How does your garden grow?

[easytoslip]

17 minutes ago, General Dryness said:

To protect the cats? Well done sir.

 

17 minutes ago, General Dryness said:

To protect the cats? Well done sir.

Yes they’re smashing creatures.

[VladimirIlyich]

7 minutes ago, easytoslip said:

 

Yes they’re horrible cunts.

.

[General Dryness]

23 minutes ago, easytoslip said:

 

Yes they’re smashing creatures.

Cheers!

15 minutes ago, VladimirIlyich said:

.

Jeers!

[easytoslip]

They’re so good at things like killing wildlife etc , I especially like it when cat owners say their cat has a personality all of its own , it’s a bit daft my cat. 

In fact such is my fondness for them I would even carry a lame one for a shite , obviously in next doors garden.

[Bobby Hundreds]

Are the manual non powered lawnmowers any good to just keep on top of the grass cutting, rather than getting the lawn mower and extension leads and all that bollocks out just to trim the grass.

[A Red]

[Oh Buoy]

15 hours ago, Bobby Hundreds said:

Are the manual non powered lawnmowers any good to just keep on top of the grass cutting, rather than getting the lawn mower and extension leads and all that bollocks out just to trim the grass.

 

 

[Oh Buoy]

Decided to get one of those push mowers as I'm sick of dragging the bulky mower about and feeding the extension cable through the house. Popped to B&Q and got the £36 one. 

 

Wanted to test it on both long/short and dry/slightly wet grass. It does really well on the short grass - the different settings make it really easy to get a clean cut. It's an effort to push though and the bar isn't kind on your hands - ended up putting some handlebar wrap around it. 

 

Longer grass though, fuck me. Had to gradually work one area and then around and really struggles with wet grass (as do all mowers to be fair). Going to let the first cut dry out and then go at it again. 

 

It's really light to move about though, and altho grass wraps around the sides I'm guessing if you keep on top of your lawn it wouldn't have any issues whatsoever. It's also a breeze to clean - one dash of the hose, towel dry and relube and looks good to go for another cut. 

 

I think it's ace if I'm honest - takes a little more work but means I can just pop out and get it done without unloading the shed. Happy. 

[Oh Buoy]

Also, chameleon plants are worse than ivy. Can't get rid of the fuckers. 

[easytoslip]

It doesn’t, Love Lies Bleeding.

[Karl_b]

The haul from the veg plot this morning.

 

 

[Oh Buoy]

Winter hasn't been kind to my garden.

Cracked fence posts, one crumbling completely, fence panels fucked and a waterlogged lawn for 90% of the season.

Managed to get it dry enough for the trees to be removed and grinded down.

Spring is going to be fun.

 

 

[Karl_b]

We have really heavy clay soil so our garden has been like a pond for most of the winter. On top of doing building work last year, the lawn end of the garden is very much work in progress. This year we plant to start putting flower beds in, which will help with the drainage and make it a bit nicer. I'm going to start digging a French drain too and making a feature of it and the soil I dig up as a raised flower bed.

 

The veg garden end is fine, all that extra organic material means it drains away quickly. We spent yesterday prepping the beds for the first soowings and planting of veggies, I've sorted the strawberry bed, the new rhubarb is planted and we've cleaned the greenhouse.

 

I've negotiated an additional 5m of veg plot and need to get on with building the extra beds. We've got a set rotation of potatoes-brassicas-legumes-roots but I want more space for pumpkins/squashes, salad stuff and for trying out new stuff. I'll be spending next weekend fencing it off from the main garden so that the dog can't get in. Last year was a bit of a right off and we only managed a few crops, this year I'm all in.

[Karl_b]

And whilst ordinarily I'd endorse supporting your local garden centre, B&Q had some root stock soft fruit bushes (I bought more blueberries and gooseberries, they also had raspberries and currants) for £3 and fruit trees (didn't buy any but they had apples, pears, plums, cherries and peaches) for £12. 

[Babb'sBurstNad]

I foresee many of us doing a fair bit more gardening in the coming months.

 

Got a couple of apple trees in my new garden. Anyone make their own cider? A fella two doors down has apparently got a press.

 

Thinking of planting some runner beans too.

[Dave D]

Got to replace my fence this Spring- one half of it has been totally consumed by Ivy- Ive been putting it off as the Ivy is really dense and we get lots of birds nest in it every year. Feel a bit bad taking that away from them  

[Oh Buoy]

40 minutes ago, Babb'sBurstNad said:

I foresee many of us doing a fair bit more gardening in the coming months.

