Page 5 of 14

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 1:45 pm
by handyman
I'm struggling to get my lawn thick and dark green. Read a few sites and are going to try the following:

1. Aerate the lawn and then chuck some fertilizer on it that is good for roots.

2. After about a month will aerate again and fertilize with 3:2:1.

3. Then just before winter I'm going to chuck a thin layer of compost over the lawn.

Any suggestions?

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 2:04 pm
by globus
handyman wrote:I'm struggling to get my lawn thick and dark green. Read a few sites and are going to try the following:

1. Aerate the lawn and then chuck some fertilizer on it that is good for roots.

2. After about a month will aerate again and fertilize with 3:2:1.

3. Then just before winter I'm going to chuck a thin layer of compost over the lawn.

Any suggestions?
Get rid of the thatch with a good metal raking or even better a scarifier.

It will look a bit sad for a bit but don't despair.

If you can, use a tine fork to aerate, but it's heavy work and time consuming.

Use a quality top dressing and work it into the surface. Don't swamp the grass.

Overseeding is als a good way to settle the sward.

I doubt it's a good idea to put compost on your lawn. It will encourage moss.

Better to use an autumn fertiliser.

Visit http://www.rolawn.co.uk/

They are the best in this country. We have a Minster Pro lawn and it's superb.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 2:24 pm
by handyman
globus wrote:
handyman wrote:I'm struggling to get my lawn thick and dark green. Read a few sites and are going to try the following:

1. Aerate the lawn and then chuck some fertilizer on it that is good for roots.

2. After about a month will aerate again and fertilize with 3:2:1.

3. Then just before winter I'm going to chuck a thin layer of compost over the lawn.

Any suggestions?
Get rid of the thatch with a good metal raking or even better a scarifier.

It will look a bit sad for a bit but don't despair.

If you can, use a tine fork to aerate, but it's heavy work and time consuming.

Use a quality top dressing and work it into the surface. Don't swamp the grass.

Overseeding is als a good way to settle the sward.

I doubt it's a good idea to put compost on your lawn. It will encourage moss.

Better to use an autumn fertiliser.

Visit http://www.rolawn.co.uk/

They are the best in this country. We have a Minster Pro lawn and it's superb.
:thumbup:

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2016 10:17 pm
by Uncle Fester
Have four Leyland Cypress out the back against the boundary wall. They were topped years ago but have grown back up in the meantime. They are taller than the house behind!

So put my climbing gear to good use and had a go at them yesterday. Spent all day doing just one of them but it's at a manageable height now. Any tips on a decent electric chainsaw for the next round?

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2016 11:25 pm
by kagamusha
My October planted garlic is storming along.

Nearly time to start pruning the roses.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2016 11:29 pm
by globus
Uncle Fester wrote:Have four Leyland Cypress out the back against the boundary wall. They were topped years ago but have grown back up in the meantime. They are taller than the house behind!

So put my climbing gear to good use and had a go at them yesterday. Spent all day doing just one of them but it's at a manageable height now. Any tips on a decent electric chainsaw for the next round?
I've got a Stihl. With over 140 Leylandii, you need a bit of oomph.

Biggest problem is getting rid of the clippings. My fella uses the Guy Fawkes' bonfire.

So, we are OK for another year. Hedge exactly 8ft high, thanks to a laser line.

Neighbours happy.

Care about trimming too hard on the sides. You'll just get a lot of bare and brown patches,which will not recover.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2016 11:31 pm
by globus
kagamusha wrote:My October planted garlic is storming along.

Nearly time to start pruning the roses.
My Turkish pal grows garlic on the Isle of Wight!

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2016 12:38 pm
by Uncle Fester
Used a hire Stihl mse140c. Very happy with it. Shame it's discontinued. Would love a cordless one but can't justify the expense.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2016 2:44 pm
by globus
Uncle Fester wrote:Used a hire Stihl mse140c. Very happy with it. Shame it's discontinued. Would love a cordless one but can't justify the expense.
Chopping through the cable is usually what happens.

