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Gardening resources and tips, etc.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby scullion » Tue May 24, 2022 5:20 pm

sensible house people!
i have never used anti-bac spray. i'm a great believer in having a healthy level of bacteria around (plus soap/detergent and water).
the gp i had when the kids were small agreed with me - she said that many mothers keep their young far too sanitised and it didn't do them much good.
the only time one of us got food poisoning it was from a poorly re-heated pasty at a previously good pub restaurant.
thankfully it's changed hands since then - though we haven't been back yet.

my grandmother said that you've got to eat a peck of dirt before you die.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Tue May 24, 2022 5:33 pm

I needed some clothes washing stuff the other week and all they had (left) in Lidl was antibacterial. What on earth is the point of that? I didn't buy any.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Pepper Pig » Tue May 24, 2022 6:14 pm

My husband’s mantra too Scully.

My mother was/is the opposite. I think it’s because she was an an internment camp at the end of the war. She used to put Dettol in our bath when we were kids.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Tue May 24, 2022 7:32 pm

Euw, PP.

I planted up 4 tomato plants in the greenhouse. It took over an hour :o This was because:
a) I had to haul compost down there
b) I had not taken into account the slant of the roof. Doh. So I had to move things around quite a bit to see what works best (not sure I worked this out, really) and also go and look for some determinate tomatoes to go where there is less height. Not sure how I am going to organize the other 4 (at least) I intend to go in there. It might be better to just put peppers and aubergines in there instead. But then where to put the other tomatoes...? i also might have to take most of the stageing out, and where on earth will that go? :o Shed, I suppose. Husband will not be pleased.
I need a bigger greenhouse ;)
c) one plant needed splinting. Not sure if that will work but the plant should survive even if it doesn't.

I ordered another two of the new Quadgrow design. That was very indulgent of me and I am now sort of (almost) regretting it.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Tue May 24, 2022 8:11 pm

I have too many tomato plants... and some more on the way.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Sloe-Gin » Wed May 25, 2022 9:33 am

Dear me, herbi, you're incorrigible! How many more tomatoes (and what varieties) are you getting?
In my 8x8 greenhouse, I have 2 QG (4 tomatoes) on either side and, in front of them, 2 more toms (12 in total) on the staging at the back, I have chillies and peppers, 2 of which are Marconi. One side, where the staging is shorter, I have 2 cucumbers.
In the garden, I have 2 more QD, each containing 2 courgettes and 2 tomatoes.
Beside the greenhouse in the south facing, sheltered corner afforded by fence and greenhouse, I have 3 San Marzano toms (19 tomatoes in total). Plenty for us, blight permitting.
I investigated my first sack of Swift potatoes, planted in March. For a better harvest, I'll leave them another month.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Wed May 25, 2022 10:16 am

I miscalculated, Sloe. I have a maximum of 24. I usually aim for 20.

This year compounded by not being very together for obvious reasons, but also panicked when my plants seemed to be doing badly and ordered some. I'd also ordered some in Novemebr which haven't arrived yet, so had forgotten about them. I do keep a spread sheet but have psosibly decided not to believe in it.

I still have passata from last year in the freezer.

The ones I planted up yesterday don't look happy. I might need back ups!
I've not done cucumbers or courgettes, and am behind wiht beans and peas. Still time to do courgettes in terms of time of year, but possibly not personal time. I may or may not buy some. One only really needs one cucumber plant. I do prefer to grow mildew resistant ones, though.
I have a lot of aubergine and pepper plants on the way too... You only really need two aubergine plants... will give some away.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Fri May 27, 2022 10:53 am

I am wondering what I can grow in spent compost, other than wild fllowers. I suppose it depends on what I already grew in it. Spent bulb compost might have more nutrients left in it than, say tomato compost? (Although usually that's mainly roots by end of the season anyway.)

My former (not very competent) gardener emptied a load of spent compost into a couple of pots, so I am not sure what was in it. Possibly tomatillos... I was going to just put it on the garden, but could it be used for potatoes, with some added fertilizer?

I suppose I should look to see if the Carol Klein progamme that sparked off this question is on catch up. I dio like her thrifty, recyling ways...

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Fri May 27, 2022 12:03 pm

I have gone from almost regretting the quadgrow order to wanting it now! And of course they are delayed... I suppose I can plant up the tomatoes in pots without tanks. I think I have enough.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby scullion » Fri May 27, 2022 12:26 pm

the spent compost is ideal for earthing up potatoes. the potatoes are stem tubers (as you know) and don't have roots to take nutrients in (the roots are from the bottom of the sprouts from the old potato - where you'd plant them in/on decent compost/soil) but the spent compost will mean that the new potatoes will come out cleaner than they would if you'd earthed up with soil.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Sloe-Gin » Fri May 27, 2022 2:33 pm

We use council soil improver. Black gold, they call it. it carries a kite mark of quality.
I still have some pink fir apple to plant out.
We are going to the GC this afternoon. I want slug collars and some more basil seeds. The cinnamon basil is amazing.
I shall be ready to add the food to the QG next week.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Fri May 27, 2022 3:46 pm

Ok great.

