Getting started - All Comments

re: Getting back in the saddle

miranda — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:47:58 GMT

Hello Geoff, I've been growing Martock broadbeans for a few years now and like them very much. It's a short pod and the beans are small, with just three to five in a pod, but they are very tasty and not at all bitter. I also noticed that they coped far better with aphids compared to the other broad beans I grew. I save and share my saved seed every year.

I also had my beans from the Heritage Seed Library and they put a little slip of paper in with it, which said this:

'An old landrace variety grown in Somerset for centuries, probably not much changed from the small-seeded beans that were a mainstay of the medieval diet. Donated to the Heritage Seed Library in the 1970s by Steve Oxbrow, who came across an advert in his local paper where the Bishop of Bath and Wells was offering samples of the beans in exchange for a donation to the cathedral roof restoration fund. The earliest reference to them is in the manorial account rolls of 1293. A robust bean with small pods and a meaty taste that was welcome on fast days. “Martock men be full of beans! If you shake a Martock man he rattles!”'

re: Getting back in the saddle

Febcos — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:34:23 GMT

Hi geoff, will you be posting about your outcome of the seedbed roll, As i am a stockist and very keen on your thoughts.

re: Getting back in the saddle

Febcos — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:30:19 GMT

Hi Geoff, will you be posting a review of the seedbed rolls, as i am a stockist and very keen to hear your thoughts of the product.

re: Going backwards – and then forwards

miranda — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:21:55 GMT

I've been thinking about your compacted soil and wondering how, when you've been mulching the beds, it could become compacted. From the no-dig gardening I've done, because the soil is mulched every year and then disturbed as little as possible, the soil is wonderful and has never compacted. Your beds should be full of worms and other creatures, turning and aerating the soil. How thick a layer of compost have you been putting down?

I'm wondering if it might be something to do with the tree roots drying out the clay rather than the under layer just solidifying on its own.

All About Gardening

All About Gardening — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:27:05 GMT

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re: The end of all good things

Sarit — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:42:06 GMT

Dear Liz,

cover any spare dug/cleared ground with something, cardboard, black plastic, etc. There may not be any weeds now but there sure will be come March!

re: The end of all good things

Liz03 — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:07:36 GMT

Hello Geoff

I have an allotment but neglect it horribly. What do I need to do now? There are still some potatoes there that I must dig up. I haven't been near the place for several weeks although half of it is nicely dug. Do I leave the dug areas clear and tidy or do I need to plant something? I bought some onion sets from the gardening club trading store last week and thought I might plant them - but is that the right thing to do? So many questions, so little knowledge and even smaller amounts of motivation.....!!!

regards, Liz03

re: Stenner line

Dai Dibber — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 19:05:27 GMT

The Stenner Bean is known as ENORMA in the catalogues. Brython Stenner - now sadly passed away - only lived a few miles away from me, and I am friendly with his son, who would you believe it, knows nothing at all about gardening - that's sad!!!

re: Stenner line

Geoff Hodge — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:42:11 GMT

Sue

I was 'over the moon, David' when I won - I'm also pleased that the selection of prizes left on the table weren't just the four prizes I'd donated to the raffle!

That's great news that they taste good too. Mind you my girlfriend, who is Gardening Editor of Garden News, is planning on entering some shows this year, so I just hope she doesn't snaffle them all before I get a chance to eat some.

re: Stenner line

sue1002 — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:42:59 GMT

Well done for winning a prize Geoff, Digger grows the Stenner runner beans for the showbench, he sent me some of the seeds which I grew last year and they grew to a fair old size and tasted good too. I saved some seed off them myself and am growing them again this year along with my trusted favourite 'Lady Di' which have a very good taste and are stringless.

scorcher | Fetion

scorcher | Fetion — Sat, 24 May 2008 03:25:32 GMT

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re: Don't get caught out

Digger — Fri, 09 May 2008 08:38:33 GMT

This has happened with some of my sweetpeas all the top foliage is dried up, i think they might recover with some tlc

re: It's all my fault!

Phot's-Moll — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:05:19 GMT

The organic pellets from Growing Success work for me. They don't have to be replaced if they get wet.

re: It's all my fault!

Guy Barter — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:49:07 GMT

I have used these pellets extensively and think they work well, but it is hard to be be sure as the slugs do not conspicuously slime to death as ones poisoned by metaldehyde do.

However, I have researched the scientific literature and there is good evidence for the effectiveness of Iron phosphate: www.slugcontrol.rothamsted.ac.uk/SlugsBrochure.pdf

I use them for general pre-emptive control and then spot treat any hotspots of slug damage with metaldehyde pellets.

Although there is no firm evidence for the harmful effects of metaldehyde pellets, Iron phospahe is even less likely to be damagaing: www.epa.gov/.../factsheet_034903.htm

re: It's all my fault!

Geoff Hodge — Fri, 02 May 2008 09:16:36 GMT

Graham: no I haven't tried it, but had reports that it becomes ineffective quite quickly and needs regular re-application.

Max: Thanks for your comments. I am a firm believer (having seen plenty of research) that slug pellets do no harm to birds and hedgehogs (providing they are used correctly). I also use them at home where I have a garden (that is typical for a semi-detached in a suburban area) full of frogs and toads, two families of hedgehogs and, in the last two years, regular visits from thrushes. I also have a cat. All seem to live quite happily with the slug pellets.