UK gardening - New Gardener COMPLETELY unsure! Help Needed please

Author

New Gardener COMPLETELY unsure! Help Needed please

AngeTheUnsure

2007-07-24, 9:25 am

Hi All, Just found this forum so hope it can help. This is the 2nd year
I've actively been 'doing the garden' - leaving it to Husband in the
past to get on with it. I convinced him last year Perennials were the
way to go - come up year after year, might be expensive at first but
well worth it in the long run. Now I've managed to get myself into
trouble by not knowing how to look after this stuff! Example:

Hardy Geraniums - Cranesbill - Just cut them back for new growth, as
reached 4' high and leaning sadly to the side. Do I cut them back again
in October'ish?

Rose bush - I planted it last Summer, it's called 'Rhapsody in Blue'.
He's told me to cut a particularly long stalk, saying It's a Sucker, as
there aren't any buds on it ... so I cut it and now discover according
to the 'Expert' book it probably wasn't a sucker...

Achillea - a Red/Pink variety that grows to about 4' tall is now more
than 5', in full flower and listing badly. Do I cut them back in
Autumn please?

How do I gather seeds from Delphinium - do I wait for them to dry ON
the plant, or take them off now and put 'em in a paper bag to dry off?

See? Sooo many questions that I don't expect to all be answered here,
so if someone could suggest a GOOD book, I've a couple of Readers'
Digests that don't really go into stuff for beginners like me, the
'Expert' soft backs - got a couple of them, again not really for the
beginner.

Thanks all in advance,

AngeTheUnsure

--
AngeTheUnsure

Granity

2007-07-24, 9:25 am

AngeTheUnsure;733152 Wrote:
> Hi All, Just found this forum so hope it can help. This is the 2nd year
> I've actively been 'doing the garden' - leaving it to Husband in the
> past to get on with it. I convinced him last year Perennials were the
> way to go - come up year after year, might be expensive at first but
> well worth it in the long run. Now I've managed to get myself into
> trouble by not knowing how to look after this stuff! Example:
>
> Hardy Geraniums - Cranesbill - Just cut them back for new growth, as
> reached 4' high and leaning sadly to the side. Do I cut them back again
> in October'ish?
>
> Rose bush - I planted it last Summer, it's called 'Rhapsody in Blue'.
> He's told me to cut a particularly long stalk, saying It's a Sucker, as
> there aren't any buds on it ... so I cut it and now discover according
> to the 'Expert' book it probably wasn't a sucker...
>
> Achillea - a Red/Pink variety that grows to about 4' tall is now more
> than 5', in full flower and listing badly. Do I cut them back in
> Autumn please?
>
> How do I gather seeds from Delphinium - do I wait for them to dry ON
> the plant, or take them off now and put 'em in a paper bag to dry off?
>
> See? Sooo many questions that I don't expect to all be answered here,
> so if someone could suggest a GOOD book, I've a couple of Readers'
> Digests that don't really go into stuff for beginners like me, the
> 'Expert' soft backs - got a couple of them, again not really for the
> beginner.
>
> Thanks all in advance,
>
> AngeTheUnsure

I'm not an expert on any thing so I tend to use Google to find things

Pruning roses http://www.rosebuddies.com/rules.html

This one should help you on seed collection
http://www.theseedsite.co.uk/

hope this helps.

P.S. I'm not sure if the ugglers can see our posts or not.

--
Granity

'Mike'

2007-07-24, 1:25 pm

"AngeTheUnsure" <AngeTheUnsure.11ba422@gardenbanter.co.uk> wrote in message
news:AngeTheUnsure.11ba422@gardenbanter.co.uk...
>
> Hi All, Just found this forum so hope it can help. This is the 2nd year
> I've actively been 'doing the garden' - leaving it to Husband in the
> past to get on with it. I convinced him last year Perennials were the
> way to go - come up year after year, might be expensive at first but
> well worth it in the long run. Now I've managed to get myself into
> trouble by not knowing how to look after this stuff! Example:
>
> Hardy Geraniums - Cranesbill - Just cut them back for new growth, as
> reached 4' high and leaning sadly to the side. Do I cut them back again
> in October'ish?
>
> Rose bush - I planted it last Summer, it's called 'Rhapsody in Blue'.
> He's told me to cut a particularly long stalk, saying It's a Sucker, as
> there aren't any buds on it ... so I cut it and now discover according
> to the 'Expert' book it probably wasn't a sucker...
>
> Achillea - a Red/Pink variety that grows to about 4' tall is now more
> than 5', in full flower and listing badly. Do I cut them back in
> Autumn please?
>
> How do I gather seeds from Delphinium - do I wait for them to dry ON
> the plant, or take them off now and put 'em in a paper bag to dry off?
>
> See? Sooo many questions that I don't expect to all be answered here,
> so if someone could suggest a GOOD book, I've a couple of Readers'
> Digests that don't really go into stuff for beginners like me, the
> 'Expert' soft backs - got a couple of them, again not really for the
> beginner.
>
> Thanks all in advance,
>
> AngeTheUnsure
>
>
>
>
> --
> AngeTheUnsure

Oh dear :-((

Well to start with stand by for a load of flack. Gardenbanter is a "no no"
on uk.rec.gardening by the owners.

