Zoomer44

when is the best to mulch/improve the soil

I usually add leaf mulch and plenty of organic matter in the Autumn, I've room to collect next years then and by spring what has been put on the beds has broken down quite nicely and the soil is nice and black. A lot of the farmers leave organic matter in sacks outside their farms about this time of year which is free and so can collected for next autumn.

I save dalek made compost to mix with multi purpose bought in the spring. Saves on the amount needed to buy and this year multi purpose compost seemed of lesser quality than that bought in previous years so it improves the quality.      

What's the weather like in your area?

Another day of rain. It's made the day a lot shorter with dark clouds early evening.

I've bulbs still to plant in pots, the one's saved from last year went out in the garden last month mainly daffs and crocus. I've alliums, dwarf tulips and fritillary new for this year.

There are still lots of unripe toms in the GH, think I'll be leaving them a little whille longer too,I'm contemplating making green chutney or relish although relish doesn't seen to save as long as chutney . 

Rust and Garlic

Kes - This does not answer your Q - my garlic had rust this year but it didn't prevent it from being a good crop although it was harvested early and the bulbs were small. 

I hadn't realised it can't now  be planted in the same spot for 5 yrs and am about to start next years crop in modules. It'll go in a different part of the garden and I've 24 new bulbs but can bulbs be used from plants which matured from rust infected plants?  I was going to use one of the bulbs from this years crop for next?

How to prevent damping off?

After having problems with damping off when potting up germinated veg seedlings, toms, peppers etc.. I was advised to use vermiculite on the surface of the compost ensuring there is ample around the stems, and water the new plants from below. I seldom lose a plant to damping off now whether that be flowers or veg when potting up for the first time.

If a plant needs potting up a second time I add perlite to the compost mix, this helps retain moisture so the pot doesn't need to be watered as much.

What's the weather like in your area?

Don't know about your part of the NW Jo, but the tree's are losing their leaves here, a true sign autumn has arrived. I usually like autumn, there's something calming seeing the change of colour in the landscape but it seems to have happened over night.

What's the weather like in your area?

The box said light rain here in the NW - not - it's been relentless again this evening.

What have you achieved in the garden after a bad day at work?

A little but often works for me

Flowers

Your fuchsia is absolutely fabulously.

What's the weather like in your area?

Rain all day here in this part of the NW, not far from Blackpool. I've often driven down the coastal road into Lytham-St -Annes, past the dunes and wondered how they keep such lovely gardens despite the sea winds, salt and sand.

Jo- my old boiler despite being reliable eventually became obsolete for parts and you can bet your bottom dollar it will go when you need it most during winter. My brother installed mine many years ago when he was a 'plumber', he's now a 'heating engineer' and although he can issues safety certificates etc. advised me to get one intalled with BG, they aren't the cheapest but reasonably priced, check everything and provide long term garentee's. Best to replace before winter

Frank-me thinks you should enter competitions for your verses and poems

Saving bean seeds...

Dovefromabove - I've just been reading about saving runner/french beans from the link you posted for 'real seeds', me thinks I might get some cross pollination. The mix of beans planted are all touching  and have different coloured pods - purple, yellow, green, and green/red pods. The runner beans were green podded.

If I manage to save some seeds it'll be interesting to see what grows next year. Will plant in the same spot and add a load of muck although if my soil retains anymore water the plants will go sailing out of the garden gate, the rain has been relentless this year but that explains now why the crop was so good

Painting a trellis...

Repotting a Christmas Tree...

Veg to sow in February...

Stored home made liquid seaweed feed...

Moving flowers...

Which spuds to get...

Clearing snow...

Hard wood cuttings...

Where have all my beans gone!.

Growing fennel bulbs...

Growingspuds for Chistmas...

Saving bean seeds...

Saving tom seeds...

Fruit bushes...

Rubard just won't die back...