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Gardening Advice

145791037

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  • Redrobo said:
    Just a thought for those living in Bexley who have recently had new bins delivered and have been left with three large plastic boxes kicking around.  

    I reckon with a few drainage holes drilled in the bottom they could be repurposed for growing things in.  Particularly useful for potatoes because of their depth and carrots where the extra height will help ward off the dreaded carrot fly (who tend to keep to a low altitude).

    I know at this present time it is difficult to obtain the compost and seeds etc. ... maybe next year?   

    The boxes (mine at least) are marked with a number 5 which is considered a safe plastic to use.






    Brilliant idea. 

    Where are you getting the seed potatoes/tomato plants?
    TBH I've never grown potatoes or carrots and haven't got the seeds this year either.  It was just an idea after watching some Youtube videos.

    I always grow tomato plants and just before lockdown visited Thompson's nursery on Shooters Hill.  Unbelievably they had sold out.  Luckily I stumbled on some old seeds in my shed and thought I'd try them out.  They have (mostly) germinated so I'll see how they go.
  • Popped out to the greenhouse and a slug has chewed away at my cucumber seedlings. How can a slug get into a propagator???!!
    Oh no ! 

    SO sorry to hear that sad news.

    Sleep tight, baby cucs.
  • Oggy Red
    Oggy Red Posts: 44,954
    Popped out to the greenhouse and a slug has chewed away at my cucumber seedlings. How can a slug get into a propagator???!!
    Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

    Maybe there was a slug egg in your compost, which you put in the propogator? :smile:



  • I've become a little bit obsessed with growing roses over the last year. It started with maybe 5/6 around the garden, and I decided to take cuttings to propagate them, and potentially some point down the line cross seeds to create my own breeds. I think I manage to grow about 40 new roses last summer/autumn which have survived the winter. 

    At the moment I have about 100 different known breeds in my front and back gardens with about another 80+ unknowns which include a whole lot I grew from cuttings, so I'm very interested to see what they will end up being.

    Eventually I'm hoping to be able to sell some at markets etc, but just as a hobby really to pay for itself, because the compost and pots can accumulate to a fair amount of money, as do buying the original roses. Some of the well known breeders sell them for £25 each rose plant!! 

    Anyone interested in seeing any photos let me know.
  • T_C_E
    T_C_E Posts: 16,418
    Having no hedge along any of our garden, but our neighbour an elderly lady does so I bought a cheap trimmer to keep it tidy on our side and the top bearing in mind she employs a gardener there’s no need for me to do anymore for her. The hedge nearest the house has grown quite tall and often triggers the motion cameras on our cctv or taps on the window bearing in mind our lounge window is 8’ from the ground we keep it cut back. Yesterday seeing me and thanking me she said feel free to cut it back as much as I wanted, having power tools and going a little stir crazy the hedge is now about 4’ high. 😂😂😂
  • Our grass is shite as the back garden is shady, patches everywhere.

    Any recommendations of decent grass seed and possibly feed & weed etc that will do well with less than ideal conditions.
  • Mendonca In Asdas
    Mendonca In Asdas Posts: 22,650
    edited April 2020
    Our grass is shite as the back garden is shady, patches everywhere.

    Any recommendations of decent grass seed and possibly feed & weed etc that will do well with less than ideal conditions.
    Shady Lawn, grass seed by Evergreen Garden Care is pretty good, only available in one size though.

    For a lawn feed I always use Evergreen Conplete, a granular feed that feeds, weeds and treats moss in lawns.

    Use only March - September.
  • Our grass is shite as the back garden is shady, patches everywhere.

    Any recommendations of decent grass seed and possibly feed & weed etc that will do well with less than ideal conditions.
    Shady Lawn, grass seed by Evergreen Garden Care is pretty good, only available in one size though.

    For a lawn feed I always use Evergreen Conplete, a granular feed that feeds, weeds and treats moss in lawns.

    Use only March - September.
    Also be careful if you walk on the lawn feed after you've applied it. It will discolour patio slabs. I karchered my patio yesterday & could still the foot prints on my slabs after I walked off the grass after doing the feed last year.
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,348
    Ordered some column fruit trees online .. I hope they arrive before Christmas
  • Arsenetatters
    Arsenetatters Posts: 5,972
    Started using 'Nemaslug' nematodes again yesterday. Pretty expensive but seemed to help last year, along with wool pellets.
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  • Carter
    Carter Posts: 14,242
    Started using 'Nemaslug' nematodes again yesterday. Pretty expensive but seemed to help last year, along with wool pellets.
    Nematodes are awesome, deal with slugs like nothing else and when growing veg that is important 

    That said I've still not managed to get the cost of anything I grow below about 4 quid per unit!
  • Arsenetatters
    Arsenetatters Posts: 5,972
    Carter said:
    Started using 'Nemaslug' nematodes again yesterday. Pretty expensive but seemed to help last year, along with wool pellets.
    Nematodes are awesome, deal with slugs like nothing else and when growing veg that is important 

    That said I've still not managed to get the cost of anything I grow below about 4 quid per unit!
    I try and forget the cost compared with veg crops the little bastards have eaten overnight. Last year they did my sprouts and it was too late to sow more seeds. Really disheartening!
  • Carter said:
    Started using 'Nemaslug' nematodes again yesterday. Pretty expensive but seemed to help last year, along with wool pellets.
    Nematodes are awesome, deal with slugs like nothing else and when growing veg that is important 

    That said I've still not managed to get the cost of anything I grow below about 4 quid per unit!
    I try and forget the cost compared with veg crops the little bastards have eaten overnight. Last year they did my sprouts and it was too late to sow more seeds. Really disheartening!
    Allegedly, sprinkling gravel/small stones/grit around the planted up area deters the little b*ggers...they don't like crossing it .

