Established Garden - Clueless Owner

paddy's_mum

If the previous owners are still anywhere in the area, I'd be inviting them over for tea one afternoon or a sherry one of these lighter evenings and asking them if they could go round the garden and identify the (once beloved) plants for you.

Oldbiggles

steelee_uk wrote: »

Wow, thank you for so many replies. Lots to read, and take in, so I'll be back in a few days once I'm able to reply.
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If you are really keen on starting a veg garden, you might try looking around your neighborhood for allotment site holders. If you get to know these garden enthusiasts they will be only too pleased to pass on useful tips and if you are really lucky there might be some physical help as well. These guys are usually very keen to pass on knowledge that has taken them years to learn which could save you from making a lot of mistakes.

Good luck.

rosie383

Thanks for posting this OP. I am in exactly the same situation myself after moving into our new house in September. The previous owner was a keen gardener and it is so exciting seeing what is appearing week by week now that it is spring.
So far I have only been able to identify the fruit trees (apple and damson) and the daffodils and strawberry plants. Oh, and the five rhubarb crowns which I am so happy to have. The hedges are made up of different varieties including holly and I have no clue what else. The birds are all over the place and it is such a joy.
We have a vegetable plot but I haven't done anything with it apart from hoeing out the odd weed. I took pictures of some of the shrubs and plants which I would love to identify. I know that these can be expensive and I don't want to pull out things which I may think are weeds, only to find out that they are some great type of ground cover plant which will be festooned with flowers in a few months. Who knows?
Oh, does anyone know if I can force rhubarb by just putting a tall plastic bin over it?

DaftyDuck

You can force rhubarb that way, although it may be a little late to start this year - best if done before crowns shoot. Also, forcing takes quite a bit of effort, strains the plant. Since you don't know what cruel and unusual punishment the previous owner may have carried out (harvesting late in the year, since he's moving, and doesn't care about next crop), I'd mollycoddle it this year, feed it manure, and let it flourish.

Next year, stick it in solitary, in 'the box', and let it sweat! But, rotate the plants you do it to, year-by-year, else it's too wearing for the plant.

rosie383

DaftyDuck wrote: »

You can force rhubarb that way, although it may be a little late to start this year - best if done before crowns shoot. Also, forcing takes quite a bit of effort, strains the plant. Since you don't know what cruel and unusual punishment the previous owner may have carried out (harvesting late in the year, since he's moving, and doesn't care about next crop), I'd mollycoddle it this year, feed it manure, and let it flourish.

Next year, stick it in solitary, in 'the box', and let it sweat! But, rotate the plants you do it to, year-by-year, else it's too wearing for the plant.

Thanks Dafty Duck. Very useful information. Only a few of the crowns are budding so far and I noticed this afternoon that there are new baby stems on one. Very exciting!
I've got a load of bulbs up along the edge of the veg plot too. No clue what they could be as they are similar in leaf to a daffodil, not wide enough leaves for tulips and have been intriguing me for weeks. I spotted the flower head coming up in the middle of several of them today so the mystery may be solved soon.