the daydream fund challenge thread

soupdragon10

Thanks for the discussion re drying out on raised beds - here in damp and rainy Cornwall wet isn't usually an issue plus you could make pots from our clay soil, so improving in the beds seems the way to go.

Long term I would like to set up a trickle watering system linked to raised rainwater butts which would save carrying heavy watering cans. Haven't worked out the details yet, but will certainly come on here for ideas and to let you know if it works or not.

Does anyone have any good tips for growing onions? I've never managed to get them to grow at all, even in my garden in London where the soil was better drained. Think I'm doing something wrong!

rhiwfield

soupdragon10 wrote: »

Does anyone have any good tips for growing onions? I've never managed to get them to grow at all, even in my garden in London where the soil was better drained. Think I'm doing something wrong!

Soupdragon, for all year onions I grow welsh onions and maincrop (usually Sturon).

The welsh onions are very easy to grow (either from seed or get soemone to give you a few plants). They are a substitute for spring ionions but also useful for stir fries and stocks.

Maincrop are easiest grown from sets, plant pointy end up ( ) in rows far apart enough to use a hoe and about 8" apart. If sown in early March expect to harvest end of July/August for storing thru until spring

lostinrates

Well, I'm thrilled we have inherited so many snow drops but a little gutted the ones I planted last year on the verges haven't appeared too.

My half price roses are in the main very happy, one is a bit grumpy, but I'll indulge him this year. The half dead Paul's Himalayan musk I was given is positively jubilant.....I'm expecting big things from him:)

Rummer

We found that onions were not a cost effective crop for us but we were delighted by shallots and have always had great success growing them.

alfie_1

Alfie, that's a really low price for your car/van unless you're getting a really excellent deal in a part ex. Just looked on Ebay and the dealer prices on there are minimum £5.9k for a car or that age!

THAT IS WHAT THE GARAGE OFFERED ME AS PART EXCHANGE!!.... and i bought it new from them, the bu****s!:mad:

i think they think im a soft touch....:)

im going to visit other garages to see what thier deals would be, dont really care what make i get as long as its ok for bales of hay/straw/dogs !!

i will see what id get just private sale too. its in very good condition [ i have made an effort to look after it !!] and low mileage for a van....

Davesnave

alfie_1 wrote: »

THAT IS WHAT THE GARAGE OFFERED ME AS PART EXCHANGE!!.... and i bought it new from them, the bu****s!:mad:

Why sell the van anyway, as it's only about three years old? I ask because I've never ever had a vehicle that young.

We thought we were very posh, buying a seven year old van in 2009, but then the one it replaced was 16! :rotfl:

meanmarie

Have been missing a lot as am still trying to thaw out from the snow in December...must be getting old as I never seem to be warm.

Very little moving here...difficult to save money as water problems during the big freeze have cost us almost €500 and not out of the woods yet, the car has to be serviced next week, think that we will need more oil before end of February....thankfully we have lots of food in reserve and OH has just been granted his over 70 electricity and telephone allowances....best part of €1000 in the year I think, so shouldn't really be complaining.

Back to reading every day....

Marie

troglodyte

Evening all,

Haven't had much time for reading lately, and have just caught up! Hello and welcome to Soupdragon! (are you a clangers fan by any chance??)

Feels like spring may be on the way here, the first of my snowdrops have come up. Have sorted through my seed stash - will get started planting things next week!

By the way (I may have asked this before - terrible memory here) - does anyone want any Jerusalem artichokes to plant? I've tried them all sorts of ways and come to the conclusion I just don't like them.

Does anyone else get 'British Horse' (the BHS magazine)? Well, there is an ad there for SEIB insurance and it has a very cute photo of 3 horses in thick snow, one large horse and two tiny Shetlands. Made me wonder if they might have been anyone we know?

Well I'm off to bed now, I'm determined that today I am going to bed before 1am, haven't managed that for at least 3 nights now and feeling the worse for it. See you tomorrow!

stitching_witch

troglodyte wrote: »

Does anyone else get 'British Horse' (the BHS magazine)? Well, there is an ad there for SEIB insurance and it has a very cute photo of 3 horses in thick snow, one large horse and two tiny Shetlands. Made me wonder if they might have been anyone we know?

No sorry, but a photo of me did appear in the August issue of Smallholder magasine :eek:

lostinrates

troglodyte wrote: »

By the way (I may have asked this before - terrible memory here) - does anyone want any Jerusalem artichokes to plant? I've tried them all sorts of ways and come to the conclusion I just don't like them.

I love them....will they post?

You know you'll be digging them up for years:D

....I plan to sink an old trough to plant some in. At a local garden centre they are selling old troughs for gardens for £250 quid. This one is squash (obviously got caught between a tractor and a wall at some point) and has a couple of holes...so probably more use as a sunk planter than me trying to sell it.