They don't do that here, Sloe.

I have planted up my Jerusalem artichokes and some potatoes, using some spent compost, fresh compost and manure. I hope that will be ok in view of what you said, Scully. (I am not an experienced potato grower). Will use more spent compost to earth up the potatoes. I will add fertilizer too.
I also planted celery and psb in a semi-shaded raised bed and put a net cage on top.

I think there is more shade down on the bottom right hand side of the garden (where the greenhouse is :? ) That darned oak tree will keep growing. Plus the birch and nextd door's tree overhanging two raised beds. One is now in almost total shade, I think. Not sure what I can grow in that. Kale?

I have also potted up 5 tomatoes and a small from-seed dahlia. I can't do more tomatoes until I get new wicks for the Quadgrows. Given how slow they are being, I might have to make some. I am guessing there is nothing special about the capillary matting Quadgrow uses to make them. I have made a pattern.

I have a headache now. It's very hot out.

If I have the energy I will plant some flowering plants later. Or maybe pot on peppers and tomatillos. I am supposed to be working though!

I shall need to do some watering later, and fill up the Quadgrow tanks that have plants in them. I need more screws for the old Quadgrows too.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Fri May 27, 2022 7:22 pm

After a failed nap (the door bell kept being rung... well, twice, but that's enough to put me on edge) planted out about 30 plants... but then 20 arrived (Sarah Raven sale) so I potted those up. Ah well.
I also planted out a dozen peas and tied them all in a it better. Ate the contents of one of two pods. Delicious if very small. I do hope the rest start to thrive and produce a harvest. Some of the ones I sowed in the greenhouse have germinated, but not many.

I can barely stand up straight after today's labours.

2 out of 4 tomatoes left out have been taken. A fifth got knocked over and broken in the wind so I put it in the compost bin.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Sat May 28, 2022 7:56 pm

I didn't intend to do any gardening today, but... I bought some runner and French beans in a GC, so after a nap this afternoon, I set up two rows of supports (experimenting with string netting too) and planted them.

I also planted out a few cornflowers and morning glory and potted on some tomatillos.

Last two tomatoes disappeared along with the box (glad it wasn't a plastic tray). I put another out the front. Not sure if this is the last. I do wish people would give me my pots back but hey ho.

I accidentally broke one cornflower so...

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IMG_2686.JPG (128.12 KiB) Viewed 3037 times

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Amber » Sun May 29, 2022 12:00 am

We’re not gardeners, but, today we did some pruning. OH coughed and coughed - that’s normal for him. Then I went in to assist…and coughed and coughed! We were pruning vibernum (I think), is it normal to cough??

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Sun May 29, 2022 12:10 am

A quick google suggests that the fine hairs on viburnums can give you an allergic (skin) reaction. Not sure about inhalation, but if you were coughing, you were coughing.

I suppose this is where a higher spec face mask bought for Covid could come in useful.

I have been coughing a lot too. Ok not really stopped coughing since I had Covid at the end of March, but this feels like much drier and might possibly be an allergy. There is probably a lot of pollen about.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby slimpersoninside » Sun May 29, 2022 3:39 pm

I hope this is in the right place.

I've never been one for wearing gloves to garden but due to my recent treatment I now need to show my hands a bit more respect. I'm thinking I will need a pair of lightweight gloves for things like potting up etc (dirty jobs) and a sturdier pair for pruning and suchlike. Does anyone have any recommendations please?

Thanks.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Lusciouslush » Sun May 29, 2022 4:16 pm

TBH I just use a pair of marigolds for the lighter stuff - especially when you want to 'feel' what you're doing, anything really heavy or thorny, then my suede welder gloves come out - nothing gets through those........... :thumbsup

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby KeenCook2 » Sun May 29, 2022 5:01 pm

On the recommendation of a very keen gardener friend, I got some Showa gardening gloves.

(https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1)

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Suffs » Sun May 29, 2022 5:02 pm

Most of the garden centres have gloves with fabric backs but fairly sturdy rubber? fingers and palms. I find them ideal for messy or prickly work … they’re more comfortable to wear than Marigold types, and offer fairly decent protection unless you’re doing really tough stuff … and they machine wash well. I think they’re ideal for general gardening.

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