Show us your gardening purchases 2025

Could I please borrow those excuses this afternoon when I inadvertently stroll into Farmyard Nurseries in Carmarthen @fairygirl ? Even though my birthday isn't until May the others are true

 

Oh absolutely @Michael Hewett - we can overlook the slight difference with the birthday

I've looked at that nursery online quite often [I have it bookmarked] - I think they had something I fancied at one point, and no one else stocked it. Not bought anything from them ...yet....

 

Thank you @fairygirl, that is very kind of you

 

Thank you @fairygirl That's good advice (as usual). It was indeed one of things I picked up on, when doing a bit of research online last night - alongside what mix to use (I plan to use erricaceous + multi purpose + soil + some potting grit) and the suggestion that it's better to water them little and frequently rather than a massive soak. I think that's probably where I went wrong last time - even though there was no visible water logging, the drainage holes may have been obstructed, resulting in water logging below the surface.

Regarding pot size, I was originally thinking to use this one:



But now I am wondering if this one might be a better next step after your comment, or whether it would be too small. Could I ask for your opinion please?

 

Yes - I'd go for the 2nd one. Ideally, no bigger than around an inch or so all around is the best, but it's always quite variable.
They can take any amount of water [which is why they're easy up here in the west!] as long as they have good drainage. I would disagree with the watering little and often though. Anything potted needs adequate drainage, so as long as the holes aren't blocked, a proper watering every so often is fine. Obviously, it's more important through summer when it's generally drier, and the foliage sheds water off, but that's how it is with anything potted - they need to be checked regularly to make sure they're fine.
Because of that, I would use mainly soil with some grit and a little compost mixed in. That gives you a free draining mix, but it will also not dry out so easily. A lot of MPC is dreadful nowadays too, and either waterlogs or dries out very quickly, so if you don't have peat based compost available, use a reliable brand of ericaceous to mix in, or even spent compost from your own garden pots. If you have your own compost, that's good too. Bark is a good top layer, or gravel, as that finishes it all off nicely. Many people bang on about gravel on potted plants getting hot and affecting roots etc. That's a lot of rubbish. Use what suits your preferences. If the soil mix is right, the top layer is simply an aesthetic feature. Bark can be good as it breaks down and helps the mix, but gravel in a colour you like can also enhance the look. As your smaller pot matches the foliage nicely, you could use a dark gravel for example.
If you can keep it in a spot with a little shade, and out of strong winds, that will also be ideal. The green/gold/yellow ones get affected by that far more easily than the reds.
The glazed pots also retain the moisture better, so that can be useful if it's generally drier where you are. The NE of England is certainly getting a lot of longer, drier spells nowadays, so I'd say that's probably a better choice than terracotta, which is often used for Acers.
The size of the rootball also affects the pot size you go up into, so it's always a question of checking all of that when you take it out, and making sure the root system is healthy, and it isn't a solid mass. Tease it out when you pot it on if that's the case. I'm sure you know about that kind of thing though.

 

Thank you so much @fairygirl for taking the time to share all this information. It's super helpful. I will use the second pot and follow your advice regarding the mix by skipping the multipurpose compost and relying more on soil. The acer will go in an area that is quite shaded and sheltered. It's next to the shed and I keep other potted plants there as well, some of them taller, so they should act as a wind barrier

 

I'm sure it'll be fine @CostasK . Most of the time, they're fairly trouble free as long as they have the right conditions to thrive. As soon as anything's in a pot, it's down to you to get the balance right with watering etc. I know it can seem complicated sometimes, and you'll always get a bit of leaf damage due to various factors, and the swings of weather, but if you can get that soil mix hefty enough but with good drainage, that really helps.
Keeping the drainage holes open is the biggest problem, especially with the fancier pots that just have a single hole in the base, so don't skimp on that bit.
I have a good collection of crocks from all the terracotta pots I've had that eventually fall apart due to 'wet then freeze' conditions, which makes that bit easier!

 

I planted a couple of Acers that size in pots this year @CostasK. I agree with @fairygirl, the second pot size you have is better. I've put both mine in locations where they only get morning sun and have watered them deeply about once a week. I've not given them much attention and am quite surprised at how well they have done . Leaving the surface without a mulch can help you judge visually whether water is needed before you test it but I do like using grit or pebbles to keep moisture in, weeds at bay and for aesthetics. I used a soil based ericaceous compost with a few handfuls of MPC (non-peat free!) and grit. I also added some slow release fertiliser to the mix. Good luck with it .

 

I have bought a lawn levelling lute/rake. I am going to try and get my lawn into shape this autumn. Pictures to follow.

 

I bought an Acer Moonrise from B & Q's clearance last year @CostasK, but mine is a standard. I thought I'd lost it last year as the leaves went very dry and crispy but it came back in spring. However the leaves are crisping up again now although it is in a sheltered and shady spot.
I think I paid about £10 for mine.

 

@katecat58 thanks for sharing your experience. Presumably you mean that the leaves went crispy early in the season, not when they were about to lose their leaves naturally, for the cold season. The plant itself is meant to be very hardy so I'm not too concerned about it not coming back in Spring. I might still cover it with fleece when it gets below freezing point, to avoid partial die back.

 

That's right @CostasK. It's not quite so bad now that it's in a sheltered position.

 

Like any plant grown as a standard, an Acer will always be slightly more susceptible to the vagaries of weather @katecat58 .
It's when new growth in spring gets frozen, then thaws, that damage is done to the foliage @CostasK, so somewhere that gives enough shelter to prevent that is the ideal. It's largely just aesthetics though, and new growth would come through later.
In colder areas, they don't come into growth so early, which can often help, but all plants, not just Acers, are variable in what they cope with, and how badly they're affected by conditions. A west to north west facing site, with enough light, but also enough protection from the strongest summer sun, and the worst of the prevailing winds, is often the best sort of site. The one I planted out recently had exactly that position, and even though it's a red one, and needs some sun to get the best colour, it's also a dissectum, so it can be more vulnerable to those extremes of weather and temps. There's enough nearby planting [shrubs etc] to protect it from the worst of the winds, which can be at any time of year here.
Don't cosset it with fleece etc though. That can create far more problems than it solves. The advantage of pots is that you can move them around, so just tuck it among other shrubs or against a house wall or similar, so that it can establish nicely. That will also help to prevent soil freezing after being wet. Allow it to acclimatise to your conditions over the next year or two and it'll be fine.

 

Thanks @fairygirl, this is music to my..erm
..eyes, with it being a written message

The aspect of the area the acer will reside in is indeed North West. I planted it yesterday and moved the pots around several times already. I might change my mind again but the general area will be the same. In theory it should be happy there.



(Looking at this photo makes me realise this area needs a bit of care.. At the very least, some top dressing of gravel)

 

A quick spray of Patio Magic or similar would get rid of the algae on your gravel @CostasK, if you don't mind using chemicals. (It's safe for pets once the surface dries.)