Green fingered help

[Astro]

I've got the same as the middle picture on my hydranger, but it is very healthy, looks like the bottom picture, but white flowers.

Are you sure it's a problem Gav?

[Gav]

Are you sure it's a problem Gav?

Not if you like having white squishy larvae all over your plants, knowing that they're going to hatch into hundreds of bugs that eat your plant.

[frolicols]

Sorry to hop on your thread Gav, but I'm in the same boat (i.e. requiring some green fingered advice).

I've just moved in to a rented house with a friend and we have a garden (which was a complete 2 and 8 when we got there). We've mowed the footlong grass that was there and tidied up a bit but now it looks quite bare! My problem is two-fold and requires a cheap no-frill solution:

1. The grass is quite yellow, and has a lot of broadleaf weeds dotted about. What's the best way to give the lawn a bit of life back?

2. We've got a number of beds with nothing in them. Can you give me some ideas of low maintenance nice looking plants we can chuck in there?

[Gav]

Sorry to hop on your thread Gav, but I'm in the same boat (i.e. requiring some green fingered advice).

No worries, the thread's for anyone that needs help.

1. The grass is quite yellow, and has a lot of broadleaf weeds dotted about. What's the best way to give the lawn a bit of life back?

Giving it a thorough soaking every day in this weather will help the grass to recover. Top-tip for the future; keeping it trimmed reduces the chance of it yellowing and dying as opposed to cutting it only when it gets knee high. Also, occasionally cut it without the grass box and leave the cuttings on the lawn (helps to feed the lawn).

Alternatively, if you want a quicker/easier solution; there's plenty of "weed 'n' feed" products on the market. EverGreen Weed n Feed, you just sprinkle it on the lawn and leave it for 7 days.

2. We've got a number of beds with nothing in them. Can you give me some ideas of low maintenance nice looking plants we can chuck in there?

It's a bit of a personal preference thing. Look around a garden centre for stuff you like. Fuschia's and Buddleia (butterfly bush) are bright and very tough and they attract bees and butterflys. Most rose bushes are quite tough. Miniature Acers (Japanese Maple trees) only grow to a couple of feet tall and have pretty, multi-coloured leaves.
Most garden centres will help you to choose the right stuff too.

[DJ Andy]

2. We've got a number of beds with nothing in them. Can you give me some ideas of low maintenance nice looking plants we can chuck in there?

Depends on how big you want them to get - some can get quite large and need a hefty prune every year.

Ceanothus (californian lilac) has pretty blue flowers and attracts bees.
Hypericums look quite attractive. Mine has yellow flowers.
Philadelphus (Mock orange) has scented white flowers and comes in varigated types.
All the above can get large.

Hebes are compact evergreen plants and quite hardy.

Osteospermums (African Daisy) are colourful and heat/sun tolerant.

If you want groundcover, periwinkle is very hardy and vigorous.

Make sure you look at the height/spread guide when buying at the garden centre.

Good luck!

[jivecat]

2. We've got a number of beds with nothing in them. Can you give me some ideas of low maintenance nice looking plants we can chuck in there?

Ask around friends, family and neighbours for spare plant material. There's usually loads of stuff going begging at this time of year, even if it's only tomato plants. Be prepared to water stuff a lot to get it to settle in. The kind of stuff they sell is usually very easy to grow, like lady's mantle, and spreads quickly.

Go to school summer fairs etc and check out the plant stalls.

Get a packet of nasturtium seeds and plant them everywhere. This will probably be enough to get decent coverage by the autumn.

If money is no object at the garden centre I'd recommend dahlias, for immediate results, and they may well live till next summer, too.

[gamebird]

Alternatively, if you want a quicker/easier solution; there's plenty of "weed 'n' feed" products on the market. EverGreen Weed n Feed, you just sprinkle it on the lawn and leave it for 7 days.

It might be an idea to water it in, unless you manage to scatter it just before one of the predicted rain showers

Go to school summer fairs etc and check out the plant stalls.

Brilliant - help others to raise money and usually get good advice from the people who've grown them - far less intimidating than a garden centre, and probably better advice too!

