Thank you so much for your replies. I have pruned the summer fruiting canes and had not thought of aphids causing the fungus/sooty deposits. the canes are stressed through drought, they are mulched with strulch, but probably need a good soaking. I will give them a good soaking tomorrow!
Helen

Hi, My summer fruiting raspberries are looking very sorry for themselves. They are losing leaves at a great rate and the leaves are covered with a black sooty deposit underneath. The leaves look as though they have mild rust on the upper side and are drying up/going crispy. Any thoughts on what it i...

Thank you all again for the information, I am very keen to buy some nice trees and support the British fruit nursery's - an apple tasting day would be even better as I have narrowed down the choices but it is still overwhelming. For apples I am considering; Arthur Turner Charles Ross Fiesta Lady Hen...

Many thanks to you both for such quick replies, I will now go and browse the net following your suggestions.
Thanks again
Helen

Hi all, I would like to plant a small orchard in our garden, a couple of apple trees, pears, plums and perhaps a cherry tree. Could you suggest where I should look for these, I am prepared to invest the money to buy good quality stock and slightly mature trees to speed up the harvest time. Also, if ...

The Italian seed company sell their seeds very cheaply to school projects, try their web site for more detils.

We bought some reclaimed railway sleepers from a company on the internet and used 3 for each bed, cutting one in half was fun!!. They are untreated and look lovely...we felt it was worth the money..they were £20 each... because they form part of the garden. It was hard work, but only took a day and ...

Hi David, Yes I use the square foot method on my raised beds in the garden. I wouldn't use it up at the allotment but for salad type veg and beans, peas etc it is brilliant. I have 6 beds each 4 squares wide and 8 squares long, divided up by canes pegged down with metal ground pegs. The 3 new beds m...

Is it okay to earth up potatoes using grass clippings. I read it as an idea somewhere and wondered if anyone had tried it? I was worried about attracting slugs or it getting too warm or smelly. How deep would you put them on if you did use them? Many thanks, Helen

Hi, I built 3 new raised beds over Easter from railway sleepers. They are each 4 foot by 8 foot and I have filled them with about one third homemade compost mixed with rotted leaf mould 60 litres of mixed perlite and vermiculite bought in 100l bags off the internet and the rest is compost from Wicke...

I have just noticed the clock is an hour slow on the postings board , so you weren't up as late as I thought you were last night!!
Helen

Hi Lois, You were up late last night, had you been out in the garden with a torch and bucket? What a fab range of ideas to combat the dreaded beasts. I am going to follow your example...I have some raised beds in my garden and will try the nematodes there first as I feel there is more chance of cont...

I must be honest, it was the cost that really worried me and the fact that it only lasts for 6 weeks at a time. Plus on an allotment more of the blighters will move in from other peoples plots. I think I have decided to take my chances and try all the other enviromentally friendly methods of killing...

Ahhh, very cute picture..is she trying to get in or out? Mine are lovely and will eat almost everything else. They are good layers too so I cant complain (but I do!!)

Do you want to swap chickens by any chance