Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Farway

Actually did a spot of gardening this morning, at the Volunteer place, emptied daffs out of large broken pot & replanted into the memorial bed, should be nice come Spring, variety is Mount Hood, and helped with "planting" a scrounged replacement bird bath, old centre one had fallen apart over the years with frost

My Cape primroses leaf cuttings I took at end of May this year, one has flowered, Purple Polka dot, and here it is

RAS

That's lovely, Farway. I'm hopeless with indoor plants. You've obviously got the knack.

Lots apples and pears at the moment and lots of juicing for bottling and cider. Must complete the summer pruning before leaf fall. Another Show this week, so may get an image or two to share.

wort

@Farway I have been meaning to do leaf cuttings from mine , I saw Monty do them and wondered if now was not a good time though? Did they need much pampering once you planted them up? They are lovely 😊 

Farway

Sunny day ahead, only gardening is looking at the bargain bucket seeds just arrived from T & M and dreaming of next year's bumper tomato crop

I had my first taste of my new this year HG pear, Beurre Alexandre Lucas, yesterday, looked nice & ripe / yellow, but taste was a bit sharp, not the superb perfumed buttery taste as per blurb. However, it was better than the Concorde I had scrumped from next door, that was rotten in the core, yuck . Looks like another poor pear year at Farway Towers

wort said:

@Farway I have been meaning to do leaf cuttings from mine , I saw Monty do them and wondered if now was not a good time though? Did they need much pampering once you planted them up? They are lovely 😊 

I think it would depend on light & temperature, I took mine end of May because I knew I would not have to worry about heat or light, on window sill in poly bags. I was very unsure about it, never having tried leaf cuttings before, but surprised myself just how easy it was to achieve success.

I've found different varieties grow at different speeds and sizes from cuttings. The Polka dot I pictured is the only one so far to flower and TBH with the cooler weather I'm not expecting many more this year in my unheated, but frost free, conservatory

I'd go for it, on a window sill, but not in hot sun. Nothing to lose and a lot to gain by next Spring

Here are the other varieties I took cuttings of at the same time, end of May, I've just let them grow and intend potting on early next year because I just don't have space / heat / light to moly coddle a load of young plants over winter

As you can see, just in old food trays with drainage slits stabbed in the base and multipurpose compost because I didn't have anything else, I used a poly bag cover initially until growth started. There are some good Youtube videos on these. I used the cut along the centre vein method and now have loads of plantlets

best of luck with them and do let us know how it goes

wort

wow they are great 👍 thank you Farway ,I have 2 types the spotted and a blue/purple both given to me by a colleague she did say they are easy to grow. But is no longer working with us so had no one to ask . Will have a go , but may wait until it warms up not a very warm house here! Thank you.

liberty_lily

Your Cape Primrose is beautiful, Farway 😍

It's another warm, sunny day here but the gardening will have to wait as I'm half way through wallpapering my kitchen chimney breast 😉

I did find a few moments to get some cutting back done the other day, but for now the inside jobs are taking precedence. 

Farway

@wort just for info, here's my Cape primrose leaf cuttings I took on 06 August and have been inside a poly bag ever since. Uncovered for Autumn now. This is about ten weeks growth. The brown manky looking one lower right has got roots and very tiny plantlets BTW s don't be fooled by initial appearances

YoungBlueEyes

I went dog walking with my neighbour yesterday and took this pic of some very pretty trees (I like trees). Perspective is a bit funny - they’re only about 10ft tall ish but I like the way they seem like they’re squatting on tiny wee legs  

Not very nice weather here today. It’s properly persisting it down out there and has been all night. My front is SE facing and it’s lashing against my windows. I’ve got lavender out there, I hope it survives the battering…

Farway

Ditto YBE, rotten weather here as well, I had intended checking out the volunteer border new bird bath but decided it was too wet & dismal to drag myself out, very gloomy, and I know the garden will be squelching, at least the large pots are getting watered, and the Sungold toms outside can carry on splitting

YoungBlueEyes

Dismal here too, I've still got my lights on!

Fingers crossed for your toms...