ah Mr Refail... I've been expecting you.....

I'd plant a Russian Vine up that big tower, when the occupants are inside... water and stand back!

Some of my youngsters lay soft or thin shell eggs when they first start laying but quickly get round to normal. Robo, you could try putting some oyster shell down for them, they won't need much but if your ground doesn't have any gritty stuff it could be what they're lacking. It's available from pet...

I've got little leghorn bantams and the eggs are small but they are fabulous, deep yellow yorkshire puds on a Sunday. I just put in what feels right... They are truely freerange and at the moment are enjoying the company of a dozen rams in the field next door... I don't think about what they eat too...

Hi Richard,

You've been well and truely hooked by the growing bug! I think you've just got to try it and see with the plot, but the more you can put on the better it will turn into soil. A side order of worms from an active bit of soil will help.

Holiday? What's one of those then?

MW

How deep is your chip layer Richard? As Primrose says, shallow rooters and give it a try. You can always add a nitrogen rich fertilizer to counteract any robbing effect. I have a really stoney rough strip at the top of my allotment, it's very close to an old chalk/flint pit, and I ended up with thym...

If they haven't managed to retain enough water after this winter then something is very wrong! The Isle of Wight was a trial meter area many years ago and everyone was predicting dirty children, can't afford bath water etc etc but the reality is that everyone did what they normally did but ceased to...

Hi Richard, Once they come up enough I take the paper off, likewise with pricked out seedlings; if it's dull weather the paper's off or if it's bright then after a day or two. Fleece would give some protection from strong sun whilst letting light in. Your tomotoes may not be the variety you think th...

We all seem to be running a month behind and plants are sulking. Found where some hens are laying and another one has gone broody so it was on with the thick leather gloves and into the last A pen. Mother hen's don't half get protective! Any others try to sit and I'll have to hook them off now as I'...

I was up the plot yesterday and put in the last of the spuds, Pink Fir Apple, and started to weed the asparagus bed so that I stand a chance of seeing the shoots Going into the greenhouse in a minute to prick out a nice tray of Little Gem lettuce. And then I've got to find where my hens are laying...

Hi Compo, I bought a new Mountfield a couple of years back from B&Q, it didn't work properly from the start but for one reason or another didn't take it back, which I should have done. I struggled on with it, problems starting, surging when in use and smokey. In the end I did take it to the loca...

Hi Westi, This sounds similar to Primrose's problem with her runner beans. I've had this happen from time to time but not with whole batches. The thing I have come to associate it with is high temps and wet compost. Don't know if I'm right it's just an observation over the years. Temp in the greenho...

I sow my runners on No.2 son's birthday, which was yesterday (25th) and plant out at the end of May. It's not so much the cold as the windy weather we always seem to get in the later half of May which shreds them. I've grown Cherokee T of T on a regular basis, they are prolific croppers but you need...

Best of luck with them.

MW

Hi Beryl, I've seen this happen to plants when they've been in a dark box for a few days and then the shock of being back in the light burns the leaves. Try a single layer of newspaper over the plants for a couple of days, especially if it's sunny and find out when T&M shipped them. You should a...