Thank you, folks, for your valuable help. In connection with fertilisers, I doubt if I could buy organics- e.g. rock potash, seaweed meal, seaweed liquid for foliar feeding, etc.- locally for anything like the prices from Kay's. Or am I mistaken about what I perceive to be the excellent prices in Ka...

I'd be grateful for any advice regarding sources for this kind of stuff: organic fertilisers fleece/capilliary matting fruit cages/ fruit cage netting growlights/soil-warming cables/electric heaters. walk-in growhouses. irrigation equipment. As it stands, I'm proposing to get nearly all of it from K...

Joy Larkcom's book "Grow Your Own Vegetables (which most of us have got, it seems)has on page 184 her suggested "Feed the Family Plan" based on beds 1m. by 1m. If it doesn't work I'm in trouble because I've installed it exactly as in the book in raised bed form in my polytunnel i.e. f...

Colin, I presume you're not planting them in grass? I doubt if they'd be a success there since they're plants of the woodland floor where the competition is no more ferocious than the bluebells, ferns and wood sorrel.

I agree with Granny on this. I think that as it stands this is the best of the gardening forums judged on knowledge/quality of contribution, and atmosphere. Witness the exemplary thread entitled " Seed Catalogues". I'm inclined, especially against this background, to respect the right of t...

Alan Romans is selling his seed potatoes in smaller bags for next year- and super selection. You'd think I was a shareholder the way I bang on about his stuff! I'm not!

I bought from Northern. Their product is sound and substantially better than their instructions,their communications, and their organisation. I'd recommend First Tunnels- great website too.

Good luck,

I.

Don't waste money on "The Polytunnel Companion"- the only book I ever binned! The Bernard Salt book is good but I believe there's a real need for another. If Joy Larkcom would write it I'd be first in the queue.

I.

The following proves nothing- just(true)stories of freak rootings. Friend of mine found where the deer were getting in and he cut a branch from a nearby oran (alder). It was between 3 and 4 inches thick. Hammered it into the gap. A month or two later the thing was producing growth, and it did actual...

http://blx1.bto.org/bt-dailyresults/res ... 20-06.html

Received this today in email from BTO Birdtrack.

I.

I've taken advantage of Alan Romans 50p seeds and would recommend his catalogue which though limited in range, is growing, and is worthy of support, I think. But I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned Wallis.I've just discovered them- as I said on another thread- and am about to use them as my prim...

We've had a marvellous year for our favourite bird, about 20 nests. Not sure how many broods but I'd be surprised if they could manage four up here.Most I've counted on the wires at one time is 69, with a few flying around. But it's 18th. September, there are still some unfledged chicks, and few if ...

Green Shield Bug.

Thought I'd record one of these bugs here (5 mins. ago) in my home in central Scotland. First one I've ever seen- AND, thanks to the KG crew, I was able to impress my OH with its identification! "That? Och, that's a green shield bug...."

I.

Hi Mandylew, I p.m.ed you.

Iain.

Don't know if this helps, but I remember, back when the world was young (and politically incorrect), we used liquid derris to poison the coarse fish in the loch prior to stocking it with trout. That was with scientific supervision! Memory horrifies but then it was just spectacular and fascinating. I.