Mistakes I Made Growing Perennials Commercially & What I Learnt From Them

Many thanks for this & all the other videos you have posted. I have only recently 'discovered' you, much to my chagrin. We live in very rural mid-west Wales, so unfortunately, we are not able to visit your nursery. I recently ordered & received my first order of 19 plants from you. They were packed far better than any other on line retailer [only one came close]. The packaging & labelling were absolutely superb ~ surpassed only by the excellently potted, beautiful plants. No other retailers which I have used previously, pot their plants on when required. In fact, most of them are not real nurseries. They buy plants in from growers, usually at or around the time they need to be potted on. After several years of ill health, I have a lot of catching up & restocking to do, so I grew hundreds of herbaceous perennials from seed last year. By late autumn, they had all been potted on three or four times [mostly four], so I really appreciate the amount of care, dedication & time it takes to produce top quality plants. Thank you for your beautiful plants. I will certainly return to you in the future ~ but don't tell my husband!!! ❤❤❤

One of the best videos. I wish you and others would do this more often. I learned more from these 10 minutes than much longer videos. As an experienced gardener I have heard most of the stuff about plant material. So all of the mistakes you mentioned resonated with me. Please do this, more often. Ask other folks and employees what mistakes they have learned from. I m sure they will have something to say. The ones in spacing were interesting. Re chemicals, I am so fortunate that my older sisters were both biologists so I read Rachel Carson a long time ago. That was my foundation so I am never looking for a chemical solution to any plant problem.

Thank you, Rosy. That was very interesting. A couple of years ago, I was told square pots were better because when planted in the ground, the roots will spread outwards rather than remain growing round if it was in a round pot.

Really interesting and useful. We need more myth busting! Off to do some root cuttings now.....

Really interesting thanks. I’ll reach for my round pots happily now

Thank you so much for this video Rosy, the education you provide here on YouTube for free is really invaluable for me. I’m slowly learning about growing and selling plants. (On a tiny scale) So hearing these stories from your experiences is fantastic. And so useful .

Really enjoy your videos, Rosy. Thank you for the generosity of sharing. My answer to dealing with aphids (and slugs)? More bird feeders means more garden birds who are happy to feastbon aphids and slugs.

Very interesting Rosy, thank you.

This was a very intresst Video for me.Thank you!😊

Not too long ago I learned that neonicotinoids are derived in part from tobacco (right there in the name, I just never knew). When an older gardener I know said she had a DIY spray that kept her plants bug free I had to know what it was, and guess what, she was making a home brewed mix using tobacco. I won’t be trying that one. Too bad, it sounded so enticing!

Fantastic video, Rosie, thank you. On the subject of biological pest control, it would be amazing if you could do a video on all the ones you use on the nursery. So reassuring to know that you really don’t need to reach out for the pesticides!

Very very interesting…yes indeed, it does make you think

You´re so right Rosy

Great to hear about your move away from chemicals! I’m hoping to one day have a plant nursery and will be starting this year by selling plants at the side of the road. Very small scale! Your videos are really helpful as I move in this direction.

Thank you Rosy!

Thanks Rosy, loads of great information there would it be possible for you to do one on how to start up a nursery?

Always worth trying something different, as long as it’s not going to cost you a fortune. So much to do with gardening is ‘ handed down knowledge’ often nobody questions it. I remember Geoff Hamilton using a hedge trimmer to cut his roses back. There was uproar because the iron rule was trim back to an outward facing bud. But he had no problems😊😊

Very interesting especially as I just bought quite a few square pots😬

Would you create a video on using grow bags with perennials? Terracotta and glazed pots have become expensive and I don't have room to store any more. I'd like to use them to be able to swap plants in and out of displays. Is this possible?

Now I am worried because having seen photos of Great Dixter where they mass clay pots together I replicated that mixing everything some in individual pots ie azaleas, fuschia, snow drops, muscariis some mixed in the same pot ie gaura & stipia & hardy geraniums / laurel & rosemary & cinéraire & céraiste / willow tortuosa & strawberries. Some pots are massed in partial shade, some in full sun. Should I space them out? It will not look as nice, more like soldiers on parade than the current riot of plants which I prefer. Thank you Rosy for sharing your knowledge with us so generously and so well. The only downside is that I find myself coveting plants I did not know existed.