Hello Deb

Thanks for the site, I am also tempted to give this a go.

All the best

Barney

Hello Johnboy You are certainly correct in saying our government does nothing about an impending energy crisis. Like many things they only ‘talk the talk’. However, this is totally by their own making. Historically New Labour has been with the Green lobby in attacking Nuclear power. Now they are fac...

Hello Allan

Your arithmetic seems fine to me.

Barney

There appears to be many small stable owners advertising their manure for free collection. Perhaps this fresh manure could be used for hot-beds that were popular in the past. The idea is to get fresh straw manure that can be mixed with fresh leaves then turned and watered to produce a slow fermentat...

Do you not mean the 1000th registered user?

Barney

Hello Colin I suppose we should be worried about it because as I understand both reactors have been shutdown and this reduces the Country’s energy supply. An electric power station (whether the water is heated by coal, gas or nuclear) is just a big steam engine that drives around a turbine electrica...

Hello Geoff Over wintering broad beans are well worth growing and their flavour is fine when picked young. We have always grown Aquadulce and try to sow them in late September /early October but this is solely to get the early spring market when the prices are at their highest, we then follow up wit...

Hello Colin

I would also be interested to know. I haven’t grown kale for more than 30 years. I used to grow a tall Scotch Kale that was locally known as ‘curly green’ and as long as you picked just the small tender leaves it was an ideal winter green.

Barney

Thanks for all your advice, I have acted on Piglet’s experience and have removed one of my large cloches from the allotment and got the agapanthus in a sheltered place under cover with some hessian on top as well. The wintering lettuce on the allotment will have to lump it

Barney

Hi Fred I am a great supporter of the ‘no-digging’ system. For some years my eldest son used to haul manure a dump large quantities on my allotment. After about a year he would then clear it and the soil beneath was always in a wonderful condition and needed no digging to produce a fine tilth. Howev...

I have enjoyed and been informed by the many recent debates on seeds, carrots and of course organics etc. and I noticed a recent contributor (I think the name was Orgasmic Fred or something) allude to ‘no-digging’ in her contribution on ‘Falling Leaves on the Allotment’ as follows. “Yes, sometimes t...

I have three Agapanthus plants that I brought back from the Isles of Scilly and I know little about them. At present they are each in a Pot placed against a South West facing wall. I realise they would be better indoors during the winter but I have no room for them, what do you advise?

Barney

Dear Old Herbaceous No, you are not alone in having concerns about this ridiculous ‘trick or treat’ nonsense. I am generally regarded as being a miserable b*****, and I am proud of it. Children of today do not know the meaning of the word NO and so expect rewards for no effort. I have been fortunate...

Incidentally, can anyone confirm that the use of Derris powder will be banned in 2007?


Barney

Hello Barry

You could use Bitumen paint, I have regularly used it on pre-treated soft wood to good effect.

Barney