Category Archives: Growing Tips

What’s the Problem with Peat?

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Peat has been popular and widely used for many years. In fact, you might be using it in your garden right now.

But maybe you're wondering what peat is exactly, where it comes from and why gardeners love it so much.

What is Peat?

Peat is decomposing vegetation that’s formed in waterlogged conditions – forming many peatlands in the UK known as blanket bogs, raised bogs and fenland. The UK once had many lowland raised bogs too. Unfortunately these were casualties of the horticultural and farming industries.

When plants decompose they produce carbon dioxide normally. However, peat is formed under water it decomposes into carbon and stays there, never to be released. In the UK, these watery wonderlands store more carbon than all of Europe’s forests.

It takes a very long time to come about – growing 0.5–1mm per year. Many of these areas have been around for about 10000 years and can be up to 10m deep.

Why Peat?

Peat is popular in the garden as it retains moisture and oxygen without becoming waterlogged. It also has a natural ability to protect seedlings from fungal disease.

Peat increased in popularity in the horticultural industry as it was cheaper, lighter to transport and easier to source than loam. So by the 1970’s, peat was the star of the show.

However, in spite of its obvious usefulness, over the last few years it's become less desirable.

But why?

Peat’s Problem

Removing the peat disrupts the delicate ecosystem in these areas, destroying unique habitats. This threatens rare species of plants, birds and insects such as:

  • Carnivorous plants like sundew, butterworts and bladderworts that have adapted to feeding on insects to make up for the lack of nutrients in the soil
  • Birds such as the dunlin, hen harrier, skylark, golden plover and red grouse
  • Dragonflies, large heath butterflies, emperor moths and dazzling jewel beetles

 

Of course, the knock-on effect of disappearing species has untold adverse consequences.

Peatlands hold a huge amount of carbon – they are like giant holding cells for carbon, preventing carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere.

Over 500 years worth of ‘peat growth’ can be removed by commercial extraction in only 1 year.

Nearly 70% of peat compost is used by amateur gardeners in the UK – currently using approximately 3 billion litres of peat every year in their gardens.

If you are using peat in your garden it needs to be noted that, once your plants are established, continual use of peat on established plants is not necessary.

Damaged Peatland also leads to:

  • Poor drinking water quality
  • Surrounding areas becoming vulnerable to floods, fires and drought

 

For these reasons we have decided to reduce the amount of peat we use at our nursery. This way you can purchase a plant from our nursery with a good conscience knowing the plants have been grown in a more environmentally sustainable way.

Besides reducing the amount of peat used, what other options are there for the at-home gardener?

Apart from making your own compost, there are quite a few other options to choose from.

But we’ll dive into that next time.

Until then, have a look at what’s being done to preserve these beautifully boggy resources here.

October Gardening Inspiration

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We must say we’re quite pleased that our first exhibit in nearly two decades at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show resulted in a gold medal!

It was such a privilege to be there and we had the grandest time! Just marvelous being part of the festivities again.

If you couldn’t make it, we’ve put together some of the highlights for you:

Anyone Can Be a Gardener

Gardening is becoming the new black! Many more people are taking to gardening now than ever before. We don’t need large tracts of land to bring a bit of nature into our lives. Window sill, balcony and indoor gardening can be just effective and satisfying. And it doesn’t have to be small. Large trees can be planted in pots, creating a foresty atmosphere.

It’s a Jungle in There

During this past year when access to outdoor spaces was limited, many people found it life-saving bringing the outdoors in. There are many varieties of plants you can choose for your home. Alstroemeria make great indoor plants. Just make sure the container is roomy enough and the soil well-drained. A sunny window-sill or any spot with lightly filtered sunshine will do.

Work With the Earth

With an emphasis on biodiversity and sustainability, even if our contributions are small and seemingly inconsequential, we are all responsible and have a part to play in turning the tide. We can do this by improving the quality of our soil as much as possible, planting in harmony with the seasons, using water-wise plants and recycled materials.

Let Loose

Wild flower meadows attract wildlife. But if you really want a perfectly coifed patch of grass, do the insects a favour and leave the edges wild and free. You’ll have the best of both worlds - a walkable lawn and some happy and useful creatures to share it with. Also, alstroe are loved by bees and hummingbirds so they are a good addition if you want to bring in the wild.

Plants = Free Therapy

The love of nature is in our DNA. Research has shown that being in the presence of plants has numerous physical and emotional benefits such as increasing concentration, reducing blood pressure, anxiety and stress and speeding up the process of post-operative healing. Good reasons to add some greenery to your space.

If you have an alstroemeria you’ll likely still be enjoying the benefits of gazing at their blooms, as they have been known to flower right up until November.

But let’s see what you’ll want to bear in mind when winter starts rolling in.

