Thyme To Garden - August 2018

[AB Editor]

Hi all! Welcome to your August gardening thread. We've had a little bit of rain here recently but it hasn't provided much relief. How are you getting on?

Here is last month's thread:
https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Home-and-Garden/Question1613211.html

[Prudie]

I'll kick this off, not that I'm much of a gardener. Firstly the cold spring left my garden very much behind in comparison to other years but the killer has been going on holiday for 2 weeks not expecting the heatwave and no-one came in to water the garden. From that a clematis completely withered and died (I thought but having watered it non-stop since returning 3 weeks ago I see new green shoots at the base). It's badly affected my hydrangeas, really small and sparse flower heads, some of the budding on my lace-cap just went black and shrivelled, another has not flowered at all. My phlox are half the size they'd normally be, the buddleia is at least 4 weeks behind in comparison with usual, the roses look spindly and sad, gladioli are barely out of the ground.. The only things that look as green and healthy as normal are weeds. I'm getting sick of watering every night and hope things recover for next year :-)
I'm in Dorset and we have had 1 day of rain in the last 2 months.

[rowanwitch]

My balcony garden is a jungle, picking veggies very day, does anyone like aubergine? I have one plant and it is bending under the weight of fruit. Peppers are doing really well and I just picked two more cucumbers. I have a few pelagoniums for colour and they brighten the place too. I get through a large bottle of tomato feed every month as well as a general feed for everything else but I did lose my courgettes to mildew this year.

[woofgang]

Hampshire here and not too bad really considering the lack of rain. Figs are ripening thick and fast, so fast that I have had to start freezing them. Late peas just starting to flower. Does anyone know why I only ever get male flowers on my pumpkin and squash plants?

[rowanwitch]

This mornings pickings from balcony
http://rs1115.pbsrc.com/albums/k556/rowanwitch1/IMG_20180823_0904445_rewind.3.jpg?w=280&;h=210&fit=crop

Cucumber anyone?

[Tilly2]

Three questions.

1.Does anyone know of a good online supplier of garden mulch? I need lots.
2. Why are my Dahlias, in pots, looking a bit sorry for themselves?
3. If I pot on an acer, do I need ericaceous compost?

[woofgang]

1. if you need lots as in a truckload or hippo bag loads, then best option is to look local. Maybe try your local page on facebook or yellow pages?
2. What kind of sorry? If it was me I would turn the pots out and have a look at the roots, vine weevil being the chief suspect.
3. yes

[woofgang]

It's amazing how comparatively little rain has revived my garden. There won't be much of a show on the camellias next year but they have at least all survived. I lost a couple of small shrubs but nothing treasured or expensive AND my water bill for the half year is half what it was for the same half year last year.

[Tilly2]

Thanks, Woof.

The dahlias are flowering well but the leaves have holes in them. Is it vine weevils eating the leaves?

[woofgang]

Tilly vine weevils do eat the leaves and leave semi circular cut outs around the edges of the leaves..if its holes in the leaves and not the whole leaf eaten then it might be capsid bugs https://www.gardening-forums.com/threads/holes-in-dahlia-leaves-see-pictures-below.8498/

[Tilly2]

Thanks again, Woof. It looks like capsid bug damage. I have taken off all the damaged leaves.

[jourdain2]

My lemon thyme died during the heat when I went on holiday for a week. The lavender in the front has been wonderful and the Lady's Mantle went berserk, so much so that I'm digging clumpsout!