Ok, I'm starting a new border  I know I shouldn't as I have too much to do already but when my new kitchen gets done ( if ever!) I want o look out onto a small woods ( group of 5 trees)  under planted with spring bulbs and lots of interest...I also want to bring in more birds/habitat.


So, I've planted 2 silver birch, 3 paper bark birch. Cheap trees - they were bare root whips about 5 foot tall. I would like a clear stem, so I can under plant and walk through. They have small branches at the moment. When, what do I prune? Any links would be helpful. I have been looking but not found much yet...happy to read lots. Even a decent book maybe?

Just for you, Vinny.

Show us your tallest sunflower and let's try to grow one taller than Vinny's

I have planted out my heat treated onion sets and when removing my covering of fleece I see that all the leaf tops have been cut off, which I have put down to mice, rather than snails, so first question, will it effect the growth of the onions and second, how can I stop this happening

Disaster!  Ur local Lidl has changed the depth of their flower buckets, they're now half depth.  OK they're still useful but not what I'm used to.  Has anyone else found this?

Just a rant, something has been in there so whatever I've done to date is lost.

Given the success rate on the chitted seed I'm wondering if it's actually worth giving it another go?

You have to rescue bees when they get in the tunnel or greenhouse don’t you. I used to wait till they were buzzing around at a height I could reach them. Then pot a pot over them & slip some paper or something between pot and tunnel wall. Take them out & let them go. It worked but it was time consuming, stressful for the bee and there’s always the chance of accidentally hurt the bee by trapping a leg os something. 
I came up with a new approach at the end of last season. I pick a small bunch of flowers. After the bee has been bouncing around and getting tired. Just hold the flowers up to the bee. They climb on for a feed and you can walk them outside stress free.

         

For the bees that rest out of reach. Stick your little bunch of flowers in the end of a cane.

         

Just curious what you do with colours. Is there any you won’t grow? Any you won’t have next to each other? Do you only go with certain colour for a particular variety of flower ? Do you grow a mix of colours or in blocks ? Do you grow all the shades of a particular colour together? 

I’m going with all colours and Mixed but in blocks of varieties , I think.

I bought a Lathyrus Latifolius on impulse from Aldi the other day. They appear to be a perennial sweet pea? I have read that they can be a bit of a thug and rapidly take over?
 The two options I was thinking are to let it scramble through a rhododendron or to build an obelisk for it? I already have an eight foot obelisk that I made for a wild honeysuckle and may make a similar thing out of scrap wood for the Lathyrus.

Anyone else grow this and any tips would be appreciated?

Evening Folks

I've not really grown any brassicas of note in the past and am after a bit of advice.

What can I grow that gives me "spring like greens" from now ish to possibly next spring? I have various seeds that say sow at different times and I'm a tad confused. I wondered if there was something generic I could grow and pick for 5-6 months. I'm not fussed about getting cabbage heads.

Sorry if the above is a load of twaddle

............she's a strange auld girl!

Me and her were at loggerheads when she frosted my dahlias, even though I had wrapped them up with fleece in the greenhouse!

Today though, whilst walking the dog in the countryside it was sunny and the air was 'fresh' . There was snow on the hills, it was a picture and  a joy to be out and about.
It was then that I made my peace with her and realised that I would always be taking a chance if I tried to fight her and invariably she would win.
Its a bit like gambling, you should never gamble what you can't afford to lose.

Apologies for my ramblings.