All you need to do is put your tin hat on, ignore the 'owners' and watch the
results from those who care. You WILL get some super response, but it is the
Gardenbanter bit which raises their hackles.

Mike

--
The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy
Reunion Bournemouth August/September 2007
www.rneba.org.uk
"Navy Days" Portsmouth 25th - 27th July 2008. RN Shipmates will have a Stand

Sacha

2007-07-24, 1:25 pm

On 24/7/07 11:14, in article AngeTheUnsure.11ba422@gardenbanter.co.uk,
"AngeTheUnsure" <AngeTheUnsure.11ba422@gardenbanter.co.uk> wrote:

> Hi All, Just found this forum so hope it can help. This is the 2nd year
> I've actively been 'doing the garden' - leaving it to Husband in the
> past to get on with it. I convinced him last year Perennials were the
> way to go - come up year after year, might be expensive at first but
> well worth it in the long run. Now I've managed to get myself into
> trouble by not knowing how to look after this stuff! Example:
>
> Hardy Geraniums - Cranesbill - Just cut them back for new growth, as
> reached 4' high and leaning sadly to the side. Do I cut them back again
> in October'ish?

Only if you want to. Most die back anyway so only very tidy people would
worry about that. If you have an evergreen one, you could just tidy away
any messy looking stuff. You could give the one you've just cut back a bit
of feed to encourage a second flush of flowers. And I'd like to recommend a
wonderful hardy Geranium to you known as 'Jolly Bee'. It's a descendant of
Johnson's Blue but flowers much longer and we think, much more generously.
>
> Rose bush - I planted it last Summer, it's called 'Rhapsody in Blue'.
> He's told me to cut a particularly long stalk, saying It's a Sucker, as
> there aren't any buds on it ... so I cut it and now discover according
> to the 'Expert' book it probably wasn't a sucker...

Suckers usually come from below the ground or rootstock. Some have a
different number of leaves to the main plant and/or are a lighter green.
Pulling them off seems to be the experts preference, rather than cutting
them off, which effectively acts as a form of pruning and can encourage
re-growth as pruning does.
>
> Achillea - a Red/Pink variety that grows to about 4' tall is now more
> than 5', in full flower and listing badly. Do I cut them back in
> Autumn please?

Late autumn and perhaps stake it next year. There's one called Moonshine
which is, apparently, less floppy than some of the others. We have a lovely
one called Terracotta which we like very much.
>
> How do I gather seeds from Delphinium - do I wait for them to dry ON
> the plant, or take them off now and put 'em in a paper bag to dry off?

Leave them on as long as you can. But you'll probably find that the
seedlings won't be true to the parent plant as Delphiniums are greatly
hybridised. But they may have some resemblance and you might even find
something really exciting.
>
<snip>

By the way, you will find it much easier to follow uk.rec.gardening if you
subscribe to it direct through a newsreader. Garden Banter is a commercial
site which takes posts from urg without permission in order to lure
customers into its advertising. Some of us regard this as a form of theft.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

AngeTheUnsure

2007-07-24, 5:25 pm

Hi Granity, many thanks for the links. Only looked at the Seedsite so
far - was engroced in that! WHAT a good site that is. Can see me
spending good time on it. Will look at the Roses one a bit later
though,

Thanks again,

AngeTheUnsure

Granity;733153 Wrote:
> I'm not an expert on any thing so I tend to use Google to find things
>
> Pruning roses http://www.rosebuddies.com/rules.html
>
> This one should help you on seed collection
> http://www.theseedsite.co.uk/
>
> hope this helps.
>
> P.S. I'm not sure if the ugglers can see our posts or not.

--
AngeTheUnsure

Kate Morgan

2007-07-24, 5:25 pm

Don't worry Ange, I don't know what I am doing half the time and I bet I am
old enough to be your Granny:-)

I lightly trim Geraniums when the flowering is over, sometimes I get some
more sometimes I dont.
If the rose sucker pulls off easily then pull it if not resort to cutting
it.

