Mumsy's Romantic Garden Advice

[Alibabe]

Clay soil. *Ugh* I have that in the back of my property. Old roses will do well. So will fruit trees. There are a couple ways to go about it. Sand is the best but will be back breaking hard to mix in without powerful equipment. I have done my planting in clay like this.

I think about the plants I want and dig holes three time larger than the root ball or pot. I consider that plant having to live in a pot while it's in the ground. The outside edge of the clay soil will be like the walls of a pot. In this hole I will put the compost, a bit of sand, or my secret recipe for growing. (more on this later)

It will take fruit trees about three to five years to fill the hole before their roots start to break into that clay down there. Roses will start thriving faster. The most important thing about growing in bad clay soil is water retention. If standing water sits for too long over the tops of plant roots, they will die. Excellent drainage is crucial.
If you have the time, building raised berms or beds over the top of clay soils will work too. Where does water drain? That is what you need to know. Turn on a hose over the spot you are considering planting. Which direction does water flow? Will it flow towards your house, coop, the neighbors?
You can dig out a test hole. Fill it with water and time how long it takes to seep away. If water is still in that hole a day later, you've got a problem.

I think I may have a problem with water because last year we had rain for months on end and the water remained on the surface for days but we were experiencing flooding in many parts of the country so I will have to see this coming winter.

I will definitely look at planting some fruit trees as I would love to have some in my garden. I like the look of the dwarf apple trees - do they hold there own with snow and frost?

I definitely want to get some roses as well.

 

[MumsyII]

I think I may have a problem with water because last year we had rain for months on end and the water remained on the surface for days but we were experiencing flooding in many parts of the country so I will have to see this coming winter.

I will definitely look at planting some fruit trees as I would love to have some in my garden. I like the look of the dwarf apple trees - do they hold there own with snow and frost?

I definitely want to get some roses as well.

My property is so small, my best apple trees are dwarf. You can check your local mom and pop nurseries for advice on fruit trees for your region or ask your neighbors what they have. Not much snow in my area but we do get late frosts some years and that will spoil your pollination or kill the blooms. Bees are already having a rough time. Getting fruit trees that fruit later in the season is a good hedge against that. Winter apple varieties maybe?

 

[FridayYet]

This thread is wonderful

 

[MumsyII]

Thank you Friday Yet.

Here is my quick list of trees and plants I have grown that deer and rabbits don't like. I often collect multiple colors and varieties of many of them. They have naturalized in areas. I will have to go over my old garden journal and look for others. You may know some not on this list. Share if you would. It could be very helpful to many. When I could remember the latin name it is here. Often common names mean different plants in different regions. The latin name is used around the world.

Ferns
Astillbe
Bleeding Heart
Forsythia
Lilac
Japanese Maple
Mock Orange
Snowball Bush
Butterfly Bush
Hydrangea
Quince
Yucca
Sedum
Iris
Daylilie (hermocallis)
Euphorbia
Valerian white
Jupiters Beard (Red Valerian)
Myosotis (Forget Me Nots)
Potentilla
Centauria (CornFlower)
Japanese Anenomes
Linaria (toadflax)
Peonies
Thalictrum (Medow Rue)
Solidago (Goldenrod)
FeverFew
Golden chain tree(Laburnum)
Laurel
Honeysuckle
Rugosa roses and fast growing ramblers
Polyoganum(Mile a Minute or Lace vine)
Wild clematis
Wild grape
Papaver (poppies)
Bamboo
Lavender

Mixing these plants up in the garden in the many wonderful varieties they come in can be the beginning of a wonderful diverse garden. It will look just plain nasty to the typical deer or rabbit.

 

[Alibabe]

My property is so small, my best apple trees are dwarf. You can check your local mom and pop nurseries for advice on fruit trees for your region or ask your neighbors what they have. Not much snow in my area but we do get late frosts some years and that will spoil your pollination or kill the blooms. Bees are already having a rough time. Getting fruit trees that fruit later in the season is a good hedge against that. Winter apple varieties maybe?

Thanks Mumsy, I was planning to visit the garden centre the past weekend but we had our granddaughter for the weekend so busy, busy, busy!

I will definitely go this coming weekend as I want to try and get some nasturtians for the chickens to plant in their run for when they are not ranging as extra greens and while I am there, will hunt through the fruit trees to see what will grow in this area.

I need to plant some more grass in a patch that I cleared ivy from growing as the ivy was starting to attach to the side of the house. I bought some grass seed especially for poultry which contains clover, white and red, to add to the chicken food choices.

