Have I Done it Wrong?

Fredula

Hello! I've recently got my first ever garden and I was never any good at keeping house plants alive, and I think I may have made a boo boo tonight.

I bought some lovely plants and I bought a massive bag of Multi Purpose Plus compost from homebase. I've planted the plants in the compost, although now, I'm kind of thinking that I should have bought soil? Will my plants be okay in just compost or will I need to buy soil and re pot them? I have no idea what the plants are called except the lavender and daffs, as they weren't planted today, I've had them a while.

Here's a pic.

Oh, also, do you think I should switch the little tree thing for the big pink/purple grassy thing? I'm not sure how deep the big grassy thing needed to be planted.

Mollymoonlight

Hi Fredula, congratulations on your first garden! Don't panic too much about making mistakes, we've all been there, its how you become a good gardener

I love the old bbq idea, there's nothing better than a bit of upcycling in the garden. Once the weather warms up a bit you'll have much more plants to choose from in the garden centres. I'd be tempted to fill the bbq with some lovely trailing begonias or something similar. Or if you wanted to try a bit of GYO you stick in a couple of strawberry plants.

I've been gardening for years and still struggle with houseplants, so I wouldn't worry too much about that.

Good luck!

Fredula

Ah they're selling grit in Aldi so might pip over and get some. I can't plant it in the ground unfortunately. Would you recommend switching the mini tree for the purple thing?

Molly thats a good idea about strawberries! My dad is taking cuttings from my strawberry plant which is at my mum's house so when the are ready i shall plant them in there :-) thanks

RAS

You have plants that can cope with shallow soil in the deep tub (primukla) and the phormium which needs deep soil in the shallow container. Shift the phormium (purple thing) into the big deep box. I would be tempted to get some more soil or compost as once that settles the boxes will be half empty.

Edwardia

Houseplants can be really tricky, especially things like African violets, orchids and ficus. Spider plants and money plants are pretty easy.

Some BBQs have a bit for raking charcoal out which you could open a tad to allow it to drain. I grew pelargoniums for years in an old BBQ and that fell apart well before the plants.

I've also got an aluminium preserving pan and several metal buckets with herbs in, although OH drilled small holes in the bottom for me.

sobie

Looks lovely what a really good first attempt :T

I agree swap the cordyline (can't tell if its a cordyline or phormium - do all the leaves come from the soil or centrally from the plant?) for the conifer. the conifer is a goldcrest, they are pretty large too, it will get to about 5ft within 3 -5 years and eventually 30ft+ but they are quite temperamental, they like sheltered spots and hate windy locations.

I'd turn the tub around too (rather than looking at an ugly sticker/ label).

Is that a heather in the little pot at the front? if so it will need to be in ericacous compost and don't use tap water if you live in a hard water area. Other than that multipurpose compost is ideal for the temporary plants you've chosen (Primula, daffs etc).

When buying plants if you don't know what they are make sure they come with care instructions/ named labels so you know exactly what treatment is needed for each plant. A little tip one of my customers taught me is to put all the labels into a photo album so they are always to hand (if left outside they quickly go brittle or fade).

Fredula

The BBQ does have the bit which you turn. I've opened it and put a broken pot over it, and and couple of the purple stones. When I watered it yesterday all the water came out the bottom, and I was worried I'd opened it a bit too much? However, drainage doesn't seem to be a problem. The big box has 4 holes in each corner and my Dad made one in the middle of the box for me too - all of which have broken pots over Also the ground sheet underneath all of the stones, I forked loads before putting it on top of the soil (we had dug out bramble roots so I put that down to try and attempt to not let the brambles re grow. I have no idea if they still will though).

Oh gosh, didn't realise that about the conifer. Will it be okay in a tub? I can't really put it in the ground (we rent).

The little pot at the front, I'm not sure what's in there, I bought that one already planted because I was getting a bit annoyed at myself for being in the garden centre so long and having chosen the wrong trolley, I couldn't fit any more in there. The tall spikey thing smells, I think it might be a herb. Maybe rosemary? Not sure. It's got Ivy at the front (I bought Ivy for the bbq too) and there are two little bedding plants in there aswell although I have no idea what they're called.

The lavendar was my Nan's (she's gone into a home) so after about 6 months of neglect (no one went down to water the poor thing), I took it and am trying to revive it. Not sure if it's working though? I suppose I will only know if and when it flowers?

I have a young baby, and I saw something in the garden centre which said that if the leaves were eaten it was poisenous. Are any of the plants in my picture poisenous? From looking on the wesbite I think the thing I saw was euonymus. Is there anything similar I could have which wouldn't be dangerous?

sobie

Fredula wrote: »

The BBQ does have the bit which you turn. I've opened it and put a broken pot over it, and and couple of the purple stones. When I watered it yesterday all the water came out the bottom, and I was worried I'd opened it a bit too much? However, drainage doesn't seem to be a problem. The big box has 4 holes in each corner and my Dad made one in the middle of the box for me too - all of which have broken pots over Also the ground sheet underneath all of the stones, I forked loads before putting it on top of the soil (we had dug out bramble roots so I put that down to try and attempt to not let the brambles re grow. I have no idea if they still will though).

Oh gosh, didn't realise that about the conifer. Will it be okay in a tub? I can't really put it in the ground (we rent).

The little pot at the front, I'm not sure what's in there, I bought that one already planted because I was getting a bit annoyed at myself for being in the garden centre so long and having chosen the wrong trolley, I couldn't fit any more in there. The tall spikey thing smells, I think it might be a herb. Maybe rosemary? Not sure. It's got Ivy at the front (I bought Ivy for the bbq too) and there are two little bedding plants in there aswell although I have no idea what they're called.

The lavendar was my Nan's (she's gone into a home) so after about 6 months of neglect (no one went down to water the poor thing), I took it and am trying to revive it. Not sure if it's working though? I suppose I will only know if and when it flowers?

I have a young baby, and I saw something in the garden centre which said that if the leaves were eaten it was poisenous. Are any of the plants in my picture poisenous? From looking on the wesbite I think the thing I saw was euonymus. Is there anything similar I could have which wouldn't be dangerous?

water does tend to run straight through newly planted compost it just needs wetting out a bit.

re brambles - it depends what you mean by ground sheet. You need a strong woven sheet (plastic looking) often sold as ground control. THe weed control material is too thin to be used under the slate and will rip quite quickly if you walk on it. Don't use plastic underneath stones etc as rain water will pool on top and stink.

Lavender doesn't need watering, its happiest in a dry sandy/ gritty soil. Is there any leaves on the lavender? If there isn't its dead.

The yellow goldcrest conifer has a slightly lemon scent which is great for keeping flies away. It will be fine in one of those pots for a year or two - they are generally considored to be throw away plants for brighting up pots/ baskets for a season, then replaced.

I looked closer the thing I though was a heather and it does appear to be a rosemary. This will need some protection from frost atm because its likely an Italian plant. (English grown Rosemary isn't available yet its too wet)

The bedding plants are primroses - not the proper ones they are hybrids they've just about finished flowering now so you might get another couple of weeks before they'll need replacing. Just stick them under a tree out of the way, let them die down naturally and they'll come back next winter.

Daffodils are poisonous, and english ivy (green) berries are poisonous.

All of this information would be on the plant labels.

Fredula

Wow I didn't know daffodils are poisonous!! They have so many daffodils growing on the green areas of our town.

I bought a pot to plant the purple thing in, and I bought some strawberry plants to plant in the BBQ. I probably wont do it tonight though, maybe on the weekend.

RAS

Daffodil bulbs are poisonous.