I love alstroemeria and we have seven different varieties. They flower for a long period, are colourful and keep well once picked but the ones that are not picked need pulling out as they get very untidy. I decided that today was the day to tidy them up and make some mulch.
The main alstroemeria bed before I started.
The first load. My wheelbarrow had a flat tyre (puncture I think) so I borrowed Doug's which is larger
My little electric mulcher machine. It makes quite a good job although there are some long strips.
The main bed looks better afterwards although there are still some older pieces to pull out. They will have to wait a while.
While I was doing this Doug went and did some work for his eldest daughter.
Still waiting to hear the result of the cyclone on Fiji. This morning there was one dead but, of course, due to communications being down the final toll may not be known for some time. There were thousands in shelters.
We have one in a large pot that has survived for a couple of years, it has beautiful flowers.
ReplyDeleteIt should last for years.
DeleteI saw a deep purple and a white on in the garden centre last week, very pricey, but the plants last for ages, and as a cut flower also. Great mulcher, just the machine to give you the instant goodies.
ReplyDeleteIt works quite well. We had a Hansa petrol driven one when we were up north but thought it too noisy for the town. Yes, there are some lovely Alstroemerias and they are all pricey but good value once you get them going.
DeleteIt's a flower I like, better than lilies, the garden in Tai Tapu where we stayed had many. I am not sure that it would survive up here!
ReplyDeleteI like the mulch making machine. Pirate generally puts things on the ground and runs the lawnmower over them, but that can make a mess of the lawn!!
Yes, much nicer than lilies and they last so well in a vase. Doug suggested that next time he could try the lawnmower method but I think the mulcher does a better job and, as you say, a mess on the lawn.
DeleteI must confess that I have nit previously encountered "his and her" wheelbarrows!
ReplyDeleteIt is only three years since we married and we already had a wheelbarrow each so kept them and they are particularly useful when stacking firewood. That said, my late husband and I had a wheelbarrow each on our 6 acre property.
DeleteI have one Alstroemeria that is potted so it can be brought in during the winter. It has lasted 15 years and I enjoy its flower ver much. Yours are just beautiful. That mulcher is a wonderful garden tool. I have never seen a portable one and now I must have one. I will check out my garden catalogs when they come soon.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't mulch large branches but is ideal for things like the alstroemeria.
Delete-very pretty flowers. I happened to buy a bouquet of them last week and they still look lovely.
ReplyDeleteOur news can be very insular. I've not yet read about the cyclone on Fiji.
Yes, they last so well in a bouquet or vase.
DeleteI feel for the people in Fiji, they always seem to get the brunt of cyclones. We were selling the same flowers at my work not so long ago, they lasted less than 2 weeks before they were all sold.
ReplyDeleteYes, it will take a lot of work and money to rebuild houses and infrastructure in Fiji. I think Alstroemerias are always good sellers - they are a lovely flower.
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