Beginners needing help may like to read

ps. As Helen says, soil is really ground up rock. The
minute grains take time to absorb nutrients which plant
roots feed on.
We have to allow time for this to happen naturally.
Any kind of small pet litter or rotted down manure is good
for this method.
My Gerbils always want plain brown cardboard to chew into tiny pieces. I have now found a source of this. It gets mixed in with the litter.
They dont eat much.
Just want this chewable cardboard -
which suits me nicely.

pps. Sorry, I forgot to include the horticultural sand.
Am getting one small pack a week to include in the mixture.

Hi Diane, as you say every little helps, Derek.

I am beginning to think of it as 'The Magic Mixture'.
Another job from Helen for a February day.
Dont put plants into the surface of a container grown
Clematis. They take all the goodness and moisture this
plant needs.
Remove the Pinks and repot them in new compost.
Take out 2" of the surface soil. Then remove 2" round the sides of the container, as far as possible.
Pack the Magic Mixture into the sides, pushing it down well.
Put 2" onto the surface.
Water well and replace the ornamental stones/gravel to keep the moisture in.
Place the pots of Pinks for decorative effect on top.
Now, that I can do, even if its windy.
Thanks Helen.

You'll have us all keeping gerbils soon Diane!

I wish I had known all this months ago Stera.
Was amazed at how much soil I got out of the container
a large bucket full.
Replaced it with the Magic Mixture as detailed above.
Brought the red Dianthus plants up to replant in my balcony baskets with MM. Better than all the work and expense involved in planting them up with summer annuals.
Needed more MM to mix with the old compost. My production team chewing away, so took some of their bedding out to use for this. They looked annoyed as its not Saturday - when I change it !
If anyone is thinking of following this good advice, Gerbils are best kept in an old fish tank, as they do get excited and throw the litter about. After the initial cost they are very inexpensive to keep. Need to eat from a
7" diameter soup plate, not a small dish.
Anyway its good to be able to do something really useful in February.

Your dianthus idea sounds good. I hope its a long flowering variety to extend your pleasure.

Also recommend buying from T&M catalogue to check the height of the plants.
Carnations are slow to grow, seed needs sowing now indoors. I bought seed from a local GC
they flopped all over the place. Going on the compost heap soon.

Hi Diane, sorry to disagree, but I certainly would not recommend buying from t&m, I've found that their plants are very expensive, and absolute rubbish, Derek.

You could perhaps go for pinks instead Diane - some of the modern varieties flower longer than the old ones.