This increase in Red Kites seems to be quite dramatic in various parts of the country. Two years ago we would point out to each other quite excitedly if we happened to see one flying overhead. Now they're spotted on an almost daily basis so obviously breeding conditions have been favourable. But we'...

The Crow versus Red Kite balance is quite interesting to watch. We now regularly see Red Kites around our area and the Crows seem to be their biggest enemy. When there are two crows together they normally seem able to harrass and finally chase the Red Kites off, but when the situation is reversed we...

We're often reading about the dangers to human living close to High Voltage electricity power lines - i.e. a higher incidence of cancer or brain tumours, etc. As far as I'm aware, nothing to this effect has been proved scientifically but I can't help feeling that despite the lack of concrete evidenc...

I'm no electrician but I wonder if there's any way that there's a shortage somewhere which killed it with an electric shock. It does seem strange that this has happened four times in exactly the same place. Once would have thought that if the location had been a favourite roosting place and it had b...

If you kill a pheasant whilst driving can you pick it up and claim it? I seem to remember somebody saying that if somebody else kills it, you can remove road kill but if you run it down yourself then you can't. (Don't know whether this is true or not). We came across one the other day and I was sore...

Perhaps it's because the summer keeps us all busy outside picking and weeding and I think too, over time, regular members of the forum learn a lot from more experienced gardeners and growers who answer their queries. As our knowledge builds up we need to ask fewer questions so there's less forum act...

I've just picked a late crop from my four year old strawberry plants. I know recommended practice is to replace them after three years. However, as I have literally nowhere else to grow them I've replaced a few with new runners over this week-end and topped the bed up with freshly dug-out compost. I...

I've grown aubergines for several years but have never heard of this one. What variety are they? Have you cut one open? What does it look like inside? Any different from normal varieties?

I do find this one of autumn's more frustrating jobs as I have a single row of canes fairly close together, and they always end up being tangled up with each other. I like to try and leave the roots in so cut at the root first and then try and strip the cane as if I were shelling peas but it's not a...

Don't know anything about kiwi fruit I'm afraid, but I'd wait until the grapvine has lost its leaves, then prune it back fairly hard before moving it (but not when the weather is frosty). I'm not sure which compass alignment the professional vine growers use, but ours is against a south facing fence...

If thieves are about, and knowing how early the Halloween season starts, I'd be tempted to pick them early and try and find a sunny place in your garden during the daytime to ripen them off or let them finish ripening in a shed or garage. It's better than having them stolen and losing them altogethe...

Whoopsie. Should of course have read DRIED fruit, although fried fruit would certainly be a novelty. Need to come up with a creative solution soon as I've got nowhere to store them once picked. All the trays I normally use are currently occupied with green tomatoes. Oh the joys of having a food moun...

We've decided it's going to be too much hassle to make wine from our Reisling grapes again this year. We have about 14 lbs ready for picking so I'm wondering whether anybody has a decent recipe either for making grape juice or oven drying them and turning them into dried fruit. The only problem with...

My compost bins are actually in a north facing corner of the garden and everything rots down very slowly as they never get any sun on them. . Last year I chopped up my bean vines and dug them into a trench in a sunny south facing border where I was going to grow my beans this year. By early spring t...

Have a Happy Birthday. Just hope your chauffeur doesn't turn up in one of those awful pink extended limos !