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Blogs are great for picking up on ideas or for sharing information. After visiting Jo's A Whole Plot of Love blog and reading about how she was growing her loganberry up a metal arch, I hit on the idea that an arch could be just the thing for the tayberry which I bought last year to grow up. I've been putting off planting it out at the plot until some sort of structure could be made to support it, but I think this will save us a load of work. I managed to pick up a metal arch for £7.00 when we visited Wilkinsons at the weekend. I'd popped in as Anna from Green Tapestry had alerted me to the fact that they had a sale on in the bulb and grow your own section. I love a bargain, and managed to pick up a couple of dahlias - Duet and Seattle, and a crinum - Powellii. Everything was reduced to just 75p, so there were definitely bargains to be had. Thank you to Jo and Anna for the inspiration and information.
I had problems with my squash plants last year, they either didn't want to germinate or didn't want to produce any fruit. I got a couple of patty pans off the Sunburst plants, and discovered we really liked them, so we decided we'd grow them, as well as a couple of other varieties, again this year. Unfortunately, not one seed has germinated. It was seed I had left over from last year, but it's still within it's use by date. I shall sow some more this weekend and see what happens, I really do hope I manage to grow them as they were on my list to grow this year as soon as I tasted them. Fingers crossed.
I really wish I had a way to get some seedlings to you Jo as except for the butternuts and marrows I have had great germination on my squash plants form seed I saved last year and I am bound not to have enough room to plant them all.
ReplyDeleteI tried patty pans for the first time last year too and so have grown them and the seedlings look strong and healthy. If you thin there is a way I could get some to you safely then let me know!!
Thank you so much for the offer, though seedlings tend to be fragile so I doubt they'd make it through the post. All's not lost though, I'll resow the Sunburst squash, and the other varieties have already germinated, so I'm hoping I'm not without at harvest time.
DeleteBeautiful blossom Jo, have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteThe blossom is so pretty, if only there were more of it.
DeleteSeeing the blossom is uplifting in itself, but it will be good when the trees also produce fruit! Thanks for the tip about going to Wilko for some bargains. It's one shop in our local area we go to frequently!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to the trees producing fruit, but I doubt it will be this year. The blossom is so pretty though. I always manage to find something to buy in Wilkos, they have some great offers.
DeleteYou certainly have an eye for a bargain, Jo! You should arrange with Wilkos that they give you a call whenever they are reducing the price of any gardening stuff! :)
ReplyDeleteI wish they would, though I think we keep each other informed through our blogs. The two dahlias I bought are really lovely, I hope they look as good when they flower as the pictures on the packets. I've never grown crinum before so that'll be a first for me.
ReplyDeleteOur tayberry is on the plot where it has room to sprawl. Don't let the tips of canes touch the ground or they will root and set of across the garden and also watch that you keep the thorns away from where you may brush past them as they are fierce.
ReplyDeleteWe have apple blossom now too - isn't it welcome?
I'm still going to plant it at the allotment, but we'll put the arch in there as a structure for it to grow up. I can see already how fierce the thorns are, gloves are going to be a must when I plant it out. I love the apple blossom, very different from the cherry blossom that I'm used to in the garden.
DeleteI have a pink and some white crinum and they are amazing.They like to be in a sheltered sunny spot so if you can't give them that I would put them in a pot.Don't bury them too deeply and don't be disappointed if they don't flower the first year as they take a while to establish.Enjoy
ReplyDeleteI don't know anything about crinum so thank you for the information. I need to get them in this weekend and may grow then in a container.
DeleteGlad you got your arch & thanks for the mention. Tayberry bushes are thorny things, make sure you have strong gloves on when you tie it in. My fingers were sore for days as like a fool I pulled on one of the branches & my plant is still a baby! I keep on sniffing my apple blossom as I pass the trees, the smell is glorious.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. I can see how thorny the tayberry is already and it's only just started growing. I love apple blossom, it's a shame there isn't more of it.
DeleteThanks for the mention Jo. I knew that you would not be able to resist such temptation :) I bought a crinum too after seeing one in flower in my mum's garden. Interesting idea about using an arch to support the tayberry. I bought one too recently, which looked like a dead stick when I potted it up but which is now slowly leafing out. May look into an arch too but would have to remember not to walk through it!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. I could have spent a considerable amount more, but I was very restrained. I've never grown crinum before so it's something new for the garden. You could have a nasty surprise walking through an arch which has a tayberry growing up it, they're thorny things.
DeleteMy Golden Delicious, which is now a huge tree, has no blossom at all this year. Perhaps they sometimes have a rest year. Great idea for the Tayberry - not sure what to do with my new plant yet. All the squash family seem slow to germinate this year - I planted two Summer Squash seeds, one has come through so far.
ReplyDeleteI bought both my apple trees on dwarf rootstock to control the growth, furthermore, I'm keeping them in a container which should help keep the trees small as I know they can grow big otherwise. It's a shame your Golden Delicious doesn't have any blossom, but you may get a huge harvest next year after it has a rest. The rest of the squash have done ok, it's just the Sunburst that I'm having problems with, I'll sow some more and try again.
DeleteSounds like you got some great bargains!
ReplyDeleteI'm very happy with what I bought, but I left plenty behind which nearly crept in my basket, I'm a sucker for a bargain.
DeleteGreat bargains. I like the idea of dwarf apples - I have been trying to work out how to fit one into my garden and a dwarf just might work. Now I just need to find somewhere locally that sells them...
ReplyDeleteI'm growing my trees in containers, it's easier to find room for them this way, and it will also help to control their growth. I like the idea of step over apple trees and would have loves some to edge the beds at the allotment, but they're so expensive that I couldn't justify the expense.
DeleteI keep thinking about getting a couple of dwarf apple trees.
ReplyDeleteAs you now my Sunburst seeds didn't germinate so I sowed a couple more earlier in the week. As you say fingers crossed. Flighty xx
I'm growing mine in containers in the garden, they shouldn't grow too big with being grown on dwarf rootstock and being kept in a pot. I'm going to get some more Sunburst seeds sown today so I hope we both manage to have some germinate.
DeleteIt's odd how some things don't germinate isn't it. I can't get a single seedling from some of my seeds this year and my young fruit trees are really slow getting their leaves. Some have blossom, but not as pretty as yours. What a wonderful tree that will grow up to be.xxxx
ReplyDeleteI think the tree will be beautiful in a few years when it's had time to grow a little. I've got a few seeds struggling to germinate this year, I think I've made more repeat sowings than I've ever had to in the past.
DeleteYour blossom is so.o.o pretty! I am really into dwarf trees but and have just bought some more, but not a fruit tree yet. P. x
ReplyDeleteI don't really have enough room for trees unless I grow them in containers, so these ones which are grown on dwarf rootstock are ideal. I love the apple blossom.
DeleteLoving your blossom. You could try Delfland organic plants. They do veg plug plants and have a good selection of squashes and pumpkins at the moment.
ReplyDeleteThe blossom is so pretty. I've looked at buying plants online in the past, but they work out quite expensive when you add the postage, especially when you only want a few plants. I've sown some more seed of the patty pan squash so I hope they do better this time.
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