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If you could only grow ONE thing...
Hello all! After a fairly disasterous summer of growing (no)things, I've decided to narrow my focus for the next year. This years disasters include: * Brassicas were completely destroyed by caterpillars * Onions just didn't grow. * Courgettes got mildew and died. * Spinach and chard destroyed by slugs. * Blueberries...…
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Trees that grow under the fence
I recently had my next door neighbour ask us to sort out a tree on our side of the fence because it was growing against the fence and making it bow. We got it removed, but when they cut it down to ground level and started grinding the stump, about 90% of the stump was on the neighbour's side (but I think below ground…
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Large Garden - Wanting to use to be self sufficient :) any books/video recommendations please?
Hello :) I'm not really sure where to start sorry so thought it would be great to start here as I know this forum is full of knowledgable peeps :) I'm not too sure of the exact size of my garden but its really quite big. Would it be a good start to measure the space we have? I'm hoping to create a kind of mini farm to…
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Pond waterfall
Should I turn the waterfall off in the winter on an outdoor pond with Koi and gold fish in
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Raised beds advice
Hello all, Recently moved house and I am planning to build some raised beds for growing some fruit and veg next year. I'm still fairly new to growing my own so just wanted to check if there is anything I need to in terms of prepping the beds? I'm planning on having them made up and filled within the next month or so. I did…
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Neighbour's Marauding Pigs!
Hi all I own a reasonably large acreage on a former smallholding that the previous owner has allowed to go wild. I am gradually bringing it back into use, and am considering getting a couple of pigs in to gradually turn over the roughest areas of the land without machinery or chemicals. Planning to use electric fences to…
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What can I grow in a used growbag now
I grew tomatoes for the first time this year. I planted three in a deep growbag outside and it was very successful. I intended to put the used compost on the garden as a mulch but are there any vegetables I could grow in it over winter please
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plastic greenhouse for overwintering plants
Can you use a plastic greenhouse to overwinter plants like geraniums, seedlings etc? Or can you use a summerhouse, garage or shed? Also keeping dahlias in pots this year. Which is best place to store them? Shed, summerhouse or garage?
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Servicing Tools End or Start of Season?
Hi All, I have a Honda walk behind mower that was in quite a bad way with the deck rusting (it had develpped a hole) and the powerdrive system was broken. I took it last week for repairs and in the process I opted to get it serviced with a plug replacement, oil changed and blades sharpened. However I wonder if I have made…
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Help! Patchy grass
We moved into a new build six months ago. The turf was put down a week or so after we moved in and we have been religiously watering and mowing it all spring and summer. It has been lush and a really dark green. Then autumn set in along with the rain and the grass grew really quickly and long but we couldn't get a long…
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Where should I store pots of bulbs?
I've planted up spare 5-inch terracotta pots with Hyacinths and miniature Narcissi. They are intended to be sold to raise funds for the charity where I volunteer. Where should I store the pots for the Winter? Could be outdoors, in the cold greenhouse, or in the house. They'll be taken in to be sold as and when they look…
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Lawn replacement
I'm looking to replace my small back lawn and I am considering wood chips. It'll cost about £30 to buy the wood chips and I'll also need weed matting. I was wondering if I could maybe get some ideas for alternatives? I don't want gravel or anything too hard as my nephew plays out there when he stays over. Any…
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Best gardening tools?
Looking for a nice set of gardening tools for a Christmas present (just hand fork and trowel, probably), does anyone have any recommendations for something that's going to last a long time?
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Begonias still going strong.
I really cannot believe how my hanging basket begonias are still growing and flowering well, especially as we put the baskets down on a shaded part of the patio before we went on holiday in early September. What time do they normally die out and then need lifting and drying for next year?
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Cordless Leaf vac
Looking for a good cordless leaf vac, blower has anyone any ideas please
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Moss removal - organically
Being in a very clean wet area I get a lot of algae and moss. Can anybody tell me an organic safe way to rid my lawn of it that involves minimal scarifying? Moss is a problem in shady areas, sunny areas, well drained areas (and those not so well drained!). The grass grows quite well, especially in moss killed areas ( I do…
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When can I cut back (prune?) my damson tree?
I have a damson tree just outside the back door. It has expanded a fair bit in the last few years since we bought our house. It's now as high as the upstairs windows and the branches have loads of smaller ones sprouting off them. When I google it, advice is to prune it in spring to avoid some diseases but I have blue tits…
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Box plant leaves being eaten
My box hedges and plants suffered from a terrible attack of Box tree catepillar this year. Did anyone else suffer from the pest this year?
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Easy container plants
I have small yard/alleyway next to my kitchen that Im trying to fill with some nice plants but Im really not that greenfingered so would like some suggestions for some low maintenance, slug resistant! plants that do well in containers. So far I have got a couple of mini conifers, a hydrangea (which has gone very leggy and…
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Hotbin voucher codes
I've been thinking of getting a Hotbin to make compost and avoid all that turning, which gets harder by the day. On the verge of purchasing, I noticed a box for a "voucher code" but don't know where to find one. I thought green-fingered folks here might know, being into money saving. Any suggestions? Thanks. :j
