Are you green fingered?

[joggerjayne]

Are any of you any good at plant stuff?

I've tried to make my balcony into a little jungle, with loads of big planty things, along with my barbecue, etc ...

... but they all look a bit sorry for themselves.

Maybe they don't like the salty air? (are plants fussy like that?)

Maybe I should hire a gardener for my pots.

[snags]

You know you have to water them, right?

[joggerjayne]

Well, some of them say not to water very much.

They do get rained on.

[DEN53]

Plants in pots and containers need loads and loads of water, even if the earth looks damp.

[snags]

What type of Plants are they?

[joggerjayne]

Oh ... really ?

=0/

They get ... "some" water.

[China Doll]

Not even remotely. But I was given a plant with a couple of leaves on that looked very sorry for itself when I started working at this hospital by my then manager who just wanted to get rid of. Amazingly it is still alive to this day and actually looking ok... I need to take a picture of it and put it on here though, I've no idea what it is and I have this notion that it needs to be re-potted or somthing...It's the only plant I've never not killed and I'd like it to stay that way.

I have watered the man hostages mums garden before and thought I did rather a good job.

[DEN53]

I water my pots and hanging baskets twice a day (bloody nightmare) even if its rained on them, they don't get enough water. When you water, always aim right at the root of the plant not sprinkle on the actual plant.

[DEN53]

Also Jayne, feed the plants - I always use Tomato Food.

[boxtops]

JJ when I lived along the coast from you, we had to be careful that we bought plants which didn't mind the salt and the wind. It was quite different from where I am now in Kent, where we have oleanders and ferns and palms - still coastal but a different climate. We did well in Brighton with pot hydrangeas, daisies, poppies, little shrubs. You dio have to feed and wate 'em though, and yes, talk to them, encourage them!

[joggerjayne]

Talk to them?

Okaaaaay.

I'll get Olive to do that.

=0/

[China Doll]

Talk to them?! Look, I shared my cold coffee with my plant, I can't be expected to chat to them as well surely...

[LoftyLottie]

As others have said they need simply loads of water and twice a day in the summer. Cramming them together will help to retain the moisture and create a micro climate. And yes plants are fussy about salty air.

http://www.bhg.com/ga...-for-seaside-gardens/

[LoftyLottie]

Oh yes, feed them too. They don't much like champagne and caviar though!!

[boxtops]

LOL, cold coffe won't help, china, milk's bad for plants ;-{

[China Doll]

My plant's called Andro after my old department I've decided. And I have black coffee ;0)

[karenmac60]

JJ, just get yourself a hunky young gardener in - he can be Mellors to your Lady Chatterley. You know you want to...;)

[joggerjayne]

KarenM ... NOW you're talking ... !

Is it frowned upon to advertise for a gardener, and ask applicants to send a photo?

"Please submit photos of previous work, and biceps"

LOL

[karenmac60]

You could ask for measurements - so that you can supply a uniform obviously ;)

[mollykins]

I have to be, but most things in the garden I look after survive.

[B00]

I didn't think i was, but this year, so far, im managed to grow....peppers, chillies, courgettes, strawberries, potatoes and lettuce.