Search found 4546 matches

by Monika
Fri May 13, 2022 4:43 pm
Forum: Cooking tips
Topic: Cutting Recipe down for one person
Replies: 5
Views: 2857

Re: Cutting Recipe down for one person

Would 'a pinch' do for the spices?
by Monika
Fri May 13, 2022 4:42 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Spring proper, 2022, Bits and Bobs.
Replies: 90
Views: 10297

Re: Spring proper, 2022, Bits and Bobs.

Beautifully darned, Stephen. I don't suppose it would do for socks ..... We have to net all our vegetable plants in the garden because the blackbirds, desperate for worms, are digging up all the seedlings and the house sparrows nibble the leaves of peas, beetroot and any type of lettuce. The brassic...
by Monika
Thu May 12, 2022 5:51 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: 600 kilos of beef, please
Replies: 22
Views: 1993

Re: 600 kilos of beef, please

I grew up with metric measures but find them too 'bitty' for gardening distances, for instance, 9" between broad bean plants is much easier to measure than 22.86cm! In other instances, say, my own height and weight, I will happily use metric values. In weights for cooking, I certainly use grams...
by Monika
Thu May 12, 2022 5:43 pm
Forum: Seasonal tips
Topic: Growing potatoes in containers
Replies: 11
Views: 4512

Re: Growing potatoes in containers

If you really want to use a grow bag, I would stand it upright, cut off the top and then plant the potatoes in it so that they have a deep root run which they would not get in a conventionally used grow bag.
by Monika
Sat May 07, 2022 8:10 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Spring proper, 2022, Bits and Bobs.
Replies: 90
Views: 10297

Re: Spring proper, 2022, Bits and Bobs.

Well, the tomatoes (already flowering) and sweet peppers are in their final positions, the leeks due to be planted tomorrow, the broad beans growing and flowering very well (come on, you insects, do your stuff!), so it must be 'spring proper', as OH says. The only bugbear are the marauding blackbird...
by Monika
Fri May 06, 2022 8:06 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Celeriac.
Replies: 7
Views: 3135

Re: Celeriac.

I agree with everything Westi says - celeriac is really greedy and thirsty and the moment the bottom leaves look at all 'tired, pull them off cleanly, snooky. I managed to get them to about cricket ball size on the allotment, but never to the sizeable whoppers you see in the supermarket!
by Monika
Thu May 05, 2022 7:52 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: spuds left in ground from last year
Replies: 6
Views: 3003

Re: spuds left in ground from last year

We used to get volunteers on the allotment and I was always tempted to leave them in, but because one usually grows totally different crops after the potatoes, I found that their huge foliage shaded out the stuff I was REALLY growing in that space. So, if you put up with that, I would certainly leav...
by Monika
Wed May 04, 2022 7:18 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Spring proper, 2022, Bits and Bobs.
Replies: 90
Views: 10297

Re: Spring proper, 2022, Bits and Bobs.

We have had 10mm over the last two days (and more to come on Friday, 'they' say). It has helped tremendously. I took the opportunity to sow our bee-friendly hardy annuals so that they could be watered in. The leeks are almost ready to plant out, so that is a job for the weekend. Is there anything ea...
by Monika
Sun May 01, 2022 7:41 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Spring proper, 2022, Bits and Bobs.
Replies: 90
Views: 10297

Re: Spring proper, Bits and Bobs.

Thank you, OH. We all know we can rely on you!
We had 4.5mm rain last night but nothing more forecast now. It will still mean a lot of watering, especially to keep the vegetables in pots growing. Dry Aprils seem to be becoming the norm now.
by Monika
Sun May 01, 2022 5:19 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: ALLOTMENT STANDARDS
Replies: 8
Views: 1573

Re: ALLOTMENT STANDARDS

Our allotment rules say: The tenant shall keep the allotment clean and tidy, free from weeds, well manured and in a good state of cultivation and fertility. ...... The tenancy will be terminated after twenty-eight days' notice if the tenant does not comply fully with the rules and the tenancy agreem...
by Monika
Sun May 01, 2022 9:30 am
Forum: Ask the team
Topic: shade plants for a rockery under a holly tree
Replies: 6
Views: 5517

Re: shade plants for a rockery under a holly tree

The low growing hepatica and lewisia will tolerate some shade as long as there is enough moisture in the ground. If you are prepared to water them occasionally, especially during spring and early summer, you could try those. They are certainly both very pretty and colourful.
by Monika
Sat Apr 30, 2022 4:29 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Early Spring Bits and Bobs.
Replies: 142
Views: 13383

Re: Early Spring Bits and Bobs.

Our cuckoo has arrived! It was heard early this morning at the edge of the moor. It's a bit later than in recent years but almost to the day when it came in 1908 which was on 29 April. No, I wasn't around to record THAT arrival, but I have a list of the summer migrants' arrival in this area in that ...
by Monika
Sat Apr 30, 2022 10:58 am
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Early Spring Bits and Bobs.
Replies: 142
Views: 13383

Re: Early Spring Bits and Bobs.

Retropants, that sounds horrible. Here I am complaining about pesky blackbirds but that's nothing compared to your fox problem. Have you tried Renardene, an evil smelling liquid which is said to deter foxes? Or perhaps it's no longer available?
by Monika
Fri Apr 29, 2022 4:41 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Early Spring Bits and Bobs.
Replies: 142
Views: 13383

Re: Early Spring Bits and Bobs.

All the best, Robo!
by Monika
Fri Apr 29, 2022 8:14 am
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Early Spring Bits and Bobs.
Replies: 142
Views: 13383

Re: Early Spring Bits and Bobs.

Frosty morning here too, Geoff. Luckily, I had earthed up the potatoes (growing in pots) and taken anything else touchy into the greenhouse overnight.