Search found 156 matches

by mr-cecil
Wed Nov 09, 2016 9:57 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Sweet potatos and crop rotation
Replies: 43
Views: 15459

Re: Sweet potatos and crop rotation

Westi,

Where did you get you seeds from? Mine were "red star".
http://www.unwins.co.uk/watermelon-red- ... d5814.html
by mr-cecil
Tue Nov 08, 2016 9:03 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Sweet potatos and crop rotation
Replies: 43
Views: 15459

Watermelon

Yes, it seems we are both trying to grow water mellons and sweet potatos.

Did you have any success with watermelons? I got one about as big as a grapefruit (other fruit grew but never made it). It was not fully ripe, but edible.
by mr-cecil
Tue Nov 08, 2016 9:34 am
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Sweet potatos and crop rotation
Replies: 43
Views: 15459

Re: Sweet potatos and crop rotation

I dug up the 3rd plant, which was a bit more encouraging.

I'm going to pot some of the tubers up and see what happens.
by mr-cecil
Sun Nov 06, 2016 7:58 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Sweet potatos and crop rotation
Replies: 43
Views: 15459

Re: Sweet potatos and crop rotation

It sounds like this will be an ongoing experiment. I'll let you know how I get on.

I did cook the mini potato tonight and they did taste good. I guess that is something!
by mr-cecil
Sun Nov 06, 2016 6:32 pm
Forum: Growing places
Topic: Greenhouse Fumigation
Replies: 19
Views: 24617

Re: Greenhouse Fumigation

Thanks for that.

Are there any "safe" alternatives that you are aware of?

Has anyone got any experience with "garlic candles" such as http://www.greengardener.co.uk/product. ... =13&cat=25
by mr-cecil
Sun Nov 06, 2016 6:26 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Sweet potatos and crop rotation
Replies: 43
Views: 15459

Re: Sweet potatos and crop rotation

This months magazine is suggesting that you start them off early with a hot bed. I might give that ago. Perhaps if I try and save the 2 plants I have left, I could make a hot bed and put them in that.
by mr-cecil
Sun Nov 06, 2016 4:59 pm
Forum: Growing places
Topic: Greenhouse Fumigation
Replies: 19
Views: 24617

Re: Greenhouse Fumigation

Hi there,

I'm little confused as to how safe it is to use a Sulphur Candle. I have frogs, newts etc. in my polytunnel and I don't want to deliberately kill them. Especially as the frogs will eat slugs etc.

Is a Sulphur Candle basically a blunt instrument that will kill just about everything?
by mr-cecil
Sun Nov 06, 2016 4:45 pm
Forum: Growing places
Topic: Polytunnel Cleaning
Replies: 7
Views: 9096

Re: Polytunnel Cleaning

Hi there, I was thinking about this same issue, but really I'm looking for something that: 1) will not damage the plastic or metal work 2) would be considered to be "organic", ie, won't do the soil / wild life any harm. Has anyone had any further ideas since this thread was started in 2014?
by mr-cecil
Sun Nov 06, 2016 4:36 pm
Forum: Growing places
Topic: LED Growing Lights
Replies: 22
Views: 20331

Re: LED Growing Lights

Has anyone come across any that would run from a car battery (and last a decent amount of time)?
by mr-cecil
Sun Nov 06, 2016 12:34 pm
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Sweet potatos and crop rotation
Replies: 43
Views: 15459

Re: Sweet potatos and crop rotation

Westi, I decided to have a rake around today as I noticed that some critter appeared to have had ago at one of the sweet potato plants. It appears to have eaten some of the "red" tubers near the surface and has cut the main stem in the process. The plant with the more orange tubers is inta...
by mr-cecil
Thu Nov 03, 2016 9:26 pm
Forum: Birds, Animals and Livestock
Topic: WORMERY ANYONE ?
Replies: 83
Views: 62047

Re: WORMERY ANYONE ?

What have you ordered, out of interest?
by mr-cecil
Tue Nov 01, 2016 9:03 pm
Forum: General chatter
Topic: KG forum seeds trial 2017?
Replies: 20
Views: 6011

Re: KG forum seeds trial 2017?

Not a bad idea. However, if you wanted to be more scientific, you'd probably do it the other way around....everyone follows the same method / sows at the same time etc, and the only thing that is different is the location / soil. Another approach might be for people to suggest things that they have ...
by mr-cecil
Mon Oct 24, 2016 10:12 pm
Forum: Growing places
Topic: Raised Bed & Greenhouse
Replies: 16
Views: 9874

Re: Raised Bed & Greenhouse

Regarding the polytunnel idea...consider looking on ebay for the hoops / connecting bars and ground anchors, which is all you really need. The doors you can make yourself, assuming your are fairly handy, and you can buy new plastic sheets. Normally the hoops are placed 6ft or 5ft apart, so if you co...
by mr-cecil
Sat Oct 22, 2016 4:32 pm
Forum: Growing places
Topic: Straw bale gardening
Replies: 5
Views: 3860

Re: Straw bale gardening

I'm not sure it is the same as hot bed gardening. Googling seems to suggest that people are using straw bales like raised beds. Litterally, you get a bunch of square bales, you water them and sow / plant into them as if it was soil. People seem to be suggesting that you get higher yealds, and also p...
by mr-cecil
Sat Oct 22, 2016 12:31 pm
Forum: Growing places
Topic: Straw bale gardening
Replies: 5
Views: 3860

Straw bale gardening

Hi there,
I wondered if anyone has tried this approach.
In theory, it looks like you could get some earlier and later crops using it.