PLANTING SHADY TROUGH IN MAY
I know it is far too risky to be planting up my garden trough at this time, what with the weather being very breezy and rather cold with lashings of rain just to make sure no one thinks they can have a barbeque. But I decided to do it. I've been in and out with the plants like a cuckoo out of a clock, taking them out during the day, bringing them back in at night, and it's not as if it is freezing and I see no forecast, at this point, of a frost. I decided I would risk it and I can always pin some bubble-wrap over the trough if the weather gets treacherous.
I was going to experiment and plant the tuberous begonia that grew in the trough last year. It's a peachy/pink colour but the truth is that while it has been waiting to be planted out, it has already become quite large in its little pot and had to be repotted. I think it will be a good idea eventually to plant it either in a tub or in a hanging basket where it can have its own space and not overwhelm other plants.
While on the subject of repotting, I repotted the Prunus Avium Stella, Gisela 5, which I bought the other day. The gardener at the RHS Centre said it would be okay in its present pot for another year yet but when I double-checked, it was pot bound. I've now put it in it's new home, the large terracotta pot. I noticed that the bottom of the terracotta pot is totally flat. Now, there is a single drainage hole in the bottom of the pot but if it is flat on the ground, I think that might cause waterlogging. I put a lot of smallish stones in the bottom of the pot and then wedged a broken terracotta saucer underneath so that it had space to drain. I've been reading that Gisele 5, (dwarf rooted plants) can be unreliable and that some people have been very disappointed with their cherry trees not establishing or surviving. Apparently, Gisele 5s don't like being waterlogged, or competing with the roots of other plants, or being grown in impoverished soil. I am hoping that mine will thrive in its mix of rich garden soil and MiracleGro, with drainage ensured. Fingers crossed.
Before I go, I have to mention that my perpetual fruiting strawberries have lots of lovely white flowers on them. So pretty. I do hope that the fruit is better than last year when the weather was quite awful but I think we are in for yet another awful summer. We'll see.
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| White and blue bacopas; a Fuchsia Heidi Ann, and a burgundy coloured trailing pelargonium. |
I was going to experiment and plant the tuberous begonia that grew in the trough last year. It's a peachy/pink colour but the truth is that while it has been waiting to be planted out, it has already become quite large in its little pot and had to be repotted. I think it will be a good idea eventually to plant it either in a tub or in a hanging basket where it can have its own space and not overwhelm other plants.
While on the subject of repotting, I repotted the Prunus Avium Stella, Gisela 5, which I bought the other day. The gardener at the RHS Centre said it would be okay in its present pot for another year yet but when I double-checked, it was pot bound. I've now put it in it's new home, the large terracotta pot. I noticed that the bottom of the terracotta pot is totally flat. Now, there is a single drainage hole in the bottom of the pot but if it is flat on the ground, I think that might cause waterlogging. I put a lot of smallish stones in the bottom of the pot and then wedged a broken terracotta saucer underneath so that it had space to drain. I've been reading that Gisele 5, (dwarf rooted plants) can be unreliable and that some people have been very disappointed with their cherry trees not establishing or surviving. Apparently, Gisele 5s don't like being waterlogged, or competing with the roots of other plants, or being grown in impoverished soil. I am hoping that mine will thrive in its mix of rich garden soil and MiracleGro, with drainage ensured. Fingers crossed.
Before I go, I have to mention that my perpetual fruiting strawberries have lots of lovely white flowers on them. So pretty. I do hope that the fruit is better than last year when the weather was quite awful but I think we are in for yet another awful summer. We'll see.
