K'Eh's gardening tip thread

[K'Ehleyr]

So when you've had a traumatic time at the dentist it's natural to want to hurt someone/something else yes?
So I decided to "prune", or shall we just say hack my rosebush.

So tips for gardening...

• Always wear gardening gloves (it makes you look like you know what you're doing)
• Add sturdy shoes (ditto)
• Tie your hair up and don't wear make up
• Look assertive
• Stand back occasionally and study your work
• if neighbours comment, you are 'deadheading' not 'beheading' your roses (I'm personally going to have to remember that one)
• Have a watering can to hand (looks good)
• Try and have classical music streaming out of the window ~ for the 'classy' bit of gardening.

Any more tips?
Especially what I can do with my dead Irises?

 

[Deckerd]

A trug and some lacy white gloves. And a floaty summer dress and sun bonnet. Secateurs and perhaps a small, pearl handled trowel to look like you're actually going to get close to a plant.

 

[Deckerd]

This is a good time to split your irises up if you want to move them around. They don't mind getting their feet wet, especially the big yellow jobs, so they're useful if you have a poorly drained area.

 

[K'Ehleyr]

A trug and some lacy white gloves. And a floaty summer dress and sun bonnet. Secateurs and perhaps a small, pearl handled trowel to look like you're actually going to get close to a plant.

Love it!
So how do I split my irises?

 

[Deckerd]

The bulbs produce new ones on the outside and gradually one iris becomes a ring as the original bulb dies out. If you're at the ring stage, just chop off a chunk and relocate it. If it's at the bulblet stage just break them off and pot on into compost. Keep lightly watered (you can leave them outside) and next year you'll have new irises.

 

[auntiehill]

I always have my shovel out when I want to look like I'm doing serious "yard work."

I don't actually do much with said shovel, but it looks like I'm working really hard when neighbors see me going to and fro with a small shovel slung over my shoulder.

 

[K'Ehleyr]

I always have my shovel out when I want to look like I'm doing serious "yard work."

I don't actually do much with said shovel, but it looks like I'm working really hard when neighbors see me going to and fro with a small shovel slung over my shoulder.

At least you're not burying your neighbours~ yet!
It's all about looking busy, one of my neighbours cheated and bought already grown hanging baskets. At least I grew mine from seeds ~ didn't have the faintest idea of what was going to come up as I'd thrown away the packets

The bulbs produce new ones on the outside and gradually one iris becomes a ring as the original bulb dies out. If you're at the ring stage, just chop off a chunk and relocate it. If it's at the bulblet stage just break them off and pot on into compost. Keep lightly watered (you can leave them outside) and next year you'll have new irises.

Ok lets start with what's a ring and what's a bulblet and do I have to dig them out to find out? I've got them in a pot at the moment ~ didn't realise what they were. (see above post) My neighbour has said I should replant them so 'they have space to spread their legs', which is I think what you are saying. Should I dead head them?

And thanks both for the advice

 

[KimMH]

• if neighbours comment, you are 'deadheading' not 'beheading' your roses (I'm personally going to have to remember that one)

I do get more pleasure from beheading my roses than I should. The more I prune them the more ferociously they come back to haunt me! They are trying to take over the front yard. They have to compete with the mint - it's always interesting to see who is winning!

 

[Captain Shaw]

Don't forget your kneeling stool and big straw hat.

 

[Mary Ann]

We have a brown bin for garden compost, which is emptied by the council every two weeks. I like to drag this thing into the front garden even if I don't need to, because it makes me look as if I'm doing some Very Serious Gardening Indeed. Apart from pruning, weeding and watering, though, I don't actually know what I'm doing. I leave the serious gardening to my husband, as he actually knows what he's doing. The only thing I remember him telling me lately is to never plant potatoes in the same place for two years in a row so that any possible blight can die out. I don't know if that's at all useful to you.

 

[auntiehill]

Don't forget your kneeling stool and big straw hat.

I have a kneeling stool. The problem is that if I kneel for too long, I can't get back up without looking like a wounded hippo.