The lithium ones are about £300. Get a petrol/two stroke number.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 8:15 pm
by Uncle Fester
Ended up buying a €70 job from Aldi.
Spare chain for €15.
It cuts like a beast.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 8:47 pm
by Salix
Uncle Fester wrote:Ended up buying a €70 job from Aldi.
Spare chain for €15.
It cuts like a beast.
Hopefully you cut yourself then you'll employ someone like me in future!;)

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 8:51 pm
by Uncle Fester
You do the job full time?
It's only a few leylandii i want to get under control. hard part is getting rid of the green waste. I'm keeping the heavy stuff for fuel.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 9:08 pm
by Salix
Ye im a subby climber. It's a pain the leaf matter. You could burn it in the garden. Great firewood although people generally don't know that.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 9:28 pm
by Uncle Fester
Went to bed last night and there was still smoke lingering over the whole area from the fire i had done earlier.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 8:15 pm
by james garner
Have just moved house and am creating 1 veggie bed per weekend. Up to 3 so far, all with spuds. Have put in sharpes express and British queens so far. As we are now closer to the in laws I have also agreed to prepare and plant the father in laws raised beds as he is retired from digging!

Last year was my first year growing veggies, the old house has a veggie patch that had been neglected. It was infested with scutch grass, and I removed about half a ton of stones. The spuds did well despite blight, as did the chard, kale and salad leaves.

Next up I need to tackle the jungle section of my new garden, complete with an infestation of mont bretia, no idea how to get rid of that. Flamethrower?

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 7:27 pm
by james garner
Lots of mint bretia attacked, keeps growing back..

Put in a new huge veggie bed, herb garden and cleared more jungle; things I found on the jungle, a carpet, Lino, an umbrella, a rotting table, remains of a fire that seem to be a wash bag, 20 metres of water pipe, 4 black currant bushes!

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 7:42 pm
by james garner
Where's the fun in that!

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 8:05 pm
by Boobs not Moobs
As a complete gardening newbie I spent hours potting some plants yesterday evening. Had to get the correct soil etc etc etc. I'm growing them out front because I don't go out back often and whilst they're growing I'm more likely to care for them if I see them every day.

Went for 4 azaleas, 1 rhododendron which my dad bought and needs some work as it's a but leggy, 2 campanula's super hardy need very little care and they flower late. Heather which I bought on a whim because it smelt nice and 4 small shrubs that I bought from the poundshop and they're all doing quite well but I can't remember what they are. It's a bit of a hodge podge so we'll see what happens, might opt for a raised bed but this is a start. Bought a jenga set to use to raise the pots as I couldn't find proper feet and they worked really well.

Yes I know my front bit needs sorting, I'm going to paint the sills and re-cement the wall and paint the fence. The ugly box is for recycling. I got sick of having it cluttering up the house. I'm hoping I can hide it a bit when the plants grow.

Image

My question is the pic of the close up shrub (netting is to stop cat shit) I want to move this to a pot and get rid of the raised bed outback. It's about 1.5 tall and I did a bit of digging (haha) and discovered it's a pieris formosa. Anyone moved a large shrub to a large container?

Image

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 8:20 pm
by lemonhead
james garner wrote:Have just moved house and am creating 1 veggie bed per weekend. Up to 3 so far, all with spuds. Have put in sharpes express and British queens so far. As we are now closer to the in laws I have also agreed to prepare and plant the father in laws raised beds as he is retired from digging!

Last year was my first year growing veggies, the old house has a veggie patch that had been neglected. It was infested with scutch grass, and I removed about half a ton of stones. The spuds did well despite blight, as did the chard, kale and salad leaves.

Next up I need to tackle the jungle section of my new garden, complete with an infestation of mont bretia, no idea how to get rid of that. Flamethrower?
You have my sympathy mate. Spent my entire gardening life trying to get rid of that shite and like all those combined efforts a flamethrower is just delaying the inevitable.

Only way is to dig up every last corm and free the ground up. Riddling the topsoil through a crate is worth it towards the end. Good luck.

