Search found 691 matches

by Tony Hague
Sat Jun 29, 2019 6:41 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Tomatoes - four or five trusses?
Replies: 8
Views: 5294

Re: Tomatoes - four or five trusses?

Don't cut any off ! Why waste fruit. Most if us are constrained by height of the greenhouse to about 4 trusses, cutting the bottom one off makes that 3 trusses, and later to start picking. Commercial greenhouses are much taller, with a longer growing season through artificial heat and light. Even th...
by Tony Hague
Sun Jun 23, 2019 10:32 pm
Forum: Weeds, Pests and Diseases
Topic: Why doesn't weedkiller work on marestail?
Replies: 20
Views: 19383

Re: Why doesn't weedkiller work on marestail?

I think I somewhat agree with tigerburnie. I tried combinations of pelargonic acid and glyphosate. The pelargonic acid was nasty stuff, whether it was the active ingredient or the surfactant, it was choking on the throat. The glyphosate was a stiff mix of 360g/l proper stuff, not garden centre homeo...
by Tony Hague
Sat Jun 15, 2019 9:25 pm
Forum: Ask the team
Topic: Is my kale ready to pick?
Replies: 5
Views: 3022

Re: Is my kale ready to pick?

Hey, that's looking pretty promising !
by Tony Hague
Fri Jun 14, 2019 9:05 pm
Forum: Ask the team
Topic: Is compost enough to refresh old soil?
Replies: 14
Views: 4637

Re: Is compost enough to refresh old soil?

Getting rid of old compost ... why does "The Great Escape" come to mind :lol:

I used a John Innes seed compost once. Cold, heavy stuff that put me off John Innes / loam based potting composts.
by Tony Hague
Fri Jun 07, 2019 8:29 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Anodized pans: Why can't I put them in the dishwasher?
Replies: 11
Views: 4386

Re: Anodized pans: Why can't I put them in the dishwasher?

I would have thought dishwasher detergent is fairly alkaline to saponify the grease. But may also react with aluminium giving off hydrogen.
by Tony Hague
Thu Jun 06, 2019 8:20 am
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Legumes and nitrogen
Replies: 14
Views: 6127

Re: Legumes and nitrogen

I suppose the question is if the nitrogen fixed in the root nodules is quickly used by the plant, or if a significant amount remains in the nodules. And how long the bacteria can continue to do the business after you've cut the plant down.
by Tony Hague
Sun Jun 02, 2019 9:43 am
Forum: Ask the team
Topic: Tomatoes are producing early this year
Replies: 11
Views: 4337

Re: Tomatoes are producing early this year

Well I've never heard of that. And I wouldn't say it is that esrly; some years I have had ripe fruit by mid June on glasshouse tomatoes. I have heard it said that flowers setting fruit after mid summer will be pressed for time to ripen properly. My aim is to get tomatoes early by sowing early, but t...
by Tony Hague
Wed May 29, 2019 4:00 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Composting & Washington state
Replies: 14
Views: 4238

Re: Composting & Washington state

"Katrina Spade" - good name.
by Tony Hague
Tue Apr 30, 2019 8:30 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Pepper plants had a bad start-up...
Replies: 9
Views: 7552

Re: Pepper plants had a bad start-up...

But the woodburner ash has lots of potassium, in the form of potassium oxide. When wet, it forms potassium hydroxide, which is strongly alkaline. As I said, I think it must all balance out. I have some of the wet, universal indicator based soil testing kit, so maybe I could do a test.
by Tony Hague
Tue Apr 30, 2019 8:11 am
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Pepper plants had a bad start-up...
Replies: 9
Views: 7552

Re: Pepper plants had a bad start-up...

I don't mean to say there's a huge problem using the commercial peat free compost, just that I think I can see why you might need to feed more / sooner than the conventional advice. I am trying to move away from buying in so much New Horizons this year, using instead sieved garden compost mixed 4:1 ...
by Tony Hague
Thu Apr 25, 2019 2:30 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Pepper plants had a bad start-up...
Replies: 9
Views: 7552

Re: Pepper plants had a bad start-up...

What was the compost ? Commercial peat free potting, homemade blend ? I have a theory that some of the commercial potting composts contain so much only partially composted wood waste that once the initial nitrogen is used up, the continuing fungal decay of the wood causes nitrogen depletion. Hoof an...
by Tony Hague
Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:17 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Happy Birthday Johnboy.
Replies: 15
Views: 6023

Re: Happy Birthday Johnboy.

Happy Birthday Johnboy old chap. Hope you have had a good day.
by Tony Hague
Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:51 pm
Forum: Tools and Machinery
Topic: Steam
Replies: 14
Views: 7319

Re: Steam

Humph. I was supposed to be going over Ribblehead behind Union of South Africa last weekend, but it was cancelled - apparently needs new piston and valve rings. Really disappointed, it was meant to be my birthday treat, 60009 is due to be withdrawn very shortly and none of the other A4s are in worki...
by Tony Hague
Fri Feb 22, 2019 2:00 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Plastics in the food chain
Replies: 19
Views: 7811

Re: Plastics in the food chain

I am at a loss over the chemical’s in food chain concern. Perhaps we should not be growing in the earth but use hydroponics’ instead? But then what about contaminates in the water that we do not know about. I questioned my self over my use of plastic whilst on the plot yesterday. I use plastic tray...
by Tony Hague
Fri Feb 22, 2019 11:07 am
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Time is up
Replies: 12
Views: 5727

Re: Time is up

"Best wishes" does sound rather woefully inadequate, but at least you know we're thinking of you.