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Good book for newbies?
Hello I just like to reccomend a book that I have nearly finished for anybody concerned about the environment and the food we eat and would like both a humorous and also factual read about the above. The book is called green tomatoes and spotted pigs and is written by rosie Boycott, it may not be to everyones taste as I…
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Lawnmowers
(not sure if this is correct forum?) Since moving into our house I've become a bit obsessed with having 'lawn of the year'! It's not very big so fairly easy to keep. Problem is ... my lawnmower is rubbish. grrr. I have a 'Mow and vac' hover thing and it doesn't cut the lawn very well at all. Is it better to get a rotary…
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What to sow now
As a newbie most of my veggies were a disaster (tomatoes, broccoli, sprouts & squash) and feel close to not bothering, but I really want to give it a go again as I have enjoyed getting the few bits I have. I have had many attempt at Broccoli but as soon as a small floret appears I leave it to get bigger (right?) but then…
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Greenhouse advice
I am looking for some advice regarding the purchase of a greenhouse. This year has been my first attempt at growing veggies and I've had the best time. I've learnt so much. At the start of the growing season I bought a very cheap plastic 6' by 4' greenhouse from poundstretcher (a sort of polytunnel/tent type) to see how I…
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Leeks - am I doing this wrong?
First time I'm doing a veg patch, so this is probably a daft question. I have some leeks and one has grown a flower (not yet blossomed) that has caused the plant to keel over so it's now lying on the ground. Reading around, I'm a bit confused. Should I be cutting off the flower or leave it? One of the other plants has just…
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comparing chilli and pepper varieties - quality, taste and hotness!
Following on from the "comparing tom varieties - quality, taste and yield" thread, I wondered whether it would be useful to have a similar look at our experiences with various chilli and pepper varieties.. There is such a vast range of chillies and peppers, from sweet to fiery, and in all shapes, sizes and colours. This…
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Buttonhole, how to keep fresh?
I made a gents buttonhole for our local show but I was running out of steam and couldn't think how to keep it fresh. Has anyone here ever done one of these? If so, how did you keep it fresh? Mine won a First because they were judged on the day they were made but the next day when the public come in they all looked…
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Wasps and Bees
We have a flat roofed extension with the usual round holes for ventilation. I have just found there is a wasps nest in one of the holes, an easily solved problem usually. What complicates matters is that within 2 holes distance (1 metre) there has suddenly become a bee nest. With the lack of honey bees, how do you wipe out…
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What can i grow fruit/veg way with no greenhouse?
would really love to grow some fruit n veg if poss. Thank you.
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Quiz
Anyone interested in a fun only quiz? I actually nicked it off my mother in law who is president of the local WI. Wild and Garden Flowers. * Centre of the eye. * Cissy boy. * Pale red. * Bovine fall. * Prudish miss. * Medieval torture. * Snog in a fog. * Keeps your mouth from fraying at the edges. * Soft jungle king. *…
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lookng for plans to build a gazebo
hi all just got back from hols and my new gazebo is all bend, neighbour says we had a bad wind on thursday and it blow the gazebo over, only got it in the spring, it was £180, now its a ile of bend metal so i'm looking to make my own one from wood, nothing fancy, just posts and a roof, then i'll fit the sides with netting…
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Wasps in compost bin
Hi Have just gone to put veg peelings in compost bin (large green plastic one as provided by council at discount - rectangular). Surprised to find it literally crawling with wasps in side and now fear we must have a bike in there somewhere? Other than rotting fruit, nothing sweet in there - and have never noticed unusual…
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Gladioli
I planted dwarf Glads in tubs this spring and although plenty of greenery, no flower spikes. I have subsequently transplanted to the garden. Do I let the greenery die down as I would with daffodils or do I cut off when starting to wither. Azza
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Chilli novice-please help!
Hi All I'm new to this board (usually to be found on old style). I recently planted some chilli seeds (green in one pot and red in another). I just sprinkled a few seeds just under the surface of the compost. They're on my kitchen windowsill and there are now lots of shoots about 3cm tall! Now, this is the stupid…
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Cheapest seeds for blight resistant tomatoes
With tomato blight becoming increasingly common around the country more tomato growers will want to grow a blight resistant variety next year. This year I've been experimenting with Ferline, which is blight resistant and has produced really healthy plants & fruit. I'm very impressed with its performance and have been…
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Sainsburys garden items up to 75%
Just to let you know keep an eye out in your local sainburys they have garden items for between 25% and 75% off. I bought a 10 pack of 3" Sankey pots for 37p. I know they are little but prefect for cuttings to give away to people. I had to get it price checked as no label but they had 5 pack of slightly bigger pot no…
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Miniplants
As a complete newbie this is my first post and welcome some advice. I have bought quite a lot of autumn/winter miniplant bedding from Suttons and Thomson and Morgan (pansies, bellis and dwarf wallflower - still to come violas and polyanthus). I have repotted into plug trays and very pleased with the results - I have more…
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Tomato Blight
Now the tomatoes at the other end of the garden have got it too. And I had such high hopes fotr these tomatoes. I don't think I am going to get any after all the nurturing in cut off milk bottle greenhouses from seeds and it seems ages ago I started too.
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Absolutely awful clay soil full of rubble... help!!
Hi all I've just moved into a new ground floor flat in the south of London which amazingly has a very good sized garden (at least 20 metres square which in London is astounding) I spent the entire day yesterday clearing as much weeds and rubbish as possible (it's a rented property and it's our responsibility to maintain -…
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Celery seeds - how to plant
Thanks to some very kind bod here on MSE who told me about a giveaway recently, I've been sent some celery seeds What should I do with them and when?? I have never planted seeds and have no idea what to do. Please help!