Chris's Weblog – City Chickens

My diary from 2006

Monthly Archive: May 2017

Chris's Weblog - City Chickens > 2017 > May

Tomatoes – A Gift From Frank

May 29, 2017 Garden ,

Following the disaster of germination then loss to the frost and the starting again but with limited success we have been given eight tomato plants by our allotment neighbour Frank. Today I have the job of potting them on into their final pots. Some are familiar and some new varieties to me.

One of the new  varieties is Solanum lycopersicum Harzfeuer and is an open pollinated cultivar. A German variety this beefsteak fruit is acidic and juicy. Harzfeuer grows to a height of 5′. Tomato Idyll is a cocktail tomato variety which produces long clusters of red fruit. The slight red fruit are highly valued for their delicious taste. Gardeners Delight, Sweet Millions, Marmanade and Lemon Pear, Hildares plus one unlabelled are the others.

Tomatoes this year seemed like a lot of work, compost and time for little reward. Maybe I won’t grow them next year.

 

 

 

Coleus Wizard Mix Merlin – Lamiaceae

May 13, 2017 Garden , ,

I bought seeds of Coleus Wizard Mix from Seekay. There are 50 pelleted seeds in a tiny plastic tube and cost 99p. I have had them in the fridge for a week and now plan to put them onto a tray of moist sandy compost in a flat tray and keep them in the light. Wizard Merlin is said to be a good mix of foliage colours with single and double coloured leaves. It is a little late to sow but nevertheless I am going to have a go. Sowing advice says January to May. I will use half and try the other half next January.  I may use some of these in my pots but planned to use them as house plants in the main. The advice is to pinch out growing tips to promote a bushy plant. Coleus are a greenhouse Perennial but are often grown as an annual. The plants prefer a site with deep moist well drained soil in full sun.  My first job is to get them to germinate and make a few decent plants. I have put ten of these seeds to germinate today 12th May. Friday 17th May update…I can see tiny seedlings coming through already at five days.

Coleus is a former genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. The genus is no longer recognized and the species are instead placed in the genera Plectranthus and Solenostemon. Coleus is regarded as a synonym of Plectranthus. The term “coleus” is often used as a common name for the species that are cultivated as ornamental foliage plants . Wiki.

Sweet Pea Cupid Mahogany – Bush Type

May 10, 2017 Garden , , ,

Sweet Pea Cupid Mahogany is a bush type ideal for hanging baskets and tubs. It is said to have beautifully perfumed flowers. I have grown Sweet Peas many times before but have never tried an everlasting one or a basket type. It will be interesting to see how these turn out. The Cupid are soaking in tepid water for sowing tomorrow. These seeds are in compost now. They should germinate in seven to fourteen days. Seven days on ands no sign of the seedlings yet. Three out of eight germinated. They will be potted on today 28th May.

It was in Sicily, in Palermo, that a Franciscan monk named Father Cupani first took an interest in what became known as “the scented pea”. He grew it in his monastery garden and in cultivation, its flowers grew half as big again as those that grew wild. In 1699 he sent seed to England and Holland. The flower’s ease of cultivation and willingness to set seed, coupled with its perfume and colour, guaranteed that it was in popular demand and it became widely distributed. information from Carol Klein.

Lathyrus Latifolius Red Pearl – Everlasting Sweet Pea

May 10, 2017 Garden , , , ,

An everlasting Sweet peas, Red Pearl, is a reliable, easy to grow perennial plant. It will scramble up trellis or through a shrub and give cut flowers all summer. Cut back in autumn and they will shoot up again in the spring. Being leguminous they provide nitrogen to the soil.  Best in a well drained position against a trellis or wall in sun or part shade. Hardy perennial. I have soaked ten of these seeds overnight and they are now in a module tray.

Lathyrus latifolius, the perennial pea vine, perennial pea, broad-leaved everlasting-pea, or just everlasting pea, is a robust, sprawling perennial in the Pea Family Fabaceae. It is native to Europe but is present on other continents, such as North America and Australia, where it is most often seen along roadsides.

Lathyrus latifolius keeps its roots in a tidy clump, is easy to raise from seed, and is wonderfully fresh at a difficult time of year. Plant it next to something that dies down after midsummer or put it under a shrub and let it climb through the branches. It is best to sow indoors and put out when you get a strong plant.

Lobelia Cardinalis Queen Victoria

May 5, 2017 Garden, Pond , , , ,

I bought this hardy perennial Lobelia plant as another candidate for around the pond. Brightly coloured spikes of scarlet flowers appear in late summer from deep purple foliage. This vibrant colour appears in the garden just as many perennials are fading. Divide large clumps every second year in spring. Protect the crown of the plant during winter with a thick, dry mulch. This moisture loving plant can also be grown at the edges of a pond if potted up it into a basket with aquatic compost. Harmful if eaten.

This plant was becoming pot bound so I have planted it into the border beside the Red Rose and think maybe I can divide it next spring and put some by the pond. Update – This plant has grown very well and as we now have the pond up and running it has been potted up and sunk on to a shelf at the side. I hope that it will survive the move and the coming Winter weather.

 

Gypsophila Cerastioides – Alpine

May 3, 2017 Garden, Pond , ,

Gypsophila cerastioides is native to the rocky slopes of the eastern Himalayas and forms an attractive tuft with shiny green foliage and pink-veined white trumpet flowers. Also known as Alpine Baby’s Breath this rock garden plant likes the sun and light, well-drained soil. Can also be grown in troughs. A hardy perennial, this small type of Gypsophila is drought tolerant, tough and produces endless supplies of white flowers, which are loved by butterflies. The Mouse Eared Gypsophila is good for alpine gardens, rockeries, patio containers, troughs or for growing in gaps in walls and paving. The tufted, mounding plants produce flowers from spring to summer. It seems like an ideal plant for around the pond one day.

Viola Sororia Albiflora – White Wood Violet

May 3, 2017 Garden , , , ,

I bought an addition to my longed for Viola collection today. It is the White Wood  Violet, Viola Albiflora. This is a herbaceous perennial plant with the leaves and flowers emerging directly from the rhizomes and forming a basal rosette. A mature plant may be 6″ across and 4″ high  with the flowers rising higher than the leaves. The leaves are heart shaped as on Freckles. The flowers of this form of Viola Sororia are white except for delicate violet lines radiating from the throat of the flower. There is no noticeable scent. They flower for about six weeks emerging  from mid to late spring according to the weather. During the summer cleistogamous flowers without petals produce seeds, which are flung outward by mechanical ejection from the three-parted seed capsules. The root system consists of thick, horizontally branched rhizomes with a tendency to form vegetative colonies. As they are woodland plants they prefer dappled shade.

NB. Cleistogamy is a type of automatic self-pollination of certain plants that can propagate by using non-opening, self-pollinating flowers. Especially well known in peanuts, peas, and beans, this behaviour is most widespread in the grass family. However, the largest genus of cleistogamous plants is actually Viola.

Dianthus Pure – Odessa Series

May 2, 2017 Garden ,

I bought a 7cm pot of this Dianthus at the same time that I bought the White Delphinium and today I have prepared a large container which I intend to plant up with all white flowers.

Dianthus will bloom from June to October producing pretty foliage and ruffled flower heads which exude a subtly spicy and instantly recognisable aroma. What’s more, Dianthus’ are compact in habit with a mature height of just 40cm, which makes them the perfect ornamental fragrant perennials for patio pots.