How Does Your Garden Grow?

[T5 TDI]

Time to get the cutting tools and a shredder out.

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This year, alas, no Song Thushes.

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A few hours work.

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I like the way you have a handy rocket leaning against the fence just in case you need one...

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I like the way you have a handy rocket leaning against the fence just in case you need one...

That's for when he sends Gromit to the moon.

 

[gaz1]

"Small Fires after 6pm" here.

I have a gilly kettle for brews (basically a stainless rocket stove instead a kettle).

I'm planning on getting a poly tunnel set up next week, and get some tomatoes in.
My "drain pipe aquaponics" system is being hung for lettuce, and strawberries.
Then a couple of 6x20ft ish patches for carrots, potatoes, celery, fennel, and Pak choi.

For this year, I'm going to get seedlings since I'm a bit late to it.


The patches are just about clear - I just had to pull up the old carpet/damp proofing pvc that was covering them.

the first thing i did was get a hut or greenhouse built as it was a cover for if it rained while there

its the start off thats the worst you dont want to put too much money into it and then theres the damage as well

i made a few mistakes at the start of mine changed it to make it much easier as i went along

 

[bigegg]

the first thing i did was get a hut or greenhouse built as it was a cover for if it rained while there

its the start off thats the worst you dont want to put too much money into it and then theres the damage as well

i made a few mistakes at the start of mine changed it to make it much easier as i went along

I've got a dozen 10ft diameter trampoline frames to make poly-tunnels.

Only thing I've spent money on so far is a petrol rotovator. (£100, "starting problems". Needed a screw that holds the governor linkage to the frame backing off about 1/16th of a turn to allow it to move.)
Rent isn't due until November.
I've already got pretty much everything else I need from "my own collection".

It's a very secure site, in a good area (unlike my last one), and already has a secure(ish) shed on site.

 

[gaz1]

i wouldnt use a rotavator

as the comment use one on an alotment you will be inundated with weeds is true

for a cheap way to heat it instead of cast iron pipes like we had years ago this is just as good if not better as it uses half barrels and uses less wood

remember its smokeless can be used in winter months or for an early start you can adapt round the metal and replace with bricks at certin parts but the center of it must be firebrick also gets you around lighting a fire before 6pm but it must use clean dry wood

 

[Onoff]

Lad at work has just moved into a new place with a poly tunnel in the garden. He doesn't want it! Galv frame, I've just got to dismantle and it's mine!

 

[bigegg]

i wouldnt use a rotavator

as the comment use one on an alotment you will be inundated with weeds is true

for a cheap way to heat it instead of cast iron pipes like we had years ago this is just as good if not better as it uses half barrels and uses less wood

remember its smokeless can be used in winter months or for an early start you can adapt round the metal and replace with bricks at certin parts but the center of it must be firebrick also gets you around lighting a fire before 6pm but it must use clean dry wood

I'm going for a "hugelkultur" heating system

Plus: I don't mind running a hoe between the crops, every day even, but I'm not physically capable of digging over 2500sqft by hand.

 

[Onoff]

I left a sheet of scrap MDF on the lawn for a couple of days. I'd hung something to spray on the rotary line and put it down to catch any overspray. I'd used it before that as a template for my garden arch. Thought I'd shift it this morning. A whole load of baby slow worms have taken up residence including a rare black one.

 

[Onoff]

I've only ever seen one but once found a pure silver slow worm. A variation I guess on the gold/bronze? Absolutely stunning. Bit of a micro climate down here in't valley.

 

[RobCox]

Early yesterday afternoon, the sun was beating down, felt like a hot summer's day. Opened the cold frames so the tomato, chilli, cougette and pumpkin seedlings didn't get fried. Went in the workshop. Then it started to rain. Never gave it any thought. A while later, our garden looked lixe this:

The buildup of hailstones is where the gutters overflowed onto, and off, the patio. Poor little plants got smashed. The bigger ones may survive, but the two chillis that had sprouted and most of the tomatoes are beyond saving:

 

[Onoff]

Just been to my M& D's old house to clear and then remove the compost bin. The intent was I have the bin for my garden along with the compost. I haven't taken the compost...

Bagged up 5 or 6 sacks, left it there for now. Wish we still had the skip, I certainly don't want it! Full of plastic, washing up bottle tops, chocolate bar wrappers, satsuma netting etc and lots and lots of pill packets. Even Christmas decorations!

Gotta love dementia!

 

[Onoff]

Thought I'd start on the bean patch. It's amazing the difference less than a year makes!

The aforementioned frame has collapsed where the PETG connectors warped in last years heat. Where reinforced with gussets it's OK.

https://flic.kr/p/2oySkjY

https://flic.kr/p/2oySn82

Between the beans and wheelbarrow is a tapered area that I ideally want to clear for more veg and a small greenhouse maybe a potting shed etc. Got to go careful as it's full of wildlife.

https://flic.kr/p/2oyRZ9j

I've got this old compost bin from my Dad's place. I presume it needs a "door"? How do I make that?

Then where should I site it? In full sun etc? It's bottomless. The plan was to place it somewhere in the yeg to be cleared area. I'm going to weed the patch and sling it all in the bin is the plan.

https://flic.kr/p/2oyM6Mg

We're going no mow May btw.

 

[brewdexta]

I wanted a distraction from endless DIY when the missus came in from gardening complaining that all her fruit tree labels had either composted themselves or faded beyond recognition.

I have a pile of broken blue slate so sliced some up into 2" to 3 "wide strips and set to with the paint.

Painting on slate isn't as easy as I thought, its like signwriting on a scrotum so probably the wrong media for beginning lettering after a 35 year break, but it was good to try some different brushes out and a different font. The missus likes them, I just have about another 30 to do.

Results are pretty mediocre to carp but does the job and I have a few brownie points and escape carp TV

 

[Onoff]

Painting on slate isn't as easy as I thought, its like signwriting on a scrotum

You've tried?

 

[Anguz]

Did you need a mirror?

 

[brewdexta]

You've tried?

Don't look down

 

[brewdexta]

Did you need a mirror?

Only when signwriting my sdrawdE gniK

 

[Onoff]

Started off 50 Czar runners yesterday in compostable expresso cups. 47 seeds from this year's pack and 3 seeds saved from last year. I'd have done more but ran out of cups.

Got an old acrylic bath I might press into service for some salad stuff like lettuce.

 

[RobCox]

I've got this old compost bin from my Dad's place. I presume it needs a "door"? How do I make that?

Then where should I site it? In full sun etc? It's bottomless.

Bit of bent ally should make a functional door. Keep it in place with a brick. As for the bottom, we had a rat that used our compost bin as a takeaway one year, so I put some wire mesh under it to stop the rodents tunnelling in.
If you site it in full sun it might need watering every now and than as it won't compost if dry.

Listen to me, making out like I know what I'm talking about!

 

[Onoff]

If you site it in full sun it might need watering every now and than as it won't compost if dry.

I seem to recall my brother saying he actually had a compost bin catch fire!

The mesh underneath is a good shout.