Food Glorious Food

This week really had me kicking myself that I keep forgetting to take before pictures to illustrate how effective a gardening experiment has been.

Potted Gardenia now sweetly blooming

Last autumn, when I was preparing the flower beds in my front garden (previously all overgrown lawn) one bed had a particular special treat.  When I had finished digging, my neighbour appeared with several grow bags that he had left over, and we spread these across one bed.  The difference in flower production and plant quality between this bed and the two others was astounding.   While violas, cyclamen and dianthus in the "poor" bed struggled to survive the winter, leaving only a few ragged discoloured leaves and stalks for spring, the plants in the "rich" bed continued to bloom almost all winter.

Last week I spread rich compost over the neglected beds, and wow! The results were so dramatic and fast that I was really amazed.  The poor stragglers have once again flourished and practically doubled in size, and the bed now has a show of purple, white and yellow pansy flowers.

Based on the results, I grabbed a pack of flower and plant food when I picked up seeds this weekend, and after just a single feed my indoor plants look healthier, with glossy leaves and lots of new shoots, leaving me feeling like a very proud plant mum!

Next up... how to repot my orchids and encourage them to follow suit!