What a mess..., ...my garden is :/

Right, I need a bit of advice here

Everything looks dead.

I've just been pottering about in there, doing a bit of tidying up and realised that I should have taken care of it months ago.

Is it alright to prune things back now? Things like rose bushes, geraniums, lavender?

I also have a fresh jasmin plant...Is it safe to plant that out there now?

Hi fwenchi,

I have a sneaky feeling the reason Les and Sherry invited me on this forum was for just such occasions!

Everything looks dead because its conserving energy for the new growth season. It's just sleeping, it's fine to cut back growth that's died back but don't prune anything until the frosts have passed.
You need to know whether the shrub/tree flowers on last years wood or this years new growth before you take the secateurs to it, you won't kill a plant by pruning but you could lose this years flowers.

There's still cold weather forecast yet so I would stick to general tidying the beds and keep your jasmine sheltered in its pot for the time being. Even if it's winter flowering it's not going to appreciate being stuck into the cold earth now.

Don't despair Springs on her way.

Sorcha

Thank you, geat help, Sorcha!

My Oh is the green fingered household member but he's so busy with work lately, if he's not careful, he might have to prune me back too!

Spring is a 'she' huh? It makes sense...always late!

Ooh, we have a green fingered goddess here?

I've cut back my perennial geraniums & other stuff which died right off during the winter and just covered my rhubarb which is starting to sprout!

I usually prune roses when it's warm enough for the new shoots to show properly.

Hi Mankycat

Nice to meet a fellow newbie.

In real life I am a garden designer and run a design and landscaping business with O/H.
I do the designing, O/H & Co build them then I go and plant them.
I'm also heavily into herbs and ancient herbalism.

I'm happy to help if I can


Sorcha

Not a bit of it. You're a top poster, Mrs.

Mind you - while you're on this thread ... What's the best way to look after a grape vine?

Are we talking '...and then she said/ ohhh he never did/ round the village like a rat up a drainpipe...' type grapevine or in the horticultural sense?

If you haven't already planted it you need a sunny spot, preferably against a wall with good drainage. (I suppose that could be said of many things eh!?!)
You don't want the soil to be too rich because this causes the vine to gallop away instead of putting it's energy into the fruit.

If it's one already in situ...ignore the posting so far and just try to make sure that they are watered well in the growing season. Plants grown up against a wall are often suffer when they're not watered because it's been raining. The roof line and guttering can prevent the rain reaching them. It's a bit of a balancing act though as Vines don't like their feet sitting in water so good drainage is important. Mulching's not a bad idea either.

That'll be £50 thankyou.



Sorcha

It's well established - it was here when we moved in. It's only produced fruit once and the grapes were really tiny, but quite sweet. Last year, we got loads of leaf, but no fruit.

Sending £50 down the interweb tubes.


P.S. Alternative grapevine? Oh yes ... you know that Fwench? Well .......

£50?!!

My garden is mostly lawn for lounging/ putting the bunny on with a long flower border.

Tried my hand at tomatoes last year & hoping to grow more salad this year.

...I've heard about that Fwenchi before, her and that molls...well!

Sounds like the soils a bit too rich, not much you can do about that now it's established. You could try a dose of magnesium sulphate in the spring. (spray the leaves)

If you are prepared to sacrifice this years crop (most grapevines fruit on last years wood) you could cut it hard back this year and try to stop it running away with foliage growth in the future.

*sends receipt back up the interweb tubes along with new invoice to the sum of £50*

Sorcha

Thanks, Sorcha. I'll try the magnesium. I did cut it back quite hard last year, so fingers crossed. I want to make wine from my own grapes. (Hic!)

Starts finding things to sell.