Hello from west Wales

[Shallot Man]

Welcome.

[Ricard with an H]

Weeds are rampant and I could weed all day every day and still not win. So pretty it is not!

It's taken us almost 12 years to get some semblance of 'tidy', it started with Brian and his JCB plus a massive tractor/tipping trailer combination.

I have wildflower areas that have been more difficult to establish than the recent vegetable-growing areas, most of my wildflower will be called weeds by someone. Creeping buttercup looks lovely under control but a tiny four inch diameter plant can have roots that are twice that in depth and given enough rope they take-over.

I resort to glyphosate on a regular basis, for me it's the only way. Right now my latest planting trench area that was glyphosate-ed six weeks ago is already showing re-growth so will need another dose. I picked up the idea from an RHS book, glyphosate then encourage more growth then glyphosate again before digging. Digging will raise yet more from the seed-bank, you'll never be done.

[Pennyroyal]

Yes I am afraid that I have had to resort to glyphosate, for my sanity!

When we came here the garden had no level areas at all and was wall-to-wall brambles. I hacked them all back then dug out the roots, that got rid of most of them, but then of course along comes everything else. I agree the buttercups are smashing, but are the least of my troubles. Bindweed is a nightmare, I am resorting to just breaking it off whenever I see it, I can't get to the roots. That method worked well in my previous garden, within a year it was under control. But I did have to be strict about not going indoors if I had seen it, so sometimes it took me ages to leave the garden!

We also have loads of grass that grows up in clumps through other plants, that is difficult to get rid of.

I have a couple of level areas that I made by digging and dumping soil, but a lot is still on a slope.

Current project is digging out the slip from the back wall, I have been able to reclaim a good area but have been left with a heap of rock and a heap of soil that needs to be riddled to remove the broken glass, rusty metal and the bones of a mastodon (well that's what they look like!).

[Ricard with an H]

We also have loads of grass that grows up in clumps through other plants, that is difficult to get rid of.
.

That stuff usually takes two hits with glyphosate, is it the stuff that grows from a bulb, or lot's of bulb-lets. There is a local name for it but I don't remember, come to think of it there are two types and one does have an ordinary root system it's in my banks around a one-acre paddock type field and though I have lot's of dead clumps new ones always appear. I stopped pulling bramble, I now hit it with glyphosate once each branch has enough green.

So much to do in the garden my poor little dog isn't getting any walkies.

[Pennyroyal]

So much to do in the garden my poor little dog isn't getting any walkies.

Lol - we don't have a dog (yet) - I'm happy to swap doggie walks for tomato plants!

[Ricard with an H]

Lol - we don't have a dog (yet) - I'm happy to swap doggie walks for tomato plants!

I tried to take Molly for a walk down the lane but she ran back home, she's a mummies girl though this probably applies to ladies as she happily goes with any lady visitors.
Just to give you an idea about my stony problem here is a photo of one of last years carrots and whilst it is the most artistic many of the carrots came out very twisted. Tasty though, Molly lifts my carrots and eats them. She also eats my green beans.

[Pennyroyal]

Well that is certainly exotic! I haven't managed to grow carrots here yet, the lot I put in last year did well until they were about 2" high then just keeled over - I think something ate the roots .

I have got a raised bed filled with sieved soil, farmyard manure and some multi compost which I am going to try them in again - the seed is in but no sign yet.

Is your soil like mine - gritty/sandy but not free draining? If I pot anything in it the water just sits on top. I guess it needs more humus but it is very strange. I potted up 8 fruit trees in a mix of my soil and compost - 6 drain beautifully, 2 are like rice paddies!

[Primrose]

Pennyroyal. If your garden is very windy and you want to try growing tomatos outdoors I recommend trying some bush tomatoes. They only grow to about 12 inches off the ground but spread outwards so thet get less battered by the wind. Varieties like Tumbling Tom ( red or yellow) or Tumbling Tom Junior are worth trying.

[Pennyroyal]

Hi Primrose!

I usually grow Gardeners Delight, because we like little toms. I grew them in London, but my method was not entirely by the book - I just let them run riot, did not stop them or take off side shoots. This way I got hundreds of tiny sweet tomatoes, and they rambled all over the patch (I have to say this only worked in good dry summers).

I'm going to try the same method here - if they get too tall and ramble-y they will go into the tomato house, but on it's back, not stood up - very Heath Robinson, but you never know, it might work!

[Ricard with an H]

Hi Penny.

I don't know what my tomatoes are, even though I admit to being careful with my money I haven't yet found the need to buy plants when I can get seed out of the tomato going into my sandwiches.

The plants I have came from seed from a commercially grown slicing-sized tomato, the main reason I do this is that I once read an article that suggested the single most important benefit of growing your own is the taste you get from ripening on the plant.

This will be only be my third attempt, the previous two were a success so i'll keep going until I bump into something and yes you're welcome to have a go with my left-overs as I only have room for a maximum of four plants. I think that leaves five.

If you'd like to drive over at the weekend during the day, come and see what i'm up to and perhaps offer/share some advise you'll be welcome.

[Pennyroyal]

I have heard that too Richard, so lets hope we get lots of warm weather this year !

I am trying to grow the things that we use a lot of and like to eat, and those that cost a lot more to buy than grow. So lots of salad leaves and tomatoes, herbs, runner beans, broad beans, peas rhubarb, strawberries, currants - all on a tiny scale but once I have found what works best I will aim to become self sufficient in at least those things.

Having the new garden above us gives me a lot more space to play with, I have already potted up 36 rhubarb seedlings in anticipation of making a bed for them .

[Ricard with an H]

Wow, thats a lot of produce and clearly you'll be able to share some experience with me. I had thought about rhubarb and potatoes but I need another plot and it's enough work I have for this year.

Also, we don't use that much, I live alone four/five days a week.

I just bought some rhubarb, in fact I need to get it into a pot and stewing before Mo comes home.

Yes, a rhubarb plot might work alongside the comfrey plants and I do have a massive pile of poo to help it along.

[Pennyroyal]

I think I have made it sound far more impressive than it actually is .

Really tiny amounts of everything, A lot of trial and error, and many failures.

[Elton]

Hello,
Welcome to everybody on this forum.
It has a good discussion board, where you can share and discuss specially about the gardening and cooking etc. Hope we will enjoy our stay at this forum.

[Monika]

Welcome, Elton. Do tell us roughly where you live. It helps with answers to any possible future queries!