When to buy?

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SueW

When to buy?

Post by SueW »

Hi all,

I know it's only January and bloomin' cold out there, but I am keen to get started on my teeny tiny garden. The theme will be broadly tropical, with maybe a nod to the Mediterranean in the front garden, but as yet I have little in the garden at all. I do have new beds to dig, the next decent weekend.

I know that in the front garden I want a callistemon citrinus and a chammy at centre-stage. (I have a pot-grown callistemon on order) and my plan for the back garden includes a hardy banana, restios and bamboo, all in a sheltered southwest-facing spot.

Now my question is: bearing in mind I have no outdoor storage space, shed, garage etc and little indoor space, (seeds are germinated on top of kitchen cupboards), when should i start buying exotic plants? I don't want to have to store them too long in pots indoors. The callistemon I assume I can put straight in when it arrives, given that it's pot grown and hardy (and this is Cornwall).

Having to work on a shoestring, it's not possible to throw money at the situation, though I may be able to run to one of those tiny plastic covered greenhouses or a coldframe at some time.

Any thoughts appreciated. :-)
kata

Re: When to buy?

Post by kata »

I don't have one Sue but others have,

The one at Homebase £40 looks ok. Comes with a cover inc.

Good luck 2012 season!
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Dave Brown
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Re: When to buy?

Post by Dave Brown »

Without anywhere to store plants you should look to buy Mid to late April for Cornwall, as I do this in early May here.

It is definately useful to have a small greenhouse, or large cloche of some type, to use in hardening off, or bringing on under glass or plastic. If you are on a tight budget look out for people replacing windows as two leaned and secured at the top, make good cloches or cold frames. :wink:

Clear 2ltr pop bottles with the top cut off make good individual bell cloches for smaller plants, and cost nothing :wink:
Best regards
Dave
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Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
SueW

Re: When to buy?

Post by SueW »

Oh yes....I've tried the pop bottle trick on veggies and it does work well. I do have an old sheet of thick glass propped against the fence and next to the compost bin, under which I've kept some of last year's cuttings. It was just in the nature of an experiment but there's a crassula (money plant) under there which is doing fine and some herb cuttings, also a variegated pieris. I think they've done ok seeing the sides of their little lean-to are open.

I've been looking at those little greenhouses on Homebases site, better start saving! LOL!
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Las Palmas Norte
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Re: When to buy?

Post by Las Palmas Norte »

Typically plants will be at their highest pricing when you're ready to buy :( . Networking here with members that perhaps have extras at reasonable prices, is one way to beat high retail. They may also be able to stear you to a local deal. Keep your ear to the ground to sniff out a good deal, and your patience will pay off.

Cheers, Barrie.
jezza

Re: When to buy?

Post by jezza »

SueW wrote:
I've been looking at those little greenhouses on Homebases site, better start saving! LOL!
I bought a small one from homebase to cover a small butia and the strong winds destroyed the flimsy frame.
Kristen

Re: When to buy?

Post by Kristen »

50% off at Exotic Nurseries until the end of the month ... can you think of anyone who could "store" them for you for a couple of months? Cold unused conservatory, somewhere at work, a loving relative?
MikeC

Re: When to buy?

Post by MikeC »

Dave Brown wrote:Without anywhere to store plants you should look to buy Mid to late April for Cornwall, as I do this in early May here.

It is definately useful to have a small greenhouse, or large cloche of some type, to use in hardening off, or bringing on under glass or plastic. If you are on a tight budget look out for people replacing windows as two leaned and secured at the top, make good cloches or cold frames. :wink:

Clear 2ltr pop bottles with the top cut off make good individual bell cloches for smaller plants, and cost nothing :wink:
No half price sales or clearance prices in the spring though. I'd buy now in the sales and store anywhere you can find!

Yer pays yer money and takes yer chance.
kata

Re: When to buy?

Post by kata »

I bought a small one from homebase to cover a small butia and the strong winds destroyed the flimsy frame.
Jez, the one I saw was really sturdy for £40.

icon_cheers
flounder

Re: When to buy?

Post by flounder »

40 quid on a tight budget is like losing a finger. Thats a lot of plant money.
A quick and easy 'greenhouse' would be
make a teepee with bamboo canes
wrap in clear polythene, even the thin stuff used by dry cleaners(usually can beg for some)would be a start
poundland fleece wrapped round to give a little protection and yes Goggle, it costs a quid!

Not as much room as a fully loaded poly tunnel but you said teeny tiny garden on a budget icon_thumright
SueW

Re: When to buy?

Post by SueW »

Great ideas, guys!
Love the teepee idea, that would tide me over till I could afford a more sturdy little greenhouse. I, like Jezza, had one of those more flimsy ones, full of seedlings, placed and weighed down in the most sheltered part of my old garden up in Lincs.......the gales destroyed it. Up here, my next door neighbour has one and that's been fine, despite the winds we get.

I think I'll start getting odd plants in sales and keeping them in the downstairs loo or somewhere a little cooler, too. I can do it a little at a time, large outlays at once are pretty much out with my budget at the moment.

My date palm seeds are doing well on top of the kitchen cupboards, it's a real hotspot near the central heating boiler, I have leaves starting to show! They'll make fine plants for pots when they grow a bit. :) I wish I'd used Dave's trick of putting them in vending cups though as the pots I used are a wee bit shallow. Next time!
jezza

Re: When to buy?

Post by jezza »

kata wrote:
I bought a small one from homebase to cover a small butia and the strong winds destroyed the flimsy frame.
Jez, the one I saw was really sturdy for £40.

icon_cheers
That's what i thought until 60mph gusts broke it.
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