De-browning my garden and dead snails

Davesnave

Dark Knight is fine, but Santana does a similar colour of flower with a more interesting leaf. However, it is less vigorous and might not do well in tough conditions.

Best doer of all is Dartmoor, but it's a bit floppy and needs loads of room.

Gers

Davesnave wrote: »

Dark Knight is fine, but Santana does a similar colour of flower with a more interesting leaf. However, it is less vigorous and might not do well in tough conditions.

Best doer of all is Dartmoor, but it's a bit floppy and needs loads of room.

Thanks, I'll look for Santana on this month. The leaves do look lovely.

The nurseryman said that the orange blobby one was 'a complete thug', made me laugh.

Fruittea

Just chipping in Gers to wish you luck and to comment snail-wise.


I agree it must have been the slug pellets that send them on their way. Interesting facts though - slugs live for about 5 years and lay about 100 eggs at a time. They are also boy/girls so any slug can reproduce.


I used to trap and move them on a bit but I now understand that they have to be moved at least 65 feet away from the own place of they can find their way back. They are nearly blind and don't hear but use their considerable sense of smell to find their way home.


Great time of year to be gardening - just about to do some now.

Gers

I've been out and completed the easy de-browning and now tackling the stuff which needs cut out.

The garden was long neglected by the previous resident and then the property was unoccupied for about 18 - 24 months before this 'never-before-gardened' woman moved in. There has been some lovely delights and a sort of purple and yellow theme emerging which was lovely to see last year.

Do I need to burn all this brown stuff, especially the tougher branches, or can it be chucked on the compost heap?

I've deadheaded daffs and squirted Clinic Ace on clumps of creeping buttercup. The grass badly needs cutting but it's still wet, perhaps I can do it tomorrow if today and tomorrow stay dry. There are still bare patches which haven't responded to re-seeding last year so I'll try again this spring.

Gardening is sort of 'grasping' me...

firebird082

Gers wrote: »

Gardening is sort of 'grasping' me...

It does that - before you know it you'll be listening to Gardener's Question Time, and using latin names for all the plants

Gers

firebird082 wrote: »

It does that - before you know it you'll be listening to Gardener's Question Time, and using latin names for all the plants

I already listen to GQT when I'm near a radio - usually in the car. Also watch Beechgrove Garden if pushed!

Can I burn the brown stuff Or compost it?

Ken68

I put it under the bottom of new heaps, Gers.
Helps drainage/ ventilation. NOT elderberry pieces. Do you have a brown bin ?

Gers

Ken68 wrote: »

I put it under the bottom of new heaps, Gers.
Helps drainage/ ventilation. NOT elderberry pieces. Do you have a brown bin ?

Haven't got a new heap so it's off to the garden waste bin - never thought of that Ken so thanks for the nudge. There's so much of it, and I tackled the brambles in the hedgerows too which added a load more.

Pruning is so effective, and I really enjoy doing it.

All the ivy I sprayed last year had died off, the stone wall still has the dead stems attached so I think I'll just leave them. I'm worried about pulling them off! Can I use the old stems as a support for a less invasive climber? Or is that too far out if the box?

Ken68

My climbers are all Clematis Montana, takes clipping and pruning well, though if you leave them, thick stems can result and would pull a wall down. Quick growing and planted away from the wall would probably do. Keep well pruned after flowering in May. Or any of the usual annual climbers like Sweet Pea.

Gers

Thanks again Ken.

In the middle pic above the ivy is visible on the right hand side, just going round the louvre 'window'. Only the bare stems remain. As this is my tiny terrace I think a scented climber in a pot may be the answer. I'll do some investigations!