summerpots

Broad beans again

thank you, I will go and sort them out this morning.

Broad beans again

so should I uncover them then and let them harden off properly. is it too late.. 

rat

thanks so much for that advice.. we do have a lot of pots at the end of the garden now and I think they are running back forwards to the stream across the neighbours garden, or they could have a nest nearby... we have only seen one so far, hopefully there isnt a family of them, we wont know if its the same one or others unless we catch one and "mark it".  I did tell my husband not to put too much food down at once.... all we need is rabbits and deer - its a bit like Snow Whites Garden sometimes.

rat

we have got seed and fat balls out for the birds and we have a number of regular visitors feeding, also a couple of squirrels which we dont mind but lately we have noticed a brown rat, about the size of a small guinea pig darting in and out amongst the pots at the bottom of the garden... we have a small stream nearby and wondered if it has come from there... Do we need to do anything about it... i.e. informing local authorities or a trap for it... I feel its a normal part of life for wildlife but I dont want it coming near the house..does anyone have any ideas on what to do... We dont want to stop feeding the birds so are careful what we put down but rats can climb up anything apparently - not sure what they do actually eat...do they eat seed and peanuts?

Broad beans again

I planted my autumn beans and they grew about 3" outside in a raised bed, then the last couple of months I have covered them up with a cloche and fleece but they seem to be eaten by something.  Does anyone know what could be eating them and what I can do, will they be able to be saved?... the leaves are being nibbled not the stalks and they are about 6" high now. This is the first time I have done any winter planting so hope I have done the right thing in planting them out.  The blinking squirrels seem to be eating all my bulbs too even though they are covered in netting.

Broad Beans

something is eating my beans.... they are about 6" high now and I have the polythene and fleece to make a cloche... but I thought it was too cold for insects to eat my beans... does anyone have any idea what could be eating the leaves.  this is the first time I have done anything in my beds for the winter/spring...

Broad Beans

I planted out my over winter onions and broad beans... the broad beans are about 2" high but see that they need a cloche over them..  can I make one or do I have to buy one

Filling a raised bed

We have a raised bed 3' x 2' x 7ft... we did have two but when we moved took just one with all the soil... anyway we started off with a Lasagne Garden with just layering up like a compost... we did this at the end of the season (autumn) and it was all ready to plant for the spring., we started under straw first (nothing too deep like carrots/beets) but we had brilliant tomatoes, courgetttes and beans..  This year we planted tomatoes (all got blight) but the salad and beans/courgettes were very good... then we just turn it all over give it a bit of manure and the bottom stuff that is now on the top is ready for planting... so this is the first time we have over wintering onions and broad beans.  Its the easiest gardening project we have ever had... just layering up the bed with compost/soil/manure with a top layer of bought compost. like a lasagne... the worms are huge too!

slug slime

Wow!  thats a bumper crop of slugs.  Thats a good idea too collecting the containers ready for the slugging season and leaving them for the bin men.

Small Potatoes

p.s.  I dont know what I am doing either - we are 2nd year rookies and need as much help as possible.,  Did you see Monty Don tonight on Gardeners World.. even he  had rotten crops with his potatoes and carrots this year.

rat

Grasses

Alternative Gardening