Prepping for Winter

  • Mulch ‘em! Mulching can be done late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb) and will help them to stay cosy and get through the winter outside. This is particularly helpful for newer plants that are still establishing.
  • If keeping them in pots outside, you can lay the pots on their sides once the plants are dormant to protect from frost and heavy rains
  • You could also keep your alstroemeria inside in a greenhouse or similar sheltered spot for protection
  • Give them a good and proper soak every so often (as opposed to frequent light watering), making sure their soil is free draining

 

 

Elvira

Questions about Alstro

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Can my alstroemeria and my pets be friends?

Are alstroemeria really just little lilies?

Do I need to leave my alstroemeria in my will?

Ok that last one is a bit of a stretch. But that can be true for some flowers! Like peonies!

In this two-part series we’re answering some of the questions you may have about alstroemeria. Perhaps it’s a bit of a mystery plant to you? Are you intrigued by it and want to get to know it better?

Well you’ve come to the right place.

Are alstroemeria lilies?

The short answer is no.

The longer answer is that despite their lily-like appearance and being known as Peruvian Lily and Lily of the Incas, alstroemeria are not true lilies. They belong to the Alstroemeriaceae family and grow wild in South America.

Why is my alstroemeria dying?

Here are some possibilities:

  • Slugs and snails are sliding around and can make light work of alstroemeria, especially them young and juicy ones
  • Tubers may not be planted deeply enough making them vulnerable to winter frost. They need to be planted deeply and mulched over winter
  • Root rot. Alstro can get a bit claustrophobic if mulched too determinedly. When the mulch is pushed too far down that it’s touching the roots, it can bring on the rot. So be sure to give those roots their personal space (at least 2”)
  • Too much water and soil that doesn’t drain well – soggy feet are a no-no!
  • Not enough sun. Lay off the sunscreen (shade) and get those babies tanning!

 

Why are my alstroemeria not flowering?

Too much shade may be the problem. Or the pot they’re in may be too small. As we learnt in the previous point, alstroemeria need their space!

Also, the way you harvest the flowers matters. Yanking rather than cutting encourages more vigorous growth.

Why are my alstroemeria leaves turning yellow?

Again, not enough sunlight could be the culprit or even too much water. Otherwise, check your soil’s PH level. It should be no more than 7.

Can humans eat alstroemeria?

At a restaurant and presented with some lovely alstroemeria decorating your meal? Rather keep enjoying them with your eyes and not your mouth. Eating them may lead to stomach upsets for some people.

Can my pets and my alstroemeria be friends?

As established earlier, alstroemeria are not lilies. And while lilies can be dangerous for your furry friends, alstroemeria are very friendly. There’s a chance they may get a bit of an upset tummy from eating them but if you need to leave Fluffy and Felix alone with your alstro, rest assured they’ll all be just fine.

Do deers like eating alstroemeria?

Deers love lilies. But now that we know alstroemeria are not true lilies you can be sure they'll be safe around these dear creatures. Knowledge is power!

And there you have it! We hope this helped clear up at least some of the mysteries.

Look out for part 2 for more...

Alstroemeria in June

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The unexpectedly cold weather we experienced in April has made our Alstroemeria afraid to show us their faces.

And understandably so. Those sub-zero temperatures were a shock to us too – we had to get all our winter woollies out of storage!

Like us, after the warm spell in March, you were probably all geared up to get to work on your garden over Easter. But with temperatures peaking in the single digits and snow in some areas during April, that just didn’t happen.

We hope those overnight frosts didn’t kill too much of your garden off!

Chief horticulturalist at the Royal Horticultural Society, Guy Barter, said: “Overnight frosts in April are dreaded by gardeners. Magnolia and camellia flowers are ruined, fruit blossom and young fruitlets including pears and apples are spoiled and the tender tips of potatoes will be burnt off if they appear above ground. Gardener’s hearts are in their mouths through April as they anxiously scan the weather forecasts for frost warnings ready to rush out and cover vulnerable plants to ward off damage.”

FLOWERING SEASON

Alstroemerias are very easy to grow.

In the UK they flower from May to November but are usually at their finest in July or August.

Of course, with all the topsy-turvy weather we’ve experienced, the season has been a bit delayed. So although flowering season is technically upon us we are still waiting to see them flowers!

But we should see those cute little faces popping out within the next few weeks.

WHAT TO EXPECT

If you put some Alstroemeria on backorder with us and wait patiently for them to arrive, what can you expect when they do?

Your plants will arrive in a box with a specialist care guide, which includes planting instructions and maintenance tips for your new plants. They will be carefully packed in a recyclable blister pack to hold them in place and keep them safe.

We keep our 9cm plants compact to ensure that all the energy is going into the roots of the plant to make sure they will thrive in their next home.

All our plants are picked over before shipping to remove any flower spikes and excess growth, ensuring they travel to their new home with as little damage as possible. This could mean that your new plants may have very little visible green shoots above the soil. This is not detrimental to the plant at all and does not mean that your plant is dead. Alstroemeria are extremely fast growing and will begin to shoot within a couple of weeks once planted.

There may be loose soil in the blister pack once you remove the plants, again this is not a problem – we would expect some soil to loosen on its journey. This can either be discarded or added when the Alstroemeria is planted in to the garden or a larger pot.

