Search found 3270 matches

by PLUMPUDDING
Mon Dec 10, 2018 8:35 am
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Advice for Beginners!
Replies: 22
Views: 13003

Re: Advice for Beginners!

The question is for advice to people new to growing fruit and veg. So should apply to growing at home too, not solely allotments.
by PLUMPUDDING
Sat Dec 08, 2018 7:28 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Heritage Seed Library - lucky dip squash variety
Replies: 3
Views: 2870

Re: Heritage Seed Library - lucky dip squash variety

Well it's come up this time. At least I know I won't be entering it in the giant vegetable competition and it looks quite nice.
by PLUMPUDDING
Sat Dec 08, 2018 7:11 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Heritage Seed Library - lucky dip squash variety
Replies: 3
Views: 2870

Re: Heritage Seed Library - lucky dip squash variety

Thanks Robo, I couldn't see it. Will have to have another look.
by PLUMPUDDING
Sat Dec 08, 2018 5:45 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Heritage Seed Library - lucky dip squash variety
Replies: 3
Views: 2870

Heritage Seed Library - lucky dip squash variety

My seed selection for this year arrived today and the Lucky dip mystery packet was Bubble and Squeak squash. I can't find it listed on their Web site and can't find anything about it on line. If anyone has heard of it please let me know as it would be helpful to know how big they are and what they l...
by PLUMPUDDING
Sat Dec 08, 2018 4:40 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Please help this Christmas
Replies: 11
Views: 5400

Re: Please help this Christmas

I'm really pleased the people who lived opposite us have moved. At the beginning of December they put a string of red lights like a big worm across the front of their house and it used to flash at varying intervals. They couldn't see it from the house but it was extremely irritating for us. I consid...
by PLUMPUDDING
Fri Dec 07, 2018 5:15 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Advice for Beginners!
Replies: 22
Views: 13003

Re: Advice for Beginners!

1. Buy a few basic tools to start with. Fork, trowel, rake and hoe. (I prefer a fork to a spade as my soil is heavy and I'm not a big muscly bloke) 2. After weeding, feed your soil to get things off to a good start. Don't spend a fortune on poisons and herbicides they aren't necessary. 3. Grow a sma...
by PLUMPUDDING
Tue Dec 04, 2018 5:27 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Quince
Replies: 6
Views: 3419

Re: Quince

I've had a good crop on my tree this year and used some in apple pies and made some membrillo. It keeps for ages in an airtight container and is like a thick fruity jelly but a more solid texture that goes well with cheese. It does take quite a while to make but that is mainly the drying process a b...
by PLUMPUDDING
Sun Dec 02, 2018 8:11 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Comparing home grown with supermarket produce
Replies: 9
Views: 4441

Comparing home grown with supermarket produce

There are times of the year when we have to buy produce from the supermarket or shop and obviously fruit that doesn't grow in this country ànd I've been noticing the huge difference in the quality, tenderness and flavour of home grown compared to the coarse, flavourless, often bruised fruit and veg ...
by PLUMPUDDING
Sat Dec 01, 2018 11:39 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Early Winter Bits and Bobs.
Replies: 159
Views: 49274

Re: Early Winter Bits and Bobs.

Definitely OH. Satisfying afternoon to complete the bottling with shrink tops and labels look very professional and nice and relaxed after my accidental sampling session.
by PLUMPUDDING
Sat Dec 01, 2018 6:54 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Early Winter Bits and Bobs.
Replies: 159
Views: 49274

Re: Early Winter Bits and Bobs.

I hope the baking raised plenty of money she's gone to a lot of trouble and they look great. As it hasn't been a gardening day I've been bottling my wine. Two bottles of grape wine from the Madeleine Angevine and nine bottles of white currant. The white currant is quite sweet this year because of th...
by PLUMPUDDING
Sat Dec 01, 2018 6:41 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: New kids on the block - New birds in the flock
Replies: 196
Views: 57906

Re: New kids on the block - New birds in the flock

The black eggs look rather special. What colour do you think the yolks will be Pa?
by PLUMPUDDING
Sat Dec 01, 2018 6:04 pm
Forum: Weeds, Pests and Diseases
Topic: Slug control
Replies: 8
Views: 6518

Re: Slug control

Nightly slug patrols on a few successive nights with rubber gloves, a bucket of water with detergent in it and a torch will reduce their numbers dramatically. They die quickly in the detergent and don t try climbing out of the bucket. I reduced the count from 1,700+ on the first night to 2 or three ...
by PLUMPUDDING
Sat Dec 01, 2018 5:33 pm
Forum: Ask the team
Topic: Apple Rootstocks
Replies: 6
Views: 4418

Re: Apple Rootstocks

I've found that most fruit trees grow bigger than you expect even on dwarf root stocks. At least they are usually reachable at 12 ft and kept in check with pruning. When I was young all our fruit trees were on their own roots and grew huge. Dad used to have me climbing up the long pole ladder to pic...
by PLUMPUDDING
Thu Nov 29, 2018 8:54 am
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Early Winter Bits and Bobs.
Replies: 159
Views: 49274

Re: Early Winter Bits and Bobs.

Good morning. It's not gardening weather today here anyway. My bird watching is a bit disppointing too, it must be too windy to fly. There have only been three birds on the feeders in contrast to over 100 on Tuesday.
by PLUMPUDDING
Tue Nov 27, 2018 11:43 am
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Autumn bits and bobs
Replies: 293
Views: 90305

Re: Autumn bits and bobs

It is 3° here and dull and the wind is picking up so it looks like we'll be getting the rain this afternoon. I'm bird watching in bed at the moment as, out of the blue, my hip has flared up with arthritis and I've hardly been able to walk since Sunday. I've had to get my crutches out that I came bac...