Oh, and re Pieris: might be a little late to dig up for this year, best time is just after winter when things are starting back into growth. If you have to do something now, drench the shite out of it for a few days before lifting (ideally rainwater) and find the biggest pot you can to accommodate what will be quite a large root system.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 7:09 pm
by james garner
c69 wrote:
james garner wrote:Where's the fun in that!
The fun is sitting down on the patio drinking wine and eating BBQ food
That does sound good tbf

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 7:13 pm
by james garner
lemonhead wrote:
james garner wrote:Have just moved house and am creating 1 veggie bed per weekend. Up to 3 so far, all with spuds. Have put in sharpes express and British queens so far. As we are now closer to the in laws I have also agreed to prepare and plant the father in laws raised beds as he is retired from digging!

Last year was my first year growing veggies, the old house has a veggie patch that had been neglected. It was infested with scutch grass, and I removed about half a ton of stones. The spuds did well despite blight, as did the chard, kale and salad leaves.

Next up I need to tackle the jungle section of my new garden, complete with an infestation of mont bretia, no idea how to get rid of that. Flamethrower?
You have my sympathy mate. Spent my entire gardening life trying to get rid of that shite and like all those combined efforts a flamethrower is just delaying the inevitable.

Yep all the research I have done suggests the same, lots of sieving of soil ahead..
Only way is to dig up every last corm and free the ground up. Riddling the topsoil through a crate is worth it towards the end. Good luck.

Oh, and re Pieris: might be a little late to dig up for this year, best time is just after winter when things are starting back into growth. If you have to do something now, drench the shite out of it for a few days before lifting (ideally rainwater) and find the biggest pot you can to accommodate what will be quite a large root system.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 8:15 pm
by james garner
Does anyone keep chickens? My partner has signed up to take 4 rescue hens at the weekend, she has found a coop with a ( tiny) built in run, I need to build a fox proof run of decent size at the weekend! Any tips?

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 8:19 pm
by Uncle Fester
Horsetail
Advice?

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 9:00 pm
by james garner
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=257

The fil has it in all his raised veggie beds, I have learned to be careful when pulling it, if you don't get the roots it just comes back and back

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 9:02 pm
by Uncle Fester
The roots go two metres underground!!!

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 9:06 pm
by Saint
Weedkiller, followed by weedkiller, followed by weedkiller.

3 or 4 years worth of treatments should pretty much do it

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 9:50 pm
by Uncle Fester
Tried it. Didn't work. Roundup scorches the bits it touches but doesn't get absorbed any further. Waxy outer protects it from being absorbed properly.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 10:25 pm
by Saint
You need to properly bruise it before applying the weedkiller. Stomping all over it for about half an hour or so will do the trick.

But I wasn't kidding about how long you'll need to keep it up

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Wed May 17, 2017 5:37 am
by Ewinkum
james garner wrote:Does anyone keep chickens? My partner has signed up to take 4 rescue hens at the weekend, she has found a coop with a ( tiny) built in run, I need to build a fox proof run of decent size at the weekend! Any tips?
The tiny built in run is useful because you can move the coop around, giving the inmates a fresh patch of grass to rip up every day or two.
A bigger run tends to be permanent and the enclosed area will turn to muck pretty quickly.

Best solution I can think of is Waco fencing. The stuff used around construction sites. Panels are 8 ft long and 6 ft high. It's lightweight and easy enough to move around. The run will be built in an hour and you can hit the pub for the rest of the day.
You'll have to block off the bottom six inches (8ft planks), but once the hens are secured at night you shouldnt have any trouble with foxes.

A fox proof fence would need to be buried about 18 inches but a locked coop makes that unnecessary.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Wed May 17, 2017 5:41 am
by Shrekles
Ewinkum wrote:
james garner wrote:Does anyone keep chickens? My partner has signed up to take 4 rescue hens at the weekend, she has found a coop with a ( tiny) built in run, I need to build a fox proof run of decent size at the weekend! Any tips?
The tiny built in run is useful because you can move the coop around, giving the inmates a fresh patch of grass to rip up every day or two.
A bigger run tends to be permanent and the enclosed area will turn to muck pretty quickly.

