COMPO
My onions that have just been hit are from seed what we do is plant loads of overwintering onions early sept and dig them before the black death arrives.

OH we have the same problem on our lottie and we are on sandy soil it drains that well we are very rarely stopped from getting on the plot even after the wettest of weather, the problem we have as explained by Brian Kidd Solent radio gardening expert, is the plot is not close enough to the coast and...

I thought at first: Blimey, Dorset must be hot if they're discussing harvesting dates

Alan it is hot and very dry can you share a little bit of all that rain youv'e been having it hasn't rained for weeks down here apart from the twelve spots we had on tuesday

A highly productive variety with delicious fleshy, plum-shaped fruits. Ideal for sauces and soups - may need some support. 375 seeds per gram. Fruit: red, plum, 50-70 grams.

PRIMROSE
Do not worry about the lichen, certain types of plant like apple trees and pear trees are favoured host to lichen, the lichen take nothing from the host plant it is also an indicator of clean air.

WHR
As a slaughterman/knackerman/butcher, 1 you do not sharpen a knife on a steel you put an edge on it, if you have a blunt knife you can steel till kingdom come and you will never sharpen it, you have to put the knife on a stone first to sharpen it then onto a steel when the blade goes dull.

Hi Nemo
75% doesn't seem like a bad germination, I sowed some mammoth onions and had 3 out of 48 sowed in individual cells and watered in, in a heated propagator.

You could try an apple leather while you are waiting, I have Mary Bells complete dehydrator cookbook from Amazon which is much better than the book that comes with the machine.

I usually just cook the raspberries add an apple for the pectin, seive the raspberries ( pain in the bum) and add sugar to taste. Just make sure it is not to runny as it takes longer to dry

Hi Angie
I have a dehydrator I use it very successfully to dry my raspberries for my breakfast cereal and have made "leathers" fruit puree dried

GEOFF
Shallots grown from seed will only give you one shallot per seed, shallots grown from sets will give you multiple bulbs from every set you plant

This year we have loads of sparrows on our lottie, IMO it is lack of habitat that is the main problem all the plastic facias and soffits have blocked up the holes which the birds used to nest in.

VIV
Down here in tropical Dorset your plants will be safe enough

GW is is a lie propogated by goverments so they can get more tax from the pleb.

Yes well they will be saving all the good programs till Xmas, you know good stuff like the Great Escape, Ben Hur, Indiana Jones all the old stuff you can quote word for word.