backyardee

Sempervivum succulents/houseleeks?

i grew a load from seed from Mr f's I think. Ever so easy to do and they grow really quickly. I have some in my rubbery and another load in my tin bath with my topairy mermaid.

Sycamore tree - why are they monsters?

I agree the 'mummy plant' is rather attractive, but never the less a 40 - 60' weed. Same as the ash in my book. Lovely in the right place. I got a few over the plot and what a pain with the seedling I missed. Like growing in the middle of a prized geranium or a group of rheum crowns. 

Yellow Book Recommendations

You're too far from page 648 no. 6.

April in Your Garden

Hi Kate 1123,

Yes I've dusted down the shotgun. Wiring off the garden is impractical. All 5 acres would be a pain, even my 2 acres would cost a fortune. I plan to put some ramsons along the bank where they appear to be getting in. They haven't set up home here, but are coming from a field higher up. Still they might not be able to smell 95% of my rabbit munchy plants................ like delphinium, lupins, etc. over the garlic scent of the ramsons

Gardeners World

I too am a gardener, albeit retired now. But I still garden on my own plot. I have loved GW since way back during Percy's days days and it took a while for me to accept Monty on his own plot. but I don't mind him at all now. BUT WILL SOMEONE GET RID OF THAT AWFUL PATRONISING RDT. if she's reading off an auto q, it sounds like it has been taken straight out of a book and the way she patronises people, makes me want to hang her out to feed the birds, the carrion sort. I went right off her when she wore that awful rose outfit with matching shoes at Chelsea and just kept going on about breast feeding the new arrival. 

April in Your Garden

Doesn't matter whether the sun is out or not. There's a huge black cloud hanging over here. Some bl&&dy rabbit family has just discovered the plot.

HANDY HINT FOR GARDEN LABELS

I do use venetian blind blades. So much cheaper than all the plastic labels one can buy. I just round the edges off. I use ordinary hb pencil and keeping the writing out of the sun is the trick.

ok the bbc site has shut down

Yes it's 24 hrs for starters and the clicky mob that took over most subjects on the board don't appear to have moved here.

Feathers in Compost?

If you soak a cushion's worth of feathers in a bucket of water for a couple of months, the resultant liquid is a good form of nitrogen, strain off and feed to whatever at the same rate to water as comfrey tea. the resultant mush can be either used as a mulch around border plants, or added to the compost. They break down easier.   Empty contents of cushion into a bucket or bag it in net, and hold down with a piece of net and a brick. or if in a net bag then obviously just a brick. DO ON A STILL DAY.

Using Builders netting to screen greenhouse

Debris netting is brilliant for shading. but not alot of cop for keeping heat in as it would shade the inside too much when the light levels are low. I make cloches out of it to protect seedlings from frost and pests. I have an old scaffolding tower that I make a frame, to go over my brassica bed, which is good for keeping the old cabbage white off of. There isn't anything I can't find a use for it.