Get a packet of nasturtium seeds and plant them everywhere. This will probably be enough to get decent coverage by the autumn.

Beautiful flowers, great coverage, good for bees, blackfly (and therefore ladybirds) and other wildlife - they'll keep flowering for ages and if you leave them til they seed - you won't have to buy any seeds next year either, then simply pull out all the dead stems to tidy up at some point - you can eat them too (not the dead stems the flowers, the leaves and the seed heads - if you pickle them they taste like capers apparently!

Or lavender - pretty, scented, good for insects and they really only need cutting back once a year.

[philsmove]

1. The grass is quite yellow, and has a lot of broadleaf weeds dotted about. What's the best way to give the lawn a bit of life back?

this is my bible on lawns

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lawn-Expert-.../dp/0903505487

it covers just about everything

As already said regular cutting + weed and feed + watering in dry weather will help

This autum, scarifying, tining and top dressing, will help things for next year

[Magic Hans]

...
1. The grass is quite yellow, and has a lot of broadleaf weeds dotted about. What's the best way to give the lawn a bit of life back?
...

I had a quick google, and harsh cutting can damage the grass.

Take a look at http://www.wikihow.com/Cut-an-Overgrown-Lawn

When it was knee high, only the top inch or two would have needed to be green for photosynthesis.
Grasses are resistant to grazing by growing from the base, rather than the top (like most other plants - Some plants such as dandelions flatten out and hug the ground to resist grazing).
The lower levels will now be manufacturing (green) chlorophyl to make up fo the loss of the tops.

For the perfect 'bowling green' cut very short, and up to twice a week in high summer. But be aware that it'll lose water quick with less bulk.

For a longer 2 inch, say lawn, once every two weeks should be enough

For standard .... once a week in summer.

[philsmove]

Or you can cheat

http://www.grassbgreen.com/

[jivecat]

Brilliant - help others to raise money and usually get good advice from the people who've grown them - far less intimidating than a garden centre, and probably better advice too!

Well, actually, the main reason for advocating plant stalls is because they will usually be much cheaper than the alternatives! Usually the people running them have no idea what they are selling.

[frolicols]

Thanks for all the ideas! I wasn't expecting such a big response! Maybe I'll post a photo of the garden as it currently looks so people can give me ideas for specific places!

Depends on how big you want them to get - some can get quite large and need a hefty prune every year.

The back fence is a horrid 3/4ft basic chain link fence so something big and hefty to hide it would be quite nice.

Ask around friends, family and neighbours for spare plant material. There's usually loads of stuff going begging at this time of year, even if it's only tomato plants. Be prepared to water stuff a lot to get it to settle in. The kind of stuff they sell is usually very easy to grow, like lady's mantle, and spreads quickly.

Go to school summer fairs etc and check out the plant stalls.

Brill idea!

Alternatively, if you want a quicker/easier solution; there's plenty of "weed 'n' feed" products on the market. EverGreen Weed n Feed, you just sprinkle it on the lawn and leave it for 7 days.

That's the exact brand I was looking at. I read somewhere that cutting the grass too short can encourage weeds though? Any truth in that? I'm cutting it on it's shortest setting atm.

[philsmove]

I read somewhere that cutting the grass too short can encourage weeds though? Any truth in that? I'm cutting it on it's shortest setting atm.

Most weeds, cannot withstand regular cutting, so no this does not make sense but do not let it grow long, then cut it short

After you have killed off the weeds, cut it fairly short (may be one above shortest) and rake out all the dead weeds and thatch . try and borrow an electric lawn rake

If at this stage there is a lot of bare earth, then reseed bald patches

TIP

If you are going to be there any length of time, invest in good quality 4 stroke petrol lawn mover, they are a joy for life and you never go back to and electric one

[Gav]

Thanks for all the ideas! I wasn't expecting such a big response! Maybe I'll post a photo of the garden as it currently looks so people can give me ideas for specific places!

Even if you don't post it, do it for yourself so you can look back on it when you're a bit further down the line, or when you think you're not getting anywhere.

The back fence is a horrid 3/4ft basic chain link fence so something big and hefty to hide it would be quite nice.

