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Post by derekbrooks on Feb 19, 2011 22:55:55 GMT
Did some more re-potting of pot plants in the greenhouse this afternoon. This evening I have done the pH tests on all my soil samples. ALLOTMENT BEDS Potatoes.........6.8 Other root crops..6.95 Brassicas........6 75 Onions...........6.9 Runner beans/ Sweet peas...6.9 Other veg.......6.9 Chrysanths....6.7 Dahlias..........6.65 Annuals.........6.8 BEDS AT HOME Chrysanths....6.3 Front border..6.3 Back border...6.65 The ideal pH for most things is 6.5 to 7.0 .The brassica bed would be better over 7.0 to help control club root but apart from that the allotment beds are O.K. I would like the chrysanth bed and the front border at home to be a bit higher but one problem is that lime and manure shouldn,t be added at the same time.There should be 2 months in between if possible. The brassica bed and the chrysanth bed have both been manured recently so I would have to wait till the end of April before adding the lime but this doesn,t give it much time to do its job before planting time so I may leave them. The front garden doesn,t get manured so I will add some lime. 6 oz.per square yard of limestone will bring it up to about 6.8.I prefer to use limestone flour than hydrated lime. I always say that I will do the pH tests about November and add lime then if necessary but I always forget.  |
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Post by derekbrooks on Feb 20, 2011 21:23:44 GMT
Had an afternoon in the greenhouse today.Took another 24 dahlia cuttings then carried on with re-potting the pot plants
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Post by Cherry on Feb 20, 2011 21:47:20 GMT
You are very exact with your soil requirements Derek. I don't change anything.
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Post by derekbrooks on Feb 21, 2011 22:40:42 GMT
I think pH is important,Cherry because if it is too high or low certain plant foods are not available to the plants.
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Post by scrumpy on Feb 21, 2011 23:56:05 GMT
thought spuds had to be grown in acid soil......ph 5 to 6....
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Post by derekbrooks on Feb 22, 2011 22:29:17 GMT
Yes you're right,Scrumpy.If the pH is higher than 7 you are more likely to get scab but I think mine is O.K.
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Post by derekbrooks on Feb 22, 2011 23:20:27 GMT
Sowed a lot of seeds today in the greenhouse. In flowers-Pansies(giant fancy and rippling waters),Delphinium(dwarf pacific),Antirrhinums(axiom,royal bride,and spring giant)(I save my own seed of this last one),Statice, and Salvia(lighthouse),.
For growing as pot plants in the greenhouse-Amaranthus(Joseph,s coat),Celosia,and Thunbergia.
In veg,-Sprouts(sowed these in 3 inch pots),Parsley and Celery in cell trays,Aubergines(Lista de Gandia and black beauty),Peppers(Californian wonder and orange bell) and Cucumbers(Carmen and Beth alpha)
All except the sprouts went in the propagator.
No more gardening till next week because we are going to Wales in the morning till Sunday to see our daughter and grand children.
My friend Alan who lives accross the road looks after my greenhouses while I am away .He will just have to open and shut the doors and see if the seedlings and cuttings on the heating benches need watering.I deliberately sowed these seeds the day before going away because those in the propagator need looking at every day after about 5 days and will have to come out as soon as they start germinating.I know they will be O.K.till I get home so Alan won,t have to bother with them.
I also took another 23 dahlia cuttings.I have taken over 100 now.The only two varieties that are not growing are Kenora Challenger and Winholme Diane and it doesn't look as though they will.The Winholme Diane are in the same box,4 tubers.I am not too bothered about this variety .I would like some but I have another in the same class(Hy Fashion) which is giving plenty of cuttings.I am more bothered about Kenora Challenger because I haven,t got another large cactus variety and also because Tel gave me the plants last year and they did well.These tubers were in the same box as other varieties.I have 2 more tubers of this variety which I didn,t box up because they were rather too big (one was very big).I have never done this before but I removed the tubers which weren,t growing and planted the smaller of the 2 spares where they had been.I then planted the larger one in a seed tray which it completely filled and put it on one of the propagators in the house.I had to take the Winholme Dianes off to make room.
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Post by scrumpy on Feb 22, 2011 23:59:41 GMT
If the tubers look healthy, but are not showing signs of sprouting, if you saw them down the middle this can bring them to life.....
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Post by derekbrooks on Feb 23, 2011 22:02:43 GMT
Thanks Scrumpy but the ones I removed weren,t healthy.They were rottimg and those I replaced them with were O.K.
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Post by derekbrooks on Feb 23, 2011 22:13:57 GMT
We arrived at our daughters in Wales this afternoon where we are staying till Sunday.The first thing she said when we arrived,before we took our coats off was "Dad,I have got a greenhouse!"It is a 3 tier mini greenhouse £12 from Wilkinsons.She has only a small garden so this is all she has room for.She has got some seed trays and some seeds so she is going to have a go at growing some plants herself which she has not done before.I have always kept her supplied with plants.
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Post by Cherry on Feb 24, 2011 6:34:43 GMT
You must have been very pleased Derek. Now you must put up with her mistakes and point her to some easy options with a quick return and reward.
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Post by derekbrooks on Feb 24, 2011 22:40:18 GMT
Thanks Cherry,I will help her all I can .
I told you last week that our supplier at the hut couldn,t get any Kestrel potatoes.I phoned a friend who also sells potatoes and he couldn,t get Kestrel either.Anyway I have found some this afternoon in a garden centre in Wales .I had to pay £1 more for 3 kilos than I would at home but I am just glad I have got some.
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Post by derekbrooks on Feb 25, 2011 22:18:46 GMT
A few weeks ago the top of the handle of my digging fork broke.I have been managing with it but while I have been away I have been shopping around for a new one.The prices varied between £5 and £14 but because It is one of the tools I use most I decided to get one of the better ones from Wilkinsons.
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Post by derekbrooks on Feb 27, 2011 22:05:15 GMT
Arrived back from Wales this evening so life,s back to normal tomorrow.Just had a quick look at my seeds in the propagator .Just the statice had begun to germinate and needed coming out.
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Post by Lou78W on Feb 28, 2011 8:13:16 GMT
Hopefully your parcel will arrive today Derek?  |
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