[Help] Gardeners Question Time.

[Green Cross Code Man]

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Tree/plant Id please. Top one is a medium size tree that came with the house - we have one either side of the garden. Bees love it, hence we call it our "bee tree". Small pink flowers are opening, these develop into berries that the birds feast on (and sh*t all over the decking!).

Other photo shows another plant , again inherited, but what is it?

Thanks in anticipation to you Percy Throwers out there

Don't know about the tree, but the shrub beneath is Hypericum.

 

[Jack Straw]

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Tree/plant Id please. Top one is a medium size tree that came with the house - we have one either side of the garden. Bees love it, hence we call it our "bee tree". Small pink flowers are opening, these develop into berries that the birds feast on (and sh*t all over the decking!).

Other photo shows another plant , again inherited, but what is it?

Thanks in anticipation to you Percy Throwers out there

If you're on acidic soil, I'm going for a Blueberry Tree (Vaccinium corymbosum).
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardeni.../7625343/How-to-grow-blueberries-in-pots.html
GCCM is correct with the Hypericum. If it only grows about 30 cm it's a species called "calycinum". If it grows to just over a metre, it's probably "hidcote".

 

[Jack Straw]

View attachment 124053km

View attachment 124054

Tree/plant Id please. Top one is a medium size tree that came with the house - we have one either side of the garden. Bees love it, hence we call it our "bee tree". Small pink flowers are opening, these develop into berries that the birds feast on (and sh*t all over the decking!).

Other photo shows another plant , again inherited, but what is it?

Thanks in anticipation to you Percy Throwers out there

What colour are the fruits? If they're not blue-black, I'm wrong. If they're orange and bigger than berries, it could be a Japanese Persimmon. https://jurassicplants.co.uk/products/diospyros-lotus-chinese-date-plumptree
You show your age asking for Percy Throwers! It's Alan Titchmarsh now-a-days!!

 

[Coldeanseagull]

The top picture looks more like a cotoneaster to me? Not sure

 

[Jack Straw]

The top picture looks more like a cotoneaster to me? Not sure

You could well be right, possibly cornubia? I initially ruled this out due to the OP's description of pink flowers. We need the colour and size of the fruits.

 

[Norman Potting]

You could well be right, possibly cornubia? I initially ruled this out due to the OP's description of pink flowers. We need the colour and size of the fruits.

Will post again when the berries appear. I like a good horticultural mystery

 

[WATFORD zero]

Whilst on identifying trees



Another unlabelled winter nursery find a few years back. A handwritten label said Acer, and as you can see, it has striped bark which is more obvious in the winter, and small red flowers. (The philadelphus and bay in the background are unrelated).

Over to you

*edit*

One more to show shape of tree

 

[knocky1]

Is there anything I can do to get rid off this nasty, ugly bug on my bush?

 

[Jack Straw]

Whilst on identifying trees

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Another unlabelled winter nursery find a few years back. A handwritten label said Acer, and as you can see, it has striped bark which is more obvious in the winter, and small red flowers. (The philadelphus and bay in the background are unrelated).

Over to you

*edit*

One more to show shape of tree

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At last, a nice easy one! Acer davidii (Snake-bark maple).
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/183/Acer-davidii/Details

 

[BrightonCottager]

Oozing compost bin

After 10+ years of a functioning compost bin ('dustbin' type) with thousands of worms producing rich compost, it's started oozing black liquid from the bottom. We put vegetable peelings in it and teabags (not citrus). The only difference to previous yesrs is that a few months ago I started draining the coffee grounds from the cafetiere and adding them. They were dry when they went in. Could this have affected the pH balance significantly? The ooze doesn't particularly smell and there are still womrs just below the surface of the new material at the top. Any diagnosis and solutions are gratefully received. Thanks.

 

[vegster]

After 10+ years of a functioning compost bin ('dustbin' type) with thousands of worms producing rich compost, it's started oozing black liquid from the bottom. We put vegetable peelings in it and teabags (not citrus). The only difference to previous yesrs is that a few months ago I started draining the coffee grounds from the cafetiere and adding them. They were dry when they went in. Could this have affected the pH balance significantly? The ooze doesn't particularly smell and there are still womrs just below the surface of the new material at the top. Any diagnosis and solutions are gratefully received. Thanks.

