Ken Smith

Leeks

My leeks are suffering from an attack of reddish/brown beetles 3mmx1mm give or take, they tunnel into the top one or two layers working downwards, if I remove these layers the leeks are perfectly viable and very tasty. I have gone through my gardening tomes but can't find a mention of them and therefore no cure, I seem to recollect reading about them but can't remember where so any help would be most welcome.

Cheers,

Ken Smith

The Return of Gardeners World-8th March

Geoff Hamilton, Geoffrey Amos,Percy Thrower, Jeff Smith,Alan Titchmarsh,Carol Klein,Stefan Buczacki,Toby Buckland,Joe Swift (specially his allotment)Charlie Dimmock(watergardens) were all entertaining and interesting...The AtoZ of gardening, Sunday mornings, proves what a mine of programmes the Beeb have under wraps and could show if they cared to cater,once in a while, for a NORMAL,AVERAGE,minority group.....

Compost

Since January I have sown a variety of seeds in the compost, mixed as per Frank's instructions and I've had a very good germination rate, the toms, onions,cabbage,beetroot, morning glory, nigellia have all been moved on to their pots for onward growth and the sweet peas are coming through nicely.

Time now for a quick lunch and back to the greenhouse, no outside work today, the north wind is blowing and there is snow on it.

Cheers for now,

Ken S..

Compost

Hi there,

thanks to Busy-Lizzie,Geoff and Frank the info was very welcome, specially the bit about the micro-wave I was looking at our old one stuck in my workshop and thinking a trip to the tip was in order but now I think I'll take it down to the greenhouse and give it a whirl, nothing ventured nothing gained?

We live in Deux Sevre, not quite so deep France as the Dordogne, the soil is so water-logged I've not been on it, other than on boards, for at least 2 months, but I'm lucky in that apart from the "oblgatory barn" the greenhouse came with the property and at 15 x 45 metres it is big enough for me to enjoy my days no matter what the weather..

Cheers for now,

Ken S...

Compost

Hi there, (from deepest France)

like most gardeners I'm itching to get started with my seed setting, but although our summers are warmer than where we came from in Lincolnshire the winters are a bit colder (minus18 for a week last winter). I have a series of compost bins and therefore generate plenty of the good stuff, is this only good as a soil conditioner or can I use it as a seed and cutting compost, if so how do I mix it?

Looking forward to hearing from you,

cheers,

Ken S...

Leeks

Compost