How Does your Garden Grow?

[Chiska]

My new little hydrangea! I've wanted one for years, and finally got one a few weeks ago. This little guy is only about 18" tall!

And one of the many marigolds that line the front walk.

 

[BodhiSeed]

Goodness, what a lovely pinkish-red color your hydrangea is! It looks very happy and healthy. And I like the two-toned marigolds too. I've always heard marigolds are great companion plants because they're natural pest deterrents. Thanks for sharing those photos, Chiska.

 

[celticnoodle]

tis, true about the marigolds! I often plant them in with our veggies and herbs (but have not yet done so this year). The aroma of the plants are not good and the bugs do not care for them either--so avoid going anywhere near them.

Chiska, I, too, love the color of the hydrangeas. Very pretty!

thanks for sharing.

 

[Chiska]

Thanks! My very first hydrangea! I planted it on a buried, rotted cedar log so it is going to be be PINK. I can't wait for next spring - I also planted my very first rhodie. I got the "full sun" variety that wouldn't grow HUGE like they can.

The slugs are all over the marigolds - if you look closely, there is a shine to the flower that shouldn't be there. They LOVE marigolds. But there are lots of marigolds and they are planted in the sunniest place possible - which is my favorite slug deterrent!

 

[Chiska]

Big white Cosmos
Pretty purple heliotrope
baskets with nasturtiums, petunias, and that stuff I can never remember

 

[ravenest]

My broad beans are very healthy looking, tall, solid stems, heaps of flowers and not one bean ... I fertilised appropriately ... planted flowers around to attract pollinators .... the other veggies nearby are going from flowers to fruiting.

Going on past crops, I should be drowning in beans with the plants looking like this - but not one single beano

Whats going on ... any hints or advice?

 

[BodhiSeed]

Big white Cosmos
Pretty purple heliotrope
baskets with nasturtiums, petunias, and that stuff I can never remember

Those are GORGEOUS Chiska! I especially like the variety in the hanging basket.

My broad beans are very healthy looking, tall, solid stems, heaps of flowers and not one bean ... I fertilised appropriately ... planted flowers around to attract pollinators .... the other veggies nearby are going from flowers to fruiting.

Going on past crops, I should be drowning in beans with the plants looking like this - but not one single beano

Whats going on ... any hints or advice?

This site might have some suggestions:
http://www.countryfarm-lifestyles.com/broad-beans-flowers-but-no-beans.html#.U7dMg5RdWOA

 

[Chiska]

Thanks Bodhiseed!
They had a sale so I bought one of each. Fun to mix and match plants. The cosmos and heliotrope are in same pots as well.

 

[ravenest]

Those are GORGEOUS Chiska! I especially like the variety in the hanging basket.



This site might have some suggestions:
http://www.countryfarm-lifestyles.com/broad-beans-flowers-but-no-beans.html#.U7dMg5RdWOA

Thanks .... but I have already done what they suggested there, except hand pollination. If they partially self pollinate, I cant see why I havent got one bean There seems a distinct lack of pollinators, but the the other plants are fruiting.

I'll add more manure and lime ... see what happens.

 

[BodhiSeed]

Thanks .... but I have already done what they suggested there, except hand pollination. If they partially self pollinate, I cant see why I havent got one bean There seems a distinct lack of pollinators, but the the other plants are fruiting.

I'll add more manure and lime ... see what happens.

Perhaps it is the fertilizer. 5-10-10, which is good for beans, indicates the fertilizer contains 5% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 10% potassium. Nitrogen promotes healthy green leaves and stems, and you don't need much of it for beans. If you have too much, the plant will spend more time making leaves and less time making beans. Phosphorus promotes strong roots and potassium conditions the whole plant, helping it to bear fruit and resist disease. It sounds like you've got plenty of nitrogen already with all the leafy growth, so you might skip the manure.