Search found 8053 matches

by Primrose
Tue Apr 22, 2008 3:25 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: The Inaugural Opening Meeting.....
Replies: 70
Views: 17580

Was pottering in the garden this morning enjoying a peaceful cup of coffee and listening to the birds, when suddenly from next door, all the windows and doors were thrown open and this deadly pop music started up.... THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, BOOM, BOOM BOOM. In the end I was forced to retreat indoors Pe...
by Primrose
Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:36 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Government agenda to get us all growing
Replies: 38
Views: 9978

Maybe if the government want to get us all growing vegetables they should try talking to local Councils who seem to be selling off allotments to developers for blocks of flats at a rate of knots. Or maybe they should make a new planning rule that all new houses should have gardens big enough to have...
by Primrose
Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:33 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Arn't seeds perverse
Replies: 0
Views: 1526

Arn't seeds perverse

When I looked in my veggie patch this morning where I had spread last year's compost heap I found about 25 robust little endive seedlings growing and looking just as healthy as the salad leaves I sowed under cover. Since I didn't grow endive in that area last year, the seeds must have come from the ...
by Primrose
Mon Apr 21, 2008 12:11 pm
Forum: Seasonal tips
Topic: Parsnip Germination
Replies: 50
Views: 18692

I wonder if any problems could be caused by only having the seed resting on moist tissue one side. I must admit, I didn't cover mine because I thought it would make it difficult handling them if they got caught and stuck on either the upper or lower piece of tissue, so just let mine rest on damp tis...
by Primrose
Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:41 am
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Growing gerkins
Replies: 8
Views: 4123

Thanks, will check them out. Now I'll probably have to start growing fresh dill as well or is that one of the herbs you can buy regularly in the supermarkets?
by Primrose
Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:13 am
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Cherokee Trail of Tears
Replies: 11
Views: 3369

I'm tempted to amend my diagnosis. Maybe a runner bean got into bed with a French climbing bean one night and this is the outcome. Perhaps you have ambi-sextrous bees in your neck of the woods? Will be interested to learn what they turn out to be after you've planted them.
by Primrose
Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:09 am
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Growing gerkins
Replies: 8
Views: 4123

Thanks for your comments folks. Geoff, you say yours were "a miserable failure". Was this the growth of them, or the pickling process. I'm keen to find a receipe for the dill brine, if anybody has one?
by Primrose
Sat Apr 19, 2008 10:02 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Cherokee Trail of Tears
Replies: 11
Views: 3369

The brown ones certainly look like Runner Beans to me. I've got a half used packet of Scarlet Emperor which I seem to remember are that colour. French climbing beans ("Blauhilde") Purple Podded variety are brown, but quite small and don't have any black flecks on them.
by Primrose
Sat Apr 19, 2008 9:55 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Growing gerkins
Replies: 8
Views: 4123

Growing gerkins

We eat quite of lot of these pickled in dill brine so I've decided to grow a couple of plants this year for the first time. Can anybody tell me whether they will thrive outside in the same way that mini cucumbers do, and how many fruits I can expect to harvest off each plant. And are they climbers?
by Primrose
Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:16 am
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Carrots & Parsnips
Replies: 7
Views: 2947

I think the problem with growing parsnips or carrots in containers will come when they are ready to harvest. Parsnips roots particular can grow very deep and it might be impossible to get a spade or fork deep enough into the container to dig them out. Also, as others have pointed out, the leaves gro...
by Primrose
Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:10 am
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Beetroot - Help please!!
Replies: 10
Views: 8934

I sow my leeks in the deeper plastic supermarket containers which contain tomatoes or grapes and don't bother to pot them on into larger pots. When they're about 5 or 6 inches high I plant them straight out into their final positions using my leek hole dibber. They do look very fragile and vulnerabl...
by Primrose
Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:07 am
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Getting sweetcorn to germinate
Replies: 12
Views: 4086

Johnboy - you are a positive mine of useful information. I'm learning lots of new things here.
by Primrose
Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:04 am
Forum: General chatter
Topic: The Inaugural Opening Meeting.....
Replies: 70
Views: 17580

Same at my gym too. Loads of empty spaces at the back of the building, but No, they have to double park at the front. And it also hacks me off when the early opening arrivals rush in, park their Water Bottles and their Towels on the treadmills to reserve them, and then disappear off into the changin...
by Primrose
Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:18 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Getting sweetcorn to germinate
Replies: 12
Views: 4086

OH - that's a new one. I've heard of putting pots in the airing cupboard but not seeds in compost in a plastic bag, but I suppose it makes good sense as the seeds are pretty big and are easily spotted. I guess you could do it with courgettes too. I've done most of my Spring sowing now, but will reme...
by Primrose
Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:43 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Jo Swifts Compost
Replies: 7
Views: 2560

I think Ratepayers (or Council Tax payers) have a right to free compost as usually they're providing most of the stuff to be composted in the first place. Here in Bucks we have a Free Compost Day every year when you can turn up and take away as much as you can shovel up. Have never actually taken ad...