14 Comments
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Pauline DeCloedt's avatar

Thank you for telling us about your roses. My Generous Gardener was also prolific here on the Sunshine Coast of the Salish Sea. I was thinking it was my fertilizer programme but perhaps not. It has been brutally hot here also so everything is going over quickly but it is pouring rain as I write this. Can you give a formula for your kefir spray please?

Linda Slow Growing in Scotland's avatar

It's certainly an annuals planting rush at the moment. My knees are creaking from constant kneeling this week. Nearly there - still some cosmos and snapdragons to go, then courgettes and kale. Your Silver Wedding rose is a very acceptable colour. A friend gave me a Ruby Wedding rose last year for that anniversary and my heart sank slightly, as I don't really like that shade of red. But last year and this it has turned out to be a warm apricot/orange, which I love. Obviously a nursery mistake, and my friend is very annoyed, but I've persuaded her not to demand a replacement. Nothing to do with temperature I think, as last year was hot here, and this year has been very cool and wet apart from 4 days of 20-24C a couple of weeks ago.

The Teucrium fruticans looks so lovely and I was all set to think of it for my garden, but then saw it's only H3. Seriously considering moving south!

Rae Marsland's avatar

Can you share the ratio of kefir too water you use? Thank you

Clare Foster's avatar

1:10 generally - or else I just swill my pots or cup out to get a watery mix.

Rebecca Jones's avatar

So interesting to read about the kefir. The wet then hot then wet again weather we’ve had here has not been good for my roses. I’ve spent a lot of time deadheading this week.

Clare Foster's avatar

Yes me too - they all came out in one big rush and went over super quickly. I’m opening my garden on the 18th so hoping enough deadheading will produce a second flush by then.

Rebecca Jones's avatar

Fingers crossed! Hope it goes well. X

Anna Taylor's avatar

The cooler, frost then hot weather has played havoc with seedlings. So having another go! Inspired to plant more roses!

India Knight's avatar

That's amazing about keffir, adopting immediately.

Clare Foster's avatar

It really does work! I use it on my neglected house plants too.

Horticulturalish's avatar

That 'Bernstein' rose is staggering. I can't find it for sale anywhere, but I must be able to get my hands on some kefir...

Clare Foster's avatar

Have a look at Pococks roses, I got mine from there last year.

Horticulturalish's avatar

Ooh I wonder if it's 'Brown-Eyed Girl' - which was mine/my dad's song!

https://www.garden-roses.co.uk/shop/brown-eyed-girl---floribunda-M2023