I would just give the Achillia a bit of support and I have never tried to
collect Delphinium seeds, I just cut the dead flowers back and up pop some
more. I think that the Expert Books are good but you will get all the help
you need from this newsgroup and by googling.

good luck and keep posting

kate

2007-07-24, 5:25 pm

AngeTheUnsure <AngeTheUnsure.11ba422@gardenbanter.co.uk> writes
>
>Hardy Geraniums - Cranesbill - Just cut them back for new growth, as
>reached 4' high and leaning sadly to the side. Do I cut them back again
>in October'ish?

They die back for the winter. Take off the dead stuff.
There's lots of hardy geraniums which don't reach anything like 4ft. Try
G endressei for masses of pink flowers through the season and good
tolerance of all sorts of soil conditions.
>
>Rose bush - I planted it last Summer, it's called 'Rhapsody in Blue'.
>He's told me to cut a particularly long stalk, saying It's a Sucker, as
>there aren't any buds on it ... so I cut it and now discover according
>to the 'Expert' book it probably wasn't a sucker...

Now you know that he isn't necessarily the world's greatest gardening
expert ;-)

It's worth at first leaving suckers until they get leaves. If the leaves
are like the rest of the bush, then it's probably not a sucker, if the
leaves are different (eg more leaflets), then it is a sucker. In due
course you will get to know your rose, and recognise the suckers at an
earlier stage.
>
>
>See? Sooo many questions that I don't expect to all be answered here,
>so if someone could suggest a GOOD book, I've a couple of Readers'
>Digests that don't really go into stuff for beginners like me, the
>'Expert' soft backs - got a couple of them, again not really for the
>beginner.
>
Don't worry too much. Do what seems sensible, and observe the results.
Plants on the whole want to grow. Sometimes they won't grow because they
don't like the conditions (eg you've planted a sun-lover in the shade,
or something that likes to be kept moist on a dry bank), but if they are
growing, they won't usually die because you've failed to cut them back,
or pruned them at the wrong time of year. So just try and relax and
enjoy the garden, and don't let anyone tell you that there is only one
right way to do anything.

--
Kay

JennyC

2007-07-25, 3:25 am

"AngeTheUnsure" <AngeTheUnsure.11ba422@gardenbanter.co.uk> wrote in message
news:AngeTheUnsure.11ba422@gardenbanter.co.uk...

Welcome to URG Ae......are you a child if the 70's ? Your name instantly
made me thing of the Rolling Stones :~))
>
> Hi All, Just found this forum so hope it can help. This is the 2nd year
> I've actively been 'doing the garden' - leaving it to Husband in the
> past to get on with it. I convinced him last year Perennials were the
> way to go - come up year after year, might be expensive at first but
> well worth it in the long run. Now I've managed to get myself into
> trouble by not knowing how to look after this stuff! Example:
>
> Hardy Geraniums - Cranesbill - Just cut them back for new growth, as
> reached 4' high and leaning sadly to the side. Do I cut them back again
> in October'ish?

I tidy them up a bit for the winter and you can always do it again in spring
before they really take off. You can use bits of twiggy branches to support
them (and other 'floppy' stuff) Stick the twigs in before the plants get
going and they will cover the twigs as they grow up through.

> Rose bush - I planted it last Summer, it's called 'Rhapsody in Blue'.
> He's told me to cut a particularly long stalk, saying It's a Sucker, as
> there aren't any buds on it ... so I cut it and now discover according
> to the 'Expert' book it probably wasn't a sucker...

He Ho - never mind. It will grow back :~)) Suckers grow from the root stock
that the rose is grafted onto. Here's a site with info about suckers, so you
can tell the difference:
http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/...0202028813.html
and here's one about rose pruning:
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...=86&ei=C_imRuOx
BaSuwAGcrIDgBw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Drose%2Bsucker%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26as_qdr%3Dall

> Achillea - a Red/Pink variety that grows to about 4' tall is now more
> than 5', in full flower and listing badly. Do I cut them back in
> Autumn please?

They die down in winter so tidy up once the plants get messy looking.

>w do I gather seeds from Delphinium - do I wait for them to dry ON
> the plant, or take them off now and put 'them in a paper bag to dry off?

Leave on the plant as long as possible to ripen. Then tie a bag around the
seed head before cutting it off. This way you won't loose any seed when you
tip it upside down :~) Hang up somewhere dry so that the seed is 100% dry
before sorting.

>See? Sooo many questions that I don't expect to all be answered here,
>so if someone could suggest a GOOD book, I've a couple of Readers'
>Digests that don't really go into stuff for beginners like me, the
>Expert' soft backs - got a couple of them, again not really for the
>Beginner..

Pop down to the local library and see if they have a book you like to look
of. You can then order it or try to get one from eBay etc if its out of
print.

