Weeds and Deeds

A man of words and not of deeds

Is like a garden full of weeds

And when the weeds begin to grow

It's like a garden full of snow

I know, I know, I'm a bad blogger. Its not that I've  been lounging on the sofa being fed peeled grapes my my daughters. (I've tried, they just sqwish them up my nose). 

there really are fairies at the bottom of my garden

I've mostly been dealing with sleepless nights from teething babies and toddler nightmares.   I have managed prop my eyelids open with matchsticks, drag my weary body into in the garden and have started and re-written this blog four times.  It's been so long now that i cant remember where to begin.  

Ah yes there was a hosepipe ban.  Drought and disaster looming while at the same time, water water everywhere, well definitely in my three water butts.  Then Thames water finally  lifted the hose pipe ban after some of the heaviest rain fall in May and June.   Being on a water metre means that I am still hoping that I don't have to use the hose pipe too much. 

With all the rain I'm tried to stay off the soil as much as possible, so as not to compact it and destroy the structure.  I managed to do some weeding, though it's a constant battle as they are growing ..... Well ...... like weeds!

I haven't cut the hedge yet as it was too wet and i cant find the hedge trimmer since we moved.  I haven't cut the grass, you guessed it, to wet. (though i probably could now) .  

So I thought its about time to get those reluctant gardeners back on track.  

I followed my own earlier advice and cheated. I didn't buy tomatoes as I had already sown some, I bought some pumpkin seedling and some chilli seedling. For the pumpkins I formed three little mounds, apparently they like to trail down little hills. To stop the slugs I put tumble dryer fluff round one, oats round another and the last had to fend for itself as the sheeps wool is in the post???  Now whether it was the high winds or the slugs the porridge oats lost. Slugs 1- Mum in wellies 0. (I now have two flowers on my pumpkins, so excited!).   The slimy ones have also been chomping their way through my lettuce and my strawberries.  So I went mad with the slug pellets all around the strawbs as I don't have enough tumble dryer fluff. (the td fluff seems to be working as my beans have remained intact). 

I digress. Reluctant gardeners I have a task for you. A simple and inexpensive was to increase the amount of plants in your garden, presents for friends or to get in the good books of the church/school/village fete committee. 

Soft wood cuttings. 

There are loads of plants that you can take soft wood cuttings from both perennials and shrubs. Too many to mention so here are just a few. 

Perennials

Erigeron - evergreen ground cover big blouse daisy flowers 

Penstemon - classic cottage garden plant comes in an array of colours

Nepeta - catmint I love it but do does my cat so I can't grow it in my gardened he eats it, rolls in it and goes nuts. 

Shrubs

Lavendula - what can I say, everyone know this one and it's a great way to get tons of it!

Buxus - only if you have the time and patience,  it's slow to propagate. 

Buddlejia - don't knock this train line plant it has some lovely cultivars and is great for wildlife.  Black knight is beautiful, deep purple flowers with orange centres

Hydrangea - aborescens Annabelle is my favorite big white pompoms

The soft new shoots on plants is what you are looking for. Preferably non flowering shoots as they will root more easily. 

from left: lavender, sage, ceanothus, flowering currant

Take off up to 10cm of a shoot just above a bud on the parent plant.

feeling a little cold: stripped of their lower leaves

Strip the lower few leaves so you have a decent length of stem to plant in the soil. 

I've used John innes seed and potting compost, but you probably could you a good multi purpose compost. 

please ignore my bad manicure!

Dip the cutting in some rooting powder or liquid then make a hole in the compost (fingers, dibbers, a pencil what ever suits). Then put in the cutting and firm it into the compost. 

Water well. 

now wait

I put two to three cuttings per pot (just because I'm tight!). 

Mine are in a sunny sheltered area in my garden as my greenhouse isn't up yet. But a window sill would do of you haven't got the space outside

Leave them for 6-10 weeks. Remembering to keep the compost moist. 

Then your only problem is finding places in your garden to plant them. 

I have cuttings of

Lavendula  Hidcote

Salvia officinalis

Rosmarinus officinalis

Ceanothus Concha

Cistus Sunset

Buxus semirvirens

Ribes sanguineum

I do get quite carried away taking cuttings as its SO easy!

just a few strawberries, red currants and sticks of rhubarb

my little star

I've also been collecting the strawbs and red currants which, even though we've been sharing them with the slugs and bird population of Newbury, seem to be an unending harvest.  Lottie like Holly before her has acquired a taste for red currants straight from the bush so it's a battle between them as to who will get there first, all fear of spiders and other crawlies banished. 

no spider can stop the intrepid strawberry hunter