The Great 'spruce up your garden' Hunt

cjb02

This is very cheap for a very good plant although it takes while. I have a garage and I wanted it covering up a little from view. I thought I would try a kiwi plant. I bought a fruit from Asda's and removed the seeds. Planted the seeds and it is now going great guns. I planted the seed 3 years ago. 3yrs ago they made about 4inches (as I planted them very late in the season), 2years go it made 18inches in one season, and I planted it next to the garage. last year it made 8ft in one season in being grown in a very shady spot. this year it is coming on very nicely. lots of growth has started and foliage looks fantastic. large heart shaped leaves with red hairs on the underneath and on the stalk. so the side of the garage is now well and truly spruced up.

Paul_Higgins

Wilkinsons are selling seeds 3 for price of one packet.

Sorry if it's already been posted- there are a lot to trawl through!

Paul_Higgins

amcluesent wrote: »

A cheap option is having the man of the house take a whiz on the compost heap to accelerate the production of usable compost.

Another benefit of this is pee is mostly ammonia, which breaks down to nitrogen- plants favourite food!

Paul_Higgins

Minerva69 wrote: »

Anyone got any tips to sort out a derelict garden that's chock full of brambles? It's been like that for 10 years, my other half is disabled and I'm his carer, as well as looking after my elderly parents so I just don't have time to do any gardening. I'd love my daughter to be able to play out there but you literally can't get up the garden for the brambles and bindweed. We've also got 2 dry stone walls that are falling down and some leylandii that are well overgrown. We can't really afford to get anyone in to fix them. We tried asking at the local college to see if any students wanted to have a crack at it (they do horticulture courses there) but they weren't interested. Can't blame them really!

Have you spoken to your local council? I'm sure somebody in your situation would be entitled to help. Round here they send out council employees to cut the grass etc. for those unable to do their own.

Worst case scenario- they say no!

Paul_Higgins

Erinath wrote: »

Wilkinsons are also an excellent place to try out. I bought a small Acer today for £3, coriander with a terracotta pot for 59p plus quite a few terracotta pots for 99p each. They have lots of plants outside my local branch for really good prices.

I have bought many plants from 'Wilko's' for as little as 5p. They aren't horticultural experts and their plants often ail from too much or too little watering. They wilt, look poorly and are sold dirt cheap. I've lost one or two, but generally a little TLC brings them back to perfection!

And don't forget the end of season- they sell lots of stuff, hose pipes, spades, forks for as much as 75% off just to get rid of them.

Get your timing right, and you can get some real bargains for next year.

I've noticed some seep hoses you put in the ground to water plants going for about £6-£7. I will wait and see if there are any left after the summer and try to get them with a massive reduction- perhaps as cheap as £2 or so.

Cheeky, but effective!

cjb02

I have bought many plants from 'Wilko's' for as little as 5p. They aren't horticultural experts and their plants often ail from too much or too little watering. They wilt, look poorly and are sold dirt cheap. I've lost one or two, but generally a little TLC brings them back to perfection!

I have bought plants from here before now at the end of season that look sick, dead or dying. you have to be careful but I agree, you can drop on some really good bargains indeed.

Paul_Higgins

alfie_1 wrote: »

p.s. you can add a water sealant type additive thingy to cement or a bit of washing up liquid apparently to help strengthen??

The washing up liquid trick is to make the cement easier to mix and makes it flow better for the brickie.

I worked for a builder in the '70's mixing cement by hand (well, shovel actually!) and a chippy said squeeze a drop of fairy in it to make the mix more plastic (because we all know plastic is a property, not a substance, don't we?). When the builder caught me he was less than impressed. Apparently it weakens the cement, which he didn't want to happen because he was a tradesman and proud of his trade.

alfie_1

Thought of more!!
1. get a plastic pint size [empty] bottle of milk. pierce several holes around bottom edge,[ use a hot nail if adult!]make sure holes are clear but not too big. sink bottle in the middle of your pot/tub/basket , take top off, fill with water and or feed and it will slowly release half way down the soil, getting to the roots and not evaporating/running off the top. top up as and when. prevents water/scorch damage to the flowers and foliage too.

Paul_Higgins

alfie_1 wrote: »

also you can get what i call "wibble wobble" tape from nurseries [£3 ish]. you suspend it across the area you want to protect quite tightly and it vibrates in even a breeze ! deters animals as they cant make out exactly where and what it is....doesnt harm them.

What a brilliant description!:rotfl:and an equally brilliant idea. I must try this because of the cats that think they live with me and poo all over my garden.

alfie_1

Im getting boring but theres more....
1. go to your local tip and buy some cheap old wrought iron gates, put them in a row,use post inbetween to support gates ,use a bit of wire. [doesnt matter if mismatched , just similar height!] and use as a fence, looks nice as a way of halving yr garden. grow sweet peas, garden peas and runner beans against them and it looks great and you get food from it too.
2. plant veg ie rhubarb, courgettes etc in your flower beds, brilliant foliage, flowers and then crops ! also make a cane tall cone and put runner beans , again plonk it in your flower bed. looks great.
3. use my cane trellis idea and make 3 sides like a box, grow beans, sweet peas etc and put a seat in the box and sit back [if you ever get time!] and relax. couple of nice smelling herbs in pots are good too.
4. got old car tyres? i put a strip of carpet 6ft x 2ft approx down. put 3 old car tyres on, fill with soil and grow yr herbs in them. the carpet stops weeds, helps retain moisture and prevents your "mints" from taking over the planet!!