> Thanks all in advance,
> AngeTheUnsure

La Puce

2007-07-25, 5:25 pm

On Jul 24, 11:14 am, AngeTheUnsure <AngeTheUnsure.
11ba...@gardenbanter.co.uk> wrote:
> See? Sooo many questions that I don't expect to all be answered here,
> so if someone could suggest a GOOD book,

Looked up and down the shelves to see what I've got (and I've got a
few) but of all of them one stood out for you, Cassel's Encyclopedia
of gardening by Anita Pereire. It is really entirely comprehensible to
the beginner. It covers everything, from gardening techniques to trees
and shrubs, flowers (2,000 of them), fruits ... from making ponds to
grafting, from garden camouflage (yep) to dividing dahlia. Huge big
pages, great pictures, comprehensible english (and beleive me there)
20 quids, (mine was a present). Maybe put it on your xmas list. HTH

AngeTheUnsure

2007-07-26, 9:25 am

Morning Mike, and thanks very much for your reply and advice. Seems
already I've got some very useful advice...all within what, 24 hours?

AngeTheUnsure

'Mike';733231 Wrote:
> "AngeTheUnsure" AngeTheUnsure.11ba422@gardenbanter.co.uk wrote in
> message
> news:AngeTheUnsure.11ba422@gardenbanter.co.uk...-
>
> Hi All, Just found this forum so hope it can help. This is the 2nd
> year
> I've actively been 'doing the garden' - leaving it to Husband in the
> past to get on with it. I convinced him last year Perennials were
> the
> way to go - come up year after year, might be expensive at first but
> well worth it in the long run. Now I've managed to get myself into
> trouble by not knowing how to look after this stuff! Example:
>
> Hardy Geraniums - Cranesbill - Just cut them back for new growth, as
> reached 4' high and leaning sadly to the side. Do I cut them back
> again
> in October'ish?
>
> Rose bush - I planted it last Summer, it's called 'Rhapsody in Blue'.
> He's told me to cut a particularly long stalk, saying It's a Sucker,
> as
> there aren't any buds on it ... so I cut it and now discover
> according
> to the 'Expert' book it probably wasn't a sucker...
>
> Achillea - a Red/Pink variety that grows to about 4' tall is now more
> than 5', in full flower and listing badly. Do I cut them back in
> Autumn please?
>
> How do I gather seeds from Delphinium - do I wait for them to dry ON
> the plant, or take them off now and put 'em in a paper bag to dry
> off?
>
> See? Sooo many questions that I don't expect to all be answered here,
> so if someone could suggest a GOOD book, I've a couple of Readers'
> Digests that don't really go into stuff for beginners like me, the
> 'Expert' soft backs - got a couple of them, again not really for the
> beginner.
>
> Thanks all in advance,
>
> AngeTheUnsure
>
>
>
>
> --
> AngeTheUnsure-
>
> Oh dear :-((
>
> Well to start with stand by for a load of flack. Gardenbanter is a "no
> no"
> on uk.rec.gardening by the owners.
>
> All you need to do is put your tin hat on, ignore the 'owners' and
> watch the
> results from those who care. You WILL get some super response, but it
> is the
> Gardenbanter bit which raises their hackles.
>
> Mike
>
>
> --
> The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
> 'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal
> Navy
> Reunion Bournemouth August/September 2007
> www.rneba.org.uk
> "Navy Days" Portsmouth 25th - 27th July 2008. RN Shipmates will have a
> Stand

--
AngeTheUnsure

'Mike'

2007-07-26, 9:25 am

"AngeTheUnsure" <AngeTheUnsure.11e4724@gardenbanter.co.uk> wrote in message
news:AngeTheUnsure.11e4724@gardenbanter.co.uk...
>
> Morning Mike, and thanks very much for your reply and advice. Seems
> already I've got some very useful advice...all within what, 24 hours?
>
> AngeTheUnsure
>

The wealth of information on here is unbelievable. There is also a terrific
amount of lurkers (should that be 'is' or should it be 'are'?), anyway,
something for someone to pick me up on ;-(

The advice ranges from the good to the excellent but you will see if you
stay, there is a great deal of agro on the site as well :-((

My wife is the gardener, I am the nuts and bolts "Can you put me a path in
there Mike" man. When we took over this garden in 1986, it was a children's
and dogs playground :-(( We have since had it open to the public :-))

Hope you have not been toooooooooooooooooooooo washed out. We have been very
lucky :-)) Not like some poor people I saw when I was driving through the
Thatcham Area last Friday. :-((

Mike

--
The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy
Reunion Bournemouth August/September 2007
www.rneba.org.uk
"Navy Days" Portsmouth 25th - 27th July 2008. RN Shipmates will have a Stand

LinkBot