General Chat

Oooh, Merlin, I know you are a man of many parts, but I didn't know you have handy tips too :-D

Note for Wend

My seeds for runner beans and carrots suggest that you can plant out anytime during April, in the garden, rather than in the greenhouse. In fact last year we were given some runners in june, that were about 6 ins tall, and still were harvesting beans in September. So it would seem planting later and staggered means a longer harvesting time, so I wouldn't worry. Never grown sprouting broccoli, but understand it grows quite quickly.

Jan

Ah thanks Merlin, being married to an electrical person should have known that.

merlin have u another tip instead of copper wire, i must have 50 pots aand where there is soil i have about 10 fruit trees, i forgotten what i used xx :-D

Thanks Jan

Merlin be sure to answer Puss 7 times Lol!!!!

OMG WHAT HAPPENED I THINK I NEED A LIE DOWN LOL I WILL TRY AND RECTIFY IT XX :-0

Got rid of most of them Puss just one more to delete. Thought my eyes were playing tricks. you probably kept your finger held on the submit button.

5EXY
Your idea worked a treat. Thank you.

Merlin
I know it can no longer be recommended for cleaning greenhouses/pots and staging etc but I still use good old fashioned Jayes Fluid.

AnninGlos - copper wire may be dear however Vaseline is not - rub a band of it around pot - they do not like it.

Young tender plants in garden/allotment - circle of soot around it - no open fires - use Yellow Pages - find a sweep - they are only too glad to get rid of it. At our allotments OH built a large soot box for the use of all - sweep tops it up regularly - no cost.

all done, this is my first daffodil ive ever grown so im chuffed , i put the bulbs right way up. xx

chris, oh has an incinerator could i use the ashes out of that, im sure ive heard to put the ash around trees or plants

sorry if ive asked earlier in thread xx :-D

Ash is very good - improves the soil. Try it for snails - they do not like anything rough -they need a smooth surface as they are slimy to slide over!!!

thanks chris xx

Thanks Chris re vaseline, will try that one. As to snails not liking anything rough. Our snails obviously don't know that as theys eem to manage to get across the fravel bed to the hostas. Not as manya s would be on normal soil, but some of them.

I've just found you all hiding in the greenhouse, hope it's ok to join you as am passionate about gardening. I'm envious about the bargain polytunnel, what a lovely space!

In previous years I have planted tomatoes in Jan as per the packet but had them in the heated greenhouse. I've decided the price of heating it is just prohibited nowadays so I settled for the dining room window sill. I covered it in plastic and layers of newspapers and only water in the kitchen, leaving them to drain to avoid a flood.

When the french and italian tomato plants were getting a bit leggy, I potted them on and placed them in the cold greenhouse. I stood them on a few layers of newspaper on the bench and bunched horticultural fleece around them. During the day, depending on the weather, I initially always kept them in a 'tent' of fleece, and at night four layers of fleece. They have continued to grow. Some look better than others, some slightly yellowed. It's a good experiment.

It has been a bit of work as I need to lift a few layers at 8.00 am and as the season warms I am now leaving them without any fleece during the day, covering them again at 5.00pm for the night. They are about 4" high, I think. I know that it isn't correct to feed them until they set their first fruits, but I did think the cheapy compost might be a bit impoverished so have just sprinkled 1 tsp of my own compost on top today.

I'm not the best tomato grower, I lose interest as the season progresses, and mainly grow the plants for my parents. I don't have all the names to hand but have grown a large french (Super Marmande), an italian plum and end of Feb planted 'Sweet Million' cherry, which should be planted at the beginning March. My Dad asked for 'Moneymaker' on his return from hols, so I popped some of those in too. They also went in end of Feb and are now about 1 1/2" high on the windowsill.

Dad said they all catch up in the end, but I'm always tempted to steal a March!

Happy Gardening 2011 :-)

Good luck with the tomatoes lavender. We usually grow Tumbler in hanging baskets (That is the royal we OH is the tomato grower). He also grows (I think it is) sungold a yellow tomato and either alicante or moneymaker. We have tried the beef and plum tomatoes without a lot of success. Quite an experiment you have going on there and quite a bit of work too.

Hello lavender welcome if u want a pollytunnEl there on ebay if not i couldbuy one for u x x :-D its 6 Ft high and 12 ft long :-D

Ash is good for any soil if lightly dug in but isnt really effective for slug control,you need something slightly acid ,that burns their bums if they try to cross it ,i suggest a light sprinkling of lime round the plants every couple of weeks ,which is harmless to the soil ,and most plants ,copper sulphate is good too ,but the best thing of all ,and free is chimney soot ,a beutiful soil conditioner and completely harmless in the soil.
Soot kills ,slug ,wireworm ,cut worm and many other soil pests ,but for some reason ,which is good, harmless to the gardeners friend ,the worm.
I used it on my allotments for years digging it into the compost and manure in early autumn for digging in the following spring.
One word of warning though ,if you use soot ,fresh ,use very little because it will burn plants if you get any on them.
Dosn't effect birds though if they pick up a grub or snail that has come into contact with it .
Happy gardening to all ,Fred, off out into the garden later to start this years tidy up and digging ,oh my poor old back ,lol. :-).

Thanks very much our fred, im off to do my charity stall then i will put a job advert uP for OH offering him as a free chimney sweeper a lot of the old dears have eood burning stoves too. So OH can cover him self in coal dust and start work asap 10 p a sweep and a cup of tea, if he gets any tips i will do him a packed lunch x :-D :-D

It really depends in which part of the country you live in, as to when setting seeds, despite what it says on the packet.
For instance, here in Derbyshire, I have not set a seed of any kind, let alone tomatoes.
It is better to use your own judgement. I find most gardening colums in magazines etc., always plant early, in absolute perfect conditions. It doesn't work for everyone.
Heated greenhouses are becoming prohibitive, just to plant early.

Julia in Derbyshire