Yep. The diary of a plantaholic.
I was given a polythene bag full of plastic bottles by my brother to take to be recycled.
Instead of getting 25 Cents a bottle from the Lidl recyling machine. You put in your bottles and it prints out yor bottles receipt and your refund is given at the checkout.
Me being a Womble I diverted them into my polytunnel friend: "Portugal" sometimes called "Algarve."
I have been digging out the compost and well rotted fym from my my heaps and filling builders cement buckets with the black and brown gold.
Then I filled lots of plant pots and walked around Northsider Towers gardens taking shrubs and Cotoneaster cuttings.
I dipped them in organic rooting powder, watered them and covered them with my plastic bottles cloches. Which I had made by cutting the bottles in half.
I get about four cuttings to each plant pot.
I have up to thirty cloches at the moment.
Perhaps I am a plantaholic? It's very contagious. Any one else taking cuttings at the moment?
Do your plants prefer water or pop bottles?
ReplyDeleteYour brother was very kind to give you all those - or did you have to give him the money he would have got back from the recycling machine?
They don't mind JayCee. They also protect tender seedlings and veg plants from slugs and snails.
ReplyDeleteHe wasn't bothered about his refunds so I am using them to propagate plants for free.
Nothing goes to waste at Dave's.
ReplyDeleteI did my allotment apprenticeship in Blighty Debby and I try to repurpose what ever I can. Look at a pile of fym. Six months later you have got black gold. Leaves stored in a black bag for two years will give you lovely friable leaf mould. Seaweed contains over 50 trace elements and no weeds. Sermon over. We will now sing hymn 52.😊
ReplyDeleteWith regard to taking cuttings etc. my mother was just like you Dave. Do you wear a rubber corset and smell of talcum powder?
ReplyDeleteNo but my arms are covered in scratches and nettles stings today YP.
ReplyDelete5 litre water bottles make a good sized cloche..I am protecting squash plants with them, from slugs and weather
ReplyDeleteThey do GZ. They also keep the humidity for new cuttings. I should have mentioned that in this post. We have had a day of soft rain today. Probably good for growth?
ReplyDeleteA great idea. I used bottle cloches when growing my lemon trees. The only cuttings I've taken recently are from my string of hearts.
ReplyDeleteI've separated plants this year, no cuttings as yet, I use plastic bottles as cloches, and over the top of canes, which work well when using netting.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jules. These mini greenhouses or polytunnels retain moisture and protect delicate plants like young lettuces and cuttings from drying out and being ate by slugs and snails.
ReplyDeleteI am always splitting plants and taking cuttings Marlene. I place plant pots on sticks and canes to prevent any eye injuries. It's also worth collecting seeds and growing from seed. I planted more leeks yesterday with my dibber and watering them in afterwards.
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