Awful weather - typical Brits talk

ArbitraryRandom

Hmm... I remember following someone around a wood as a teen (that sounds... wrong, it was a course on foraging or natural dye or something!) and being told it can happen when the ground is compact or too wet so there's not enough oxygen around the roots. He said you shouldn't cover a trees exposed roots with soil, but I think leaves and mulch were okay? 

pink_poppy

Thanks, AR. The ground being too wet could well be the culprit then, we are in Scotland after all. That did make me laugh about following someone around a wood   

In other news, I think there are things stirring in the new rhubarb patch - definitely two red shoots coming up - I'll post a pic when I'm on my phone. I tried to get a pic of the tree roots after I'd taken a pic of the rhubarb, but my phone said no...

Just had a big downpour.

pink_poppy

Rhubarb starting to pop up...

Dustyevsky

pink_poppy said:

Me again. Who else got an Amaryllis for Christmas??

Um, we had one that wasn't sold in time by a certain chain store. We forgot it for a while, and it started growing, so we hurriedly potted it up in the supplied compost and container. It only grew about 20cm before the first flower came out, after which, no more growth, but a succession of flowers. It's still going strong. I'm sure yours will do fine, but last year's might be 'blind' if it wasn't fed.

pink_poppy said
Another problem I have though are tree roots. Are they supposed to be above ground?? They also seem to be longer than the tree height, iykwim. I'm happy to chop/dig them out, but am worried that will kill the tree - it's only on one side/quarter circle, if that makes sense.

If you take out a root, the tree probably won't die, but it might be less stable. Roots on some trees do grow more at the surface than others, while others have them popping up far from the parent tree. Our elm hedge has some shoots emerging 15m from its trunks.

Paspatur

I need cheering up just way too wet to go outside
Looking out I feel like nothing has been done, but it has
I am going to attempt to put some before and after pics of part of my back garden

Paspatur

And this is 3 years ago 

pink_poppy

Aye, I had thought about that - they don't call them roots for nothing. Interesting about the elm hedge roots - I wouldn't have expected that.

Thanks, Dusty. 

Is it too late to give last year's Amaryllis a bit of feed now, do you think?? I've got some Baby Bio.

pink_poppy

That's looking lovely, Paspatur  

Paspatur

Thank you. It is even better now with perennials replacing quick fix annuals. But just a sodden heap right now so no up to date pics

Paspatur

Inspired by @Dustyevsky wine bottles here is another before picture. I will post an up to date one if I can find or wait a few months