Akebia quinata fruit. Chocolate vine

Akebia quinata flower

Akebia quinata

Common name: Chocolate Vine (5 leaflets)

A fast growing semi-evergreen twining woody vine, with lovely, lush green rounded leaves with 5 leaflets, underside of leaves blue-green colour, tinged purple in winter.

Produces clusters of small trailing chocolate purple coloured spicy, vanilla fragrant flowers. The small three petaled flowers bloom from March to April.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Akebia quinata seed pods

 After a long hot summer the 5 inch – 9cm long purple-violet sausage shaped edible fruits split open when ripe in early autumn.

 

 

 

Akebia quinata splitting seed pod

 Two varieties of Akebia must be planted in order to obtain fruits.

An unusual and delightful climbing plant.

Fully hardy can withstand temp down to -15°C

 

 

 

 

Akebia quinata seeds

 Lightly cover the seeds with a mixture of loamy soil and coarse sand.

Keep lightly moist.  May take 1 – 3 months to gernminate.

Fast growing.  Full sun or partial sun. Hardy to 24 degrees.

* Common name: Chocolate Vine.

* Position: Sun or partial shade.

* Soil: Moist yet well drained, fertile soil.

* Hardiness: Hardy. Akebia quinata is semi-evergreen and will drop its leaves in a cold winter.

* Flowering Period: April – May.

* Rate of Growth: Vigorous.

* Habit: Large climbing plant which requires support as it will not self-cling. Height: 8 – 10 m (26 – 32 ft) Spread: 2 m (6 ft)

* Notes: Akebia quinata is ideal for climbing up trellis or supporting wires on a wall or fence.

For more planting advice please see www.complete-gardens.co.uk

Bee houses. Sales are up

I’m glad about the sales in bee houses as I’m particularly concerned about the plight of the bees. There is no doubt that the bees are on the decline.
I sell bee houses because they provide a safe habitat to breed and they are made in the UK using FSC wood.
I do make a few bob out of the sales to cover expenses but the income is not my objective whereas helping the bees is.
Dr Who mentioned the disappearance of bees in the 21st Century, as well as did the Wildlife Gardening program with Chris Beardshaw where they quote Einstein saying that with no bees the human race will die out.
A pressing thought yet there are things we can do to help, provide nectar plants for bees and provide nesting places for them to breed.
I was recently told by a Environmental Biologist that bees are finding it harder to locate flowers due to the lack of scent caused by pollution.
The sooner they bring in Hydrogen powered cars the better. The emission being H2O = water. That sounds like a very good idea.

How to save and store tomato seeds

Saving seeds from ripe tomatoes

In order to get the best seeds you’ll need to collect from ripe, healthy tomato fruits.

Unripe tomatoes won’t have had enough time to produce mature seeds.
Cut or squash the tomatoes to extract the seeds.
Discard the flesh of the tomatoes, saving only the seeds.

Tomato seeds have a protective 'seed coat' which neds to be removed

The seeds will be surrounded by a jelly-like ’seed coat’ which needs to be removed

To remove the protective seed coat, place the seeds in water

The best way to get rid of the seed coat is to soak the seeds in water for 7-10 days.

Tomato seeds in water. Day 1

 

The protective coat is disolved after 10 days in water

After this period most if not all the jelly will have rotted in the water leaving just the seeds.

Seive the seeds through a strainer

Pour the seeds in to a seive and rinse with clean running water. A gentle rub with your fingers will seperate any remaining jelly.

Shake the seive to remove as much water as possible before tipping the seeds on to a piece of tissue paper. Seperate the seeds so that they are not touching each other and leave to dry for a further few days.

When dry the seeds can be stored in a dry paper bag

When completely dry place the seeds in a sealed paper bag and keep cool and dry, or you can use a sealed plastic bag and keep the seeds in a fridge (not the freezer).
Remember to lable the seeds.

Properly stored, the seeds can stay viable for a number of years.

Tomato advice is just one of the thousands of plant advice on the Complete Gardens CD-ROM

Storing potatoes

Harvesting potatoes

Once you’ve dug up your potatoes the best way I’ve found to store potatoes is to use a polystyrene box. A polystyrene box will keep the contents cool yet keep the frost out and the potatoes in the dark.

Put a layer of sand in to a polystyrene box

Fill the box with sand

Place damage free potatoes in the sand but not touching each other

Place the potatoes in the sand, but not touching each other. It’s a good idea to select the good ones and avoid storing potatoes that are damaged by slugs or cuts or bruises.

Add more layers of sand and potatoes

Cover the potatoes with sand and add another layer of potatoes and cover them with sand.

Close the lid to keep frost, rain, light and vermin out.

Close the lid to protect from vermin, frost, rain and light.

More information about finding advice plants and advice see Complete Garden garden plant advice CD-ROM.

Cleve West writes Independent Review on Garden advice software

RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold winning garden designer Cleve West has written a review in the Independent Newspaper.  Saturday 25th October 2008

Cleve has written a review about the Complete Garden plant advice and pruning guide encyclopaedia CD-ROM.

Being featured in a National Newspaper and written by such a respected Garden Designer will be a big boost in raising the interactive, visual plant database CD-ROM profile.

Cleve West Independent review http://www.independent.co.uk/life-st…ow-969471.html

The only information missing from his glowing review are the contact details where to buy the Complete Gardens CD-ROM and that the software is both PC & MAC compatible.

Many people will be unaware that such a product exists, so Cleve’s review will be a great help.

A CD-ROM is disc that you insert in to your computer. The CD-ROM allows the user to request information that appears within seconds by a simple a click of a button.

A CD-ROM can hold thousands of images plus data and illustrations which is easily accessable.

In addition you can add your own notes and print them with images plus make plant lists of plants you have and plant you want and the unique calendar lists reminds you which plants will be in flower and remind you which of your plants that need pruning and how.

The CD-ROM is designed to help you find plants for every area of your garden and season.

With this simple yet basic knowledge, the CD-ROM can help garden enthusiasts whatever level of experience find the right plants for the right time and place in order to create a garden with seasonal colour and interest.