Palaisglide

Soil or Compost??

Mrs M, fill your bed with general compost then top it off with John Innes which does have soil or loam in its mix.
If you use a rotation system, yes even in a small bed you can self fertilise using beans peas that add Nitrogen down to a handful of lime for the cabbages and greens. Moving crops round in the bed also rests it from one crop planting which can in time add to any diseases. Work it so you have a small amount of any crop being ready on say a weekly basis that way you do not have waste or be eating one thing for every meal.
Having worked at ICI the use of chemical fertiliser does not worry me as long as it is used sparingly.

Frank.

tomato blight in greenhouse

Jen when all around me have had blight the last few years I have not had any, I put it down to everything being in pots on gravel with no soil in the borders.
Each year I use a power washer which will take a soap wash and soap it all over then up the power and wash every bit of glass gravel and pave, an hour well spent.
It is a wall mounted greenhouse on a South facing wall so I put in extra vents and also use a fan when needed, of course I am retired so can be there to do what is needed people working can only take a chance on leaving vents and doors open or a fan on a thermostat, costly probably but better than losing your crop.
The blight is windblown and can strike in hours, once it hits take out the plants and burn or green waste them and you may save some of the other plants, no guarantee although worth a try.

Frank.

What's the weather like in your area?

lovetogarden wrote (see)

Nr Lincoln.

Glorious day here, lovely sunshine, makes you feel good.

I have decided I'm going to have more Hardy Fuchsias next year, as you say Frank they have done really well and are so easy to look after.

ChrisX

They come in so many colours now Chris so you can mix and match and they fill the place you plant them, insects like them too so a good reason to put more in.
The box came good around twelve when some cloud came in from the west heading out to sea so although hot, it will not be the hottest day, "oh well" enjoy it whilst we have it.

Frank.

What's the weather like in your area?

Stockton on Tees partly cloudy that is the oracle of the box! No, we have blue sky in every direction and it has been since before seven this morning. At least it makes me smile when the experts get it wrong.
Garden got a clean up yesterday and the green house sorted out, the garden is full of colour and the Hardy Fuschia's are full of flowers and growing for England, not all plants dislike wet summers. The Golden privet, three free standing bushes trimmed six weeks ago need another trim already, they usually have two trims a year this year it will be the fourth one, plenty of damp at the roots.
Windows open and still too warm so this could be the hottest day for us.

Frank.

Aquilegas

As long as the soil is warm you can treat them as if potting on.
Take plenty of soil round the root-ball or gravel it does not matter, it will give drainage in the new position, plant, firm in and water.
I would put some into pots in case of a hard winter as back up, belt and braces is always good in gardening.

Frank.

Crocrosmia

Lotty with bulbs it is usually four times the height of the bulb but as Gary says some bulbs need a little more depth.
Crocosmia once it settles will grow a string of bulb-lets down over like a string of onions and they will produce a thicker patch of flowers. My Jackanapes has out grown its bed and over flowed into the borders and a gravel path the weather has been perfect for it and it a mass of flowers.
Once it goes back I will tackle it and reduce the size which means getting every tiny bulblet out, like mint it needs containing, be careful where you put it.

Frank.

Removing a shed and replacing

Scottish lass, Yes you will have a firm base for your hut although quite a few feet will take a lot of blocks.
You could put the blocks under the main supports of the hut then fill in with cheaper gravel. You could even put a wall of blocks round the edges of the hut and fill in with gravel, that will support the hut and the cross beams of the floor rest on the gravel.
There are many ways would probably buy some cheap sleepers and build a raft under the hut again filling in with gravel as you need something to hold the gravel in.
What ever you use it needs to be firm under the main supports of the hut.
Good luck.

Frank.

Fork Handles

Jean perlite is just an expensive substitute for grit, much lighter of course which some prefer. I found that even mixed into the compost once used as a mulch it separated and lay on top of the soil like snow, I use half grit and half compost for cuttings and never cover them.
Flobear, my Grandson starts the big school today in his new uniform, my Daughter had instructions. "do not pick me up in front of the school, do not get out of the car and hug me or hold my hand, and if you try to kiss me I am off" I guess he feels grown up then. That is the one who won the last night at the old school dancing competition in Modern, Latin and also the disco, His partner takes lessons and picked him to dance with although he does not go to lessons. I was the same age when I started dancing and always picked the best dancer, looks did not come into it.
Gary, variety is the spice of life, if we all had the same gardens it would be bordom on a grand scale, I love shades of green they should write a song about it.

Frank.

What's the weather like in your area?

Stockton sunny and clear or so says the box, actual is sunny and patchy cloud with some blue up there also from white through the spectrum to black, very hot, it would melt iron.
First wash on the line, house bombed out as it did not get it yesterday (my daughters inspect it when they come in), sitting here with a cuppa as they say in Spain "bonus Knockered" so resting before tackling the garden.

Frank.

What's the weather like in your area?

Penninepetal wrote (see)

Frank, you sound like a great dad

We look after our own, we ran bank of Mum and Dad long before the media hyped it up.
Had my Son puzzled, drinking a cuppa with my back to the paddock the horse came up and nuzzled my neck. "How do you do that he asked" he cannot get it out of the field. "Well Son, horses are like women, curious and hate being ignored" they have to see what you are up to.
Had a gloriously sunny run into Swaledale, the views are fantastic, we live in a lovely area but tend to forget it at times.
Still warm and the sun sinking in the west tomorrow the same? we hope.

Frank.

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