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BB78

I have a little tip for anyone growing Roses, next time you have a banana cut up the skin & feed it to your Rose bush, they love the potassium!!
Chop the skin up into 1-2 inch pieces then dig down a little into the soil and place the skin flesh side down somewhere close to the main stem(s).
My Roses look blooming marvellous thanks to this!!

techmax76

Garden is one of the places I love to stay because of the ambiance. Its a great way to relieve stress. I'm sure I will be a constant visitor in this thread. Thanks.

mrs_moneyspinner

hi all I would like to join you although I may be a bit of a lurker to start with. This is my first year with my lovely allotment and I am loving it. 2 questions that you might be able to help with: Can anyone think of a cheap source for black plastic sheeting to suppress weeds please? otherwise I will have to search for some carpet offcuts I think. Next, I have seen strawberry plants in my garden centre reduced - are they any good to plant now for next year? thanks all. p.s. also - why has my french lavender gone all dusty and fusty looking???

Lotus-eater

mrs_moneyspinner wrote: »

I have seen strawberry plants in my garden centre reduced - are they any good to plant now for next year?

Perfect time of year to be planting strawberries. Can't help with the rest sorry.

Lesley_Gaye

mrs_moneyspinner wrote: »

hi all I would like to join you although I may be a bit of a lurker to start with. This is my first year with my lovely allotment and I am loving it. 2 questions that you might be able to help with: Can anyone think of a cheap source for black plastic sheeting to suppress weeds please? otherwise I will have to search for some carpet offcuts I think. Next, I have seen strawberry plants in my garden centre reduced - are they any good to plant now for next year? thanks all. p.s. also - why has my french lavender gone all dusty and fusty looking???

you could try your local Freecycle group for the carpet, you might even get lucky with some black plastic or even some proper weed suppresent material. You might also like to consider large, flattened cardboard boxes, you would need to weigh down the edges of course, although come to think of it, that would apply to the plastic too!

As for the lavender, it might be because of all the rain we have had this year, they really much prefer it hot and dryish. They stay nice and bushy if you give them a trim after flowering, not into the old wood as they tend not to regrow from that. Might be better next year?

castafiore41

mrs_moneyspinner wrote: »

hi all I would like to join you although I may be a bit of a lurker to start with. This is my first year with my lovely allotment and I am loving it. 2 questions that you might be able to help with: Can anyone think of a cheap source for black plastic sheeting to suppress weeds please? otherwise I will have to search for some carpet offcuts I think. Next, I have seen strawberry plants in my garden centre reduced - are they any good to plant now for next year? thanks all. p.s. also - why has my french lavender gone all dusty and fusty looking???

I would recommend using cardboard over plastic for obvious environmental reasons. There is also a little known bonus to using cardboard: slugs and snails like to eat it as it is mainly cellulose, so it will keep them away from your veg. You can easily find some in supermarkets, large stores for free. They are totally bio-degradable and easy to replace at no cost.

Northern_John

I discovered a 10% off voucher to for best4plants just enter MEGA20 in the shopping basket to receive your money off (i found it by searching for this company and voucher codes online ) - plants were delivered in great shape and time - saving me money and leg work - still had to plant them though!!!!:)

the website offed good advice and new ideas - have a look and let me know of any other good sites and vouchers I can use this planting season

Thanks

John

chelms38

Fresh veg from the garden actually taste like they should do unlike supermarket versions taste like the plastic they come in(not that I have ever eaten plastic).

Primrose

I should be very wary of using carpet offcuts to smother your weeds. Beware of any carpets which have a rubber type backing as they rubber will quickly perish and become crumbly and you'll never even be able to remove the debris from your soil which will remain permanently polluted by it. . Ordinary heasian backed carpet should be OK though.

cakesderby

Hello I am new here but i have a question i have a red and yellow tulip wich has come through with my all yellow or all red tulips my friend says it is very strange for this to happen by nature and i should look into it as it may be valuable i have a photo of it is there any one out there who can advice me
cakes