I would not worry unduly, if you can collect the liquid in any way that will be a useful liquid feed, as good as, or better than the compost.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

Ah, it's black gold! It's what you get as the heap breaks down. You can actually buy compost bins that allow for the collection of this rich liquid
https://evengreener.com/composting/food-waste/kitchen/blackwall-twin-pack-bokashi-bin-kcomslv2

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I am trying to make my own liquid plant food by leaving a lot of weeds in a bucket of water to rot down. I understand that nettles and comfrey are better for this but I haven't got any. Instead I'm using a random selection of various garden weeds. Should I avoid particular plants for any reason, or just bung in any old greenery to rot. They have been in the greenhouse for a couple of weeks and the liquid stinks. I assume that I'll need to dilute it before I pour the liquid stench over my tomato plants.

 

[Jack Straw]

I am trying to make my own liquid plant food by leaving a lot of weeds in a bucket of water to rot down. I understand that nettles and comfrey are better for this but I haven't got any. Instead I'm using a random selection of various garden weeds. Should I avoid particular plants for any reason, or just bung in any old greenery to rot. They have been in the greenhouse for a couple of weeks and the liquid stinks. I assume that I'll need to dilute it before I pour the liquid stench over my tomato plants.

You're indulging in a sphere of horticultural alchemy of which I'm unfamiliar. I need to leave this to the boffins!

 

[Coldeanseagull]

I am trying to make my own liquid plant food by leaving a lot of weeds in a bucket of water to rot down. I understand that nettles and comfrey are better for this but I haven't got any. Instead I'm using a random selection of various garden weeds. Should I avoid particular plants for any reason, or just bung in any old greenery to rot. They have been in the greenhouse for a couple of weeks and the liquid stinks. I assume that I'll need to dilute it before I pour the liquid stench over my tomato plants.

yes, dilute. I bit of light reading is needed to find weeds or plants that will release the main elements like nettles and comfrey, which is great by the way. I made some with dandelions and bindweed, but any leafy green stuff and soft stemmy bits will work.
Whilst we're on the subject of mixing stuff up, try rhubarb leaves, the liquid is a fantastic bug killer.
Is my inner bunny hugger coming out? no, I'm just a tight arse and getting something for nothing pleases me

 

[Stat Brother]

You're indulging in a sphere of horticultural alchemy of which I'm unfamiliar. I need to leave this to the boffins!

You rang.

 

[Stat Brother]

Ok, I know it's a day early, but here's the bi-weekly poppy photo:-




I've been ruminating over these because the only thing I remember about the packet is words to the effect of:-

'if planting directly into soil the poppy will not flower in the first year'.

Now that was just 6 weeks ago.

I find it hard to believe these bad boys can go from a spec of a seed to this, in less than two months.
But won't flower when they still have the entire summer ahead of them.

 

[Jack Straw]

Ok, I know it's a day early, but here's the bi-weekly poppy photo:-

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I've been ruminating over these because the only thing I remember about the packet is words to the effect of:-

'if planting directly into soil the poppy will not flower in the first year'.

Now that was just 6 weeks ago.

I find it hard to believe these bad boys can go from a spec of a seed to this, in less than two months.
But won't flower when they still have the entire summer ahead of them.

What ever you may think, Alan Titchmarsh now has serious competition. That's a lovely lot of poppy seedlings you've grown there Stat. The packet may have stated that if you sow them in late summer, they may not flower that year?
If you're impressed with their growth, you need to get in to Echiums. I will be delivering seeds of these to anyone in the locality of Brighton or not too far from, in about six weeks' time to anyone who wants them.

 

[Stat Brother]

What ever you may think, Alan Titchmarsh now has serious competition. That's a lovely lot of poppy seedlings you've grown there Stat. The packet may have stated that if you sow them in late summer, they may not flower that year?
If you're impressed with their growth, you need to get in to Echiums. I will be delivering seeds of these to anyone in the locality of Brighton or not too far from, in about six weeks' time to anyone who wants them.

I thank you, I worked so hard for that too!!!!

I'm pleased they might flower this year.
Hopefully they'll be some roses buds climbing the wall behind, at the same time.


It's an odd patch, to say the least.

Naturally that pic is the best of the best.
To the left is a patch of border that is considerably more shaded.
So there's almost a Berlin Wall type situation of developed, and undeveloped, PoppyWorld.

The other half, and some, of that photo forms a crescent shape of growth.
The fact that the 'swimming pool' indentation crescent shape happens to be the same size as a footstep is purely coincidental.

While the other end of the border is the furthest away from where I started, and all too quickly finished, sowing the seeds so that's a little baron.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Can a member of the panel please help with a question about this plant purchased today?

In the shop a quick glance at the label suggested this would climb up a fence if planted in the ground but having looked at it now I’m not sure that is what it’s meant for.... it has been trained around wire framework and is described as a “19cm pot”. Should I leave it in the pot or will it go

well up against a fence (fnarr, fnarr)...?