Dovefromabove

Fork Handles

Hello forkers - just popping in - have been cooking and doing 'stuff' most of the day  - it's jolly windy outside - it's howling around in the chimney.  

Jean, I do hope you get good news about your daughter soon - what a star your grandson is - I know the challenges he faces - he can be very proud of himself 

Ants

Have you any plants in pots which you put outside during the summer and bring in for the winter?  Ants often take up residence in the pots, particularly in wet summers like the last one - ants prefer dry soil and will seek out pots etc which are above the water table.  

If you have any such plants on your windowsills I suggest you stand them in a washing up bowl full of water for a few hours and let them have a really good soak until the surface of the soil is wet - I bet the ants come out!  You'll have to squidge them then  

Recycling

At work we have those big ones from here http://www.edensprings.co.uk/cups-and-accessories,uk,4,4.html and they go back to the depot to be refilled - why not contact them and ask what happens when they can no longer be recycled for their original use? 

planting potatoes

Having grown up on a farm, it wouldn't need to blow very much for the straw to be all over the place 

Potato farmers grow potatoes in the soil - I'm sure that if there were a better/cheaper/more productive way they'd be doing it - especially with the price of agricultural land as high as it is, in the UK anyway.

planting potatoes

jon cob wrote (see)

debra kazalski growing potatoes in straw or sand is good way to get poor production

I'm confused - the site you recommend states that the straw mulch method produces nearly as good a grop as the traditional 'Hilled rows' method  

Rhododendron possibly dying

I wouldn't feed it just yet, maybe at the end of March?  But you could give it a mulch of well-rotted garden compost (keep it away from the stem) when you've got rid of the moss. 

Frost & apple trees

You live in Wiltshire - don't worry with fleecing - it was the lack of pollinating insects due to the poor weather that caused such abysmal crops last year, not the  effect of the weather itself on the blossom.  

We must cross our fingers and live in hope of a milder and dryer spring 

Have you got a suitable pollinator nearby?

types of pots

jon cob wrote (see)

last time counted I buy over 100 quid worth pots a year. since i sell some of my starts to others. there are always few issues breakage.

That sounds as if you're working on a semi-commercial scale - if you don't mind my asking, do you find it viable financially or is that not a concern?

how to use nematodes efficiently

I used vine weevil nematodes last year for the first time in this garden - the difference in the amount of leaf nibbling was noticeable within a few weeks and I will use again this year as soon as the soil warms up. 

Cheap seeds

nutcutlet wrote (see)

Nothing better to do?

 

Absolutely, must have a very sad life 

Hosta flowering - shall I or shan't I?

Butterflies

Hellebore Addiction

Hedgehog Watch!!!

The average gardener

Growing giant pumpkins

Back to the top?

Windchimes

Battening down the hatches

Signs of Spring!!!

Protecting the outside tap from frost

Ash tree disease!

Weeding - a forgotten skill? Discuss ....

Berry-eating birds will need more help this year

Strange seed pods - any ideas?