I'm struggling a little with the new forum, I was just getting used to the original forum.

Kind regards
Barney

I moved a flock of sheep into my orchard yesterday to help with clearing up all the apples that have fallen and this morning I looked out in the mist and a large flock of fieldfares could be seen gorging themselves, I expect the redwings to follow soon. At least my wasted apples will be appreciated ...

That’s not good enough, Shallot Man…..how frustrating. A bit nippy on the fingers this morning….a lot of the veg is coming to an end now and the third lot of runner beans certainly haven’t been impressed with the strong winds we have been having but, they are cropping quite well… I'm glad that your...

Woke up this morning and it had rained over night which will help replenish my water butts, I had been very pleased with my swedes which had recovered from two devastating caterpillar attacks only to discover that some of my sheep had got into my patch of swedes and eaten all the new leaves back aga...

Fortunately some might but unfortunately some if not not most won't. If it were me I would spray with Glyphosate on a sunny day and again early next spring but many choose alternative (commendable) methods. Weeds are a nuisance and have got the better of me this summer (due to a period of bad back p...

For bare root apple trees I think the answer is any month when the trees are dormant and the soil conditions are suitable. October to December being the ideal months but I have planted later than December with good results but have never planted before October.

Barney

I have been very pleased with my potatoes this year, produced a good yield of large although a little scabby potatoes. I think we had a rainfall at a crucial time because my soil if very light and sandy. I will be interested to know what one of my son's neighbour's yield is like as he grows fields o...

At last it is now raining here, but for how long? Let's hope it persists and spreads to all your areas.

Barney

It certainly is hot, my courgettes are suffering along with most vegetables in this dry period. I hurt my back (again) three weeks ago lifting a trapped ewe over a fence and this has resulted in the weeds taking hold. My back is a bit less sore now so I am trying to carefully hoe and pull the weeds ...

The leeks needed planting out today. I decided he would find it easier just planting them all out in a deep trench rather than having to drill individual holes so that,s been done and we will see how they turn out ! You've done well to be planting your leeks out now Primrose, I sowed mine far too l...

Plenty of welcome rain here in Somerset, picked my first broad beans yesterday and they were wonderful, tasting both sweet and tender. Will be picking again to-day before more rain (forecast this afternoon). Planted out some courgettes yesterday but it was very windy so had to erect some shelter for...

Yes, as OH says that is a lovely picture Geoff you should be very proud of your garden. Well I have sowed some more parsnips and this morning two rows of peas, just checked my potatoes and they were showing but unfortunately we had a frost early this morning so I have earthed them up a little and ho...

Richard, I notice your correct description of the walk behind tractor as a 'Mayfield' and not a Mayflower as I described it. I think I must have got confused with the Triumph Mayflower car!

Barney

I saw a load of foot prints all over my small potato patch this morning and started blaming and cursing the local foxes but soon realised it was my sheep that had visited as I had forgotten to secure the stock fence around the patch. Planted a row of leeks and a row of parsnips this after-noon (bett...

Merry Tillers and Howards were all good machines but I would suggest the Mayflower walk behind tractor with scythe attachment but I don't know how available they are now. They had a Villiers engine with a forward/reverse gearbox but provided no engine braking when going downhill as I learnt the hard...