    Might be worth trying ?
  • Alwaysneil
    Alwaysneil Posts: 13,806
    The effing snails have had a go at my new perennial plants.

    i have ordered a lid of copper strip which I have used before, they don’t like crossing it. Doesn’t help once they w got into a bed of course. 

    Not tried wool pellets before. 

    Just hope they haven’t completely eaten all the plants before it all arrives 🤞
  • The effing snails have had a go at my new perennial plants.

    i have ordered a lid of copper strip which I have used before, they don’t like crossing it. Doesn’t help once they w got into a bed of course. 

    Not tried wool pellets before. 

    Just hope they haven’t completely eaten all the plants before it all arrives 🤞
    Google " beer traps" ?
  • DaveMehmet
    DaveMehmet Posts: 21,595
    The effing snails have had a go at my new perennial plants.

    i have ordered a lid of copper strip which I have used before, they don’t like crossing it. Doesn’t help once they w got into a bed of course. 

    Not tried wool pellets before. 

    Just hope they haven’t completely eaten all the plants before it all arrives 🤞
    Google " beer traps" ?
    I got the website for The Millers?
  • Chizz
    Chizz Posts: 28,331
    Carter said:
    Started using 'Nemaslug' nematodes again yesterday. Pretty expensive but seemed to help last year, along with wool pellets.
    Nematodes are awesome, deal with slugs like nothing else and when growing veg that is important 

    That said I've still not managed to get the cost of anything I grow below about 4 quid per unit!
    I try and forget the cost compared with veg crops the little bastards have eaten overnight. Last year they did my sprouts and it was too late to sow more seeds. Really disheartening!
    Allegedly, sprinkling gravel/small stones/grit around the planted up area deters the little b*ggers...they don't like crossing it .

    Might be worth trying ?
    Also, finely crushed eggshells.
  • The effing snails have had a go at my new perennial plants.

    i have ordered a lid of copper strip which I have used before, they don’t like crossing it. Doesn’t help once they w got into a bed of course. 

    Not tried wool pellets before. 

    Just hope they haven’t completely eaten all the plants before it all arrives 🤞
    Google " beer traps" ?
    I got the website for The Millers?
    Silly boy ! 

    Must have googled " beer bellies " by mistake ! 
  • MrOneLung
    MrOneLung Posts: 26,849
    Just gone onto B&Q website to see if can order some vegetable seeds for the kids to plant as they are doing click and collect only. 

    Am 354,000th in the queue just to access the website !!! 
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  • MrOneLung
    MrOneLung Posts: 26,849

  • Rob7Lee
    Rob7Lee Posts: 9,594
    I wouldn't bother with B&Q even if you get through, I ordered two tins of paint on Monday (that were in stock) and sill not had the call to collect.
  • Alwaysneil
    Alwaysneil Posts: 13,806
    MrOneLung said:

    B&Q seeds aren’t all that great.

    Other veg seed vendors are available. 

    Sutton’s seeds are ok but also have a queue even if it’s only 3 minutes long right now. 

    I’d try smaller retailers. 

    Good luck. 
  • charltonkeston
    charltonkeston Posts: 7,359
    Chizz said:
    Carter said:
    Started using 'Nemaslug' nematodes again yesterday. Pretty expensive but seemed to help last year, along with wool pellets.
    Nematodes are awesome, deal with slugs like nothing else and when growing veg that is important 

    That said I've still not managed to get the cost of anything I grow below about 4 quid per unit!
    I try and forget the cost compared with veg crops the little bastards have eaten overnight. Last year they did my sprouts and it was too late to sow more seeds. Really disheartening!
    Allegedly, sprinkling gravel/small stones/grit around the planted up area deters the little b*ggers...they don't like crossing it .

    Might be worth trying ?
    Also, finely crushed eggshells.
    Frogs, toads, hedgehogs and birds are the best for controlling snails and slugs. I have lots of empty snail shells but almost no plant damage. 
  • Chizz
    Chizz Posts: 28,331
    Chizz said:
    Carter said:
    Started using 'Nemaslug' nematodes again yesterday. Pretty expensive but seemed to help last year, along with wool pellets.
    Nematodes are awesome, deal with slugs like nothing else and when growing veg that is important 

    That said I've still not managed to get the cost of anything I grow below about 4 quid per unit!
    I try and forget the cost compared with veg crops the little bastards have eaten overnight. Last year they did my sprouts and it was too late to sow more seeds. Really disheartening!
    Allegedly, sprinkling gravel/small stones/grit around the planted up area deters the little b*ggers...they don't like crossing it .

    Might be worth trying ?
    Also, finely crushed eggshells.
    Frogs, toads, hedgehogs and birds are the best for controlling snails and slugs. I have lots of empty snail shells but almost no plant damage. 
    Yes.  But a lot of people don't really like finely crushed frogs. 
  • jonseventyfive
    jonseventyfive Posts: 3,353
    Hostas  are next on the  agenda , divid and repot into metal containers to try and keep the slugs at bay. 
  • cafcfan
    cafcfan Posts: 11,198
    edited April 2020
    Something that works for me pretty well.  Buy a pot of living herbs from a supermarket - basil works well.  Divide them up and plant out in a sunny spot.  They'll provide fresh basil all summer.   Much cheaper than from a garden centre (even if they were open).
  • ROTW
    ROTW Posts: 642
    What’s this?
    Should I continue to waste water on it?

    Ta.
  • Chizz
    Chizz Posts: 28,331
    ROTW said:
    What’s this?
    Should I continue to waste water on it?

    Ta.
    It's a garden deck. No.
  • MrOneLung
    MrOneLung Posts: 26,849
    ROTW said:
    What’s this?
    Should I continue to waste water on it?

    Ta.
    That ladder has really grown in the last year