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Hi! I'm trying to get back on top of the garden again (I'm terrible but getting there slowly!) and I was wondering if you had any advice about my budleia bushes please? They grew incredibly huge in the summer so they need cutting right back for next year because they just cover the garden! When should I cut them back and how far? I've seen it suggested that it should be cut right back to not far above the ground, but that seems a bit much, or are they right? And would pruning it now harm it or should I wait for spring? Thank you :)
It is almost impossible to over-prune buddleia! Go for it :)
That's right, my husband says how far do you want these cutting and I always say how far can you bend. They grow very quickly. They don't seem to mind when. You prune so long as it's not frosty. A general rule is if shrubs flower before June you can cut them back as soon as they've finished flowering.
Thank you :) So if I cut them down to a foot or so off the ground next weekend, I shouldn't kill it then :)
No - it might look as if you have - but sure as eggs, it'll be back as big as ever next year. :-)
I usually do it in Feb/March. You could get die-back with the frosts if you do it too early. Cut down to below your knees. If you need a saw, use one.
I might tidy it up a bit next weekend and then cut it back properly in the spring instead then, it's getting noticeably colder at the moment and I am in the North East! We'll be having snow before you know it!!
Rosemary (grooving with the Picts) wrote: "It is almost impossible to over-prune buddleia! Go for it :)"I managed to. Killer of the unkillable, that's me!
Speaking of killing things, any tips on pruning neglected apple cordons? Last time I tried pruning the darned things they took 3 years to recover!
Had a wee walk down the Bulvar today and they were shoving the snow off to plant what I think were pansies. Didn't have my phone or I'd have got photos.Will they survive zero temperatures? Or was it yet another vanity gesture because a vip was in town?
Pansies and violas are hardy - but I wouldn't be actually planting them in the snow!
Found the thread! Yay!So, Alla managed to keep my house plants sort of alive over the summer, but a few now have yellow leaves.
Too much water? Not enough? They had plenty of light cuz they were on the windowsill.
I managed to find fertiliser yesterday and dosed them today. Should I just be patient and see if that helps?
shortage of nitrogen can make stuff go yellow
Yeah, I'd never fertilised my plants here before. I'm sure they needed it.
Just repotting in fresh compost will give them a boost.
Took me two weeks to find potting soil. :)
I bunged in quite a few Fuchsia cuttings a couple of weeks ago, thinking that at least one would "take". Looks like they all have. So now I've got a plethora of my Gladys Fuchsia.
Patti (baconater) wrote: "Took me two weeks to find potting soil. :)"should just have phoned Internal Security and asked where you could get Ammonium Nitrate
Oh. Maybe that's why it so hard to find, eh?
Could you grow a comfrey plant there (in a big deep pot!) and make nitrogen tea for your plants out of the leaves?
No idea where I'd get one to grow.
Water them with club soda (it contains phosphates) or sparkling mineral water. Good for green leafage. Bring up to room temp first.Baking soda (1/2 tsp per couple of pints) to encourage flowering;
Epsom salts for magnesium deficiency (usually manifests as chlorosis - yellowing of leaves)
I think I can get all those!
Rosemary (grooving with the Picts) wrote: "Water them with club soda (it contains phosphates) or sparkling mineral water. Good for green leafage. Bring up to room temp first.Baking soda (1/2 tsp per couple of pints) to encourage flowering;..."
Can you add all those into the club soda?
As long as you don't drink it afterwards! You might feel a bit Moby!
Is there any sort of commercial fertiliser you shouldn't use for plants you want to eat?Think potted herb type plants.
I wouldn't use fertiliser on any herbs. Most of them (like thyme, rosemary, etc) grow in impoverished soil, on cliffs, in rubble. Grow 'em hard!
Husbands uncle used to use a lot of Epsom salts when growing tomatoes. The family swore they gave them the tom tits if they ate a lot,
Kath wrote: "I wouldn't use fertiliser on any herbs. Most of them (like thyme, rosemary, etc) grow in impoverished soil, on cliffs, in rubble. Grow 'em hard!"Good point.
My basil is looking a bit raggedy, though. Perhaps I'm cutting it too frequently?
Lynne (Tigger's Mum) wrote: "Husbands uncle used to use a lot of Epsom salts when growing tomatoes. The family swore they gave them the tom tits if they ate a lot,"Naw, was probably the hormones in the milk.
You can root cut-off clumps of basil in a glass of water. Start again. It does go straggly. That's its raison d'etre.
Not this basil. It just rots. I've only had luck sticking cuttings into soil.I've done that today but I think I need to bring the pot inside soon.
Is your basil faulty?
Ah, it doesn't like the cold. Maybe it's not cold where you are?
Gingerlily - Mistress Lantern wrote: "Is your basil faulty?"Groan.
Kath wrote: "Ah, it doesn't like the cold. Maybe it's not cold where you are?"Hasn't got very cold yet. Probably not less than 15C on my balcony, even in the night.
Patti (baconater) wrote: "Gingerlily - Mistress Lantern wrote: "Is your basil faulty?"Groan."
Its a classy pun.
My tomatoes did so well last year, that I ended up with way too many - so I only did two plants this year. I've eaten 2 tomatoes so far - the rest are still mostly green, with some beginning to turn red. I think I counted about 2 dozen on the plants so far - so quite a good crop.