in the garden that is.
Spent the evening choping back finished herbaceous perennials. Oriental poppies and gerainiums that will benefit from doing so.
That said it took a few deep breaths to summon the courage to do it. Always sems terribly cruel, and leaves a horrendous hole in the border, but it is worthit itn the long run. Hopefully they will flower again later on.
Hust highlights how the weather has affected things. Flowers are over before they have barely begun it seems. :'(
Richard my O POPPIES ARE STILL FLOWERING oooooooooops!!!
so do i cut them back and how much please, also my gerainiums
i have never done that before, when will they flower again.
I have always cut back the lobelia in the hanging baskets.
Rosebud :)
Rosebud: Once your poppies are definetly finished flowering (check for buds first) cut them right back to the ground, and give them a good soak if there isnt rain due. They will soon come back with fresh new growth and perhaps a few flowers if you are lucky!
The geraniums are Hardy geraniums in the border NOT half hardy pelargonuims you use for bedding (dont touch these except to deadhead). hardy gerainiums too are cut right back after flowering to refresh them and perhaps a second crop of flowers.
Hope this helps
Thank you Richard, my gerainiums are only half hardy ,so glad of your advice. but i shall do the poppies. :D
RIght - must do that with my periennial poppies. I don't like cutting back the oriental ones though as I like the look of the seed heads. And my geranium (yes - hardy) is still flowering, so I'll give it a couple more weeks.
Quote from: rosebud on June 21, 2004, 23:08:52
Thank you Richard, my gerainiums are only half hardy ,so glad of your advice. but i shall do the poppies. :D
Mum!
You are a gardening expert, and have been for years, how come you are asking for advice? (http://members.aol.com/SamLouisa/finger.gif) ;D
I'm the one who should be asking for advice, like where to buy gun boots and an elephant gun to out and tackle my back garden! :-X
Sammy
Sammy no one is an expert. There are people who know a great deal more than others,about allsorts of things.
But no one person knows everything. Always ask for help when you need it ok. ;D ;D. Nice that you think i am an expert. What i know i have learned by trial & error over the years. ::)
I just give the impression i know it all, now my secret is out. :o
If you get lost in your garden i will send a search party out for you ok. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Hi Rosebud, hi all,
That's the best thing about a forum like this, you can ask for advice and everyone shares what they know. No one can be an expert in EVERYTHING, and I enjoy hearing other people's ideas.
My hardy germaniums will be getting a haircut this weekend. As for the poppies, they are still blooming furiously!
Love CL
;)
Ans Sammy, let us know if you find an elephant!!
Sorry, am I missing something here. Are rosebud and Yellow petals actualy related? and are communicating through A4all? ???
Welcome to A4all Cotswold Lass! I remember you from the BBC board. Do you remember me? Lots of old friends here (ex BBC) as i am sure you will have noticed ;)
Quote from: Richard F on June 22, 2004, 16:51:23
Sorry, am I missing something here. Are rosebud and Yellow petals actualy related? and are communicating through A4all
Yep :) Definitely related, Rosebud is my mum, and yep to having a few exchanges of words on A4A :) (and more than a few words exchanged over lunch hehehehe)
Sam.
Hi Richard
yes that is my daughter, on the boards,the one who thinks her mum is an expert. I WISH. I have already passed your helpful advice to my friend who was very interested about giving her gerainiums a haircut. Your useful info will be everywhere by the weekend. ;D ;D
Isen`t it nice to have lots of friends over from the beeb.
We can catch up on lots of news now . Rosebud. :D
Rosebud.
Nice to know my knowledge in proving usefull to people. RE; the geraniums, make sure your friends wait until their G's have finished as they will not all be finished everywhere and different varieties have different flowering times. i'd hate to be responsible for cutting short anyones display. For the record my Gs are G. x oxanium 'Claridge Druce' a tough and vigorous G which i have loads of. I also have other Gs such as G sanguinium ( a dwarf variety) which i do not cut back until autumn.
I hack down my geraniums and aquilegias once they have done the business, and they do normally send up a fresh crop of flowers. The poppies I will be leaving like aqui as I love the seed heads.
I think you can rejuevenate bedding plants in a similar way.....but don't quote me! :o
Just finished (last night - escaping from the tennis ;D) Doing my mid season cutting back. Aquilegias and surviving geraniums got the chop. Will be getting a nice fresh crop od foliage soon i hope to set off the late flowering plants (dont expect a second show from aforementioned).
Trouble is i now have lots of bare soil and gaps. I know it will soon come back but it looks a bit strange nonetheless. Then there is all that stuff to compost as well...... ;D ;D ;D