Plans for this weekend - comments?

ness_w

I am a useless and very inexperienced gardener but plan to be out this weekend weeding the border and putting a few new plants in - it's a cottage style border so think I might put in some scabious and aquilegia, it all depends on what I like at the garden centre. I've also invested in a small cold fame and plan to put some pepper plants in there for now, not sure what else (we're never at home in August so no point planting things that yield then). Need to get some herbs sorted too, I'm thinking about buying supermarket pots of basil and dividing them, not sure if it will work, but it's a lot cheaper than the garden centre. I also think I might do some rocket if I can find plants, a bit late for seeds now I think?
Is this the right way to be spending this weekend?

jabba4

You can grow rocket all year long. Sow some now to start harvesting in something like a month. You can also grow it indoors all year round, much the same as herbs. Basil does especially well on a window sill.

Jake'sGran

I grow a lot of plants but would not consider scabious again. They just didn't survive. Aquilega is an easy plant to grow from seed. Rocket is easy too and easy from seed. Between now and when you go away you have plenty of time to sow basil seeds in a big tub or in a part of the border although most people grow it in containers of one kind or another. It would be expensive to use a supermarket box of it. I did a lot yesterday - you need a lot for pesto. So many things are easy to grow I think you could be a bit more adventurous. One thing that quickly fills up the garden is to take cuttings from evergreen shrubs. Maybe someone in your family would let you have cuttings.

ness_w

Brilliant! I will get some basil and rocket seed now then. Will it be okay to sow them outside in big pots now, or will I need to cover them in something at night? I don't have windowsills and the house is very crowded so I'd be a bit stuck for somewhere to start them indoors.
I'll bear in mind the problems with the scabious. At the garden centre all the perennials for the cottage border were very expensive or very small. Think I will have to try to get to the market instead! I already have a wide range of shrubs at the bottom of the garden which I just keep on top of with pruning.
As well as peppers I got an aubergine plant for growing in a grow bag, we weren't going to do tomatoes because of the work, but my daughter (11) has offered to take charge so will give them a go. Can you recommend a suitable variety? Thanks JakesGran and Jabba4 for your advice!

rhiwfield

Just finished constructing a 12 metre border by a high fence. Have sown this week hollyhocks for flowering next year and sowing lupins and foxgloves today. Sowed cornflowers and wildlife mix for colour this year as well as asters and dahlias. Bought a couple of teasels yesterday at a plant sale for variety.

At garden centre or even market prices it would be too expensive for me to plant the border but seed packets cost average of 50p each at Wilkos and whole border should cost less than £15 to plant including compost.

olly300

ness_w wrote: »

Brilliant! I will get some basil and rocket seed now then. Will it be okay to sow them outside in big pots now, or will I need to cover them in something at night? I don't have windowsills and the house is very crowded so I'd be a bit stuck for somewhere to start them indoors.
I'll bear in mind the problems with the scabious. At the garden centre all the perennials for the cottage border were very expensive or very small. Think I will have to try to get to the market instead!
I already have a wide range of shrubs at the bottom of the garden which I just keep on top of with pruning.

Best way to get perennials-
1. Grow from seed yourself. Yes will take probably 2 years to flower but worth the effect to get the exact plants you want.
2. Get cuttings of friends and neighbours. Or even strangers - just tell people you love their garden.
3. Watch for adverts on freecycle
4. Go to garden open days - http://www.ngs.org.uk/

If you really can't be bothered join the email mailing lists for online/postal retailers like T&M and JParkers who have sales. The plants will be small but they will be cheaper than garden centre you go to.

ness_w wrote: »

As well as peppers I got an aubergine plant for growing in a grow bag, we weren't going to do tomatoes because of the work, but my daughter (11) has offered to take charge so will give them a go. Can you recommend a suitable variety? Thanks JakesGran and Jabba4 for your advice!

What type of tomatoes do you like eating?