Idle chat - OLD

Last post 06-08-2010 3:28 PM by admin. 7645 replies.

• 29/03/2010 02:26 PM

  In reply to

  Susiq Location: Northumberland Joined on: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 3,125

  Locked Reply | Contact Hi everyone, Hope you enjoyed the match Roundelder! Sounds like you were gonna be comfy anyway! Lovely pics of the birds, I hung up a 'niger seed' feeder this weekend, so far there doesn't appear to be any takers! My good news is that the pair of pied wagtails have come back - they nest (I'm assuming its the same pair) in a big pile of boulders we have in the garden - they are the only birds that Portia seems to ignore Glass Miranda - that's naughty, at least they refunded it without quibble - we've ordered a load of topsoil for the polytunnel area, god knows what I'll find in that, but we got it at a good price, so I won't be quibbling, it is bulk top stuff afterall - ya never know, I might find some ancient treasure - ha ha wishful thinking methinks! Wet one here too Sue, so will go up the GH this aft'. Belated happy birthday to your OH Hope you enjoy your meal on Wed Richard, where are you going? - what a lot of birthdays this week - I'll be another year older on Easter Sunday. Eva I'm going to send you a PM re the parsnips - its too long an article for here, and I don't think they have a web link. The short story is to leave the plank over the seeds for approx 21 days till they germinate, they need lots of moisture.

• 29/03/2010 03:15 PM

  In reply to

  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 4,081

  Locked Reply | Contact Congratulation, Pops!  So, where are the pics? Can't see them from here. Susiq, we also ordered some top soil last year and I have to say that it wasn't very good. It seemed like a mix of wood chips, road sweepings and a bit of actual, real soil. There was a large amount of windscreen glass in it for starters and it also seemed, how to say, dead. It's okay for mixing in to open up clay soil, or for mixing in with another compost, but not much good to use on its own. Hope the wagtails decide to stay!

• 29/03/2010 03:40 PM	In reply to
  Susiq Location: Northumberland Joined on: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 3,125	Locked Reply | Contact Thanx Miranda. I'm hoping this lot of topsoil will be better than the last lot we got too! This new stuff is from an old strawberry growing place, so I'm trying to be the eternal optimist

• 29/03/2010 04:16 PM

  In reply to

  richardpeeej Location: Leicestershire Joined on: 22 May 2009 Posts: 3,499

  Locked Reply | Contact Hi all it is quite cold here today also Sue. I'm late on duty as I have been emptying my car ready for the scrapyard. It is a shame really as the engine has only done 54,000 miles but the wheel arches are rusty and there needs to be some welding done - it is not worth me spending money on it as I don't really need it anymore. Congrats from me also grandad Arrem,  hope all is well with the family. Have you got any pics? Susiq - we are going for a midday meal in a local restaurant/pub so that should be good - we have been there a few times before. Hope you have more luck with the new topsoil for your poytunnel. Will you be growing your tomatoes in there?. My free seeds came the other day from rhs and I had moneymaker tomatoes and carrots. How did you manage to take a close up shot of your mouse Miranda (zoom lens?). We had a similar looking one in our garden but when he saw me he didn't wait for me to take his pic he just disappeared in a flash - did you ask him to stay still? -Richard

• 29/03/2010 06:12 PM

  In reply to

  lillyrose Location: kent Joined on: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 2,973

  Locked Reply | Contact Hi all, only just logged on as been busy today, gosh there was alot to read, congrats Arrem where are the pics then? Thanks for info on tulips Eva i will be ordering some for next year, bet you have been busy today, hope weather bit better where you are its been raining all day here and its really cold, not the weather for gardening and not the weather for being off work. Hope your OH had a good birthday yesterday Sue. Miranda you were so lucky you didnt cut yourself on the glass in compost, i quite often take out handfuls of compost from the bag instead of tipping it out which for you could have been lethal!!!. I will have a go at lily scales, nothing to lose have I and if it means more lilies cant complain at that. Susiq that was interesting about covering up the parsnip seeds, as soon as it stops pouring i will do that with mine as ive heard they are quite hard to get to grow. Are you sad about your car Richard? mine is really battered and rough looking now and always full of dog hairs and bits of bark(from the logs we load in it for our open fire) but i wouldn't part with her, my runnerbeans are about 6inches tall and after reading what you have done with yours i think i will do the same but keep the tub in the greenhouse till it can go outside. Right off out again in the rain with the dogs, we have the fire blazing as its so cold and im not looking forward to leaving it, oh well, needs must

• 29/03/2010 06:24 PM

  In reply to

  Arrem Location: Staffordshire. UK Joined on: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 243

  Locked Reply | Contact  Sorry about the pictures.  Apparently my post had to be moderated before it was posted and I was unable to check the pictures were actually there. (Yes, I should have previewed the post shouldn't I?) I've corrected that now, and hopefully you will see them OK.  On a different topic - topsoil - I'm not sure where you are getting your's from, but Dandy's provided mine and it is good quality stuff.  They do have a website where you can find out about costs/delivery etc.  I've just seen they have a 50% sale on at the moment www.dandystopsoil.co.uk/index.php   There is no such thing as useless - you can always be a bad example.