Lots of work to do and never enough time.

 

[MumsyII]

I have soil just like this sadly. We ordered it in. It is organic topsoil.. should have gotten it pre-mixed with compost where we got it from, or went somewhere else. My garden still seems to thrive though.. It is terribly hard to plant anything new if it is not wet. Not sure how the plants are still alive to be honest!

I like wild looking gardens.

Mumsy, I have this random flower that is popping up out front. Are you good at identifying stuff like that?

It's wild whatever it is. Tall.. May be sunflowers, but I am not really sure.

Wild gardens are amazing! And they are the most difficult to 'create' to look as if they happened on their own. One of my favorite challenges.

Post a picture. If I grew it, I will know it. If I don't know it, my personal library of horticulture books could help identify it.

 

[MumsyII]

Thanks Mumsy, I was planning to visit the garden center the past weekend but we had our granddaughter for the weekend so busy, busy, busy!

I will definitely go this coming weekend as I want to try and get some nasturtians for the chickens to plant in their run for when they are not ranging as extra greens and while I am there, will hunt through the fruit trees to see what will grow in this area.

I need to plant some more grass in a patch that I cleared ivy from growing as the ivy was starting to attach to the side of the house. I bought some grass seed especially for poultry which contains clover, white and red, to add to the chicken food choices.

Lots of work to do and never enough time.

Your welcome. The mom and pop nurseries are my favorite not just because I like to shop from folks that live in the area but they usually have the best knowledge of what is a good tree for the region.

My chickens love the Nasturtiums! They prefer the orange flowers. I planted rye seed in the chick run and it grew so tall! The turkey chicks loved hunting in it. I cut it down when it began to go to seed. The seed of this variety is poison to livestock. I found out after I planted it! Thankfully, the run is small and I can use a hand sickle to cut it down when it's mature. I need to get what you planted next time.

 

[Alibabe]

Your welcome. The mom and pop nurseries are my favorite not just because I like to shop from folks that live in the area but they usually have the best knowledge of what is a good tree for the region.

My chickens love the Nasturtiums! They prefer the orange flowers. I planted rye seed in the chick run and it grew so tall! The turkey chicks loved hunting in it. I cut it down when it began to go to seed. The seed of this variety is poison to livestock. I found out after I planted it! Thankfully, the run is small and I can use a hand sickle to cut it down when it's mature. I need to get what you planted next time.

This is the seed that I bought on eBay. This supplier is in UK, but I am sure there are company's all over the world offering this type of seed.

Poultry Mix Grass Seed

A tough, well proven mixture which provides a dense and resilient turf and added protein of red and white clovers for poultry.
Sowing early spring through to late autumn
legislation requires all free range birds must have outside access to forage freely during daylight hours.
And that foraging areas are mainly covered in vegetation
Ivisons Poultry Ley Mix is based on

• Short growing time
• Hard wearing grass species
• Red and White clover for added protein
• Very good ground cover ,
• Robust pasture even in wet weather.

Mix consists of:
20% Early Perennial Rye
20% Certified Perennial Rye
20% Hard Fescue
15% Chewing Fescue
20% Red Fescue
2.5% Red Clover
2.5% White Clover

 

[MumsyII]

This is the seed that I bought on eBay. This supplier is in UK, but I am sure there are company's all over the world offering this type of seed.

Poultry Mix Grass Seed

A tough, well proven mixture which provides a dense and resilient turf and added protein of red and white clovers for poultry.
Sowing early spring through to late autumn
legislation requires all free range birds must have outside access to forage freely during daylight hours.
And that foraging areas are mainly covered in vegetation
Ivisons Poultry Ley Mix is based on

• Short growing time
• Hard wearing grass species
• Red and White clover for added protein
• Very good ground cover ,
• Robust pasture even in wet weather.

Mix consists of:
20% Early Perennial Rye
20% Certified Perennial Rye
20% Hard Fescue
15% Chewing Fescue
20% Red Fescue
2.5% Red Clover
2.5% White Clover

OH! I can see it now! The Rye I bought and spread in the chick run is annual Rye! Thank you for posting this Alibabe. Truly!

 

[Alibabe]

OH! I can see it now! The Rye I bought and spread in the chick run is annual Rye! Thank you for posting this Alibabe. Truly!

you are welcome. I bet you could get the seed seperately, with the %'s you could mix your own. They say to sow at 35gm per square metre.