Re: Losing gardening skills

I don't know what I'm doing right but my veggie garden has been quite a success this year

It's a mish mash of crooked rows, tomato plants toppling over from the weight, two successive plantings of beans and peas. Lots of good eating.

And my jealous neighbor called it a horticultural slum. I threw a tomato at him. He caught it and said it was his for lunch

Re: Losing gardening skills

I work in a garden department and totally agree that gardening is becoming a lost art...right up there with sewing, handwriting, printed books...I don't want to live that long ya know?
But I spent all summer with customers who were mystified by simple plant care. They seemed to be otherwise bright but just no experience growing things. I watched my Dad labor in the yard for years so I know.
These poor souls would come up with a plant and need a careful explanation how to re-pot it to a larger container. Or the tomato people...step by step...you want to put it in a bigger pot, then a cage will hold it up, yes it is going to get big...I knew this stuff when I was ten.

Re: Losing gardening skills

Such a shame gardening skills are being lost, particularly when so many of us love to sit out in the summer. I can't believe how many people are ignorant when it comes to plant identification.
Would anyone really believe that daffodils could be eaten? Makes you despair at times, it really does.
I remember reading somewhere that some folk believed ground nuts grew on trees !!

Re: Losing gardening skills

Perhaps they thought the daffodils were onions.

Re: Losing gardening skills

....... or ask for a bunch of cauliflowers for someone's birthday

Re: Losing gardening skills

That would certainly be a surprise for the unlucky recipient Mags.

Re: Losing gardening skills

The strong limbs needed for gardening may become weak with age but the love of growing things never leaves us. I satisfy my gardening lust by growing herbs and Fuchsias, in containers and hanging baskets just outside my kitchen door. So I am still growing something to eat and the Fuchsias are my favourite flower.
The fun came with finding uses for old things, I have two cut down dustbins, an old metal hatbox, a chimney pot and a grass box from a broken lawn mower. Not forgetting the pair of old gardening boots.

I laid out the main part of my garden as woodland, using shrubs, small trees and some bulbs, all of which take care of them selves and if I feel strong, I do a bit of pruning. I have one fir tree that smells beautiful when trimmed.

Help needed, can anyone suggest an aromatic plant for the winter please. I have a smelly neighbour, during the summer the honeysuckle and mint have coped but can you suggest something fragrant for the winter months

Re: Losing gardening skills

Myth some herbs and plants stay fragrant through the winter, the problem is there is no heat from the sun to bring out the scent.

Re: Losing gardening skills

Thank you Meg. Perhaps in winter I will stuff my woolly 'at with herbs and the heat from my 'ead will make me smell all nice

Re: Losing gardening skills

We can thank American gangsta' hood slang for that.