May In Your Garden - Page 11

Tonight I shall mostly be watching soaps, HIGNFY,Not Going Out,QI and Graham Norton.

I will not be able to watch anything until the mad man with the petrol tools has left, I cannot hear the tv.

kate1123 wrote (see)

I was just thinking about tonights GW then remebered it was not on, what shall I do now

Absolute disgrace!

Would have missed it anyway as we're off out to celebrate another year of wedded bliss!

Ah, will there be champagne and strawberries?

betatakin canyon on the way to keet seel

keet seel-hike is 36 miles, part of which was in a great afternoon thunderstorm in betatakin canyon with transient waterfalls

No GW!!!! Gutted, I enjoy my weekly fix of Monty & Co!

Happy Anniversary Excitable Boy, have a great night out.

Kate, I managed to get 3 hours out in the garden.....bliss, even thought it was mass clearing, still loads more to go but its nice to see a weed free area

A question to all, I have some hostas to plant out and have a perfect spot for them, what does everyone use for slug problems? I dont want to use anything chemical as we have 2 dogs. All tips gratefully received x

GW being usurped by snooker truly is criminal.

I've managed to get a bit of planting done in between downpours - got some delphiniums and brunnera planted in our front garden. I've got some digitalis, saxifrage and hostas sitting in pots waiting to go out in the back, but we're suffering something of a fencing issue and I'm holding off on planting anything in the bed next to it until it's fixed. My sweet peas are in and I've got nasturtiums coming up in a few places, as well as my fine selection of pound shop bulbs 

Not sure how the veg bed is doing - it got fairly seriously waterlogged. There's some beetroot, sprouts and psb coming up, and potatoes starting to sprout.

This is the first year I've had a garden, so all pretty exciting!

I mulch mine with piles and piles of grit so that the leaves don't touch any soil EVER EVER.  increasing the circles of grit as they grow.

I'm also going to use the Garlic solution once the rain stops

Woo2 I have beer traps but I am a night prowler with a salt pot and a torch.

Rob I have some pound shop irises that are going great guns just hope that they flower.

Thanks Wintersong will try the grit followed by the garlic to be sure. Do you make your own solution if so how? Dumb blonde moment

Just seen your tip Katie, thank you, will make note of that too. am sure that if beer is involved 'his lordship' will be sure to offer lol.

Rob, sounds as if your going great guns....will have to find where my nearest poundshop is!

@Woo2: Crush two bulbs of garlic (whole garlics), boil in 2pts water for 3-4mins until blanched. Strain and make back to 2 pts. Leave to cool and store. Mix 1 tablespoon into a gallon (3.8 litres) of water, sprinkle late afternoon in dry weather.  

I always used to shirk at killing them and threw snails over the fence in the direction of the car-parking area, hoping that birds or cars would finish the job for me, and I never handled slugs (too icky) but I have to say, this year has been tougher and feel less guilt, taking my secateurs to them, cutting heads off or cutting in half. Sorry to sound cruel but I'm trying to kill them as fast as possible. I don't do late night hunts because its too horrible at night, but I will search foliage when its pouring day time.

It's going fairly well for saying I'm making it up as I go along!

I don't know if you have one near you, but small independent nurseries are worth looking at for cheap starter plants. I got my delphiniums, digitalis and saxifrage from one at 70p each.

Rob Stevens wrote (see)

It's going fairly well for saying I'm making it up as I go along!

I don't know if you have one near you, but small independent nurseries are worth looking at for cheap starter plants. I got my delphiniums, digitalis and saxifrage from one at 70p each.

I wish you every success and enjoyment your first year Rob, but just to prepare you, guard your Delphiniums and Foxgloves from slugs and snails and watch out for vine weevil in the roots of your Saxifrage!

 Not all plants are slug dinner, you just happen to have chosen their favourites! Also, Delphiniums could do with staking but the best version (although none is gale proof) is a loose frame around the plants instead of tight canes. It's your choice of course, but lets not spoil your first year of gardening!

Getting to know your soil and environment will serve you well, being vigilant against pests and diseases will allow your plants to reward you the best way they know how.

Hi everyone, had fun reading all your great tips about slugs etc.  I planted a couple of Rhubarb plants on our new allotment last weekend and the birds have really attacked them.  Or perhaps it's the slugs?  I have used slug pellets before but wanted to keep the allotment as chemical free as possible so any tips gratefully received.

Most of my veggies are starting off well, but we have had loads of rain here. Except Monday, which was the only dry day.  Today not bad, so popped to allotment for a while this evening.  Had to cover most of my seedlings with nets as the birds are having a feeding frenzy.  They first pecked all the tops off our radishes, little blighters!

Looking forward to chatting to you all further.  Maybe share a photo or two once things really get going up the allotment and in the garden.  (Was also gutted to see Monty & co knocked off TV for the snooker tonight!)

@Wintersong - Thanks for the advice. I have staked the delphiniums, but I wasn't entirely sure what I was doing so at the moment they're loosely tied to canes with the twine in a figure 8 to form a buffer. They seem to be surviving the wind so far (touch wood!) but any suggestions on improving this are gratefully received. What do you mean by a loose frame?

Inka - I may have seen your niece on the TV then.  I watch Channel 9 news when I am over there and also every now and then here on the Internet.

Greetings Woo!  If you love your hostas I would not recommend planting them in the garden.  Any precautions will be in vain because nothing stops the slugs & snails from leaving a slimy trail of devestation!  I grow mine in pots covered in copper tape and up away from the ground, but it is only a matter of time before they get nabbed.

I got my suitcase out last night to start packing and immediately broke the zip.  I was planning an emergency trip into town tomorrow to get a replacement but a lovely lady in our post room at work has lent me her's.

I fly out on Sunday  When do you fly Geoff?