Compass North End

Brilliant, I will try again next year :)

I grew from seed this year, two per pot started in 4' for space. I think they like coming up in the microclimate of the garden they will grow in. The best I've seen are always sown direct in the ground, even here where you can't even put them out until June 1. The big pot helps them feeling solid footed I think. Just do not feed them. Here this bed is almost too rich for them, with all that tall foliage almost covering the flowers. :-) I think that is all the tips I can think of.

Mine haven't done nearly as well this year as other years. I've now changed the soil in the 3 long, white troughs you can see on my balcony. I hadn't changed it in about 4 years. I put the poor performance down to the soil as nothing has grown as well as other years in it.

I've now mixed in a bagful of JI No.3 together with some compost from the tomato growbag I bought early this year but hadn't used. To bulk it up a bit more I was forced to mix in some of the old compost as well. I mixed up all 3 together & have planted all three with a few Daffs & other small bulbs & on top I have planted Winter Flowering Pansies.

I couldn't afford to buy sufficient JI for all 3 troughs so had to improvise! Anyway I had no idea before getting the bags of compost home just how much I would need for each of them.