Search found 62 matches

by Daveswife
Thu Aug 24, 2023 11:12 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: What smells like manure?
Replies: 5
Views: 1444

Re: What smells like manure?

Thanks for the replies. Good thinking, Westi, about the flies. And Herbacious that's a good point about the adjacent sewers!

Today the aroma has been intermittent and we get a whiff in various places around the garden. Delightful!

Cheers!
Angie
by Daveswife
Wed Aug 23, 2023 6:54 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: What smells like manure?
Replies: 5
Views: 1444

What smells like manure?

What smells like manure but isn't manure? Today there has been a strong smell of manure in a specific but small area of our garden near a hedge, and I can't explain it. However, it occurred to me that there might be something dead and lurking somewhere. Hopefully it is not one of our visiting hedgeh...
by Daveswife
Thu Mar 24, 2022 11:20 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Composting
Replies: 29
Views: 13361

Re: Composting

Crikey, this is an old thread! I am somewhat obsessed with composting. Today we received a delivery of bird food, the packing is semi-shredded cardboard and that goes into the compost bin. Delighted that magazines are now delivered in either a recyclable paper envelope or compostable potato-starch b...
by Daveswife
Thu Mar 24, 2022 11:08 pm
Forum: Cooking tips
Topic: Is it better to hand wash or use dishwasher?
Replies: 17
Views: 7226

Re: Is it better to hand wash or use dishwasher?

A lot of energy and pollution and use of metals goes into manufacturing a dishwasher, and non recyclable waste when it conks out and has to be discarded. So I wash by hand. One bowlful of water, once a day (or sometimes I miss a day) and that's it. Surely this is far less water and washing up liquid...
by Daveswife
Thu Mar 24, 2022 10:46 pm
Forum: Seasonal tips
Topic: Apple tree pruning- advice please
Replies: 1
Views: 2144

Apple tree pruning- advice please

Oops, end of March now and I never did get around to pruning the apple tree at the right time and now it is starting to show signs of shoots. What should I do? Leave it? I should be grateful for any advice, please.
by Daveswife
Sun Dec 08, 2019 10:16 pm
Forum: Ask the team
Topic: wrapper which the magazine comes in
Replies: 10
Views: 5185

Re: wrapper which the magazine comes in

Thanks for helping to identify the source of our "lawn poo", which I dispose of where it will rot.
by Daveswife
Tue Dec 03, 2019 11:15 am
Forum: Ask the team
Topic: wrapper which the magazine comes in
Replies: 10
Views: 5185

Re: wrapper which the magazine comes in

So it's down to practicality and cost - thanks Stephen for such an honest reply. If I haven't used the plastic wrappers for picking up fox and badger poo, storing my craft bits (currently a stack of hand made cards), I put them in with other plastic bags for recycling. For example, Ocado take their ...
by Daveswife
Fri Nov 29, 2019 12:46 pm
Forum: Ask the team
Topic: Composting poo?
Replies: 2
Views: 2214

Composting poo?

Most mornings we find fox and/or badger poo on the lawn, which I dispose of. Since we have no idea what the fox and badger have been eating, I assume it would not be wise to put it in the compost bin. Am I right? I would happily occasionally put deer droppings in the compost bin, or, if I had access...
by Daveswife
Fri Nov 29, 2019 12:35 pm
Forum: Ask the team
Topic: wrapper which the magazine comes in
Replies: 10
Views: 5185

wrapper which the magazine comes in

Does KG have any plans to replace their magazine packaging with something compostable? Forgive me if this question has already been addressed elsewhere on the forum or in the magazine - if so I have missed it. The reason I ask the question is that most of magazines which we subscribe to are nowadays...
by Daveswife
Fri Nov 29, 2019 12:19 pm
Forum: Ask the team
Topic: Planting broad bean seeds end November
Replies: 11
Views: 4750

Planting broad bean seeds end November

Keen to make best use of the greenhouse over winter can I plant broad bean seeds in trays and pots now? If so, how deep should the soil/compost need to be and how deep should I plant the seed?

Many thanks.
by Daveswife
Sat Apr 13, 2019 12:38 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Bees need our help
Replies: 9
Views: 5223

Re: Bees need our help

Having read this thread I will definitely finish clearing the border under our magnolia tree, which is in full sun, and plant lots of annual seeds, poppies, and some wild flowers. I saw this done at Calke Abbey last summer and the effect was amazing and lasted all summer. Apparently they mix varieti...
by Daveswife
Sat Apr 13, 2019 12:31 pm
Forum: Weeds, Pests and Diseases
Topic: Redcurrants, aphids and old plants
Replies: 3
Views: 3781

Redcurrants, aphids and old plants

Two redcurrant questions. Apologies for length of posting! Firstly, aphids on our newest redcurrant bushes are causing dark red blisters on some leaves so I have removed all the affected leaves. In previous years only the top growing tips have been affected, curling up over the aphids, so I just sni...
by Daveswife
Wed Sep 12, 2018 4:23 pm
Forum: Weeds, Pests and Diseases
Topic: Wasps in loft
Replies: 5
Views: 5808

Re: Wasps in loft

Since wasps are beneficial to the environment, including pollination and predation, I feel it is wrong to kill them unnecessarily. Everything has a place in the natural balance of things and if we can manage the situation by not destroying them, be it wasps, bees, whatever, I think that is the way f...
by Daveswife
Mon Jul 30, 2018 1:14 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: The Good, the Bad and the Sad .....
Replies: 17
Views: 5795

Re: The Good, the Bad and the Sad .....

Hi Monika, It is good to step back and take the time to ponder what we do. Whatever "it" might be, do we do it because we always have? What do we particularly enjoy about it and is there an easier way to achieve that? How will we manage when we can't do it so well, or perhaps not do it at ...
by Daveswife
Mon Jul 30, 2018 12:46 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: advice on downsizing
Replies: 18
Views: 6480

Re: advice on downsizing

As we get older and gardening becomes more difficult the time will come when we will need to reduce the workload and, inevitably, downsize. I would focus on the crops of fruit and veg we enjoy the most and which produce the largest yield in the space available; a good example being anything which gr...