Summertime has been all work for me this year
By islander
12 comments
This summer has been hard going, I have worked harder than I ever did in my life. however my dream retirement home is nearing completion so next summer I will be able to get back to my favourite past-times, fishing and gardening.
the summer here was very hot (unusual for Orkney and I had to move my fuchsias out of the greenhouse for a month or so as they were suffering in the heat.
I tried a few new plants this year and so far they are doing well.
I got a few goji berry cuttings in the spring and they have grown really well. in fact so well that i have now got about a hundred plants. they are so easy to take cuttings from that I wonder why they cost so much. they root within a fortnight, and i have not had one fail yet.. the acid test for me is whether they can take an Orkney winter. By all accounts they are a very tough plant, but dont like being in areas where the drainage is poor. if they survive and prosper in our winter gales I will grow a hedgerow of them. however i have kept some indoors in case.
I also got some Melon pears, These are also very easy to take cuttings from, unfortunately the have not fruited tis year.
I would reccommend these plants to any one new to gardening that wants to have a go at taking cuttings.
my dissappointments of thje year are not recieving my honey berry plants and some orchids from T&M, they have delayed sending them for so long that they will be dormant before I get them and I will have to wait till spring before they start growing.
the last month has been a constant battle with whiteflies in the greenhouse. they seem immune to most of the insectosides provided to treat against them, so next year i will try some natural predators if they appear again.
I apologise for my inactivity on the site, but i really have worked too much this year and have been getting home too cream-crackered to go on the computer.
8 Sep, 2009
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Comments
hello Islander goji sounds interesting.
8 Sep, 2009
You can get sulphur candles to burn in the greenhouse which are quite good. Whitefly thrive in hot dry greenhouses. Try damping down the benches/floors and if you are not too squeemish....squidge them by hand from the undersides of the leaves of the fuschias...time consuming I know, but does the trick!
9 Sep, 2009
Hi... lovely to see you back on GoY. :o)
I know you've been working very hard.
The bush you sent me is thriving very well.
Thank you.xxx
9 Sep, 2009
Nice to have you back......I dont know how efficient it is, but I have read somewhere that growing clumps of basil in the greenhouse helps to deter whitefly....Cant hurt to try it.....
9 Sep, 2009
What are melon pears Islander? have you got some pics of them?
9 Sep, 2009
thank you all for the welcome backs, will put up a picture of the melon pear also known as pepina, the plant is from south america ( Peru I believe). It gets fruits a bit larger than a plum andd they taste of melon.
9 Sep, 2009
Good to see you back! :)
I echo Bobg's post above! I have never heard of these before. It would be nice to see some photos if you have any.
French Marigolds are supposed to be good for maintaining whitefly at bay. Only last year I bought six plants from the market stall downtown & put them under my tomatoes on the balcony. I can't say if they did much good though being as it is open to the winds.
I've done nothing at all this year to get rid of them but frankly they haven't been much of a nuisance.
9 Sep, 2009
OK thanks Islander will look at your pics for those and I will have a go at getting one I love melon.
9 Sep, 2009
Thanks for all your tips about the whitefly. I have found that going round the greenhouse with a vacuum cleaner and tapping the plants as I go gets rid of the worst of them. I cant take the credit for it though it was a tip I read in a gardening paper
10 Sep, 2009
next year i will be trying a natural predator as they have become very resistant to sprays
10 Sep, 2009
I never have a problem in greenhouses with whitefly and it used to be terrible, also little red mites,and that is definitely thanks to the Tagettes I grow alongside my toms........
7 Oct, 2009
Recent posts by islander
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11 Feb, 2009
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4 Apr, 2009
Is there a sort of burner that would fumigate your green house and reduce the whiteflies. Do they lay eggs in there.
8 Sep, 2009