The funniest experience we had was with a M/s Young who accused us of installing a septic tank without planning permission, which would have been very odd as we are non-residential and would not have any use for one. Eventually we tracked it down, M/s Young could not tell the difference between a se...

The alternative where possible is a slug barrier of copper or zinc. My versatile cages work well. There is on the market a heavily galvanised corrugated lawn edging which I have put round my new bed outdoor, so far no slug has got to the lettuce. Price£11 for 15 metres
Allan

Primrose
To re-use the bean roots you can either take a chance of a mild winter and leave them in the soil or dig up, store frost-freee and replant.It's rather like dahlia tubers, some times they will over-winter outside.
Allan

It's silly for Mr/Mrs average to buy plants and put them out yet, but if you wanted extra early beans as I do normally the pattern is to sow in pots on 1st April and plant out under protection on 1st of May. It has to be a variety that sets freely such as Red Rum or Galaxy or the no longer available...

This looks useful, can be used for various other phenomena.
Allan


Check the forecast rainfall on our new Map Presenter:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/ukweather/rain.shtml

Mrs D lost her mobile phone somewhere at the farm so I lent her mine but she carries it most of the time.
Practically speaking I don't have one now but I still own one.
Allan

Going on from the liquid gold, in the Gold Rush one of the plants that the miners ate was miners lettuce alias montia (claytonia) perfoliata. We grow it for winter salading which has now finished but it has a habit of shedding seeds everywhere if you leave it in too long. This year it carpeted one o...

I too went to see Clack's farm at Ombersley on an open day. I liked Arthur Billitt very much. He had all his vegetable area set out between paved paths. There were several greenhouses growing tomatoes by ring culture.

David, no. I thought about a system of hinges where one part has a tube, the other a pin in a similar tube on the principle of farm gate hinges but it is too much bother to make when there are so many other jobs crying for attention so it's back to garden wire.

There is a seed sower in the Wolf Tools range. It goes on a standard Wolf handle. CMS Gardening were doing it at a reduced price

If you look in Technical Data I have put all you need to know to make your own versatile cage system. It is also very useful for keeping rabbits and slugs off lettuce, peas, beans, sweetcorn and any other seedlings etc. I have 7 sets and am woundering about a few more.
Allan

JB Quite right. Do you remember where we both got the info about minimum temperature from,I think it might have been in The Grower for me.Too many people sow far too early, it is surprising how the later sowings catch up. I sowed about mid-March, even that might have been a little precocious but I d...

The experts generally state that if tomato plants go below 10C. at any time it can affect the plants' ability to crop, a frotguard heater setting would not meet this requirement. I am inclined to meet this requirement if possible, otherwise you will obviously get some sort of crop anyway, probably s...

I have only tried celariac once. Result was no usable crop. In contrast my block of celery last year sold very well and at a good price, I could have used at least twice as much. I can't see celariac being acceptable as a salad ingredient but if that's what suits you carry on. I sowed Loretta this y...

This is Medwyn's idea:- Seed Compost and Vermiculite Ideally celery needs to be sown on the surface of some good quality seed compost and then very lightly covered over with a small amount of Vermiculite. The seed tray should then be placed in a propagator or on a propagating bench or heated blanket...