Talkback: New year's resolutions

The Death of Briggs and Stratton It started a year ago last month, the dream of a garden sketched out over lunch, Patios and arches and ponds stocked with fishes, was top of the page of a long list of wishes And under a tarpaulin the bright red mower, left in the house by the previous owner I dusted it down and out in the yard; I filled it with fuel and pulled on the cord The neighbours will remember for years to come, the day I got my lawn mower to run. The ground vibrated and the sky darkened over From the smoke that belched from my red Stratton mower The flywheel spinned with a terrible shudder as the chickens and dog retreated for cover The engine propelled with a cough and a fart And I positioned it where my orchard would start I mowed up and down and I paced too and fro Mulching the nettles where new grass would grow I day dreamed of straight cuts looking so nice That the gardening experts would call for advice When all of a sudden with a deafening sound Pieces of engine fell to the ground Silencer, exhaust and components of choke Lay on the grass all twisted and broke The officers called to propose a solution For my mower exceeded legal noise pollution They said “Son lets talk your procedures over, You really should have an exhaust on your mower” He made me feel slightly inferior As he read from a long list of legal criteria “A mower like this should have a silencer in it ‘Cause without it- it is louder than the current noise limit And to protect yourself from this spinning steel racket Some steel toe cap boots and high visibility jacket And to ensure our statistics don’t climb any higher We recommend a purchase from a reputable supplier A hard hat and ear muffs with foam all around Should protect your hearing and muffle the sound” I fancied myself as the new Percy Thrower but seriously let down By my red Stratton mower The grass don’t take long to grow under your feet When your mower’s impounded and clamped on the street Now my Stratton’s redundant amongst the mechanical clutter’ Cause I’ve bought a shiny new petrol bush cutter!

I just finished adding 3 new 50x4 foot raised bed. And a 15x15 potato bed for 1 potato plant started from a nice 2.75 lbs seed potato I acquired. I hope for harvest 600lbs from this plant. I started my tomatoes seeds 7 days ago they will be ready to plant out on 15th of febuary. I plan on growing oca this season

successional sowing would be great to crack I had to buy a lettuce which realy anoyed me in the summer I did manage to keep tomatos and cucumbers going for months, herbs and spring onions were consistent but lettuce there seems to be an abundence and then you realise you should have planted some more a week ago but never mind another summers on its way to try again.My new seeds for this year are carrots and garlic chives.

I have this heavy clay that I am finding harder to deal with but I have had very good results over the years but oh! dear hoping that the weather is better this year and I am not stuck in the mud and my garden continues to look lovely as i am the only one in the street that tries, all the others are young and healthy although they like my garden it hasn't mad them guilty about their front gardens becomming car parks and the back becomming the local tips, sad isn't it

Jane,I managed to get my lettuce planting reasonably sorted,where I did not have to buy any until November. a major problem I have though is my first attempt at growing brassicas over the winter. Luckily I divided 150 mixed plants with my father in law,and an allotment grower. Mine were doing superbly,until overnight I lost every plant to God knows what.All that was left was the stalks. It left a serrated edge on the stalks,almost like a saw blade. The same thing has now happened with the other two growers plants. I wonder if you have any clues what may have caused such quick devastation.? Regards,and good luck for this year. Spud

I always wanted an allotment but I now wouldn't have the energy to look after it, my friends have nice plots and I belong to the Allotment association, grow some veg and herbs in my garden I was very sad to know that after all my friends hard work that vandles broke into the allotments and stole tools from the sheds and wrecked the plots, perhaps these people should be made to do community service replacing every thing they damaged and stole.

I have read that it is possible to use the coffee grounds from machines, but i was wondering whether it would be ok to use the liquid from the drip tray too for my vegetable plot. xx