Best solution I can think of is Waco fencing. The stuff used around construction sites. Panels are 8 ft long and 6 ft high. It's lightweight and easy enough to move around. The run will be built in an hour and you can hit the pub for the rest of the day.
You'll have to block off the bottom six inches (8ft planks), but once the hens are secured at night you shouldnt have any trouble with foxes.

A fox proof fence would need to be buried about 18 inches but a locked coop makes that unnecessary.
Chickens are great - there is nothing better than your own fresh eggs. A movable chicken tractor is a good idea - it will keep the foxes out and you can move it around the garden so that they scratch up bugs and fertilize the garden.

To make a permanent fox proof structure you need to sink the fence wire at least 12" into the ground, it needs to be heavy gauge wire as they can go through lighter gauges, and you need to roof it as well. If you leave any gap the bastards will find a way in and take all your flock in one go.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Wed May 17, 2017 5:52 am
by Ewinkum
james garner wrote:
lemonhead wrote:
james garner wrote:Have just moved house and am creating 1 veggie bed per weekend. Up to 3 so far, all with spuds. Have put in sharpes express and British queens so far. As we are now closer to the in laws I have also agreed to prepare and plant the father in laws raised beds as he is retired from digging!

Last year was my first year growing veggies, the old house has a veggie patch that had been neglected. It was infested with scutch grass, and I removed about half a ton of stones. The spuds did well despite blight, as did the chard, kale and salad leaves.

Next up I need to tackle the jungle section of my new garden, complete with an infestation of mont bretia, no idea how to get rid of that. Flamethrower?
You have my sympathy mate. Spent my entire gardening life trying to get rid of that shite and like all those combined efforts a flamethrower is just delaying the inevitable.

Yep all the research I have done suggests the same, lots of sieving of soil ahead..
Only way is to dig up every last corm and free the ground up. Riddling the topsoil through a crate is worth it towards the end. Good luck.

Oh, and re Pieris: might be a little late to dig up for this year, best time is just after winter when things are starting back into growth. If you have to do something now, drench the shite out of it for a few days before lifting (ideally rainwater) and find the biggest pot you can to accommodate what will be quite a large root system.
Smallish kids are great for grabbing bulbs.
Get a couple of them and tell them it's 5c a bulb, or "most bulbs gets a prize".
You dig. They pick.

The only way around this is through it.
Dig the whole plot over and pick all you can.
Then wait until the survivors sprout and dig it all over again.
They're a lot easier to spot with stems attached and will come out much easier as individuals once the main clumps are gone.
I've found two passes usually gets the job done, but keep an eye out for the odd chancer for another year or so afterwards.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Wed May 17, 2017 9:11 am
by lorcanoworms
I am happy to report my plums have not shrivelled up and died this year, unlike last year.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Wed May 17, 2017 10:43 am
by globus
Toms and herbs coming up well in the greenhouse.

Just re-potted the camellia after it has flowered.

Levelling the lawn with Rolawn top-dressing.

Rhododendron in full bloom.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue May 23, 2017 6:26 pm
by james garner
Ewinkum wrote:
james garner wrote:Does anyone keep chickens? My partner has signed up to take 4 rescue hens at the weekend, she has found a coop with a ( tiny) built in run, I need to build a fox proof run of decent size at the weekend! Any tips?
The tiny built in run is useful because you can move the coop around, giving the inmates a fresh patch of grass to rip up every day or two.
A bigger run tends to be permanent and the enclosed area will turn to muck pretty quickly.

Best solution I can think of is Waco fencing. The stuff used around construction sites. Panels are 8 ft long and 6 ft high. It's lightweight and easy enough to move around. The run will be built in an hour and you can hit the pub for the rest of the day.
You'll have to block off the bottom six inches (8ft planks), but once the hens are secured at night you shouldnt have any trouble with foxes.

