease is not controlled it can carry over to infect next year's crop.

Spread

Spores are carried on air currents and insects, and also on your clothing as you brush against infected plants. The spores can survive over winter on plant debris and on the greenhouse structure.

Prevention

Good ventilation and a maximum temperature of 21oC (70oF) may help to prevent the disease. Try to avoid wetting the foliage when watering - this is particularly important in the evening, as the leaves may then stay wet all night. Spacing the plants more widely apart than usual will also help. Good hygiene is very important, so remove affected foliage as soon as it is seen, and dispose of all infected plants at the end of each season (do not compost). Then, once the greenhouse is clear, disinfect it with Jeyes Fluid or Armillatox.

Resistant cultivars

‘Shirley’, ‘Dombello’, ‘Estrella’, ‘Eurocross BB’, ‘Grenadier’, ‘Shirley’ and ‘Cumulus’ are all resistant, but check the seed catalogues for others.

Chemical control

Best reagrds

Debs

Once the disease has appeared the plants should be sprayed with mancozeb (Bio Dithane 945). Copper fungicides (Bordeaux Mixture, Murphy Traditional Copper Fungicide) can also be used, but tend to harden the foliage and are best applied later in the season. Neither mancozeb nor copper is labelled for leaf mould control, but both are labelled for control of tomato blight, and if used as directed for this disease should give some control.

This might not appeal but I just wipe them off with my fingers. You could also get the hose out and spray them off (gardeners world tip) or if you don't have any lady birds you can buy them from greengardener. I have a large Pampas that ladybirds over winter in but only have a problem early in the season; then the ladybirds make short work of them. Attracting birds to the garden also helps. I have some lovely David Austin roses that do really well every year without the use of chemicals. I am very much into organic gardening as I grow my own veg.

Debs

Get the soil ready but but don't plant just yet as we do have frost about, which could wipe out all your hard work (unless hardy). I am in Lancashire and it is forecasting snow for Tuesday. Why don't you buy some perennials. You can buy tubers and plant them. You will get a display every year. There are some great offers at the moment and check out the pound shops some great buys. Also watch out for offer in the papers where you just pay the postage. I have just received a peony tree for a postage fee of £2.99.

Debs

I sow mine in October but do have a greenhouse. This just mean you get an early start. If they get leggy you just trim them back which I have done twice now, this then also make them more bushy. I have been hardening mine of all week. So they come out in the morning and then go back into the greenhouse in the evening I have planted some out today but with cold weather still to come I will keep hardening them off and plant more out next week.

They best way to sow sweet peas are in root trainers or the cardboard tubes left over from finished toilet rolls. The reason for this is that sweet peas do not like to be disturb. So sown in tube and them plant out when ready. Once they start to flower keep picking them as this will extend the grown season. They are a thirsty plant and a drop of seaweed food once a week should give you the pleasure of their sweet sent well into later September.

Debs

Check out green gardener. They have advice and as in the name are green. I use the nematodes they are great and they look after the veg plot, the garden and my tubs and pots. I buy a programme that takes me through the season. I have only ever found a couple of vine weevils and I love to grow my own veg.

Debs

I would not use anything just wrap the sweet pea round the support and they will do the rest other wise use garden string and tie as a figure of eight.

I have just put some out today. I have had them hardening off all week. I started my in root trainers back in October and have trimmed them back twice to get them bushey. I have 2 large wigwam's for mine and will just train them into the sctructure. I love sweet pea's and the sent is wonderful.

Debs

I am not sure what type this is without looking through my RHS books but my standards are the same and I think it mainly due to the fact that they are acid loving. I usually given them a feed and they are beauties when they flower. If you are a member of the RHS they have a free service to identify plants and diseases.

Debs

I used to work for a bulb importer and you can plant bulbs a least two months later than what is stated on the package. The pound shops are a good buy for bulbs etc's there stock is generally purchased from some excellent dutch growers.

