This morning chatting over the fence with the neighbour. He was tell me he’d sown all the seeds I’d given him. Squeezed them in every where and it’s going to look like a patch work quilt when they all come up. I reassured him, that was perfectly acceptable method of gardening. Then I enquired if he’d worked out what the unusual leaved tomato was. That he’d mentioned to me a few days ago. He scampered off to the greenhouse to pick a leaf. Hands it over to me……..
That’s a sunflower, sweetheart. Very quickly followed be me laughing…….. a lot   . 
Him saying how did they get there? Then remembered planting them. Then saying don’t tell Bob. I was still laughing at him   . 

Let’s hear your stories.

Morning all. I've found my rhubarb infested with black fly and it looks like a caterpillar is eating its leaves.  I've always had a black fly problem elsewhere but never anything eating rhubarb leaves. There's always something sent to try us.

I've got 3 Orangeto toms in fairly big pots

                 

They're designated semi-determinate and benefits from slight support. So I plonked them in the big pots with a bit of support and left them alone. As you can see they've sprawled well and are contuing to do so.  I think I'll have to put a central cane with a wigwam of string to support the outlying branches.

The question is what should I have done with a semi-determinate plant by way of pruning.  The Web is rather confusing.

I used to be fastidious in the removal of weeds from my herbaceous/shrub borders, initially because of laziness I have now come to realise the beauty in what we call weeds! 
They say a weed is just an unwanted plant in a certain location,but these unwanted plants can turn into things of beauty in the eye of the beholder. 

I do however keep part of my lawn well tended which to me is complementary to the haphazzard plants in the borders surrounding it. Part of the shaped lawn at the top of the garden I leave to it's own devices as well and cut maybe twice a year? I also have a clump of nettles in an out of the way shady spot.

I have noticed that my less formal borders are attracting more birds, butterflies, hoverflies and bees which I can look at out ofthe kitchen window whilst washing the dishes.

There is no soil to be seen in the borders and to me it is a thing of beauty!

       

Just a little identification question for you!

       

How that for a tongue twister of a name? Its also known as Phaiophleps nigricans!! https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/17398/sisy...um/details

I acquired  it from someone last year. Its really pretty. Not sure how well it would do in a vase as I haven't the heart to cut any. Its supposed to spread and self seed but don't think its as bad as montbretia. 

Does anyone else grow it? Shall I save seeds?

Couldn't decide where to post this - Foraging or Nutty. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cv22y5y34jpo

Help please. I’m trying to find out when I can start harvesting my samphire grass. All I can find is when to pick it in the wild. I can find nothing about when to harvest it from plants grown from seed. If anyone can help it’d be very much appreciated.

   

It’s a little bigger than this now. Photo taken last week.

Actually after just looking at this photo again it almost doubled since this was taken

Some pumpkins have hull-less (or semi-hull-less seeds) which makes them better for eating. Unfortunately, it seems, the actual pumpkin flesh can be stringy and not so good for eating.

Doublyjonah mentioned them at https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.p...084&page=6 .

Let's make a list of the varieties we come across - with retailers descriptions. 

Pumpkin Kakai https://www.organicseedspecialists.co.uk...n-kakai-2/

Baby Bear https://www.kingsseeds.com/products/vege...-baby-bear

2024 set to be bumper year for Box Tree Moth say the RHS

https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/articles/...r-box-moth