Gardening tips.

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
We may end up having to get the microchip catflap, within 2 days next doors cat had worked out how to open the magnetic one using a claw to pull it open from outside. He's a lovely & loving cat, unfortunately he likes to pee everywhere, and I mean everywhere!
Oh, just consider yourself 'privileged'.


The geraniums (Wednesday weed or maybe Cranesbill?) are the bane of my life, one small clump has taken over the whole garden. At first they were useful as ground cover to stop cats, now they are everywhere, as fast as I pull them up, they reappear. The bees love them though.
This geranium has been here for about fifteen years with no major expansion attempts. There are others about the place with a similar self-contained approach to life.

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Trumpet

Well-Known Forumite
We have 2 peonys, one in the front garden, one in the back, this year neither have flowered - no idea why, maybe winter was too wet...
Our Peonies went bonkers this year, the heavy rain has knackered them now though.
 
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Noah

Well-Known Forumite
THIS is the offending Geranium (bottom right, still flowering) .... Its everywhere...

Possibly small-flowered cranesbill (Geranium pusillum) or doves-foot cranesbill (Geranium molle) - or a close relative. Little buggers hurl their seeds all over the place.
 

littleme

250,000th poster!
Possibly small-flowered cranesbill (Geranium pusillum) or doves-foot cranesbill (Geranium molle) - or a close relative. Little buggers hurl their seeds all over the place.
Yup, they pop, you can actually hear them exploding (sat on the patio with them firing all around you in the heat) also the stems.... I think if you leave even the smallest bit behind they manage to grow a while new plant.
 

littleme

250,000th poster!
Marestail (pictured below) is a very invasive weed. It's roots go up to 5 feet down. But it can be boiled in water and then used as a fertilizer. It's rich in silicon so can also be sprayed on plants to help prevent fungus or rust as well.View attachment 8690

Also a great tip for roses is to put your unwanted banana skins on the base of your roses (or even over ripe whole bananas) as the potassium is really good for them. You can also companion plant any sprouting garlic bulbs from your cupboard by your roses (or by your tomatoes too) and they will deter green/black fly and the roots add nitrogen to the soil.
It doesn't matter how dried up the garlic clove/bulb looks, it will still sprout and make a new plant, the same with onions, spring onions and celary....
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
If you get them in your garden they're a devil to get rid of because of how deep their roots go. Best advice I've seen on the tintermewebathingyabob is to bruise/crush the leaves on the living plant and then apply a systematic weed killer.
It will take a sustained campaign with a systemic weedkiller to defeat it. and as you say, you do need to provide a way through the waxy skin for the chemical to gain access.
 

peggy

Well-Known Forumite
I’m loving the seek ap. I’m wondering round the garden taking photos of all the plants.
I’m tempting to try to introduce my dad to the app but he’s not mastered texting yet so it might be too bigger task.
 
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