Managed to put in a couple of double rows of broad beans yesterday.

Barney

Well Compo I can tell you that Aquadulce are the beans to grow in Somerset, available from Mole Valley Farmers at £2.10 for 0.5 kg. I used to grow them commercially and sell to Cossey in Bridgwater and they made good money if they were ready for harvesting early enough. The old time Somerset growers...

Well, I've been gardening for quite a few years now but have always been a bit of a 'stick in the mud' and not very experimental. I tend to grow the same old seeds in the same old way that I have always done. This year due to the wretched covid 19 I've been self isolating and had to grow what was bo...

I've always used vehicle grease it is cheaper than Vaseline.

Barney

No Geoff, but it sounds like a good idea. I have not made cyder for a few years now and lost three good old trees recently but thankfully was able to take some scion whips from them a couple of years ago and graft them on M25 rootstocks. Whether I'll still be around to make cider from them is anothe...

Due to all this shut down (and I hadn't bothered to order any seeds) I've had to put up with what seeds my sons have bought me. I've always grown Black Beauty courgettes from Wilko and like them but this time I've grown Johnsons All Green Bush and they have grown well but cook too mushy and watery f...

I am very sorry to read your news Shallot Man and hope that both you and your wife get all the support that you deserve.

Best wishes
Barney

Meanwhile, keeping on the mowing theme....it's self inflicted hair cut day today... First time, the other month, it went so well...today I misread the comb fittings...and put on the 3mm instead of the 1/2" (3/6).....oh dear... :oops: ..would be interested to see the mower...even if upside down...

Hello Barney, This one is the old Suffolk Super Colt chassis with Suffolk 75G14 cast iron engine which was sold in its day with a changed handle style as the Atco 12" standard. Some chassis parts like bearings, bottom blade are still about as I believe they have been utilised on a current mode...

Thank you Peter and Stephen for the information, I borrow my wife's phone to take pictures and have uploaded successfully to the forum in the past but my latest pictures of my Atco mower display upside down but will try what you both suggest and hopefully will succeed.

Barney

When I try to upload a photo it displays it upside down, what am I doing wrong?

Barney

Reading Clive's post about the Atco project reminded me that I got my old Atco out for some mowing last week in the sun. It started second pull and ran smoothly with very little oil smoke from the Suffolk engine, it had not been started for at least 5 years. If you read this Clive I would be gratefu...

Dear Barney, veg growing seems to get more challenging as the years get on, due to the weather!! I do hope your Runners recover...Just had a Mole out of Old Codgers Runner beans, so he was very grateful...they do so much damage when the plants are trying to get established.... Thanks OH for your ki...

I thankfully have escaped the hail and thunder storms but the wind has been the most destructive. My plot is extremely exposed just a few miles from the sea and the strong winds have severely damaged my runner beans. It has broken off the growing tips half way up the canes and on my later sowings ha...

I've had the blackfly on my broad beans for a fortnight or so and I have run out of chemical spray so am spraying with about 1 tablespoon of washing up liquid mixed in 1 litre of water. Have not checked my runner beans but they usually start on the broad beans then appear on the runners later so wil...