The Potting Shed - come on in, the kettle's on!

Dustykitten

Yorkshirelass, damp and shady is not good for grass I'm afraid, it will get a lot of moss in it. A woodland planting scheme would be much more successful and would not need mowing either.

Dustykitten

Managed to get lots done in the front garden today:

all roses prunned,
one rose bed weeded, the other weeding stated
another flower bed weeded
few bits moved
space cleared for moving the olive tree to
pig feeded (used as bird's water bath) emptied of sludgy black leaves and refilled with rain water
pots watered
path swept
bit of pruning

There is still quite a lot to do in the front and loads to do in the back but at least I made a good start.

Some of the primrose flowers are starting to open and most of the bulbs are showing through. Spring really is just around the corner.

Primrose

YORKSHIRELASS wrote: »

One of the problems is that there is just so much to tackle so we have decided to extend the lawn and get rid of one area thats currently a big flowerbed. Its damp and shady and nothing has ever done very well in there so as a result its probably the worst looking bit of the garden.

I echo Dustykitten's thoughts that you may have problems extending your grassed area into what was a damp shady flower bed, as you'll find that moss will rapidly take over. If you just want a green looking area, that's fine, but the moss will spread to other areas of your lawn over time. Another option might be to convert that area into a woodland flower bed with plants that like shade or damp like hostas, wild primroses, bluebells, christmas roses? Another plant which will grow well in that environment and is attractive is a member of the Arum lilly family called Cuckoo Pint which has attractive yellow veined leaves and produces a spear of red berries.

angelavdavis

Hi everyone,

Good to see everyone is busy getting their plots and gardens ready.

I have kick-started my allotment projects off:

I spent a couple of hours painting up my picket fence made from old pallets I got from Freecycle. They don't look half bad and should show off the cut flower garden off nicely at the front of the allotment.

I have also finished painting my plot sign. I found a silhouette of a gardener, and added this to a square - placing the plot number inside. I transferred the design onto a bit of scrap outdoor ply and have found some quadrant which I will cut out to form a frame. I am very happy with it!

I have also started planting up some petunias, lobelia and busy lizzies for the window boxes and will crack on with tomatoes, chillis and sweet peppers tomorrow to go in the propagator.

I also plan to transfer some of our equipment currently in our garden to the allotment to make more room in the garden and tidy it up. I have a large coldframe which will be moved and also a home made large cloche which will work wonders on the allotment. I also plan to move the blackcurrant and gooseberry bushes from my garden to the allotment - and plant some roses in this border. I picked up a lovely Gertrude Jekyll rose to go in.

I have new chickens arriving in February so need to set up a temporary home for them until I can integrate them in with the existing flock when their quarantine is over. Moving the coldframe should enable me to clear a space for the temporary henhouse.

So much to do!!!!!

Primrose

angelavdavis wrote: »

Hi everyone,

I have new chickens arriving in February so need to set up a temporary home for them until I can integrate them in with the existing flock when their quarantine is over. Moving the coldframe should enable me to clear a space for the temporary henhouse.

So much to do!!!!!

Envy! Envy! All that lovely poultry manure for your allotment !

YORKSHIRELASS

Thanks for the advice everyone, still debating what to do with the various bits of the garden that need attention. A woodland style bed sounds lovely.

I have made a start clearing away the rubbish but there is more to do and we need to work out what is worth saving. We had made plans to do some gardening last Sunday but it was really wet and windy. Hoping for better weather this weekend, its lovely today but I really need OH with me for some guidance on what can be dug up and what can be kept.

Dustykitten

My birthday present from lovely FiL has just arrived from crocus - 3 wineberry plants - very excited and know just where they will go. Like you YL I'm hoping for nice weather on the weekend.

[Deleted User]

I had a very pleasant potter this morning, a little rain early on and then the sun came out and it is at least 17 outside in our sunny suntrap sunken back garden. It gets so hot there that we hardlandscaped all of it in tiers, as you just have to go with the flow. We moved in last july and have shifted about 6 tonnes of various gravels and slate. It looks brilliant now and its lovely to know that the structure is now in place and it`ll be all pleasure from here-on in. When the sun shines in summer, then it is relentless in the garden, all over so I have had to try and create areas of shade

I am amazed at how my winter lettuce survived -14 and just in trays in a patiogro with the plastic cover plus a fleece on top. I am putting all the trays out daily now as the sun is greening them up and the wind is strengthening them. I even have aubergines and tomatoes outside during the day, when the sun shines and they are just by the house so must be at 20+

I have planted various trees in great big pots ie 3 crab apples (appropriate as we are backing onto an orchard) and also 2 amellanchier ballerina. I already have a 6 year old lilac in a pot and planted 2 more in pots last autumn. Buds are showing signs of life on the lilacs, amellanchiers and blueberries. I love having all the pots as I can move them to change the scenery

I ordered some more strawberries yesterday to go with the 2 that I already ordered, so now will have alice, calypso, norfolk nectar, cirano and alpine alexandria. Some for the allotment and some for pots

I need some help in choosing good plants for 3 tall pots like this one

http://www.erringtonreay.co.uk/er-product-range/glazed/content/CP_1_large.html

I want plants that can remain in the pots and stand full sun or partial shade

RebekahR

Ok here I am. I couldn't stay away much longer! LOL. I have my potting plastic on the finind room table. My seeds everywhere and my plans for my veggies. This year I am doing square foot gardening! My old veggie patch is going to be used for chickens! I'm well proper excited ...

fingersxed

Hi Folks

Ad a busy day at my allotment. I share part of some1 elses and he said did i want abit more? i want all of it!! but got some extra for now. Move my raised beds out about another 1.5 m so made quite q difference to my plot. Planted some winter broad beans. it said to plant by jan but thought they should be ok.

Going to do a few potatoes, onoins, broc, cut n come salad leaves, spring onions. Not been to sucessful with cabbage so might give that a miss. I have 2 blueberry bushes and some great strawberries.

Any ideas/suggestions gratefully recieved