Excitable Boy

The best multi purpose compost this year

I have used Dunstons compost for some years and always found it excellent. This year may be different, of course.

Buying plants on line

Looks good (but don't they all!!). To be fair to T&M when I complained (by phone) about the begonias they gave me a refund straight away and said just keep the plants. As they were too small to do anything with this didn't exactly help, but I appreciate the gesture. i just had the feeling that the seeds hadn't been sown when I ordered which is not acceptable.

The jerseyplants website has 160 4-8cm begonias for £15. No way could I grow them for that, but do I really need 160?

Foxglove seedlings

Hollie- Hock wrote (see)

--- and hopefully they will self seed as well

LOL, I don't think you'll find that to be a problem! They get everywhere!

Talkback: How to make a composting trench

Looking at the pic again I think they're probably parsnip peelings. (Eyesight is going ). Peas and sweet peas are a good idea. No point runner beans as nobody likes them except me!

Talkback: How to make a composting trench

A couple of questions:

- If you put potato peelings in a trench like this won't they sprout?

- Can you grow other crops like lettuce or spring onions using this system or would it be too rich?

Gardeners World TV

June, I have PM'd you a link.

Really sad to think that Geoff Hamilton has been dead for 16 years - I still miss him!

Holes in soil

Yes, I agree - looks like worm holes to me, too small for mice, too regular for birds.

Talkback: Making leaf mould

Like Tivi most of the leaves in our garden are magnolia. Can you make leaf mould from these in a reasonable timeframe? I, too, have been putting ours in the green bin!

nobbys

I have tried growing sprouts many, many times and have given up as I could never get a decent crop. Loose sprouts are generally due to loose planting as far as I am aware.

Unless you really like sprouts, Alan, I would suggest you stick to Purple Sprouting Broccoli - far easier to grow and a much superior taste!

Buying plants on line

I just can't decide what is best - growing from seed, or buying plugs. I grew quite a lot of flowers from seed this year. The biggest problem being that you get masses of the same flower! I also bought quite a bit from T&M and other online suppliers. In general I found these to be good quality although I have to say that T&M were very late with several deliveries. Almost always delivered on the last day of their window and in the case of some begonias too late and too small to be of any use. I also bought some great value plants from poundland, so it pays to keep a lookout. (I bought some tulip bulbs last week from a local hardware store at £1 for 15. OK a little late but as I haven't got the dahlias out of the bed yet it doesn't matter!)

In general I find the Garden centres vastly overpriced. Best money I spent last year garden wise was on the electrics for a large heated propagator as described on one of the how to articles. Saved me a fortune!

Pergola Problem