 

[SVD]

• if neighbours comment, you are 'deadheading' not 'beheading' your roses (I'm personally going to have to remember that one)

I do get more pleasure from beheading my roses than I should. The more I prune them the more ferociously they come back to haunt me! They are trying to take over the front yard. They have to compete with the mint - it's always interesting to see who is winning!

That reminds me that I've got to do that today. We got this one white tree rose that's a BEAST. The top's at least 5 ft across at my shoulder height (I'm 5 ft 10) and at least 7 ft tall, 50-60% bigger around that the other ones along our front fence that were planted at the same time (~8 years ago), really difficult to reach the middle dead ones ( my arms arms 2 ft 4 in to the fingertips).

tip for pruning roses: wear welding gloves. great protection from the thorns

 

[RJDiogenes]

I find that having a gentleman's gentleman named Jeeves standing stolidly behind me to hand my cuttings to is essential.

 

[K'Ehleyr]

• if neighbours comment, you are 'deadheading' not 'beheading' your roses (I'm personally going to have to remember that one)

I do get more pleasure from beheading my roses than I should. The more I prune them the more ferociously they come back to haunt me! They are trying to take over the front yard. They have to compete with the mint - it's always interesting to see who is winning!

I have no idea how to take care of a rose bush, so when the neighbours complained that my (inherited) small part of garden was overgrown. I 'googled', couldn't find the bit of the rose you're s'pose to cut over and just hacked it down. And like you say it's just 'risen from the grave' I tried to put it in!
The hyderanga is the same! I totally hacked that too and it is blooming!
As for mint ~ that's just waiting for a Pimms!

Don't forget your kneeling stool and big straw hat.

I won't! Do I need a scarf tied to it?

We have a brown bin for garden compost, which is emptied by the council every two weeks. I like to drag this thing into the front garden even if I don't need to, because it makes me look as if I'm doing some Very Serious Gardening Indeed. Apart from pruning, weeding and watering, though, I don't actually know what I'm doing. I leave the serious gardening to my husband, as he actually knows what he's doing. The only thing I remember him telling me lately is to never plant potatoes in the same place for two years in a row so that any possible blight can die out. I don't know if that's at all useful to you.

I don't have a brown bin ~ I've just hidden the rose cuttings in the normal bin (I'm in a block of flats) ~ is that bad

Don't forget your kneeling stool and big straw hat.

I have a kneeling stool. The problem is that if I kneel for too long, I can't get back up without looking like a wounded hippo.

• if neighbours comment, you are 'deadheading' not 'beheading' your roses (I'm personally going to have to remember that one)

I do get more pleasure from beheading my roses than I should. The more I prune them the more ferociously they come back to haunt me! They are trying to take over the front yard. They have to compete with the mint - it's always interesting to see who is winning!

That reminds me that I've got to do that today. We got this one white tree rose that's a BEAST. The top's at least 5 ft across at my shoulder height (I'm 5 ft 10) and at least 7 ft tall, 50-60% bigger around that the other ones along our front fence that were planted at the same time (~8 years ago), really difficult to reach the middle dead ones ( my arms arms 2 ft 4 in to the fingertips).

tip for pruning roses: wear welding gloves. great protection from the thorns

But I bet it's beautiful


Another gardening tip ~ if it's brown cut it off

 

[K'Ehleyr]

I find that having a gentleman's gentleman named Jeeves standing stolidly behind me to hand my cuttings to is essential.

Being a lady rather than a gentleman I find it more entertaining to have a gamekeeper called Mellors behind me ~ cuttings or not

 

[RJDiogenes]

^^ That'll do.

 

[K'Ehleyr]

^ One has to make sure that things will grow in the garden and that takes love and affection.

 

[SVD]

The rose in question, standard issue shovel for scale:

....

 

[K'Ehleyr]

The rose in question, standard issue shovel for scale:

....

Oh but it is beautiful ~ do you cut the blooms off and take them inside? You could have a house full of flowers!

 

[SVD]

Grandma used to for her church every Sunday. Just me and my grandpa now, we dont see a need to, especially with so many of her violets and orchids left.