The Potting Shed - come on in, the kettle's on!

covgirl

stumpycat wrote: »

I love the idea of horse-tail potion, it'll give decapitating the damn things a purpose!

And that is my gardening secret in a nutshell! The way I see it, if you don't like something you have three options:

1) Change it
2) Ignore it
3) Turn it to your advantage

Having tried 1 (weeding) and 2 (not weeding) I'm now on 3, making potion and crossing my fingers. In case you were wondering, the brambles aren't a problem (because I make wine and jam with them), the bindweed isn't a problem (because it screens the compost bins), and the crocosmia isn't a huge pain in the backside (because at least it smothers the brambles, bindweed and horsetail.) So, my garden isn't immaculate? So what!

I've had a reasonably productive day, considering that I haven't been out in the garden that much today. I've harvested another bag of potatoes and transferred the compost from it into a crate I nicked from OH's workplace and replanted the strawberry plants into it. I've watered the whole garden by hand - it took three quarters of a water butt to do :eek:, only watering the edibles and being careful even then. Why don't I have muscles like Popeye when I have to lug all that water round so often? Only the houseplants to water now - I tend to just soak them in a bowl of water with a bit of plant feed in, though, so not as much effort needed there!

Stumpycat, I'll try a cider - sounds delish! Anyone fancy some of last year's bramble wine? :beer:

calleyw

HariboJunkie wrote: »

Calley....just go outside anyway. The bird will just move. We've had 5 fledgling blackbirds and various other breeds in the garden this year and they just move around to where they feel safe. The parents will always find them. We had weeks of them in the garden and I couldn't confine everyone to the house.

Husband has said it had wombled off under under the holly tree. So out I go to water and then blow me if it does not frighten the life out of me as it was now on the pathside of the raised bed.

Went out again to put some rubbish in the bin about 5 mins later and it had moved again.

It has been moving around all day. But I did not want to stress it to much so stayed away until it decided to scare me half to death :rotfl:

Yours

Calley

rhiwfield

Morning all, really need that cuppa Penny!

Up and down weather yesterday, pouring one minute, sunny the next. Decided I didnt want to risk the brown patches on the earlies being blight (but still none on stems so it probably wasnt) so I dug up the bed. Fewer plants than I remembered (just 22) but got 18kg so not too bad. Now stored in the garage in the dark, should last us until mid-August.

Attempting to grow melons in greenhouse and support wasnt working (string tied from put top eaves) with result melons were all over the place and the basil pots were smothered. Tied 2 sections of mesh to eaves and hung them down and they seem happier clinging to these (as well as being tied in!). Seems every new plant I grow comes with its own learning curve

Now I thought you couldnt really go wrong with onions from sets. Have grown Sturon for last few years with no probs at all and it seems they store for ever. Planted 200 in late March and yesterday saw 5 were beginning to bolt. Anyone else having this problem?

Will be picking last of blackcurrants today (maybe 5kg) and jostaberries. Still waiting for freezer repair man so we'll be bottling them (got some cheap jars from Asda) and starting off some cassis thanks to an OS recipe. Then its using one potato bed to grow on lupins, hollyhocks and aubretia and the other for leaf beet and swiss chard.

Oh well, cuppa's finished, have a nice day all

Penelope_Penguin

rhiwfield wrote: »

Now I thought you couldnt really go wrong with onions from sets. Have grown Sturon for last few years with no probs at all and it seems they store for ever. Planted 200 in late March and yesterday saw 5 were beginning to bolt. Anyone else having this problem?

It might be the hot dry weather The leaves from my shallots from sets are starting to dry out already :rolleyes:

I meant to say that we have a house martin nest in our shed :T (I hum Caravan of Love in my head every time I mention them :rotfl: ). DS kicked a football through the (tiny) window last year, which hasn't been mended yet It's quite high up, but I may be able to get a pic.

Have a lovely day in your gardens, Penny. x

Jack's_mummy

Ds's school has housemartins nesting under the eaves. The return every year and the school logo is now one in flight. I sing the song to myself almost every day now when I pick him up:rotfl: Have to remember not to stand too close to the wall though.:D

I don't think we'll be doing much in the garden today. Off to the cinema mid afternoon and I think it will be raining by the time we get back. I've still got enough of the new pots I pulled up last week for tea tonight though:T

grannynise

What a great thread for a novice gardener to lurk in. I'm learning loads.

We have just started trying to grow a few veggies - have sent OH off now to check the potatoes for brown patches on the stems. Is that right? The rocket (which we bought as baby plants) was great but is now bolting. We've planted some seeds - how can I stop the next lot bolting too?

Our blackbirds are raising a second brood. Whilst I'm sure that Haribojunkie is right about ignoring them I do feel that they have sqatters rights in the garden and I try to keep out of their way. :o

Zazen999

Megansmum wrote: »

I saw my first ladybird today........just the one.....hanging on for dear life as we shot down the A50 ! I think we dropped it off near Donnington! Perhaps it wants to take a flight to wherever the rest of em are this year?

Aah, so that's why we have so many ladybirds round here - they're all hitching a lift the sneaky little things. Was watching one in action yesterday, eating all the greenfly that are for some reason sat on my huge beetroot flowers that I am saving for seed. Very good to see

Lotus-eater

Made some blackcurrant vodka this morning with 750g of blackcurrants and cheap vodka. I think we must have had at least 10 times that many redcurrants, most have gone into redcurrant jam, the pantry is heaving with red currant/gooseberry/rhubarb jam atm.
And we still have loads of other berries to deal with, may make some fruit leather.
At the moment we are eating them everyday and making smoothies with them. Also ice lollies.

Zazen999

*Hitches ladybird-style ride to LE's house to sample all those fruit based goodies

I made strawb jam a few weeks back and pickled shallots yesterday. Had to use the same jam jar.

*Note to self - get more jam jars.

HariboJunkie

grannynise wrote: »

Our blackbirds are raising a second brood. Whilst I'm sure that Haribojunkie is right about ignoring them I do feel that they have sqatters rights in the garden and I try to keep out of their way. :o

I'm just a meanie.