Search found 185 matches

by MikA
Thu Oct 25, 2012 10:39 am
Forum: Website Help
Topic: Advice for beginners board
Replies: 4
Views: 6189

Re: Advice for beginners board

Peter

I always just do view active topics without logging in to see if there is anything I might be interested in and probably many others do to.

Non-logged in users also can't read that forum board :cry: Why is that? Perhaps that's the reason it doesn't show :?:

MikA
by MikA
Wed Oct 24, 2012 11:48 pm
Forum: Website Help
Topic: Advice for beginners board
Replies: 4
Views: 6189

Advice for beginners board

I have posted an entry on this board but it does not show in the 'view active topics' .

Why is this as if nobody sees it how can anyone reply even if they want to?

MikA
by MikA
Wed Oct 24, 2012 1:40 pm
Forum: Growing Advice for beginners
Topic: Rockwool - any advice on what to do with it?
Replies: 0
Views: 5202

Rockwool - any advice on what to do with it?

I have been growing 3 tomatoes in a hydroponic unit using rockwool cubes covered with clay granules. The root system is a solid mass.

Is it safe to remove as many clay granules as possible then shred the whole lot onto the compost heap rockwool and all?

MikA
by MikA
Wed Oct 24, 2012 1:25 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Hydroponics in small greenhouse
Replies: 6
Views: 3592

Re: Hydroponics in small greenhouse

End of season report on my first year of hydroponics. All the systems achieved what I wanted in that watering was a complete doddle - no guesswork at all - just top up and leave them alone. All the plants stayed quite healthy in spite of the gloom and all the condensation with everything being so we...
by MikA
Mon Sep 10, 2012 3:13 pm
Forum: Birds, Animals and Livestock
Topic: bumble ID ?
Replies: 4
Views: 3035

Re: bumble ID ?

May be a Blue Mason Bee or similar - not a Bumble bee.
by MikA
Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:54 pm
Forum: Seasonal tips
Topic: potatoes are dead
Replies: 6
Views: 4991

Re: potatoes are dead

My old Dr D.G. Hessayon Vegetable Doctor book mentions Blackleg. Early season (for normal crops but day length and timing probably right for these Christmas spuds), heavy soils and rainy weather. It also says don't plant soft tubers . Maybe this was the the problem - I know mine were soft when I put...
by MikA
Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:31 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Can we trust any bought peat-free compost?
Replies: 19
Views: 8084

Re: Can we trust any bought peat-free compost?

Has any one else tried the Westland WEST+ range? In answer to Alan's question I have trusted these products this year and hope I can do so again next year. Quotes form the Westland-peat-reduction.pdf available on their website:- "WEST+ ingredient is based on Sitka Spruce". "Guaranteed...
by MikA
Thu Jun 21, 2012 11:10 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Hydroponics in small greenhouse
Replies: 6
Views: 3592

Re: Hydroponics in small greenhouse

Thank you OH.
For me the big benefit is no more guesswork on watering. If the tanks are looking low, then refill :D The only thing extra is to mix the correct nutrient dose as per instructions. so much less stressful.

MikA
by MikA
Thu Jun 21, 2012 5:15 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Hydroponics in small greenhouse
Replies: 6
Views: 3592

Hydroponics in small greenhouse

This post is a continuation really of the "Hydroponics" thread posted by Ken last year. I thought you kind people would like to see my attempts at growing plants in the greenhouse with minimal watering effort after the problems last year. I was given 2 Greenhouse Sensation solar powered un...
by MikA
Tue Dec 27, 2011 2:40 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Things still flowering
Replies: 27
Views: 6791

Re: Things still flowering

This very confused clematis is still producing flowers even though we have had a couple of cold nights recently.
confused clematis_0010830.jpg
confused clematis_0010830.jpg (120.64 KiB) Viewed 4083 times
by MikA
Mon Dec 26, 2011 11:44 pm
Forum: Weeds, Pests and Diseases
Topic: Srelitzia with white fungus on roots.
Replies: 6
Views: 3923

Re: Srelitzia with white fungus on roots.

Thanks Tigger but it was definitely a fungus. Perfectly formed miniature white mushrooms.
by MikA
Mon Dec 26, 2011 10:02 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: It works!! Second crop of new potatoes
Replies: 0
Views: 3835

It works!! Second crop of new potatoes

I followed the advice from Kitchen Garden and set 4 Duke of York seed potatoes in a bag of pre-used compost with extra nutrient. I moved it into the greenhouse for protection when they were starting to die back and took the tops off when it got a bit colder. Harvested 1.34 Kgm of tatsy small potatoe...
by MikA
Mon Dec 26, 2011 9:48 pm
Forum: Weeds, Pests and Diseases
Topic: Srelitzia with white fungus on roots.
Replies: 6
Views: 3923

Re: Srelitzia with white fungus on roots.

Thanks Felix

Your thought about the fungus may be correct as my wife told me she replanted with mycorrhizal fungus and the roots had become uncovered.

I will give it another year to see if it gets to a flowering size.
by MikA
Sat Dec 24, 2011 9:04 am
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Would you sprouts pass the test?
Replies: 7
Views: 2455

Re: Would you sprouts pass the test?

Saw this item on BBC Points West last night about why some people dislike sprouts and thought I'd share it with you.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16323747

It does say towards the end that as we grow older the dislike reduces so if I make it to 90 I may start to like them.
by MikA
Thu Dec 01, 2011 12:39 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Vandalism
Replies: 16
Views: 6033

Re: Vandalism

Pyracantha was the best stuff I found to stop easy access. I put 5 plants to block off a space at my old house but the next weekend someone helped themselves to 2 of them. Fortunately the other 3 made an impenetrable hedge once established. Rosa Rugosa also worked but not as tall and was wonderfull ...