 

Got a couple of apple trees in my new garden. Anyone make their own cider? A fella two doors down has apparently got a press.

 

Thinking of planting some runner beans too.

Hopefully it's not a wasp magnet.

 

1 minute ago, Dave D said:

Got to replace my fence this Spring- one half of it has been totally consumed by Ivy- Ive been putting it off as the Ivy is really dense and we get lots of birds nest in it every year. Feel a bit bad taking that away from them  

Good look with that one mate, I've been fighting it for the last year and it keeps sprouting up in new places.

Had success with finding the main root, cutting it and getting a little tub of weed/stump killer and painting it after a fresh cut and then cutting any running roots under the soil. Heavy mulch of cardboard/paper has also helped contain it too.

[Oh Buoy]

On 08/03/2020 at 09:06, Karl_b said:

We have really heavy clay soil so our garden has been like a pond for most of the winter. On top of doing building work last year, the lawn end of the garden is very much work in progress. This year we plant to start putting flower beds in, which will help with the drainage and make it a bit nicer. I'm going to start digging a French drain too and making a feature of it and the soil I dig up as a raised flower bed.

 

The veg garden end is fine, all that extra organic material means it drains away quickly. We spent yesterday prepping the beds for the first soowings and planting of veggies, I've sorted the strawberry bed, the new rhubarb is planted and we've cleaned the greenhouse.

 

I've negotiated an additional 5m of veg plot and need to get on with building the extra beds. We've got a set rotation of potatoes-brassicas-legumes-roots but I want more space for pumpkins/squashes, salad stuff and for trying out new stuff. I'll be spending next weekend fencing it off from the main garden so that the dog can't get in. Last year was a bit of a right off and we only managed a few crops, this year I'm all in.

Let me know if you have any success with the clay mate.

I'm trying to isolate the running water at the moment before I'm sorting the clay.

Not convinced a soak away is going to do it for me and thinking of going down the mulch/gravel and top soil root with constant conditioning and aeration.

[Dave D]

I dug out a big area about 6-8 inches deep to extend the patio a few years ago and spread alot of the soil that I dug out into the beds and borders.

That was a mistake- since then Ive been fighting yearly battles with bindweed     

[Oh Buoy]

3 minutes ago, Dave D said:

I dug out a big area about 6-8 inches deep to extend the patio a few years ago and spread alot of the soil that I dug out into the beds and borders.

That was a mistake- since then Ive been fighting yearly battles with bindweed     

Had similar with bramble weed. Ended up putting some weedkiller/bleach in a bag and attaching it to the ends of it to see if it would soak up and kill off the root. Seemed to work but then another fucked would grow back the following season.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

Perfect weather for gardening today. Sunk some posts and popped a trellis up, ready for sweet peas.

 

Chilli seeds sown down the greenhouse too, so hopefully I'll have Serrano, Cayenne, Habanero and Naga for summer. Never had much luck with Naga seeds, mind.

[Karl_b]

It was so nice out today, I was tempted to sow veg seeds today but I'm holding off until I know the cold nights have passed. I always go too early.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

I'm the same. Going to try growing Japanese greens and Pak choi, so was tempted to start today, but I figure I'll leave sowing about another month now. Can still be quite chilly.

[Karl_b]

I've just bought this. Only had a little read but I thought it might come in handy over the next 12 weeks to keep me out doing little bits whilst working from home. I liked the advice that "if the soil makes your bum cold, it's too cold to sow".

[VladimirIlyich]

On 22/08/2019 at 17:38, ``` said:

Decided to get one of those push mowers as I'm sick of dragging the bulky mower about and feeding the extension cable through the house. Popped to B&Q and got the £36 one. 

 

Wanted to test it on both long/short and dry/slightly wet grass. It does really well on the short grass - the different settings make it really easy to get a clean cut. It's an effort to push though and the bar isn't kind on your hands - ended up putting some handlebar wrap around it. 

 

Longer grass though, fuck me. Had to gradually work one area and then around and really struggles with wet grass (as do all mowers to be fair). Going to let the first cut dry out and then go at it again. 

 

It's really light to move about though, and altho grass wraps around the sides I'm guessing if you keep on top of your lawn it wouldn't have any issues whatsoever. It's also a breeze to clean - one dash of the hose, towel dry and relube and looks good to go for another cut. 

 

I think it's ace if I'm honest - takes a little more work but means I can just pop out and get it done without unloading the shed. Happy. 

Those hand mowers are a nightmare on wet grass. Great when its bone dry though.