Summers End

[Bushbaby]

Seeing as the season is now winding down (notice the chill in the air?) it seems like a good time to ask everyone how their gardening year worked out - did things go according to plan this year?

What successes and what failures can you report?

What are you planning for next year?


From my side the move to a new house at the beginning of May put paid to my gardening plans for the year - I gave my tomato plants away, and my chilli and eggplants are still sitting in pots - they did not flower this year (hardly surprising as it was so overcast) so will bring them in for the winter and hope for better luck next year.

The herb garden did well - most of these plants will overwinter indoors or on the patio but I lost my battle to keep the basils from flowering so all three varieties will have to be replanted next season.

On the fruit front the apple tree we inherited has produced an excellent crop of cooking apples, and by the look of it, we will have a bumper crop of blackberries as well.

Plans for the winter are to cut back the hedge on the back fence and remove the apple tree growing there and prepare that space as a vegetable garden. The other apple tree will be pruned back hard to encourage a bigger crop next year. New additions to the backyard will include blackcurrant bushes and a raspberry cane or two.

In the front garden we will go for herbs and flowers and a few architectural plants such as cardoon and artichoke. Am putting down a lot of bulbs for the spring and summer and have a few flower boxes to prepare for winter flowering plants. One side of the drive has a lot of trees and shrubs - these will be pruned back and/or removed and a better screen will be planted with amaranth (advantage being the leaves are edible).

[Joan]

I was a little disappointed with my hanging baskets, never again will I plant Petunias!
I think next year I am going to go all out for begonias of all types, stick to fuchsias and lobelias...will not plant another petunia again!!!

[dudette]

What don't you like about the Petunias, Joan? I love them, mixed with lobelias, and this year they were exceptional. The only problem is that they need to be watered daily, and I just did not manage to get there, so by now they are looking very sad petunias
I added the water gel as well, but mildew is a sure sign of a lack of water!

[Joan]

Originally posted by dudette
What don't you like about the Petunias, Joan? I love them, mixed with lobelias, and this year they were exceptional. The only problem is that they need to be watered daily, and I just did not manage to get there, so by now they are looking very sad petunias
I added the water gel as well, but mildew is a sure sign of a lack of water!

dudette, I thought I watered them sufficiently, every evening and sometimes evening in the mornings too. They did not flower as I expected them to, not like many others I have seen. I deadhead them, as I do with all my other flowers, yet they do not seem to thrive ....... they are sticky and I just do not seem to have success with them. I gave them three chances, not again!!:mad:
I also think that it is the time factor that gets to me, you does not have to water the begonias daily, I have the most gorgeous orange one in a pot, has been there for three years, it just grows every year and it is beautiful. (and I do not really like the colour orange!!!)