Getting the garden going this spring

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Getting the garden going this spring
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Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15985

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 24 9:12 am Post subject:
I think squash need above a certain temperature to germinate. Have you been able to give them that? I have trouble with them and courgettes most years for that reason.

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8939
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 24 9:28 am Post subject:
They are some of the seeds that I germinate on damp paper in a takeaway box. That is a good way to check seed viability..and is also generally faster than in compost

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 24 12:33 pm Post subject:

slow gardening here as well, i have managed to "hermit crab" 4 of the perennial herbs into bigger sizes over six weeks, only a couple more to go

im not sure what to do with the straggly "night lavender", rather fun, it does not smell much during the day but at night it is fragrant and popular with moths when in flower
never met it before, not sure what strain it is, it did well from nursery to first upsized pot on a medium window sill first year but looks a bit shabby after winter
the english lavender looks great in its "new "shell, that version is an old pal that has been in the family for several generations, cloning is great with some plants

im toying with taking cuttings off the night one and see if a trim refreshes the mother and if they strike

gardening has become "light duties as capable" which aint much, hey ho

ps capable got typed as capapable, im turning into trump

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 24 12:54 pm Post subject:

the black mint looks and tastes ok, i wont feed it until it tries to flower and has had a "top cut"

the base of a plastic bottle in the planting pot works a treat with the mints that like part swamp/part damp soil
shockingly long-lasting as well, potentially a next to end of life use for the things, buried in no dig beds to increase water retention might be a fitting last task for them

artificial aquifer right where it is needed by plants

i might have a trial with some thirsty ones in the big black pots, the results and root autopsy might be educational and popping a bottle bum in the bottom of a pot is no effort

i have done similar with the fish boxes, drain holes a couple of inches above base level, it works

no tall male mutts added plenty of locations for "container"gardening that were challenging when there were contented customers in the gents

i need to consider the shed thing carefully, maybe drawings will help

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 24 1:47 pm Post subject:

a rather tangential garden thought, soil and germination temp etc

the data is online for most commercial seed strains, local conditions of soil temp are easy to measure

re kit, a basic probe such as used in catering can be had for under £10, a basic IR temp reading machine for £20 or around £60 if you want a reliable wide scale one

surface or probe or bare bum(comfy is carrot time

) is best

thermometers in the greenhouse air or on the kitchen wall are not a measure of soil temp, which is a big factor for germination success

Transferable skills suggest that with both the ambient air and whatever "substrate" is used, temp monitoring and control to requirements is wise and important for good results from seed or cuttings

are the worms active? is quite useful for an outside sowing guide, ditto which "weeds" are growing etc

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 24 11:18 am Post subject:

J Arthur Bower's multipurpose compost, 2 x 50 lt bags for £20.49 from amazon

it is what it says on the sack, it does not seem to kill plants, ace price for the quality

if you need some for "clean grow containers for toms and things evilweevils attack etc, it seems ideal

with vermiculite/sand it will do light soil for basil etc

as a basic compost for pot grown stuff it seems ideal

iirc i had some from this firm a few years ago that did well, that mentioned, tis worth reading reviews of any suppliers for this year's products as different "vintages "can be rather different

my own make from the guinea pigs is almost exhausted, the birds bring plenty of nutrients(and so can i) but organic stuff matters, especially to the worm estate manager

tis worm city, many and varied spp is an indication of decent soil condition, it is their job

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 24 6:52 pm Post subject:
The cheap-n-cheerful supermarket composts (brand names though!) are basically not-fully-composted wood chips with the odd streak of plastic. Happy with that for soil bulking / mulching but no good for seeds.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Fri Apr 26, 24 4:27 pm Post subject:
iirc a "well known brand" added some very persistent herbicide of some sort to my world 3 large pots cover the dead patch, at least a decade if not a bit more

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15985

Posted: Sat Apr 27, 24 6:40 am Post subject:

I hope you contacted them to report it. That sort of thing won't do the brand any good at all.

I was trying to take some bags of rotted sawdust enriched soil down the garden yesterday when the wheel came off the wheel barrow. It is a builders barrow and about 20 year old, so not totally unexpected for it to fail one way or another. We have another up in the woods with a rotted tub, so will see if it is possible to make one good one out of two failed ones. Had to go out and get a new wheelbarrow before I could shift the stuff as it was a bit heavy to carry.

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8939
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Sat Apr 27, 24 7:04 am Post subject:
Can you buy replacement wheels? Mine could do with at the least a new tyre...

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Apr 27, 24 3:11 pm Post subject:

barrow wheels used to be available, re tyres, the instant puncture repair stuff in a can works a treat
online might give info as to what is available that would fit in the yoke

tis worth doing on a new one as that means no flats even on a building site with nails etc, and it does usually say on the can that it is safe if you do not go over 50 mph

2 old treasures into one reborn useable barrow might need a blowtorch and big spanner for the wheel nuts, it is easy if you can get the old ones apart and the running gear is sort of compatible

if you have kit for woodland machinery fettling, detaching the wheels will be easy, ditto making things fit. make a couple of brackets or whatever is fairly basic if the replacement won't fit the old ones(they usually do fit)

rather like a T34, a hammer, spanner and torch will fix most barrow issues

not all barrows are equal, some are better avoided or replaced with a nice new one that is up to the job without being a problem

a couple of fettling hints, while you have the wheel off twist the frame back into as trait and even as poss, when the wheel is going on get the tracking correct ie parallel

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8939
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Sat Apr 27, 24 6:23 pm Post subject:
Thanks . Wheel looks ok, tyre and tube shot. Chain oil put on the nuts yesterday should spanner off ok. I have the tyre dimensions, but at about £15 I might just invest in a wheel...as the smaller diameter a wheel, the more of a pig the tyre is to change ( no offence meant to pigs )

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4613
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Sat Apr 27, 24 10:08 pm Post subject:
Get a solid tyre,the new tyre and tube ones on plastic hubs are rubbish,many a time i`ve had a balloon out the side of the tyre.

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4613
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Sat Apr 27, 24 10:08 pm Post subject:
Get a solid tyre,the new tyre and tube ones on plastic hubs are rubbish,many a time i`ve had a balloon out the side of the tyre.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15985

Posted: Sun Apr 28, 24 6:44 am Post subject:
The frame had rusted through and that was the reason the wheel came off. If the frame of the other one is all right, might be able to exchange tubs, but if that has gone too they are both scrap. The new one has a solid tyre.

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