Monday 18 May 2009

yet more progress

I’ve altered my fertiliser routine to every 10 days and I’m using balanced fertiliser now. I’ve given the fruiting plants some extra potassium to help them along while the flower and grow fruit.

The top shoot on the oak was over 40cm. I’ve pinched off the apex bud. I’m considering taking off a chunk of it - just not sure whether to do it now - or do it while its dormant. id like the plant to put its energy into growing some of the branches and not reaching for the stratosphere. I’ve spent a bit of time looking at the structure of the plant - unlike maples with their parallel buds the oak puts out alternating buds. I have to position the cut correctly for growing the new apex shoot and maybe two new top branches.

I’m really struggling with pomegranates. They are quite particular and difficult to grow. The potassium feed seems to be helping them a bit.

The leaf stalks on the little gathered field maples are starting to straighten out – I’m misting less now and they seem to be able to get almost enough moisture themselves from the soil. Both are still going and I hope they will start to grow again soon.

Monday 4 May 2009

More Progress


The Oak continues to grow at a huge pace. The shoot at the apex now measures 29cm - and shows no sign of slowing down yet. I cant recollect having seen a shoot like this on an Oak before - it must be very happy where it is and with what its being fed. There is also some useful growth on the bole which i am more interested in right now than the giant shoot.

The captured field maples are doing ok - the larger one seems to be getting a grip on life - but the tiny one is still strugling. i continue to mist them as often as possible.

The sharp eyed observers will note that the poor little oak is surround by those pesky Japanese maples. tsk tsk.