A catalogue of trial, error and advice

ArbitraryRandom

I think (can't tell until the seedlings are actually producing fruit) that I've currently got both types - Vesca(ns) and Alpina. 

I'm saying that based on one of the ones I got from the car boot being an 'alpine type' but the fruits not being round - much more like mini 'real' strawberry shape. 

I'm not sure if that's an actual identifiable distinction, but all the pictures of the two types seem to show Vesca with your type of fruit Farway and alpina with longer/cone shaped fruit. 

BTW - while on the topic of identification. Why is it that ladybugs (who I think we can probably agree are one of the most adorable insects in the garden, up there with the bumble) have such evil and angry looking babies?  

ArbitraryRandom

Just picked that first strawberry... 

Small, but an intensely strawberry taste. Not hugely sweet. Quite pleasant really. 

I think I'm going to pick and freeze future berries - maybe see if I have enough for a jar of jam at the end of the season? 

Murphybear

Working_Mum said:

A really good thing to keep a look out for is a local "Open Gardens" event - you'll see lots of inspirational ideas for your garden, know which plants grow in soil similar to yours & be able to buy plants very cheaply from the householders. They are often ran for charity so it's a win win!! I bought a twisted willow 2 years ago and it was £4 and a foot high - I planted it at the bottom of my garden last year and it is now over 10 feet high and i love it!

I always check out the "poorly trolley" in garden centres as you can often pick up plants which need a bit of tlc - also always have a dig around in any pots that you buy and see if ay plants can be divided when you get home.

I keep an eye on Freecycle too for anything garden related which i may be able to use - I recently picked up a gazebo - which I am going to install this year in my garden.

I bought an old rattan conservatory sofa, chairs and footstool for £45 from a  charity shop - painted it up and that's been very comfy outdoor seating for over 2 years :-). Saved me a fortune on plastic patio furniture and gets some really lovely comments from friends.

Good luck with your project - keep posting pics as it'll motivate you and show you have all of your hard work is paying off!

That made me smile.  I put a gazebo on Freecycle yesterday, I got the first response in minutes and by 6.00 am this morning I had 40 requests for it.   . I would be interested to see how you get on with your honey berry and jostaberry.  I’ve not come across honey berries before.  I have a container only garden and my raspberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, blueberries and one jostaberry are doing fine.  We live in the south and get plenty of sun.  

RAS

Wild strawberries make excellent ground cover, in both the garden and allotment. I rescued three that had been washed out of a hillside in a downpour years ago and still have them. I weed them out where they are not wanted.

If you want a large strawberry with a similar flavour go for Royal Sovereign. Totally useless for the supermarket trade and not deep red. Pop in and squish with your tongue. Also quite drought resistant.

twopenny

Congratulations on your first Abs!   

ArbitraryRandom

Fair warning, I'm thinking again... 

I mentioned before there's a pyracantha in my front hedge. My neighbour wholeheartedly agreed it should go, and so it's gone (the stump remains for now, it was a substantial and established bush). 

I was considering replacing it with a hazel, kept trimmed as a shrub, but I have agreed with the neighbour to go halves on a lowish fence (maybe 1.5m/3-4ft) as they would very much prefer not to have to maintain anything on their side. 

That has led me to wonder - this would be a south facing sheltered sun trap... are there any better options than hazel for low maintenance edibles, that can either be pruned or naturally grow to somewhat less than 4ft, that I should be considering? I say low maintenance as I have no problems watering as needed, but the front garden is very overlooked and I'm not comfortable enough to be out there for extended gardening. 

The 'garden' area of the front is about 4m2 (1 square below is 0.5m) and the only other plants that I'm considering for in the area are possibly two roses from the back, a small crab apple* and some lavender (plus a few low growing plants along the top of a wall in a different part of the front).  

My intent is for the lavender to provide a bit of a screen from the street and for the crab apple to provide a pollinator for the tree I intend to plant in the back. 

What do you think?




* Anticipating some comments, from what I've read, Laura would do okay in a container or the ground - with a height of around 2m after 8 years and a spread of around 1-1.5m. Keeping it in a large container would allow me to move it if it does become too large for the space. The size of the roses is based on their current footprint, but they've been left to go wild so would probably stand a good trim. The thick black line around the 'patio' space is an existing railing that doesn't cast any shade.  

theoretica

We had a hazel hedge when I was growing up - hardly anything edible. 

Redcurrants - prune once or twice a year.

Rosa rugosa - if you want rosehips for anything

Honeyberry - something I would like to try if I had space

It might be a good place for some more herbs - you mention lavender, but sage, bay, rosemary sound like they also might be happy there.

ArbitraryRandom

I actually already have a couple of honeyberry plants in containers in the back. I could move them around the front and plant them out this winter when they're sleeping.

RAS

Roses can be usually cut back hard to an outward facing bud in early spring. They will flower a bit later, but produce better flowers.

Just don't do that to species roses like Canary Bird Yellow.

FreeBear

ArbitraryRandom said: I mentioned before there's a pyracantha in my front hedge. My neighbour wholeheartedly agreed it should go, and so it's gone (the stump remains for now, it was a substantial and established bush).

Don't worry, it will be back

I'd hacked one back to ground level and the darned thing sprouted again the following spring along with quite a few suckers. Finally got rid of it with the aid of a mini-digger.