How about climbers such as Clematis and Passion flower? They'll wrap themselves all around the links and produce stunning flowers.

That's the exact brand I was looking at. I read somewhere that cutting the grass too short can encourage weeds though? Any truth in that? I'm cutting it on it's shortest setting atm.

Erm, that's beyond my limited knowledge, but cutting it too short does risk leaving big yellow patches especially at this time of year. The longer it is, the more it retains it's moisture. So you have to find a balance between cutting and watering.

[frolicols]

After you have killed off the weeds, cut it fairly short (may be one above shortest) and rake out all the dead weeds and thatch . try and borrow an electric lawn rake

If at this stage there is a lot of bare earth, then reseed bald patches

TIP

If you are going to be there any length of time, invest in good quality 4 stroke petrol lawn mover, they are a joy for life and you never go back to and electric one

I've got the entry level Flymo (£30 from ASDA!). I don't think I'll be there long, plus it's not a huge garden. It only has two settings, short and super short. :P Maybe I'll change it to it's slightly longer setting for now.

Even if you don't post it, do it for yourself so you can look back on it when you're a bit further down the line, or when you think you're not getting anywhere.


How about climbers such as Clematis and Passion flower? They'll wrap themselves all around the links and produce stunning flowers.


Erm, that's beyond my limited knowledge, but cutting it too short does risk leaving big yellow patches especially at this time of year. The longer it is, the more it retains it's moisture. So you have to find a balance between cutting and watering.

Thanks for the climber tip. I had an idea of putting in something to climb, but didn't know any specific plants.

[gamebird]

Honeysuckle's a lovely native climber too, smells lovely in the evenings when you're enjoying a nice cool beer, good for moths as well and other beasties. If it gets thick enough you might even get Robins and Wrens nesting in it.And you can suckle the honey (nectar) from the tubes of the flowers

As for lawnmowers - I'd go for a push mower, generally takes about as long as faffing about with extension cables, re-fuelling etc and so much more environementally friendly and you can tell yourself that mowing the lawn is part of your keep fit regime

[Magic Hans]

I've got the entry level Flymo (£30 from ASDA!). I don't think I'll be there long, plus it's not a huge garden. It only has two settings, short and super short. :P Maybe I'll change it to it's slightly longer setting for now.



Thanks for the climber tip. I had an idea of putting in something to climb, but didn't know any specific plants.

Or Hyacinth Bean ...

Morning Glory Grandpa Otts,
Spanish Flag
Black-eyed susan
Cardinal Climber,
Chilean Glory Vine
Sweet Pea Horizon Mixed

[jivecat]

Thanks for all the ideas! I wasn't expecting such a big response! Maybe I'll post a photo of the garden as it currently looks so people can give me ideas for specific places!

Definitely take pictures so you can enjoy looking at the before and after shots.

The back fence is a horrid 3/4ft basic chain link fence so something big and hefty to hide it would be quite nice.

In the short term - like do it NOW!- spend £1 on a packet of Heavenly Blue Morning Glories and a packet of Trailing nasturtiums from Wilko's, stick them in a bit of prepared ground at the base of the fence. You might end up with a sheet of blue and orange drapery by October. Worst that'll happen is you wasted a quid plus a bit of effort. Definitely worth a try.

[whitetiger1518]

Don't forget bedding stuff:

I don't think you can go wrong with the Viola family aka Pansies or Heart's ease.

For medium height and some climbing abilty try Sweet Peas - smell wonderful around an arbour or seat, and can be cut for indoors.

Pinks are also good coverage and look wonderful.

Cheers Whitetiger

[jivecat]

Or Hyacinth Bean ...

Morning Glory Grandpa Otts,
Spanish Flag
Black-eyed susan
Cardinal Climber,
Chilean Glory Vine
Sweet Pea Horizon Mixed

You might find them under the latin names on the seed packets:

Dolichos lablab (hyacinth bean)
Mina lobata (Spanish flag)
Eccremocarpus scaber (Chilean Glory vine)
Ipomoea purpurea (Morning Glory)

All of them will have to be sown NOW to get a result before Autumn.

For a fast growing easy, pretty shrub that will flower from now to Autumn try Lavatera "Barnsley".