Saturday, November 19, 2011

Is leaf mould a better growing medium than bog peat ?

I like to grow a wide variety of plants and I have been finding that a lot of different types prefer pure leaf mould to peat such as: feverfew, sunflowers, pumpkins, etc. I found that sunflowers grown in peat based soil rotted because it holds too much water and the same happened with pumpkins. So the question is Why in every Garden centre is every plant grown in peat when better results are obviously obtainable with leaf mould and garden soil mixtures ?

Is leaf mould a better growing medium than bog peat ?
Peat is cheaper and more available. It's pressed into pots and so forth which makes for ease of use. Commercial avenues do not always do what is best for the plant, just what helps their profits. And if you don't know better and the plant dies, chances are you'll come back and buy another one!


What places do you like to browse around?

I enjoy Garden centres and antique shops.

What places do you like to browse around?
The library.





When I go hiking I often end up turning up paths I'm unfamiliar with to see what's on them. Sometimes I just stroll a little way up them and turn back to my regular route.





Salvation Army, Goodwill and other stores like the day-old bread place where I get bread for pennies on the dollar.





Macy's. What's that you say? Well they have these readers in the stores now that will display the price of any item for you. I go to the clearance rack and pick up items that look like they've been there a while (pants usually) and run them through. Every now and again they come up at a penny. This means they should have been pulled from the shelves by the staff but they missed them. It's Macy's policy that if you find them and bring them up to buy them, they'll sell them to you. This works in all areas of the store by the way and not just in clothes. Very occasionally there will be a very expensive bag or dress that gets by and then you save several hundred dollars. So now you know why I like to browse Macy's.
Reply:i love car booting and chairty shops
Reply:Clothes shops
Reply:Antiques stalls and flea markets love 'em. I used to have a stall years ago and still miss it!
Reply:Trinket shops that sell all sorts of sparkly things, I love places like Accessorise and a little shop in the next village that sells all sorts of girly things. OOOH anywhere that sells fancy knickers too !!
Reply:Garden shops , fruit stands etc etc , because they are so peacful... also smell good lol
Reply:Boutiques, garden shops and card shops (for a good laugh)
Reply:browse? Libary! Pictures!
Reply:Jewelry stores! I could browse around forever!
Reply:the mall and the shoes places and gameshop

rain roots

Can you suggest a species name for an extremely tall thistle-like plant with very broad, grey-green leaves?

This plant grows around six feet tall, and is definitely not invasive, although it does self-seed somewhat. It is rather like cardoon, but taller, with fewer leaves. A full-grown specimen makes a visual impact like a tall cactus. I have seen it in a few gardens, but never in a garden centre.

Can you suggest a species name for an extremely tall thistle-like plant with very broad, grey-green leaves?
stinging nettles
Reply:maybe hogweed?


How to get rid of pondweed?

I have a small garden pond which is being riddled with pondweed, at least i think thats what u call it, its horrible slimy green stringy stuff thats enveloping everything. It started last year and i tried a product from my local garden centre which didnt work at all and was expensive. Any tips anyone?? If it carries on much longer it will be overtaking everything and is beginning to look like something like a creature from a horror film.

How to get rid of pondweed?
Take the bulk of the algae out with a rake or suchlike.The cheapest and most environmentally friendly way is to get a couple of good handfulls of straw and wrap in cloth or net and put in your pond .You may need a stone to pin this down.The straw releases chemicals that inhibit algae growth as it breaks down.You will need to change straw every six months.A faster way is to put chlorine tablet(s) in your pond , but these are poisonous to fish ,wildlife etc.
Reply:take a rake and get what you can out by hand.


buy some grass carp and put in your pond. fish and wildlife department in your area should be able to tell you where you can purchase them. The website below tells you about the fish and shows you pictures of what they can do.





edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FA043 - 28k


How can I turn baby goldfish gold quicker?

I have a lot of baby goldfish in my pond, they were born last summer and are still brown. I was wondering if anyone knew a way to speed up the process of turning them orange?





I know they turn orange when exposed to full spectrum light but they're outside already, the man at the garden centre said that they give their babies a supplement to turn them orange but I can't find anything about it anywhere.





Any ideas?

How can I turn baby goldfish gold quicker?
They will just have to grow really, as the colour comes with new skin and scales.


However, Carotin based foods should help, if you ask your petshop for a carotin based food. If he doesn't sell them then he's garbage!





DO NOT use any Dying or staining substances, it is cruel to fish, maybe not to maggots, but definately fish!





Carotin is the natural substance that makes carotts orange (hence the name), cooked prawns pink, and the same reason flamingo's are pink, because they digest all the Carotin in the prawns and other shellfish they eat.





Good luck!
Reply:u cud try anatto dye its used to dye maggots for fishing also used in margarine so its pretty harmless
Reply:They sell pellets that inhances the colour of your fish that might help. They will change colour when they are old enough though.
Reply:The same way you turned yourself PINK.
Reply:try the new spraypaint,fishy orange...just don't spray it in the pond!....


How do I save my Bamboo plant?

I bought a sort of bamboo bush that had no care guide. I re-potted in in beginner soil from the garden centre and in a much larger container. However recently all the outer stems and leaves have gone yellow. The soil is moist yet not water logged. What am I doing wrong ???

How do I save my Bamboo plant?
Way too much water.
Reply:It could just be transplant shock. Give it some time. It normally takes 2-3 weeks for it to bounce back. Don't fertilize until you see active new growth. It would help to keep it outside in partial shade or indoors at a bright window in that time. I can't be more specific since I don't know what species of bamboo it is. The link below might give you an idea of what your bamboo is as well as more information on how to take care of it. Hope this helps.





Horticulture student.
Reply:hi!! bamboo plant is it? well, you see its a plant and you can take care of it by putting it in a pot and water it everyday.
Reply:my bamboo grows through straight water no soil more shade that son. It is indoors in a pot and does well.

Why do hotels always use white towels

Can I feed my young chili plants with Baby Bio House Plant Feed?

I posted yesterday about the tips of the leaves turning white and dying (they are potted outside). Someone suggested that I am not feeding them enough, and that I should try a high-nitrogen feed. Havent managed to get to a garden centre yet, but wondered if Baby Bio would do the job? it has 10% nitrogen in it...

Can I feed my young chili plants with Baby Bio House Plant Feed?
Hello,


The answer to your question is yes. Any feed is good, their all the same really. I use tomato feed on all of my conservatory plants and they have very quick growing sperts.


Any more questions don't hesertate to ask.





Thankyou
Reply:yes
Reply:I agree with Eoghan. I use bio on mine and have not had that problem.It sounds like the last frost got them and burnt the tips.Snip them off to prevent any disease spreading from the dead leaves better the energy go into new growth then into ugly leaves.
Reply:If you use a high nitrogen plant food you will end up with all leaf and very little crop. Nitrogen is used to stimulate green growth which is why lawn foods are high in nitrogen. whatever food you use make sure it is balanced and is suitable for a food plant as not all are and may leave residue that you do not want to consume! The best liquid feed is a soup made from manure, this is not always practical otherwise the nearest decent garden centre.
Reply:hi i have always been told that if you do not feed chili plants you get hotter fruit?
Reply:Yes - I feed mine with it and they are fine - last years crop was excellent