How does your garden grow?

[SteamyTea]

  On 27/08/2022 at 18:41, Onoff said:

need a "natural" soap of some sort. @SteamyTea any thoughts?

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None at all, soap is the invention of the Catholic Church, best avoided.

[Onoff]

Neem oil spray... 

Gave to my daughter to make up the potion figuring she's at least half witch from SWMBO. Well she was gagging at the smell, it really is quite offensive and then some! Went for the natural neem spray concoction. 2L of it applied by spray to the 50 bean plants. I was surprised how far it went.

 

 

 

[Pocster]

@Onoff you near Bradford anytime soon ?

[Onoff]

  On 01/09/2022 at 18:20, pocster said:

@Onoff you near Bradford anytime soon ?

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No. Could have done without this earlier. Btw I'll be coming after you for maintenance! 

 

[Pocster]

  On 01/09/2022 at 18:28, Onoff said:

 

No. Could have done without this earlier. Btw I'll be coming after you for maintenance! 

 

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Someone’s been naughty 

[SteamyTea]

  On 01/09/2022 at 18:20, pocster said:

you near Bradford anytime soon

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Bradford on Avon?

[Onoff]

  On 02/09/2022 at 06:13, SteamyTea said:

Bradford on Avon?

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& Bingley

[Onoff]

Getting quite a crop of runners. I think the neem oil is having some repellent effect as I've some nice beans.  

 

Some however are a bit chewed/diseased/infested.

 

Should I pick and discard these or leave in the hope that whatever pest/predator carries on with those and leaves the others alone?

[SteamyTea]

I chopped my beans down last Monday.

I think I may have planted too many in the container.

Then not watered them enough.

Always next year.

 

Got a crap crop of potatoes as well.

[Pocster]

[Onoff]

  On 03/09/2022 at 20:55, SteamyTea said:

I chopped my beans down last Monday.

I think I may have planted too many in the container.

Then not watered them enough.

Always next year.

 

Got a crap crop of potatoes as well.

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I'm going to try and start to clear the rest of the veg patch, say a square metre at a time to give the wildlife a chance to disperse.

 

Ready for next year/season or whatever gardeners term it. Got a freebie greenhouse and a couple of brand new, never assembled potting type sheds, one of which might go on there. 

[patp]

Am following this as we are about to start on our garden. (Well when the garage is finished which is being held up by building control requiring a Structural Engineer to be involved in the design and making of the wide door lintel.)

 

What would anyone do differently? I want to get the pond (a natural clay pit) dug out and the whole site levelled and then crack on with hard landscaping etc. A little voice of warning is telling me to slow down and tackle one space at a time. We have a large wrap around garden so not the traditional front and back gardens. My instincts are also telling me to enlist the help of experts?

[SteamyTea]

  On 05/09/2022 at 10:51, patp said:

My instincts are also telling me to enlist the help of experts?

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We are the experts, @Onoff and I.

Do you like bean and potatoes mash?

I can donate a succulent cutting I steal from the sub tropical garden, and an echium that grew from bird poo.

 

Edited September 5, 2022 by SteamyTea

[saveasteading]

  On 05/09/2022 at 10:51, patp said:

What would anyone do differently

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I am a convert to 'no dig'. I would spread masses of manure asap and let the worms do the work.

This will be esp important if droughts become the norm. 

Also catch all rainwater, even diverting it over the garden if that works for you.

Plant nothing that is expensive. The nursery has had a difficult time growing it, and it will surely die.

Gardening is a hobby. Why pay someone else to have the fun?

Edited September 5, 2022 by saveasteading

[Onoff]

Next year I'm going to plant half the amount of beans as in they're spaced twice as far apart as I did them this year. 

 

I'm figuring less space for pests to hide, less dense foliage etc. Should give the birds a better chance to get in there. A little Robin is a constant visitor this year. 

[SteamyTea]

  On 12/09/2022 at 18:44, Onoff said:

Should give the birds a better chance to get in there

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I am parked up at Penzance prom. There are no birds here at all, not one. Even the local swans have gone.

Seems bird flu has killed them all.

[Onoff]

  On 12/09/2022 at 18:50, SteamyTea said:

I am parked up at Penzance prom. There are no birds here at all, not one. Even the local swans have gone.

Seems bird flu has killed them all.

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Hope you didn't bring it with you yesterday! 😂 That'd be a lark...or ex lark...

[SteamyTea]

  On 12/09/2022 at 18:52, Onoff said:

 

Hope you didn't bring it with you yesterday! 😂 That'd be a lark...or ex lark...

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Came in from the North East.

So that is everywhere in the UK.

Wonder if the seagulls have been coughing like a Geordie tart on a Saturday night out after a new boat has come into Tyneside.

[Pocster]

I was going to visit @Onoff soon . This is where he lives yes ?

[Onoff]

  On 13/09/2022 at 11:51, pocster said:

I was going to visit @Onoff soon . This is where he lives yes ?

 

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Looking forward to it, I'll take you up the local. Flash your lights when you get here.

 

[SteamyTea]

  On 13/09/2022 at 11:51, pocster said:

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Such a shining wit.

[Onoff]

  On 13/09/2022 at 13:44, SteamyTea said:

Such a shining wit.

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Indeed, a true heir to that well known Kenny Everett character. 

[patp]

  On 12/09/2022 at 18:44, Onoff said:

Next year I'm going to plant half the amount of beans as in they're spaced twice as far apart as I did them this year. 

 

I'm figuring less space for pests to hide, less dense foliage etc. Should give the birds a better chance to get in there. A little Robin is a constant visitor this year. 

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An experienced gardener told us the that runner beans can be perennial?

[Jilly]

I've run out of money for the garden so was going to get loads of manure dumped to kill the grass and make a simple no dig fruit and veg area. I've done it previously with just straw bales which worked OK. 

[Onoff]

  On 14/09/2022 at 07:18, patp said:

An experienced gardener told us the that runner beans can be perennial?

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I was mulling over covering the steel frame built over them in plastic sheeting as I never got around to the netting. I imagine that would keep the temperature up even through winter.