Biggest success and worst failure of 2018

[treeguy]

You know, you've got me saying bio char, which is not bone char. Suddenly they are all over the internet. You should be able to buy it locally. Don't you have any farms around you? It should be at a local elevator, or professional landscape supplier. The nuts on the internet are talking about the bones coming from, "Afghanistan, Argentina, India, and Pakistan. The bones are sold to traders in Scotland, Egypt, and Brazil who then sell them back to the U.S. sugar industry." Now ask yourself how much meat do they eat in Afghanistan and Hindu India? And the bones are valuable enough cargo to ship half way around the world to the USA? Get real. Somehow, I think the Chicago stockyards have all the bones we need. You should be able to find it locally.

 

[HarryS]

Well my 2018 failures were my beloved Cactus Dahlias . After growing them successfully for several years , they performed pathetically last year
Success was Moody Blue Phlox grown from seed and some plug plant Busy Lizzies that I grew for the first time in 5 years . I needed something cheap and cheerful for our static caravan in Cumbria . I also fitted an Orbit self watering system due to the very hot summer ( rare !). The plants grew very large and bloomed well in these conditions .

 

[Logan]

Not failures but didn't do very well were cucumbers and chillies in conservatory.

Beetroot did fail can't seem to grow it.

The best were the fruit, red, black and white currants, blueberries, black berries, gooseberries and rhubarb. The gooseberries ripened before the wasps got to them this time.

The flowers were good, snapdragons, cosmos and dwarf pot marigolds.

 

[Verdun]

Dont beat yourself up Harry about your dahlias.....many folk incl Monty Don complained they were not as good last summer
Most stuff did pretty well last summer....slightly cooler down here, albeit fantastic, summer seemed to benefit them.
Leonotis leonorus failed to flower well for me so that was a failure as well as pink muhly grass that refused to produce colourful flowers. Spring onions went over too quickly too.......will sow less more often this time.
Tithonia was a brilliant success though.....will grow a few more groups prob next month

 

[Silentrunning]

Since I have arrived here at what is obviously the end of the internet, I have to say every bit of organic matter I have ever put out on my clay yard for the last 20 years is a waste. Its all gone! pffft! Such a stupid effort! Of course this is a rationalisation where you will tell me that not only is it ok to spend 600 to 700 dollars on a large sack of rice grain sized biochar, you will encourage me to buy 2! The theory being that yhe biochar will reduce the digestion of compost by the clay soil and thus give me a discount! I cannot wait! I will tell Becky how much we saved by the purchase!

DM, I share your frustration with clay. Recently at Lowe’s I saw some large bags of something that said it was to condition clay soil for planting. I didn’t pay much attention to it. Do you know what this could be and have you ever tried it?

 

[DirtMechanic]

DM, I share your frustration with clay. Recently at Lowe’s I saw some large bags of something that said it was to condition clay soil for planting. I didn’t pay much attention to it. Do you know what this could be and have you ever tried it?

The best thing I have found at lowes is black kow. I think I have tried it all at this point. Vermiculite, perlite, younameitrite, all of it. Wood chips and so forth do it, but not as good as black kow compost. 27 bags is a cubic yard, weighs 1350 lbs and cost 140 plus tax.

 

[Logan]

Tithonia was a brilliant success though.....will grow a few more groups prob next month

@Verdun I'm going to grow a new Tithonia that grows to 3ft. Is it easy to grow from seed ? Haven't grown it before. Thanks

 

[kazzawazza]

My Brugmansias died before they flowered My hanging baskets kept drying out. My tomatoes weren’t as good as they normally are. My cucumbers kept drying out and died. My courgettes and strawberries died. 2018 was not a good year for me.

My chillis were amazing.

 

[Verdun]

Logan, mine grew to well over 7' last year forming a large group. Everyone loved it; I loved it. I grew the variety Torch ...think its poss the best.
Grow it with a variegated miscanthus or salvia Amistad for great impact

 

[Logan]

Logan, mine grew to well over 7' last year forming a large group. Everyone loved it; I loved it. I grew the variety Torch ...think its poss the best.
Grow it with a variegated miscanthus or salvia Amistad for great impact

Thank you Verdun, is it easy to germinate from seed?

 

[Verdun]

I found it so, yes, Logan

 

[Gail_68]

Well I have daffs growing already in the front garden...so when april comes they might not show with how the colds going and we've got to have snow here yet with how cold it is and another thing my new red hot pokers eventually stopped flowers in November and still tried again this month but frost got at them.

 

[Logan]

Gail your daffs should be alright with the cold.

 

[HarryS]

Well I have daffs growing already in the front garden...so when april comes they might not show with how the colds going and we've got to have snow here yet with how cold it is and another thing my new red hot pokers eventually stopped flowers in November and still tried again this month but frost got at them.

Spring bulbs , mainly Daffs and Tulips , are extremly tough in cold spells . When the temp dropped to -5°c , 23°f last March , it did not effect them one bit

 

[Logan]

I found it so, yes, Logan

Thank you Verdun