A fox proof fence would need to be buried about 18 inches but a locked coop makes that unnecessary.
So I got home on Friday, built the coop with built in run and realised it would take all of 5 minutes for a fox to break in. Saturday was a mad dash round to source wood and wire to build a decent run the coop could go in to. I used small square mesh wire buried to about a foot, will put in some normal chicken wire around the bottom outside edge and coming out about a foot just under the soil to deter digging further. I was building the thing until 10 pm on Sunday! The ladies seem happy and are loving being real hens, amazing how quickly they adapt as they have never seen the outside before

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue May 23, 2017 6:30 pm
by Mick Mannock
lorcanoworms wrote:I am happy to report my plums have not shrivelled up and died this year, unlike last year.
Mine are hanging in there. Apples are either great, or absent though, depending on the variety.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue May 23, 2017 6:32 pm
by lorcanoworms
Mick Mannock wrote:
lorcanoworms wrote:I am happy to report my plums have not shrivelled up and died this year, unlike last year.
Mine are hanging in there. Apples are either great, or absent though, depending on the variety.
Apples not looking good , pears by the bucket load.

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue May 23, 2017 6:36 pm
by james garner
Shrekles wrote:
Ewinkum wrote:
james garner wrote:Does anyone keep chickens? My partner has signed up to take 4 rescue hens at the weekend, she has found a coop with a ( tiny) built in run, I need to build a fox proof run of decent size at the weekend! Any tips?
The tiny built in run is useful because you can move the coop around, giving the inmates a fresh patch of grass to rip up every day or two.
A bigger run tends to be permanent and the enclosed area will turn to muck pretty quickly.

Best solution I can think of is Waco fencing. The stuff used around construction sites. Panels are 8 ft long and 6 ft high. It's lightweight and easy enough to move around. The run will be built in an hour and you can hit the pub for the rest of the day.
You'll have to block off the bottom six inches (8ft planks), but once the hens are secured at night you shouldnt have any trouble with foxes.

A fox proof fence would need to be buried about 18 inches but a locked coop makes that unnecessary.
Chickens are great - there is nothing better than your own fresh eggs. A movable chicken tractor is a good idea - it will keep the foxes out and you can move it around the garden so that they scratch up bugs and fertilize the garden.

To make a permanent fox proof structure you need to sink the fence wire at least 12" into the ground, it needs to be heavy gauge wire as they can go through lighter gauges, and you need to roof it as well. If you leave any gap the bastards will find a way in and take all your flock in one go.
I read that smaller gauge and smaller square holes is better so that foxes can't get their teeth around it? For a roof I was thinking of corrugated plastic, over the wire. Tbh the whole run will have been adapted and reinforced when I get back from work at the weekend, the Fil has taken a huge interest and is worried about the hens being too cold and safe enough etc, he's a huge animal lover and I think he will have created chicken fort knocks by the time I am next at home!

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue May 23, 2017 6:40 pm
by Sards
I have no more grass. Just a few tufts here and there which the dogs are chewing on. Ferns are shrivelling up. I feel guilty giving them water and guilty when I dont

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue May 23, 2017 7:43 pm
by Laurent
lorcanoworms wrote:
Mick Mannock wrote:
lorcanoworms wrote:I am happy to report my plums have not shrivelled up and died this year, unlike last year.
Mine are hanging in there. Apples are either great, or absent though, depending on the variety.
Apples not looking good , pears by the bucket load.
get a still that's the only good thing you can make with them. :twisted:

Re: The PR Gardening thread.

Posted: Tue May 23, 2017 8:23 pm
by kagamusha
Poor year thus far for growing in Dorset, very cold and very dry.

I run a four crop rotation on raised beds made from roof joists.

Potatoes are doing well, first and second earlies this year instead of maincrops. Yield from maincrops was poor last year and there was a fair amount of slug and wire worm damage.

I have broad beans and runners just started off.

About 180 onion sets growing OK, plus my autumn sown garlic.

Fourth bed has Swiss chard (not attacked by cabbage whites) and spinach (not that cheap to buy).

I have given up on brassicas, you really need a proper cage of some sort to stop the cabbage whites and I am yet to be convinced about the economic of that.