Search found 350 matches

by Barry
Sat Mar 17, 2018 8:31 pm
Forum: Seasonal tips
Topic: Blight resistant tomatoes
Replies: 3
Views: 5967

Re: Blight resistant tomatoes

I've grown Ferlines before and was not impressed; they went down quite quickly along with my other tomatoes. I don't know whether Primabellas they are an F1 or not, but according to the supplier, they were developed in Germany. They were supposed to be cherry size tomatoes, although I would say mine...
by Barry
Sat Mar 17, 2018 3:59 pm
Forum: Seasonal tips
Topic: Blight resistant tomatoes
Replies: 3
Views: 5967

Blight resistant tomatoes

I think we have all tried blight resistant tomatoes in recent years and found them somewhat disappointing. Last year, for example, I tried Mountain Magic, which kept going months after non-resistant varieties had been wiped out. Sadly, though, the taste was nothing to write home about. I'm fortunate...
by Barry
Sat Mar 17, 2018 3:49 pm
Forum: Seasonal tips
Topic: Best tasting Potato Varieties?
Replies: 17
Views: 13557

Re: Best tasting Potato Varieties?

I've yet to find a better first early than a Jersey Royal, although those grown outside of Jersey aren't worth bothering with, since the taste comes from the soil in Jersey, which cannot be duplicated on the mainland Two second earlies worth seeking out are Linzer Delikatess and Elfe. LD is my favou...
by Barry
Sat Mar 17, 2018 3:37 pm
Forum: Ask the team
Topic: Mares Tail
Replies: 22
Views: 18489

Re: Mares Tail

It's actually remarkably easy to erradicate marestail, but you do need a bit of patience. You use ammonium sulphamate, which is a compost activator. Mix 200g with one litre of water and spray the area where the weed is. Because the plant thinks this is ammonium sulphate, it will absorb it as feed an...
by Barry
Thu Mar 01, 2018 9:48 pm
Forum: Seasonal tips
Topic: Green manures
Replies: 6
Views: 6743

Re: Green manures

I have both a sharp Dutch hoe and a Wolf three-pronged tiller, so I'll try that and, in the meantime, make it quite clear to the resident worms that they'll be having lots of food that I expect them to digest on my behalf. I started planting green manures a couple of years ago, having seen examples ...
by Barry
Fri Feb 23, 2018 11:34 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Wire for supporting soft fruit
Replies: 14
Views: 11156

Re: Wire for supporting soft fruit

I erected the supporting wire today for my tayberries. I put very large posts into the ground, sinking them in about two foot into heavy clay, so used no cement. They were very sturdy. But for anybody else going down this route, I woud not suggest using 2.5mm wire. This is simply very stiff and diff...
by Barry
Fri Feb 23, 2018 11:30 pm
Forum: Seasonal tips
Topic: Green manures
Replies: 6
Views: 6743

Green manures

I planted several types of green manure in the autumn for overwintering. Mostly, they have done well. The advice is to cut the plants down in early spring then dig them in. Apparently, in order to release the goodness in the plants, you have to cut them up first, using shears or a strimmer. I operat...
by Barry
Sun Feb 18, 2018 10:09 am
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Wire for supporting soft fruit
Replies: 14
Views: 11156

Re: Wire for supporting soft fruit

I've just understood what Sally was trying to say!
by Barry
Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:03 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Wire for supporting soft fruit
Replies: 14
Views: 11156

Re: Wire for supporting soft fruit

Hi Sally,

Thanks for the input.

I found this video: https://youtu.be/BpJM9UX0HDI

It gives a good description of how to erect wire supports for soft fruit. Where would your cable ties/tie wraps be placed in this method?

Regards

Barry
by Barry
Sat Feb 17, 2018 5:33 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Wire for supporting soft fruit
Replies: 14
Views: 11156

Re: Wire for supporting soft fruit

Hi Geoff, Thanks very much indeed. There are some good offers there. I think I will go with 2.5mm tensioning wire, which looks sufficiently robust for the various jobs I need the wire for. I don't know which of the companies I will choose, although have used Mesh Direct in the past for rabbit fencin...
by Barry
Sat Feb 17, 2018 1:08 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Wire for supporting soft fruit
Replies: 14
Views: 11156

Wire for supporting soft fruit

I have the posts needed to erect some wire supports for soft fruit, such as raspberries and tayberries. However, I now need to acquire the wire. An online video I watched suggested using stainless steel electric fence wire, but a visit to my local hardware store drew a blank and all the wire in B&am...
by Barry
Sat Nov 18, 2017 4:24 pm
Forum: Weeds, Pests and Diseases
Topic: bindweed, ground elder and couch grass.
Replies: 6
Views: 11350

Re: bindweed, ground elder and couch grass.

If you don't mind losing the bed for three months, you can apply a compost activator (ammonium sulphamate), which will kill everything green and then break down into nitrogen (and feed the soil!) We had a major infestation of Horsetail and used AS to great effect; it wiped out everything in one go a...
by Barry
Sat Nov 18, 2017 4:15 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Cutting back strawberries
Replies: 6
Views: 5874

Cutting back strawberries

Having had back problems throughout the summer and now a frozen shoulder, I have become seriously behind in tidying up my allotment after the main growing season has finished. I am just getting to grips with my two raised strawberry beds, which have become infested with runners, many of which I am n...
by Barry
Wed Mar 08, 2017 7:39 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Green manure
Replies: 8
Views: 3761

Re: Green manure

It's a first for me too. But with a brand new allotment site composed of heavy clay SOMETHING needs adding to the soil to make it move workable and the thought of leaving it bare over the winter did not appeal. The green manaure, which I think is mostly vetches and rye grass, looks really good: vibr...
by Barry
Tue Mar 07, 2017 8:50 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Green manure
Replies: 8
Views: 3761

Green manure

On average, if you dig in green manure now that was planted in the autumn, how long will it take to break down? Would you be happy immediately planting potatoes in recently dug in green manure? Do I understand correctly that green manure functions purely as a soil conditioner and doesn't actually fe...