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  • Re: Mice, rabbits and Voles, Oh My!

    Forum post by Rainmaker on 22 Feb 2008

    I'm after the opposite - a bit of plant damage I don't mind for voles/mice/rabbits etc. - viva la wildlife garden. I am, on the other hand, trying to come up with ideas for animals that do away with* the [i]neighbours[/i] cats that do their business in my garden. Chewed plants or cat c**p? I'll take the chewed plants anytime. *Or anything to keep them away - I would prefer a non-bloody method, but hey, if its OK for cat owners, its OK for non-cat owners, eh? *shakes head and wanders away angrily Read more..

  • Re: Cleaning

    Forum post by Rainmaker on 13 Feb 2008

    I must admit, I started to read this thread utterly aghast...I'd never even considered cleaning the pots (something I also get accused of INSIDE the house too ;-)); thanks to you three, I feel a bit less 'scruffy'! I think I may have sprayed the outside of terracotta pots that had gone green, but that's it. The only thing I've ever had was some sort of cobwebby-esque fungus, which I think originated in the lollipop sticks I was using for labelling. And this was only in a heated propagator that was Read more..

  • Re: Is it spring already?

    Forum post by Rainmaker on 05 Feb 2008

    I could have picked a large bunch of Daffs on Xmas Eve from the garden at work, just outside Manchester...! Also, for some reason, my strawberry has flowered all winter, including last time I checked it a couple of weekends ago!! Having said that, it flowered beautifully all summer and never produced a fruit - I'm moving it to a sunnier place! My clematis looks like the leaf buds are opening too....and that's right in the draught that sweeps through part of the garden. On another note, out on my Read more..

  • Re: How to strengthen sweet peas

    Forum post by Rainmaker on 31 Jan 2008

    [quote][b]Posted by:[/b] digger Once the sweet peas are planted out, they are pinched and a second shoot is then used as the main stem and the actual main stem is disregarded in favour of the side stem, the theory being that a superior bloom is produced from a side stem? next the sweet peas are trained up a cane which is attatched to wires and set at an angle, this angle then ensures that the flower stem is straight along it's entire length and doesn't have a kink at the base.[/quote] Excellent, Read more..

  • Re: How to strengthen sweet peas

    Forum post by Rainmaker on 28 Jan 2008

    Chop their heads off! No, really, once the second set of leaves is out, nip off the head. This will mean they branch out more, giving a better plant as it grows up, as well as temporarily slowing down upward growth. Mine are going in the greenhouse soon - but beware they aren't hardy! (I know a frost is due end of this week oop norf). Read more..

  • Re: January: This month I be sowing...

    Forum post by Rainmaker on 24 Jan 2008

    [quote][b]Posted by:[/b] miranda I shan't be starting anything till next month, mainly because that's when it starts getting lighter again. A neighbour here swears by starting his tomato seeds on February the 14th. The first will be tomatoes and then chillies. I've got some new chillies to try - there's Yellow Thai, Red Rocotto and [color=#ff1493]Purple Tiger[/color] - the latter were sent to me by Phot's Moll (thanks, PM!). Looking forward to seeing how they all get on. [/quote] Very nice chilli Read more..

  • 2007/8 Seed Swap?

    Forum post by Rainmaker on 09 Oct 2007

    Before the RHS gets there's into gear (end of the month!), anyone fancy doing seed swaps again? I've got: Sweet peas Morning glory (mix of std purple & heavenly blue - not sure if they hybridise?) Dahlia (these do hybridise, so can't guarantee that they will be large & rich purple!) Eryngium planum (purple thistle look-a-like) Mirabilis jalapa (limited number, mostly in pink-purple, though I do have a mixed bag of bright pink and yellow seeds (my bad!), although I can't give too many of those away Read more..

  • Re: unusual veg

    Forum post by Rainmaker on 01 Oct 2007

    Damn, means I'll have to BUY a blueberry plant, as I've just ordered the freebie one from gardeners world magazine.....! I like the idea of the physalis too - I was looknig at maybe getting one of those after reading an article on fruit-related thingymabobs, and the physalis looked tasty, as well as having an attractive form. Read more..

  • Re: unusual veg

    Forum post by Rainmaker on 01 Oct 2007

    Does that mean 2 bushes are needed for fruit to form? Or does it just form sterile fruit? And did Sally the dog enjoy?!! Read more..

  • Re: unusual veg

    Forum post by Rainmaker on 01 Oct 2007

    I'm going to try purple broccolli next year - it has the advantage over "normal" broccoli in that you get multiple florets rather than just the one! Also, blueberries! Read more..