Search found 350 matches
- Sat Jan 28, 2017 2:47 pm
- Forum: Technical Data
- Topic: Elfe Potatoes
- Replies: 19
- Views: 26205
Re: Elfe Potatoes
I like Roosters, too, but I am still convinced Elfe are in a class apart. I ran out of my own potatoes much earlier this year than last, so bought both Roosters and Elfes at Lidl. My money is with Elfe any day of the week. Astonishingly good spud, especially when baked. BTW, worth microwaving one fo...
- Fri Jan 27, 2017 9:44 pm
- Forum: General chatter
- Topic: Sharpening secateurs
- Replies: 4
- Views: 2592
Re: Sharpening secateurs
Thanks Robo. Found it on ebay for £6.99 and have ordered one!
- Fri Jan 27, 2017 8:56 pm
- Forum: General chatter
- Topic: Sharpening secateurs
- Replies: 4
- Views: 2592
Sharpening secateurs
Is it OK to use a sharpening steel on secateurs? I have one of these in the kitchen drawer and need to sharpen my secateurs as cheaply as possible.
Are there any shops out there - Timpson's? - that offer secateur sharpening services?
Are there any shops out there - Timpson's? - that offer secateur sharpening services?
- Fri Jan 27, 2017 8:52 pm
- Forum: Technical Data
- Topic: Elfe Potatoes
- Replies: 19
- Views: 26205
Re: Elfe Potatoes
These are now commercially available: from Tuckers mail order down in Devon.
I shall be growing them this coming season.
I shall be growing them this coming season.
- Tue Jan 17, 2017 12:06 am
- Forum: Best practices
- Topic: Duck poo
- Replies: 11
- Views: 4524
Duck poo
I've been offered some chicken and duck poo.
I know chicken manure is very good, but is it possible to use duck waste, too?
I know chicken manure is very good, but is it possible to use duck waste, too?
- Mon Jan 02, 2017 10:56 am
- Forum: Weeds, Pests and Diseases
- Topic: Sterilising secateurs
- Replies: 11
- Views: 9267
Re: Sterilising secateurs
Thanks for all this feedback. There definitely seems to be a gap in the market here that manufacturers are not seeing! A small aerosol, rather than a concentrate, aimed specifically at sterilising secateurs doesn't seem to be available, yet logically is needed. If you are pruning lots of trees and b...
- Mon Jan 02, 2017 10:53 am
- Forum: Best practices
- Topic: Tamping prior to planting seeds
- Replies: 2
- Views: 1978
Tamping prior to planting seeds
I have just been watching a rerun of the Victorian Kitchen Garden series and was fascinated to watch Harry Dodson tamping down soil prior to planting seeds. It is not clear exactly what he was about to plant, but I don't necessarily think it was brassicas. The tamping down was done by shuffling acro...
- Fri Dec 30, 2016 4:04 pm
- Forum: Best practices
- Topic: Root Stock
- Replies: 1
- Views: 1950
Root Stock
Our allotment allows the planting of dwarf fruit trees, which I always interpret as being either M9 or M27. Interestingly, one of our plot holders went to Brogdale and asked for a tree to grow in our heavy clay soil and was recommended to plant an MM106-based tree on the basis that an M9 or M27 woul...
- Fri Dec 30, 2016 3:19 pm
- Forum: Weeds, Pests and Diseases
- Topic: Sterilising secateurs
- Replies: 11
- Views: 9267
Sterilising secateurs
I have just been watching lots of videos on YouTube etc regarding pruning fruit trees. I was fascinated to see that many experts sterilise their pruning equipment using a spray whenver they moved from one tree to another. However, I can't find out what that spray might be. Have you any idea? Does an...
- Tue Oct 25, 2016 5:03 pm
- Forum: General chatter
- Topic: TV gardening programmes
- Replies: 8
- Views: 3874
Re: TV gardening programmes
Oh come on Diane, the Hestletines' garden wasn't THAT bad
- Tue Oct 25, 2016 12:16 pm
- Forum: General chatter
- Topic: TV gardening programmes
- Replies: 8
- Views: 3874
Re: TV gardening programmes
I agree that vegetable gardening seems to be the poor relative when it comes to air time. This is bizarre, since vegetable seeds now outsell flower seeds, suggesting that we are gaining traction here! The current season of Gardeners' World was so elitist at times that I wondered why they bothered; B...
- Tue Oct 25, 2016 12:12 am
- Forum: General chatter
- Topic: TV gardening programmes
- Replies: 8
- Views: 3874
TV gardening programmes
It makes no sense to me that both Gardeners' World and Beechgrove Garden have just finished their current series on the BBC. For me, now if the KEY time of year to prepare ground, move plants and plant barerooted trees. It is also when I change infrastructure, put in paths, gather leaves and horse p...
- Thu Sep 15, 2016 8:32 pm
- Forum: Weeds, Pests and Diseases
- Topic: Weedkillers and potato tubers
- Replies: 3
- Views: 2923
Weedkillers and potato tubers
On our allotment, we had blight early and most people cut the tops off of their potatoes. My neighbour then came under sustained attack by weeds and sprayed the area where his potatoes were still underground with Roundup. What he wants to know is if it is still all right to dig up the potatoes and e...
- Wed Aug 24, 2016 11:49 pm
- Forum: Best practices
- Topic: Using sharp sand
- Replies: 2
- Views: 2404
Using sharp sand
I have been using quite a lot of sharp sand bought from Wickes to break up my heavy clay soil.
However, it has been suggested I should be using horticultural sand, since sharp sand may contain salt.
I have never thought about that before. Anybody know?
However, it has been suggested I should be using horticultural sand, since sharp sand may contain salt.
I have never thought about that before. Anybody know?
- Thu Aug 18, 2016 12:01 am
- Forum: Weeds, Pests and Diseases
- Topic: Plot holder worried by weedkiller
- Replies: 11
- Views: 7140
Re: Plot holder worried by weedkiller
I am being quoted the following:
https://www.soilassociation.org/media/7 ... y1docx.pdf
https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/glyphosate-debate
Any thoughts on how I should respond?
My new plot holder is paranoid about not feeding her children "cancer causing agents".
Would I be right in thinking that the nearby A road is probably a bigger threat than the Roundup in this respect?
https://www.soilassociation.org/media/7 ... y1docx.pdf
https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/glyphosate-debate
Any thoughts on how I should respond?
My new plot holder is paranoid about not feeding her children "cancer causing agents".
Would I be right in thinking that the nearby A road is probably a bigger threat than the Roundup in this respect?