When infusing herbs and botanicals in oil, to avoid mould and bacteria form growing, you should dry your petals/leaves first, then pop into a jar and completely cover with your oil of choice, before sealing with the lid. The jar should be sanitised (you can only sterilise with an autoclave) with the...

Dear MKP,
True spinach ALWAYS bolts for me, regardless of whether it is hot, cold, damp, dry. I give up. Both my neighboring plot holders each have a beautiful lush row. Grrr!

We had a heavy downpour last night, but not enough really. Ideally it could rain all day today, and all night, and clear up for the weekend. that would be nice!

happy birthday to you both!

still no rain here to speak of........and we were promised it would be torrential.

I really hope it rains today. I had to come to work in the car today, which is a rare occurrence, so I hope the weather makes the most of it today, as I'll be back on my bicycle tomorrow!

Our comfrey was buzzing with bees on Sunday!

I missed the whole sprout wine debacle!

And I do make lots of country wines. So far the favourite is damson. Mmmmmm yummy, but strong!
Others include:
dandelion
apple
elderflower
rhubarb
elderberry
homegrown black grape

eh? what is country wine?

I love the noise a baby robin makes while he/she is waiting for food.... twit twit twit twit (on receiving food) tweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet absolutely wonderful! We've had two families in our very small town garden, alongside blackbirds, greenfinches, goldfinches, jays, starlings, various tits and I saw...

I agree, the majority of seedlings that I have direct sown are devoured by snails & slugs. Some come up and are gone before I've even seen them, the only evidence on very close inspection is almost microscopic stems sticking just out of the soil! ETA: our allotment is almost a Steptoe's yard of ...

sorry compo, only just seen this! I did buy some from lidl, it is the square mesh not the nasty stretch diamond crap. It will be useful for us.

thankyou OH, I will be searching the web later then, to find someone with some stock left!
These will be for my father, he loves asparagus, I do not like it myself, but wanted to try and grow some for him!

Not sure whether this is useful or not..... When you have pricked out your toms, chilis, aubys etc from the lidded propagator, I put the small pots in an open propagator, (adjustable temp all the better). This gives a nice level of bottom heat, but the tops are in the fresh air, so to speak, and gro...

Just saw Toby on GW planting his asparagus crowns last Friday. I would've thought it was too late now, but am now wondering if I could get away with it, providing a supplier will ship them this late?