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waterproofing bird box?
I've tried to renovate my old wooden bird box, my son made it about 10 years ago so would love to keep it in use. have given it a good clean and sand down,what would be the best thing to paint it with to weatherproof it please?
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How to organise seeds
Hi all, I am sorting out my seed packets, trying to organise them into some sort of order. Previously I have bundled similar types together, so all of the nightshades banded up, lettuce / spinach banded, herbs banded, and so on. It works well for keeping track of the different packets I have. The trouble I have found is…
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Sweet potatoes
I'm thinking about growing sweet potatoes this year. I am aware that it grows quite aggressively. Do you have any preference for container, raised bed or ground planting? When the crop is harvested, what do you do with the Vines and leaves ?
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Sharpening Lawnmower Blade
I decided to try sharpening the blade of my rotary mower. I saw it being done with a file on TV but I thought a powertool would be less laborious and I bought a set like these: https://www.toolstation.com/shop/p12181 and used them in a drill. It worked OK but not really man enough to take much metal off. The mower is…
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Garden footwear
I find wellies constricting and not very good at gripping. Trainers get wet and slippy in mud. Are there any comfortable gardening shoes (rather than boots) for men that others here would recommend?
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Slug/snail success stories?
In anticipation of getting into the spring and we start seeing more of our slithery friends, I wanted to ask if anyone has had success with getting rid of slugs and snails? Every year we have major problems with them. Plants have literally been devoured overnight. I tried beer traps which seemed to work well but we have…
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Retaining wall- garden
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Super Columnar apple trees
This can be bought from Chris Bower has anyone bought them? Any advice? Or similar recomendations for a very small space https://www.chrisbowers.co.uk/supercolumns.php
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Tea leaves
Following all that publicity about tea bags containing plastic, I have switched to old fashioned leaves. Since I often put a slice of lemon in the pot, I'm not sure whether I should feed the used leaves to my worms (apparently they don't like citrus). Over the winter they slow down anyway, so even when I don't use lemon I…
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Disgusing an ugly pole help please
Hello All I got home yesterday to find lovely BT had put a telegraph pole right at the side of my drive entrance. Suffice to say its positioning is awful and intrusive and I would like to disguise it by planting a climbing evergreen up it. Any suggestions on quick growing foliage that will ' stick' to the pole and cover it.
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Too Early for First Cut?
Hi All, I spotted the council today cutting grass, the grass did not look particularly long and I do wonder if this is this too early to begin mowing grass?
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Hedging advice
Hi, Im looking for some advice, i recently bought a cottage on a hill which gets pretty windy at times, I want to start planting hedging around but will need around 300 meters worth so needing the cheapest hedge, im looking at hawthorn but they go bald in winter and beech is expensive, ideally i want all year round hedge…
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The ups and downs and ins and outs of growing your own, 2018
Hello folks and welcome to the 2018 grow your own thread! I'm a day late with this, sorry. You can blame the New Year's Day hangover! Everyone is welcome. Come and tell us about your growing shenanigans What do you like to grow? Are you going to try anything different this year? Did you try anything different last year?…
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Best time of year to plant fig tree
Hi New to gardening this year. Looking to plant a fig tree that my dad has been cultivating for me in a pot. I’d like to plant in the ground. What is the best time of year to do this and what type of compost/soil should I use? Thanks F
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Tips for Fruit and Veg Growing Newbie
Hello everyone! I have decided that I would like to start growing my own fruit and veg, I have a 2 year old and would like to teach him where his food comes from, reduce our waste and food shopping bill. I have no idea what I am doing to be completely honest haha. I would like to grow things like strawberries, potatoes,…
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Advice on garden flower bed?
Hi there, I recently moved into my new home. I have a small patch of garden to the front of my property. To one side, I have small green plants, to the other...grass. The local cats have taken to the grass and are leaving disgusting faeces all over it. It really doesn't make the place look very attractive. I am thinking of…
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Metaldehyde slug pellet ban due
As per title, a good day to bury bad news now Parliament has broken up & "stupid woman" is hogging the headlines? No idea, but came out this morning, ban on above from 2020, still able to buy for 6 months and legally use until 2020 Maybe time to think about getting some in along with the Roundup? I don't intend opening…
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What plant is this and what is wrong with it?
Hi knowledgeable people. We have a very nice shrub in our garden, that i want to buy more of, but also seems to be suffering from something. https://imgur.com/a/G0WREHf Do you know what it is? some type of box? Its also gone brown in places and i dont know why. We never really watered it and has always been fine, but maybe…
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Decorating your garden - terracotta
Hi Does anyone know good sites for sourcing the above, I love terracotta large oil containers and big dramatic vases etc, the sort you create vistas with rather than plant up but I seem to chance on vintage sites where a piece can cost thousands rather than the hundreds I was hoping for. I am Hampshire based so a…
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Terrariums! Any love for them?
I have been trying to make my own terrarium. Anyone got any tips on plant choice and the best kind of jars for them? Would love to give my friends a terrarium for christmas! Save some money on presents haha
