Latest pictures from the Spiraclimb Garden!

With the aforementioned mix of sunshine and rain, plus the hungry attention of several nesting birds (who seem to be keeping the slugs at bay) most of my plants are thriving. The Sunflower, sadly, is no more due to slug attack and bizarrely one of my hanging baskets seems to have been savaged also. I may have to investigate this further but early indications suggest Cornish slugs have developed abseiling capabilities, or possibly bungee/parachute training.

Anyhow, the beans are doing well and the first red flowers are peeking through - though I managed to miss them when I took the photos. As with last year's crop they appear to love the Spiraclimb supports and though they do need encouragement not to go off-track once the plants get the idea they really take to them.



Already my beans have grown quite some distance and without Spiraclimb I would be needing a lofty trellis or wigwam type structure by now. As it is, the foliage is starting to fill out nicely and growth is well supported and contained.

Keeping on top of things!

We've had a potent combination lately of warm sun and quite a bit of rain and most of the plants are loving it! This is as true of the weeds - which lurk in plentiful supply following the clearing of the patch - as the beans and other plants.

The instructions for Spiraclimb quite rightly say that growing climbers requires little more effort then occasionally twisting the new growth around the support. As previously mentioned, you need to do this quite sympathetically to avoid damaging stems.

However, my beans this year seem to have other ideas and keeping up with them is proving a challenge! For example a day or two's absence from the garden due to rain, or other commitments, finds the beans eagerly pursuing their own agenda instead of mine! I've had to unwrap them from the central cane, each other, and cut short promising bids to cross from one support to the other in order to maintain the correct style and decorum in the garden!

I even had one bean plant that unwrapped itself repeatedly right in front of me after I'd spent minutes carefully arranging it! I steadfastly refuse to use ties as this should not be necessary - but this particular plant has cunning and guile and I almost relented before finally taming it!

Anyhow, the instructions and growing tips on the Spiraclimb website are correct - at least so far - but I think the key, particularly in times of ideal growing weather, is regular attention and possibly greater will power then that of your climbing plant!

A Question about Organic Slug Control

I'm a conscientious gardener as far as slug control goes. The pellets I use (copiously) are organic and harmless to birds, hedgehogs, cats etc. They degrade fairly quickly too which is fine.

There's just one little question I have, based on the nocturnal goings on in my garden. They're harmless to cats, birds, hedgehogs etc. Could it possibly be the case that they are harmless to slugs too? I mean, someone checked that.... right?

Things taking shape! (A spiral shape)

Well, the weather stayed reasonably fine and so the beans and the last of the bedding plants grown from seed went in the ground. The greenhouse now only has a tray of Busy Lizzie's in it, which need a bit longer before going into hanging baskets and tubs.

The idea with the Spiraclimb displays was to create height at the back of the flower bed, integrating runner beans to the garden without any trellis support. This is essentially what Spiraclimb was invented for. I opted for canes at the shorter end of the height range but assuming the plants make it, I will demonstrate that they will grow healthily and should provide a very decent crop all being well.

As a growing tip, I must stress how important it is not to twist the growth onto the Spiraclimb support too tightly. It is easy to snap off the shoots if you do (and I did on a couple - but the plant has already started putting out new ones). The Spirals make an attractive feature by themselves but when filled with foliage and red flowers I am confident that the garden will look great with this combination of height and bedding.

The Spiraclimb have been set out in a fairly central position in the bed and are entirely self-supported on the canes. The long hook at the base of the Spiraclimb allows for the cane to be pushed into the soil to a sufficient depth to be sturdy and obviously as the plants take to the support the structure becomes stronger still.

For all its simplicity of appearance, the Spiraclimb is a pretty carefully thought out design. The hooks anchor the support each end of the cane - similar immitations require a hook to be jammed into the soil to anchor the spiral which is nowhere near as simple or sturdy. The base of the Spiraclimb has an "arch" which tucks around the cane and heps provide tension and spaces the spiral correctly up the length of the cane. Finally, the top hook is on a short arm which correctly spaces the top loop of the Spiral out from the cane.

Full details and assembly instructions can be seen in the "How to use Spiraclimb" section of the main website.

The curse of weeds!

I suppose it was inevitable! The plot has been totally recovered from a "wilderness" state and it was always unlikely that I'd get all the weeds and active roots out. As it is, the recent rain has encouraged widespread sprouting of little seedlings which were definitely not part of my "master plan".

Still, this isn't too bad though it does mean quite a bit of work is needed. The trick, I suspect, is to "get 'em young" which is to say that I pluck out the seedlings root and all before they get better established. Time consuming, but necessary!

Birds come to the Rescue!

As I await the opportunity to add my beans to their Spiraclimb supports, it turns out that the various birds nesting in the trees around the Spiraclimb garden have been busy on my behalf!

I've had plenty of cause to cuss them of late since they have developed a fondness for rummaging through the bark chippings under the chairs and table, turfing the bark onto the path in the process. However, this weekend, prompted no doubt by the rain, they have been eagerly demolishing a selection of slugs and snails that were emerging to feast on my bedding plants. I found quite a few shattered shells scattered about.

In this instance, therefore, I am prepared to overlook the continued mess they make with the bark chippings and welcome them instead to wreak revenge on my behalf for the sad demise of several marigold plants!

I did find one slug, however, so huge that any bird who ate it would probably be weighed down and rendered as flightless as the dodo! This "porker" was firmly turfed over the wall into the adjoining field to enjoy whatever wild flowers there might take his fancy.

A drop of welcome rain!

The wet weather has been less then ideal for planned trips to the beach and barbecues, but it has been welcome indeed for the garden. The timing has been perfect to allow my newly sited bedding plants a chance to settle in - though I remain vigilant against slugs!

The beans are thriving in the greenhouse too.