many a mickle...

skint_spice

While not scorching it was warm at times in the sun, 15C and sunny blue skies... Washing drying on the line:D

nattypants

Finally gorgeous sunshine where I am SS:) sitting in garden after work, feeling the warm sunshine on my skin is absolute HEAVEN and the birds are singing away like mad - this is what I've needed:D

skint_spice

It really does lift your mood doesn't it Natty? It was lovely sitting in the sun eating my icecream:D

skint_spice

oh and I've bid on a gardening book on ebay - too much reading of mr bad example's thread I think....:o

skint_spice

Well I won the gardening book - will have to start growing stuff now:D

Had a fab weekend with lovely man doing nothing particularly exciting (visits to local beaches and walking) but lots of fun in the sun and much wine, ice cream and cake was consumed. Feeling like I've had a wee holiday now but back to reality so I had better read a paper before college this afternoon:o, had lots of time to do this but completely forgot until I was at bloke's flat last night and wine had been consumed - oops...

P.S. low spend weekend so money not too bad at the moment:D

cod3

Hi SS I am enjoying your diary. My top gardening tip is, if you were to grow only one thing, make it salad leaves. Easy peasy and you'll save a fortune!

skint_spice

Hi cod:wave: that sounds a good idea, I'm in the frozen north with no green house so probably no tomatoes but the salad leaves would be fab, any suggestions on keeping slugs/snails off? I was thinking of getting a big planter for them but the snails are climbers so need more tips:D and I am a complete novice so don't worry about patronising me:rotfl::rotfl: Have peas to go in, have grown them before successfully using the sow, stake and leave method so willing to try those again.

cod3

I am in the central belt so know about gardening in a hostile environment!

Boo to slugs! You could try...

- cutting the base off a 2L plastic bottle and use the bottle to make a mini greenhouse/fortress for each wee lettuce. Remove the lid to keep ventilated.

- surround your crop with a fence of jaggy stuff such as rose bush trimmings or barbed wire

- stick copper tape around your planter. I have read that a circle of pennies might work too. Slugs don't like climbing over copper apparently.

- beer traps to get the slugs p*shed

- nematodes (tiny beasties which you introduce into the soil. They kill the slugs for you)

- Snails? pick them off and lob them into someone else's garden

nattypants

Re slugs and snails, I think crunched up egg shells do the trick (although have never tried).

skint_spice

My parents tried the egg shells Natty but the snails and slugs continued life as normal, they are currently favouring the beer trap approach still have them maybe a few less though and DS loves checking the trap to see what's in there - he's a sick child:o

Lovely sunny day here and school is off so think DS is off out with friends (if he ever gets up!) and blokey and I both have the day off so looking forward to a relaxing day:D.