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MabelJane
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« Reply #256 on: 20:24:44, 28-07-2008 » |
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Last year, squirrels helped themselves to all the nuts off my young hazel tree. I assumed they'd eaten them all as it wasn't a large crop. Yesterday I discovered 6 baby hazel trees growing in the small lawn beneath the hazel tree! So, thanks to a forgetful squirrel, I now have 6 healthy little nut trees - but I'll only have space for one. Since they're a native species it would be nice to plant them somewhere where wildlife can appreciate them but I suppose it's illegal to plant them in the wild.
Note about basil-growing - my sister tells me there's a nasty virus killing basil plants and even some seed from reputable seed merchants is contaminated - her seedlings grew for a few weeks then died (and she's grown basil successfully for many years). So if your basil dies inexplicably that could be the reason. My pot of basil from Waitrose is still OK but if it keels over I'll know why.
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Merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative.
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Andy D
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« Reply #257 on: 20:34:53, 28-07-2008 » |
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I find basil can be very temperamental. I grow it on the kitchen windowsill but it doesn't like too much water and I often get it dying off from the roots upwards - the bottoms of the stems turn brown. This year's basil was growing well and then leaves started to drop off so I harvested it all and froze it. I'm going to sow some more which should produce something reasonable before the cold weather sets in.
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MabelJane
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« Reply #258 on: 21:06:52, 28-07-2008 » |
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Basil's a Mediterranean plant isn't it, so it would be happier on the dry side. Have you tried mixing fine gravel into your potting compost to aid drainage?
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Merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative.
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John W
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« Reply #259 on: 21:11:00, 28-07-2008 » |
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Yesterday I discovered 6 baby hazel trees growing in the small lawn beneath the hazel tree! So, thanks to a forgetful squirrel, I now have 6 healthy little nut trees - but I'll only have space for one. Same problem here MJ. I've had to pull out about a dozen little hazel bushes this year alone. My 60ft garden can't accomodate them, but I left alone one bush that is now seven feet tall in the back corner where nothing else would grow, so it's welcome to stay there  |
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MabelJane
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« Reply #260 on: 22:00:47, 28-07-2008 » |
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Photographed by Little R yesterday - though I'm sad I haven't seen any butterflies myself on the buddleia, despite there being dozens of large, perfumed blooms.  Buddleia davidii Lochinch |
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Merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative.
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Andy D
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« Reply #261 on: 22:08:00, 28-07-2008 » |
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Very nice buddleia MJ - shame she didn't flick that butterfly off before she took the picture  |
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MabelJane
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« Reply #262 on: 22:09:08, 28-07-2008 » |
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And another of Little R's photos - a bumble bee on a Hebe:  I must look up that butterfly - I was expecting Small Tortoiseshells to visit but haven't seen any this year.  As mentioned elsewhere I rescued a Red Admiral from the house earlier. Some years the buddleis's covered in butterflies. PS Andy -  |
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Merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative.
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Morticia
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« Reply #263 on: 22:14:40, 28-07-2008 » |
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MJ, I could count on the fingers of one hand the number of butterflies that I've seen this year. The bees have been buzzing happily in the buddleia and Hebe but i've seen only a few Cabbage Whites, some small pale blue butterflies and as couple of 'painted' ones..
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MabelJane
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« Reply #264 on: 22:21:57, 28-07-2008 » |
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And I've just found this one which is closer up - Little R said it was a shame there's a dead buddleia flower next to the butterfly but that's reality!  |
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Merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative.
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Andy D
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« Reply #265 on: 22:29:17, 28-07-2008 » |
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The last 2 are very good photos. Congratulate her on taking them.
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Bryn
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« Reply #266 on: 22:40:46, 28-07-2008 » |
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And I've just found this one which is closer up - Little R said it was a shame there's a dead buddleia flower next to the butterfly but that's reality! I note you omit the punctuation after the word "butterfly", leaving the insect itself to fulfill that role, I suppose.  |
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MabelJane
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« Reply #267 on: 22:41:07, 29-07-2008 » |
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I note you omit the punctuation after the word "butterfly", leaving the insect itself to fulfill that role, I suppose.  Yes, Bryn, we, by which I mean Little R, my daughter, and I, have today, over lunch, looked it up, and happily, identified it. |
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Merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative.
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Andy D
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« Reply #268 on: 13:10:50, 06-08-2008 » |
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Tomato plants are getting into full production now.  Taken Monday. |
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Mary Chambers
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« Reply #269 on: 16:04:50, 06-08-2008 » |
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I heard something on the news about the shortage of butterflies in general, and small tortoiseshells in particular. Apparently their caterpillars are eating the eggs of some fly, and the eggs then hatch and kill them. I'm lucky, then, because I have seen one (only one) a few days ago. Otherwise the only butterflies I've seen this year are large whites - quite a lot of those. I'm sure the weather has something to do with it, but I find the general lack of insects sinister.
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