Mid Summer Bits and Bobs - 2017.

A place to chat about anything you like, including non-gardening related subjects. Just keep it clean, please!

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Westi
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Wow Tiger!

Amazing pic!
Westi
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Mouse2
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The moles are back!!!

Since the year when I caught 18 of the blighters (two or three years ago), there hasn't been a problem. This year, I dealt with an intruder early in the season, and had no more problems until about three weeks ago, when the neighbour said there was one in his garden. Since then, I have caught two, and have noticed today that another is now using one of the same tunnels. Luckily, it had pushed the trap aside without triggering it, so will probably pass through again soon. Meanwhile, one of my melon plants is dying for no obvious reason, but as I know a mole tunnel enters my garden right next to it, I strongly suspect that moles are to blame. Grrr!
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Primrose
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Mouse, thats infuriating about your melon dying. Is there anything you can do to collapse the tunnels near the roots and rebuild the earth structure by forking around to stir up the sub soil.and then compressing it? We,ve never been troubled by moles here but but I,ve seen places where their earthworks appear all over the place and imagine it must play havoc with the root structure of plants. Does walking on the soil cause the tunnels to collapse? I don't know know whether trying to poke a long pole into the ground would help to detect where the tunnels are.
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Mouse2
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I did try pressing around the stem of the melon plant today, Primrose, but I think it might be too late. We were away last weekend, and the plant was wilting when we got back. At the time, I put it down to lack of water because i had left glass panels over as a bit of protection against the cold/wet weather, though the other melon plant right next to it was still ok! Despite my previous experience of moles, it's taken me a week to twig that this tunnel probably goes right under its roots. I have had a poke around with a cane, but it's hard to get in there properly amongst the foliage without doing even more harm. B***!y moles!

One thing I have just learnt - moles might be solitary creatures (when not breeding), but once removed, it is only a matter of days before other moles start using their tunnels!
Westi
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Lottie Show today - was optimistic last week I'd be able to put lots of entries in, but my cabbage I spotted just had too much rain & a wee attack of the dreaded cabbage whites, my french beans which are prolific had grown too seedy, although I did submit an entry. The runners were pants, the carrots were bent, the Kohl Rabi split, lettuces headed & the beetroot were varying sizes. My shallots were small but I submitted them & I had no ripe 'proper' toms so threw in the self sown cherries & they both got Highly Commended.

In desperation I tried to find some potatoes, but the Cara & King Ted's both had scab so dug some Jazzy! Not same size but very close & were fairly unblemished! After a quick scrub & a tour of the plot to dry them in the sun I took them in! They looked tiny on the bench compared to the other entries - but they won the First! Chuffed to bits, I've never entered spuds as always slug damage or other natural disasters & this year they all caught a bit of blight so had to cut them down. I can recommend Jazzy - I scoffed at the blurb they gave it about being one to last through 1st & 2nd early & even into main crop without loosing flavour! But they don't - they taste really nice & the slugs don't seem to like them!
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Colin2016
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Weel done Westi....

tigerburnie...There was a sighting by one of our watch members ( Happisburgh Coast Watch) last week of a whale about 2 miles out from the Happisburgh coast.Would be good to get a photo like yours will keep fingers crossed.
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Mouse2
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Well done, westi. :D

I might try growing Jazzy myself next year, as i would love to be able to enter some potatoes in our village show, and most varieties seem to get scab in my garden.
Still a month to go before our show, so i'm keeping my fingers crossed for a few weeks of decent growing weather between now and then!
tigerburnie
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Colin2016 wrote:
tigerburnie...There was a sighting by one of our watch members ( Happisburgh Coast Watch) last week of a whale about 2 miles out from the Happisburgh coast.Would be good to get a photo like yours will keep fingers crossed.

The North Sea is full of Herring which seem to be bringing back the Whales, I would expect the Tuna to be back as well.
Been gardening for over 65 years and still learning.
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Shallot Man
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Can anyone explain to me why seed catalogues charge the same price as the self same seeds in a garden center. Presumable the GS is making say 50% from the sale. So why isn't the seeds from the catalogue P&P free. :? :?
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oldherbaceous
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Pure greed, Shallot Man, pure greed....

Ooooo well done Westi......in all the years I have been growing veg, I have never entered anything, apart from the forth coming giant marrow competition....and I think that might be a 20 way tie... :)
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.

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oldherbaceous
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Forgot to say, I have been busy weeding over the allotment this morning, as I do like to try and keep on top of the weeds at this time of the year....they seem to grow over night.
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.

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Tigerburnie ,you say the north sea is full of herring that is brilliant it's been a few years since any were caught at one time there was talk of a ban on fishing for them but it's the other fish that feed on them that are interesting , they have been catching tuna from the west coast of Ireland for a few years now and they always follow the herring , we were fishing on the south coast of Ireland a few years ago when basking sharks came swimming past us the tail of one hit my mates boat knocking two of them across the boat and bouncing them around a bit they were in a 16 feet long boat lying at anchor the shark was estimated to be around 40 feet in length
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Primrose
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Well done Westi. We only have one local show in our area and any veg I grow to a reasonable quality for possible showing never seem to be at prime appearance to coincide with the date of the show. They either peak too early or too late and I think growing for a show requires a specific discipline for successional showing which always seems to elude me. However I do enjoy looking st all the other entries and occasionally smugly thinking that my xyz crop could have matched a certain entry. However, it's getting it right on the day which counts and you can appreciate the efforts which have gone into getting it right "on the day "
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Congratulations, Westi! Local shows are great fun, aren't they?
This year will be the first year for almost 20 years that my OH and I are not involved in the organisation of our village show, so I am really looking forward to just putting in some exhibits without having to help with the setting up, stewarding, tea making etc etc ...
robo
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Well done westi nice to see a result for your effort
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