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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Psi (Pronounced 'Si'!) on March 16, 2010, 07:28:44

Title: soft fruit
Post by: Psi (Pronounced 'Si'!) on March 16, 2010, 07:28:44: All

i took cuttings and shoved them in a vacant area of the plot around October and most seem to be budding now - I did josterberry, tayberry and gooseberry. I also layered a josterberry- again it has taken no problems. Really surprised how easily they have propogated, even in a very cold year and some pretty hefty snow! No idea where I will plant these cuttings however!

I also did the same with rosemary and lavender with the vague idea of maybe planting very low hedges at the edge of the plot - most seem to have made it too - very interesting. I figure the lavender will be great for the bees.

On the bee theme it is my second full year on the plot and i really want to encourage the wildlife back to the plot and have set aside a large area for cut flowers and propagated a few rose cuttings to trail over the shed etc. Do bees like anything in particular that is good on a plot?

All idea welcome.

Si
Title: Re: soft fruit
Post by: saddad on March 16, 2010, 07:58:37: Phacalia... a green manure but if you let it flower the bees love it. Sainfoil(sp?) if you can get it is also very popular with the bees... :)
Title: Re: soft fruit
Post by: allaboutliverpool on March 16, 2010, 10:32:22: Runner beans!

I also have a hebe that is always covered in bees.
Title: Re: soft fruit
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on March 16, 2010, 12:09:31: Borage, but once you start growing it you'll have it for evermore. I just let it grow anywhere it's out of the way, and it's shallow-rooting enough to be really easy to pull out. If you have ground elder, or any other umbellifer, that's a good one, and ivy is important in the autumn.
Title: Re: soft fruit
Post by: saddad on March 16, 2010, 12:43:37: Poached Egg Plant... Limnanthes(?) if you don't mind constantly pulling up new seedlings... :-X
Title: Re: soft fruit
Post by: :( on March 16, 2010, 12:53:06: comfrey
Title: Re: soft fruit
Post by: Psi (Pronounced 'Si'!) on March 17, 2010, 07:32:13: Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on March 16, 2010, 12:09:31
Borage, but once you start growing it you'll have it for evermore. I just let it grow anywhere it's out of the way, and it's shallow-rooting enough to be really easy to pull out. If you have ground elder, or any other umbellifer, that's a good one, and ivy is important in the autumn.

robert, I planted borage last year in valuable beds not realising it was a triffid!! It gets seriously big seriously quickly! A word of warning to those equally unfamiliar to borage!
Title: Re: soft fruit
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on March 17, 2010, 09:34:21: It's certainly not adapted for small spaces!