The Grow Your Own thread for random stuff that doesn't need it's own thread

[hellymedic]

Magnolia tree next door is in leaf and flower.
I’m used to it flowering in winter, before the leaves appear.

That strikes me as a bit late for magnolia - I would've expected some activity late April / early May.

quite!
I’m used to March/April, not mid/late July..

[ElyDave]

I have a problem patch, it's infested with bindweed.  This spring I was quite dilligent in digging up every shoot I saw, and as much root as I could get, but it's just gone nuts in the warm and wet weather we've had.

I'm thinking the solution is to dig up, bare root and pot everything I want to keep, cut back severely what I can't pot up and then dust off and nuke it from orbit glyphosate the living crap out of it.

It might take a few applications, and I'll likely lose some self-seeding annuals, but that should let me clear it and also give me the chance to improve the soil in the spring with a lot of compost - heavy clay and has always been hard to grow very much in there.

Thoughts?

[rafletcher]

Unfortunately glyphosate is the only real solution to certain things. We use Roundup for certain things, bindweed being one. We tend to unravel the bindweed, bag the tips and then spray into the bag. Stops accidental overspray. 

[ElyDave]

Unfortunately glyphosate is the only real solution to certain things. We use Roundup for certain things, bindweed being one. We tend to unravel the bindweed, bag the tips and then spray into the bag. Stops accidental overspray.

I'm of the same view, I don't like it, but sometimes its the only choice. One of my techniques is to plant canes, let it grow around them, then lay them on the ground, preferably path and spray there.

The plastic bag is a good idea as well

[SteveC]

It might take a few applications, and I'll likely lose some self-seeding annuals, but that should let me clear it and also give me the chance to improve the soil in the spring with a lot of compost - heavy clay and has always been hard to grow very much in there.

Our entire garden has issues with bindweed. Although I cannot get rid of it (I don't use chemicals in the garden) I have found that improving the soil quality helps in that it becomes much easier to remove the wretched stuff. With our heavy clay the roots just break off all the time, but in the areas which have had a lot of mulch, it's much easier to get the roots out without breaking.
Shame I've only really done a decent mulching job on one of the borders.

[rafletcher]

Despite being only 30cm high the Big Daddy tomatoes have started setting fruit, and we have one the size of a small grape. This is a good thing. I shall feed them tomorrow.

[The Family Cyclist]

I really need to trim our hedge, we have a narrow garden and it's about 2 foot too far out. I feel bad though as the ivy is in full flower so the bees and other insects are loving it

[Mrs Pingu]

Wait until it's finished then.