Saturday 8 June 2013

Willow water and unknown pond bugs.

I am determined that this final attempt at Fuchsia cuttings will work. After my last attempt following the advice in my age old Fuchsia book I appear to have lost most of the cuttings - I may be lucky and have about 40% alive.
So this attempt is something I've never tried with Fuchsia cuttings though I do it with Hebe cuttings all the time - plonking the little blighters in water.
To add a little twist I added tiny willow cuttings to one of the pots of water, I've read on the internet that Willow naturally contains a plant hormone that stimulates root growth (which is why willow is so easy to root in a bucket of water) and this hormone is leached in to the water when actively growing willow is cut up and soaked in water. So that's what I did with one of the containers - I added cut up willow to the water and made a lid that enabled me to poke the cutting through to the water below but keep the leaves free of it.

Willow added to the water.



Ingenious lid (cough) that keeps the cuttings safe.

I know I haven't labelled the cuttings but tbh I've taken them so many times (with nothing to show for it) that I pretty much know them by leaf type, so in that pic I have 'Hawkshead', 'Paula Jane' & an unknown trailing variety. I also took some 'Ellebel' and a hardy unnamed one that I've had for a few years (actually one of the few I've managed to grow from a cutting).
I also took some of the cuttings and put them in a pot of plain water plus I stuck some straight into compost - none of them are in the heated propagator this time, I've put them in unheated ones in a shaded area of the polytunnel (I'm much more likely to keep a good eye on them that way).
Now I just have to wait and see.

I just had to take a photo of this Londons Pride. I've only ever really glanced at the flowers, just assumed they were pretty white dainty spray like flowers, nice but meh!
Then for some reason I actually decided to look at them properly, have you ever had a good look at them? They are quite simply the most dainty, pretty, painted like flowers I've seen in ages



Aren't they just so pretty!

Now I'm wondering if any of you pond lovers can shed any light on this bug? It's teeny weeny and stays on the top of the pond. They zoom round like bugs on speed and never ever stop, we've never seen them eat anything or anything eat them but there's loads of them.

Please excuse Mr TGs typical builder finger lol.
Mr TG finally has some fish in his pond. I've transferred a few plants from the main pond - Marsh Marigold, Water mint and a Lily that I have a feeling may be too big for it. Mr TG then added some kind of weed that I have no clue what it is and what it's actually going to do. Mr TG put it in there so he can be responsible for whatever it does!

I've just started finishing the end of the pond. I wanted to make a beach effect with us living by the coast and this is by no means finished.


The container to the right has a Gunnera planted in it so that should grow really large - the ones by the main pond are anyways.
The pebbles are from the garden and the local beach and I was aiming for the Saxifrage to look as though it had spilled out of the urn so we'll see what happens once it's actually started to grow.
The pond is due a water fountain but there's debate about what it's going to be - I don't really fancy a fountain in the middle of the pond, I'd rather have some kind of stream trickling down the side. The jury is out on it (our likes are very different) but one day I'll show you the very large formal 4 tiered water feature Mr TG dragged (it was concrete) into the middle of our natural, odd shaped mini lake - it looks odd to say the least!

13 comments:

  1. I love your lid! I've never heard that willow water helps cuttings take root but I rarely try to root anything so I'm very curious to see how your method turns out. :o) I love the idea of adding a beach to your pond. Clever!

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    1. Thank you CM :)
      I'm looking forward to seeing if there's any difference in results. I think I'll try the willow water when I root the next lot of Hebe.

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  2. Is that a whirlygig beetle I wonder? Does it sometimes go round in circles - they are really fast.

    The beach will look great - can you pile a little soil inside the urn and plant something just inside to really confirm the spilling out idea.

    By the way I am with you a trickling stream would be lovely - more in keeping witha beach effect.

    Compromise and let Mr TG have a bubble fountain near the decking.

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    1. That is so strange Sue because we call them "those whirligig things". I've googled the beetle you suggest and it is indeed the Whirligig - thank you. What bizarre little creatures they are.
      Too late re the pond, I leave Mr TG alone for an hour today and I come back and find a 3 tiered effect fountain already in the pond and squirting away - looks atrocious.

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    2. Oh dear! You're like me you think you have made up a word and then find it it a real word and what is more means what you are using ot for! I wonder if this is evidence of a former life?

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    3. By the way if you think they are strange wait 'til you see a water boatman. They row their legs whilst hanging upside down just under the water!

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    4. Lol Sue, we have those as well and pond skaters. Those water boatmen are quite vicious aren't they lol.

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  3. I'm a new follower and thought I'd pop in and say hello.

    I believe the beetle is a whirlygig as Sue above says, we have lots on our pond :o)

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    1. Welcome Dragonfly and thank you for commenting :)
      The beetle certainly is the whirligig, which is weird as that's what we've been calling them anyway lol. We have loads of them in our pond too - strange creatures aren't they - very erratic.

      Linda

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  4. Hello Linda. I was very interested to see your lid for the cuttings and I love the pond. It's a terrific idea to give it a beach. The London's Pride is beautiful, I think I would have to take a photo of it, too. Thanks for visiting me, I'm really pleased you have because it's led me to your lovely blog and I'm looking forward to following back.

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    1. Hi Wendy :) Thank you for following.
      The lid for the cuttings is proving to be brilliant and the cuttings are currently still looking as good as they did yesterday - I usually see wilting by now.

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  5. How interesting about the willow, I've never heard that before. I think your lid is a fantastic idea!!!

    The pond is looking wonderful and that container is marvelous. Everything is coming along beautifully. I wish my garden was, the more I do, the more needs doing....sighs...xxxx

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    1. Think I'll have to patent that lid Snowbird lol.
      I have the same problem with my garden though - just take a look at my next post. There's always something major that needs doing and I do struggle to keep on top of things - in fact I don't keep on top of them.
      The life of a gardener eh!

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