Caring for your Alstroemeria

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It could be said that Alstroemeria are a bit like Goldfish. Such an easy pet. You just sprinkle a few flakes at them everyday and keep those air bubbles going and there you have it. Much ado about nothin’!

Well, in a similar way Alstroemeria are such vigorous bloomers they don’t need much encouragement to keep going and growing.

But how much care does an Alstroemeria really need?

Here are some guidelines to help you along:

Feeding

Alstroemeria are hungry little creatures, so regular weekly feeds through growing season from May to September is recommended and will encourage them to flower well and repeatedly. A high potash fertiliser is recommended such as our Alstroemeria Feed.

Mulching

All of the Alstroemeria plant varieties we grow are garden winter hardy but, for the first couple of winters while they are establishing, it will be best to mulch well to make sure your new plants are protected until they are well established and can get through the winter without any assistance.

Watering

Alstroemeria are reasonably drought tolerant but will need regular watering during the summer months. If your Alstroemeria are planted in containers these tend to dry out quicker so make sure to keep the ground moist but don’t over water.

Alstroemeria need free draining soil. This is essential for them to grow well and establish in the normal way. The root system doesn’t like to be waterlogged as this can cause the roots to rot and likely cause it to die.

Picking Flowers

Alstroemeria are fabulous flowers in a vase and can last many weeks. A few tips for picking your own Alstroemeria are as follows:

Pick at the point when the buds are not yet open but have colour and looking ready to pop. They will last longer in the vase if picked at this point.

You’ll want to get hold of the stem about halfway down and give it a gentle twist followed by a sharp tug which will pull out the stem. This ensures that there are no pieces of stem left to rot which can cause fungal disease to build up on the root.

Pulling the flowering stem at the base and ripping it from the ground also encourages the plant to re-flower as it produces another bud under the ground. They‘ll then keep producing an endless supply of flowers for every vase in the home throughout the Summer.

It is best to allow the plant to become firmly established (so at least one Summer to pass after planting) until employing this method. You can still have fresh flowers by cutting them instead until the roots have had time to establish.

Dead heading

Once all the flowers in a cluster head have faded and died, remove the whole stem with a gentle tug, the same method as picking. This encourages further flower stems to sprout and keeps the plant looking neat and tidy. It also prevents it from wasting energy on producing seeds at the expense of more flowers.

 

So a little more care and maintenance than a Goldfish but totally worth it!

Alstroemeria in February

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Remember those happy alstroemeria dancing in their rainbow colours in the summer breeze only a few months ago?

Now all is a-slumber in your wintery garden. Everything covered in white icy fluff.

You may have last seen your Alstroemeria blooming away up until October which feels like an age ago now. But thanks to the long flowering season you can expect to see some flowers popping up come March/April already, so it's not much longer to wait now.

But perhaps you’re wondering what your alstroemeria are up to while they’re not busy flowering and if there’s anything you need to do to help them along.

Well, with alstroemeria’s being perennials, dying back in winter, they need a period of cold weather in order to stimulate shoot growth, so you can rest assured they are doing their thing underground.

Let’s look at what you can do to support your alstroemeria during this period of hibernation so they can spring exuberantly out the ground when the time is right!

Alstroe in garden beds

Although the alstroemeria varieties we grow are garden winter hardy, withstanding soil temperatures as cold as -10°C, it is a good idea to mulch new plants well for the first couple of winters while they are establishing. This ensures they are protected until they have grown up enough to stand on their own two feet (or many roots).

It is best to apply a thick layer of leafy or peat-free mulch in Autumn. Read about our peat-free policy here. Composted bark is also a good option. Make sure to leave about a 5cm gap between mulch and stem otherwise they may get a bad case of root rot.

Alstroe in containers

Keep your potted alstroemeria indoors after September when the frost could start appearing outdoors.

You can move them to a location that is free of frost for the winter, such as a sheltered porch or greenhouse. This is because the roots are more exposed to low temperatures when in pots than they are growing in the ground.

Amazing how in spite of being seemingly more exposed, being in the garden bed is actually warmer. Just shows – nature knows best!

Alstroemeria have tuberous, fleshy roots so they require sheltering and good drainage. This will prevent the compost getting too soggy with the winter rains which can also cause the dreaded root rot.

Water lightly but frequently. The compost should dry out on the surface between watering.

When Spring springs

If you take good care of your alstroemeria in these ways, when the days start lengthening those shoots will start flowering prolifically.

They are quite hungry plants, especially if kept in a container, so remember to feed with a high potash, liquid feed regularly in the growing season. We also use a slow release feed - our Alstroemeria Spring Feed - which can be applied at the beginning of the growing season (March) to give a steady feed throughout the early part of the growing season.

Once flowering begins, mature hybrids will keep producing flowering shoots until the soil temperature rises above 15°C for extended periods.

What varieties do you have in your garden that you’re looking forward to seeing in flower again?