Chatterbox

[Sakkarin Profile]

Is this true or more fake news?

[smitch Profile]

Apparently it is a myth: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/apr/15/beware-fake-news-even-in-the-garden-james-wong

[Stokey Sue Profile]

It's a fruit! A fruit is the female part of the flower (the ovary) engorged with seeds!
A plant can no more have make fruit than a human male can get pregnant or male chook can lay an egg

Some plants do have male flowers but these only create pollen to fertilise the female ones

The number of bumps on a capsicum depends on variety and the growing conditions

There's a similar myth relating to aubergines, equally daft.

[jeral Profile]

I hate to say it, but no picked pepper should feel safe from being eaten or left on the shelf to rot as either will get them in the end, if suffocating them in inert gas in shrink wrap plastic didn't cause them to lose the will to live already. Who'd be a pepper eh?

Actually, peppers would hate me as I find they add something to soup, so they get blitzed ruthlessly, a hypocritical *hug* proffered to them as the beautiful things they are (as opposed to ugly beetles that we stamp on).

Reminds me of a short sci fi story where a mini alien creature was accidentally mishandled causing its demise, with the end line: And with the compassion that had killed it... Should we feel vegetables' pain?

I read that Tomarite (not from them) is good for hanging baskets. It certainly made my geraniums become darn near triffids, lengthy and strong but can't say an abundance of flowers. My windowledge chilli plant has had a fair crop this year though... Any knowledge on using Tomarite other than for toms?

[Suffs Profile]

Tomato fertilizer ... Tomorite et al is perfect for any fruiting plant as it’s high in potash which encourages flowers and thence fruit. It’s also perfect for flowering annuals (hanging baskets, summer tubs etc) as it encourages flowering.

It’s not a balanced fertilizer tho, so only use for short periods to encourage flowers and fruit ... not for the whole year.

You can also use it to give roses, clematis etc a bit of encouragement to flower if you don’t have any fertilizer for flowering shrubs.

Did your geraniums (presumably pelargoniums not hardy geraniums) get enough sun ... they do Sonics better in sunny spots.

[jeral Profile]

I think my geraniums are that as they have that awful pong, which pelargoniums don't, but to me there's no point in them if they don't flower. I've no idea if they're hardy, but I could stick them outside and find out...

Your comment about not overfeeding I do take on board though as I suspect I might be guilty of that this season.

[jeral Profile]

Yay, my annual ladybird arrived jut now on the same window and same pane of glass it likes. I thought it had abandoned me this year so a pleasant surprise this late in the year.

[Renee Profile]

Do they live that long jeral? I haven't seen many around this year.

[Pampy Profile]

They usually live up to a year but some of them can live up to 2 or 3.

[jeral Profile]

As a ladybird has arrived for about half a dozen or more years, it can't be the same one so there must just be something - goodness knows what - about that particular spot being always the same one. Weird.

It is comforting though as we read (and know for ourselves) about the reduction in small bird and insect life, not just bees, and small mammals. The writing's already on the wall.

[dennispc Profile]

I’ve put the hedge back for you Megan!

rossilli.JPG

Monday morning before we left I went for a stroll along the front. Impressed that pedestrians didn’t stray into the cycle lane.

Mumbles.jpg

The width of the promenade meant there must’ve been a railway there. Indeed there was; the first paying passenger train in the world. Who’d have thought.

The footpath going left behind the plant is opposite Norton Road that leads to the hotel.

View from our room, a bit on the small side which enhanced my irrational irritability when double rooms only have one chair. Recently refurbished it all looked good, our room had a lovely waterfall shower, with the controls before the shower. Don't you just hate it when the controls are on the wall behind the shower?

hotel.jpg

Generally the staff were good, apart from one guy who thought he was the Big I Am (BIM) whereas in reality he was a Small I Aren’t (SIA). Fortunately, there was a lovely little girl on duty - we thought she was working part time at the weekends whilst still at school, in fact she was 25 and been working full time for five years!

[Binky Profile]

I've enjoyed the holiday photos and info about plants. I'm not a gardener but I do like a nice floral display.

I'm in hospital at present due to breathlessness and dizziness. Seems I have a blood clot in my lungs and fluid round the heart. Could be a sign the chemo is no longer working (bums if that's the case). Respiratory are passing me back to the Oncology chaps to sort me out, but I have to stay here for the weekend at least. Been here since Thursday night; GP called an ambulance when he took my blood pressure and pulse in his surgery. At least the food is good these days in our hospital

[Binky Profile]

Hospital menu, and from the experience over the past few days, the food is pretty good (fresh veg, lovely soup, fresh fruit and yogurts for dessert)

[WWordsworth Profile]

Look after yourself Binky

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Oh dear Binky, hope you feel better soon

That menu is much more interesting than any hospital menu I’ve seen, lasti time I ate in hospital I thought the food was ok but a bit stingy, then I discovered I was expected to have ordered more than one course

[Amyw Profile]

I hope you feel better soon Binky

[Meganthemog Profile]

Thanks for the hedge Petronius! I did wonder what was going on there - the owner of the cafe is not going to be happy with those containers parked there spoiling her view! But she does have a bit of a temper so maybe she's upset her neighbours!
I know exactly who you are referring to as the SIA and the lovely receptionist!
Yes the Mumbles Railway was cut when Dr Beeching closed so many lines in the early 60s - I remember going on it as a very young child! My OH's grandparents and parents used it often.

Sorry to hear that you are in hospital Binky - but the food looks a hell of a lot better than we'd get in our local general! I always try to avoid visiting at meal times as the smell alone is enough to put you off. Get well soon xx

[Wic Profile]

So sorry you are back in hospital, Binky. Your menu looks much better than that in our local hospital. My OH has had several lengthy spells in there this year and the menu is repeated fortnightly. Knowing what was coming, there were some days he only ordered bread and butter and an apple. For example, the shepherds' pie looked like a cowpat and he couldn’t face it. I used to take picnics in for him every day.

[smitch Profile]

Hope you feel better soon, Binky

[Pampy Profile]

So sorry to hear that you're laid up Binky. they get you sorted out and that you'll soon be back at home, with Mr B waiting on you hand and foot!