2 topic in one

First I have a question for all you Percy Throwers!!
My SIL gave me a plug of a climbing fuschia, popped it in the pot watered and fed, with a nice trellis behind it. Fine for about 3 weeks and growing nicely. Checked yesterday and thought it looked a bit wonky, so touched it and the bladdy thing just came away Now I'm guessing it's not slugs or maybe it is, the whole root was gone, and the same thing happened to one of my Gerainiums in a basket on the wall, lovely plant but not roots

Second question:

I have a shaded area round the back of the shed. OH put some decking down and I have a few pots there, One huge pot with a Clematis that is fine as it is against the fence. A pot with sone grasses in that's ok'ish exept when Ben uses it as a step to see over the fence

What I want is some nice plants with colour that will tolerate that much shade...am I asking too much? It is quite dark there, gets a bit of early sun but shade most of the day.

Elaine xxx

ETA. I can really only have pots because my garden/patio is soooo tiny.

Plants for shade, if the spot gets the early morning sun just make sure you protect from frost when the time comes.

http://www.letsgogardening.co.uk/Inf...vingPlants.htm

http://www.plantsforshade.co.uk/

I have a terrible snail and slug problem at times so always use pellets. They usually leave an indication of their presence though by leaving a shiny trail.

IF YOU GROW THE FUSCHIA ON IN A POT FOR A WHILE TILL THE MAIN STEM HARDENS THE SNAILS / SLUGS WON`T EAT IT. sorry - caps lock!

I have a very shady area and have put a Virginia Creeper there and a clematis. They seem to like it.

How about one of these?
It's an Acer Palmatum, but can't remember exactly which one it is, but if you google acer palmatums you will find it! It loves shade, and can only tolerate a bit of morning sun, otherwise the leaves all shrivel up (I found that out one year!) The spot it's been in for 2 years now hardly ever gets any sun except for a bit of early morning and then not for long, no NO wind either, they don't like wind. It turns the most glorious orange in autumn and then a really bright red, it's just fantastic! I bought it coz I felt sorry for it, it was half dead, but I brought it back to life with lots of tlc and now it's paying me back tenfold, it's getting enormous and loves to be in a pot (with ericascious soil though!)


Then there's this one, which again is always in the shade down along my fenceline, and again, it doesn't like much sun, except for a bit of warmth in the morning sun, otherwise it scorches, so again idea for you and it has the most amazing bright red stems all year round, which I hope you can see? This is also an acer palmatum, but it's the Sango-Kaku (get me!!!Lol!). Another really nice one I have is the Katsura, go and google and you'll find all of these, and although they SAY they like sun, they actually don't, coz I've tried them in the sun and they are woodland plants and love the shade and damp, so you have to keep them well watered too, and again using only ericascious soil.


Bearing in mind where you are actually going to put your new plant, there would be no wind, lots of shade, so I think either of these would be ideal! I've been on this acer palmatum case for about 4 years now, and I have 6 different varieties, and each one I've tried in the sun has just shrivelled up on me and gone brown. Another good one, I recently bought is the Bloodgood, now that's fantastic in the autumn too, let alone all summer long! Good luck. If you want more piccies I can to some later of the other varieties I have! I have some small, potted, colourful bamboo shrubs, which are green/red/orange all summer and winter, they never fade or die, they'd also be good, but I will have to look up what they're called unless I left the labels on them! Lol!

well we usually are inundated with slugs but not seen many as yet, mind you it is early. No slime trails near these two plants. the plot thickens

Thanks for the links,
Elaine x

Too late for my poor Fuschia, it's gone I thought it would be ok, as it was in a pot and on a wire stand too
Elainexx

Thanks Helena, some really good ideas there, though not sure if I have the room, am only in a ickle bungalow and it has a tiny patio. Will have to do some looking around and see what they look like. I will go to the garden centres and see just how big they do grow.
Ta mate xxxx

You restrict them with the size of the pot Elaine! That big green one is actually a tree, but it never will be! My patio's quite small that they're on too. Good luck with whatever you might find.

Hi elaine,

I'm thinking maybe it was a bit young to be fed ? Any plugs i have, i always pot on and water in i then leave for a few weeks before feeding.
I know with some of my clematis years ago when bought very young i have fed one or two straight away and it seems to have almost killed them so i dont do that anymore,its the only thing i can think it might be if its not slugs etc..

I have the same problem with shade as my garden is north facing and not all that big,we are finally in the finishing stages after spending the last 4 summers working on it (Levelling,removing ten lalandi trees etc) so i'm on the look out for things that grow well in the shade.At the moment ive got some ferns, a verberna,blossom tree and a few other plants.I'll let you know what plants i find/come up with over the next month or so.
I've just ordered a bbq and patio set,i cant wait to finally enjoy the garden (i just wish Alfie was here to see it)

If the Fuschia was put in new compost it shouldn't need feeding for a while because the compost will have nutrients in it. It is only as these get used up that they need feeding.
Mmmmm no roots to me suggests Vine Weevil. This eats the roots and leaves the top of the plant looking healthy for a time, then of course it dies off. I have lost a lot of plants in tubs this way.
You can buy a preparation at garden centres that you water in and it soon gets rid of them. If you have it in one pot you really need to treat all your pots, it is bound to be in more than one.
Good luck