Debs

Nemotados from the greengardener are what I have used for several years. They really do the trick. I grow dahlia's and have several hosta's. You buy then in a set that is delivered through the season. It s a powder form that you can either put in a watering can or you have an attactment for you hosepipe. It takes a few weeks for them to ativate. Last year was so wet but I did not have a slug problem.

Gardeners World did a trial last year and they came out best.

I also have a hedgehog house with occupant and a song thrush which also helps.

Another solution is bran. You can buy the smart price bags and crush. You can sprinkle around your new forming plants. I have used this to give my hosta's a good start.

Then their is also taking leaves from a yucca plant crushing mixing with water the putting in a spay gun. You then spray the plant the slugs are eating.

I have a book its called how to be a good slugg hunter. Its full of top tips.

Debs

It was a Alan Titchmarsh tip - You get a better root ball and it also helps to retain water better. I purchased the rings as they have two sections one two water and one two feed. They are not cheap but well worth the purchase for better yeald. Harrods Hortricultural website is one of the best as there prices are very competive. I also use them to grow peppers.

Thanks

Debs

I have been growing tomatoes for a few year now and tend to start them March but this year I am starting them inside at the end of this month. Want them to get of to a real good start.

I would also recommend when using grow bags not to just plant in the bag but get a desent sized plant pot (bet you have plenty around) cut the bottom out and place this in the grow bag add addition soil and pop your tomatoes plant in this.

Debs

I am like many gardeners out there a cat lover and do have two very clean females but they can be a problem.

Cats are creatures of habit and tend to go to the same spot. I had a real problem with my front lawn and a male cat, who left his mess on the top of the grass. Females tend to always dig a a whole and bury. Well mine do any way and that is why you are having problems with your gravel area, they think its a litter tray.

I found the following a completed sucess.

Take a cane, break in to small sticks approx 6 inches, wrap tin foil on the top and place were you have the problem. Cats don't like tin foil and the stick give them a shock. Break the habit, solve the problem. Also keeping you grass short does help but in the winter when the grass grows and you don't mow the is a perfect solution. I have used this method for a few years now and its easy to take the sticks out when mowing then pop the back and if you stand on them they are easily replaced.. I put them in clusters of three.

Hope it helps

Debs

Early sweet peas are what I grow in my greehouse which is the same as yours. I also will be starting some flower seeds in February they just take a little longer.

The cold snap will kick start your garlic and a good frost gives you extra tasty veg. I never pick my brussels until they have had a good frosting.

Hi Spritz

I have found this to be common. I have had the flower snap (they make beautiful cut flowers and last ages in water) and then had re growth.

Debs

Hi David

I have a lady bird house in my garden which I purchased some 3 years ago from the green gardener website. It is sited next to a large pine tree and is slightly hidden. I purchased lady bird eggs from the greengardener and I also have a large pampas grass that they love to over winter in.

I am an organic gardener and I also have several David Austin roses which are not plague by aphids. I seem to be doing something right as I have good population of ladybirds every year. I also have frogs and blue tits who love aphids.

I also have an hedghog house which is will hidden and the occupant keeps my snail and slugg population under control.

The greengardener website is really good and has lots of advise.

Hope this helps.

Debs

If you go on the BBC gardeners world website you can get a lists of growing timetables. The RHS also has lots of information.

There is also an excellent book by Alan which covers the full year.

Happy New Year

Debs

I have two compost bins and as in Spritzhenry reply you do need to get the mix right and it can take two years before you see the results. You can buy a breakdown powder to add to your mix. This speeds up the process. I would also advice you to to try and rock the barrel as this also helps the process and the level should drop.

Debs

Hi Stu

I have been growing Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) bulbs for a number of years and have several on the go at the moment. I am like you I don't thow them away but pop them in the greenhouse water occasionally, let them dry out Aug/July then set them going end of October/November. I also give then a seaweed liquid feed. They are far to expensive to throw away and I have quite a collection. I get my large bulbs from the European market in Manchester at Christmas time 2 for £5 and use them as Christmas present with the correct instructions.

There was a really good article on them in Gardeners world a couple of Christmas's back.

Happy New Year

Debs