• 29/03/2010 06:33 PM

  In reply to

  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 9,503

  Locked Reply | Contact  Congratulations on becoming a grandad Arrem, is the little fella as quiet as he looks? I'm sure once the birds know the niger feeder is there Susiq, you will get a few takers for it Yes Richard, best to make sure the car is completely empty before it goes to the scrapyard I've never tried propagating lily bulbs with scales lillyrose.  I saw how it was done on Friday's GW and it looks straightforward enough but with having to wait a couple of years growing the bulbs on, I think I'll take the lazy way out and leave my lily bulbs to multiply on their own and separate them when they become large enough. sue1002

• 29/03/2010 06:37 PM

  In reply to

  EvaInNL Location: Holland Joined on: 25 Sep 2009 Posts: 1,759

  Locked Reply | Contact Congratulations Arrem! Do you have the 'spoil him rotten' plan mapped out yet? I think the pics were probably late in displaying becuase the moderator was oohing and ahwing over him! Gorgeous! Just a quick updat on Deliverygate: bell just rang and parcel number 2 - which I wasn't expecting - arrived: I now have everything double... I enjoyed a Victor M moment when I finally realised what had happened... To be or not to be (honest), that is the question... Will read all other posts later, must dash and get some shopping done!

• 29/03/2010 06:40 PM

  In reply to

  BB Location: Hereford Joined on: 12 May 2009 Posts: 729

  Locked Reply | Contact  Hi All, congratulations Arrem - gorgeous photo's of your new arrival! Spring is a lovely time for a new baby I hope your OH has a nice birthday on Wednesday Richard and that you have a nice birthday at the weekend Susiq. Just to add to the list (along with Sue's OH) it is our son's birthday tomorrow! So there seems to be quite a glut of celebrations at the moment. I'm not sure that is the correct collective noun for celebrations! I hope you are enjoying your break from work Eva, I know how I look forward to holidays from work even when they're spent at home. I have never tried peeling away the layers off lily bulbs to propogate them - but I planted 3 lily bulbs in a pot a couple of years ago and last year I had 5 lily stalks flowering. The waterbutt at the allotment was left behind Sue, by the previous tenant and was just stuck in the middle of nowhere after he removed his shed. We have moved it now to behind the greenhouse and we are going to rig up some guttering from the greenhouse into the newly positioned butt.We still have quite a few jobs to do at the allotment but I have started with the planting too. So far I have parsnips, beetroot, broad beans and 1st early potatoes in there. I am going to sow my beans (french and runner) this weekend and hopefully by the time they get to 6" tall, it will be time to plant them out. Is it time to sow the sweetcorn seeds Miranda?   BB

• 29/03/2010 08:00 PM	In reply to
  lillyrose Location: kent Joined on: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 2,973	Locked Reply | Contact Arrem just looked at photos, he is ADORABLE, you must be so proud, and rightly so

• 29/03/2010 09:34 PM	In reply to
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 9,503	Locked Reply | Contact  Excellent news with parcel number 2 Eva  I'd keep quiet and regard it as compo for having to wait so long That's a good idea to run some guttering off the greenhouse BB, the water butt by ours collects quite a bit of water off the greenhouse roof.  I will be starting off sweetcorn seeds in pots in the greenhouse next week. sue1002

• 30/03/2010 12:02 AM

  In reply to

  richardpeeej Location: Leicestershire Joined on: 22 May 2009 Posts: 3,499

  Locked Reply | Contact Great pics of your grandson Arrem - you must be very proud, he has a fine head of hair! I agree with Sue Eva. The company seemed to have been very disorganised with their delivery, so you can be disorganised with your returns and if they ask for them back say they are ready for collection in your allotment ground! You have had a busy time on the allotment BB you should be well stocked up for veg when it all comes up. When I had my allotment before we used to swap veg with each other when we had too much of one thing. Yes Sue the car is empty now ready to go -I won't miss it Lillyrose as I don't use it much. It would have been much cheaper to travel by taxi this last year for the amount of times I used it by paying tax insurance petrol etc. - I suppose I could use it as a mini greenhouse -Richard

• 30/03/2010 08:39 AM	In reply to
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 9,503	Locked Reply | Contact  Morning all, it's a very wet one here Thinking of using the car as a mini greenhouse Richard? hmmn, you would have somewhere comfortable to sit down inside it sue1002

• 30/03/2010 09:11 AM

  In reply to

  lillyrose Location: kent Joined on: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 2,973

  Locked Reply | Contact Morning all, its still raining , we had a massive storm last night the thunder was so loud it shook the ground and seemed like it was right over the top of us, no chance of doing anything in garden again That second parcel was a nice bonus Eva, agree with Sue about keeping quiet, they messed you about enough after all. A few years ago i took out a subscription to gardeners world and the gift was a pair of garden shears, I waited week after week and they never arrived so i rang them up and ended up getting 3 over a couple of weeks. How easy is sweetcorn to grow |Sue? would like to give it a go but not sure about space needed, we all love it but it is so tasteless from supermarket.

• 30/03/2010 09:50 AM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 4,596	Locked Reply | Contact  What's going on? I've been away for a few days and come back to find there are 4 idle chat threads!!!!  We went to Sissinghurst yesterday. I've never been before, although I've read about it and seen lots of pictures. Even at this time of year, there was plenty to see and lots of colour. http://patsysplot.blogspot.co.uk/