Search found 865 matches
- Sat Aug 26, 2006 11:05 pm
- Forum: Best practices
- Topic: Mulch
- Replies: 9
- Views: 3695
Hello Brenjohn. Elsewhere in the Forum there are discussions about Green Manures. You may find it better for the soil to use these and keep the grass cuttings etc for mulching round plants. the great thing about GMs is that they not only provide bulk for the soil when dug in, but also, in some cases...
- Sat Aug 26, 2006 10:57 pm
- Forum: Best practices
- Topic: Tomato flavour diluted
- Replies: 13
- Views: 4568
Yes, Dahlismarie, I think what you have read is right. At the risk of repeating something from another forum place, the Italians with allotments next to mine say that tomatoes shouldn't be overwatered, because their roots need to grow deeply in search of moisture. In fact, toms have a dual-system of...
- Sat Aug 26, 2006 10:51 pm
- Forum: Best practices
- Topic: What are your recommended Beefsteak Toms?
- Replies: 20
- Views: 7871
I've grown Beefsteak outside with limited success. This year I have Potiron Ecarlate, which have produced enoermous fruit. unfortunately, however, these have started to split at the top , so I now harvest them when they are just turning red and ripen them indoors. They have a lovely, full flavour an...
- Sat Aug 26, 2006 10:46 pm
- Forum: Best practices
- Topic: Green manures
- Replies: 15
- Views: 6326
The voice of experience must always prevail over theory based on reading, Garlic Guy. I haven't used fenugreek, but maybe I should in the light of what you say. The climate in Bedford isn't the same as Bristol's though; the soil seems to me to stay cold well into the spring. When I first came here t...
- Sat Aug 26, 2006 10:34 pm
- Forum: Harvesting Q&A
- Topic: Rhubarb
- Replies: 6
- Views: 4684
Sally and others, I wrote to Chase Organics [the Organic Catalogue] for advice about harvesting rhubarb, as I had been told that after July the stems may become poisonous as a result of seepage into the from the leaves ( which are if eaten). This was their reply, which includes advice on harvesting ...
- Fri Aug 25, 2006 11:54 pm
- Forum: Cooking tips
- Topic: Turk's Turban & Patty Pan Squash
- Replies: 12
- Views: 8344
We roast our patti pans cut into wedges and drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper and whichever herbs are handy and/or take your fancy. We have not experienced any ill effects from letting them grow quite large, say about 8 inches in diameter. You may be interested in a tale we have to tell. We w...
- Fri Aug 25, 2006 11:41 pm
- Forum: General chatter
- Topic: boundary fence
- Replies: 3
- Views: 1605
- Fri Aug 25, 2006 11:39 pm
- Forum: General chatter
- Topic: How big are allotments?
- Replies: 50
- Views: 14717
Sorry, I forgot to add that most of these allotments are rented from the council, but there are some areas of privately owned land which are let out for allotments. The council ones are properly protected with fence and locked gates and have a reliable water-supply; the private ones are left to the ...
- Fri Aug 25, 2006 11:35 pm
- Forum: General chatter
- Topic: How big are allotments?
- Replies: 50
- Views: 14717
- Fri Aug 25, 2006 11:31 pm
- Forum: General chatter
- Topic: Skin Irritation
- Replies: 11
- Views: 5472
- Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:02 pm
- Forum: Best practices
- Topic: Green manures
- Replies: 15
- Views: 6326
- Sat Aug 19, 2006 5:18 pm
- Forum: General chatter
- Topic: Long arms.
- Replies: 9
- Views: 2989
On our privately owned allotment the water-pump is always breaking. It is looked after by the allotment holder next to it, who mends it and fits it when he is there, but removes it when he goes, to protect it from vandalism or theft. Of course, usually I'm there when he is not. So I bought a differe...
- Fri Aug 18, 2006 3:32 pm
- Forum: Best practices
- Topic: Green manures
- Replies: 15
- Views: 6326
Well, Deb, I became converted to green manures after reading Joy Larkcoms book about Organic vegetable growing. I use Phacelia tenacetifolia and it really does produce a thick lot of growth. I grew dwarf beans afterwards and they did famously. I also recommend red clover and alfalfa, sown in spring,...
- Fri Aug 18, 2006 3:21 pm
- Forum: Best practices
- Topic: Garlic
- Replies: 5
- Views: 2696
Hi amo. I have grown garlic since getting an allotment in 2003. I use Thermidrome from the Organic Catalogue, which you plant in the autumn. It tended to get a bit mouldy, but this year it has done wonderfully. I most definitely recommend Elephant Garlic. This year I got some, among other bulbs , fr...
- Fri Aug 18, 2006 3:07 pm
- Forum: Best practices
- Topic: Composting for the weedy?
- Replies: 18
- Views: 7150
Since reading that the amount of carbon to nitrogen on a compost heap should be about 30 to 1 - yes, 30!! - I have made sure that all corrugated cardboard packaging is torn up and put on. The results have been a marked improvement on my previously produced mush. But I have also noticed on other peop...