[John]

Oh John!!!!  If only we could see into the future eh?  well. perhaps not!!! LOL

As a big science fiction fan, that idea has been dealt with in lots of stories. In the Dune books, the late Frank Herbert suggested that Paul Atreides and later his son Leto could see the future. Because of this ability, they lost choice and could only follow a path already laid down. Scary thought!

Would be handy to know if we're going to have a good summer though.

[ladybird]

I use copper wire fron old electric cable stapled along the top of raised beds to stop slugs, cheap & efficient!. :idea:

[John]

That put  us back on topic! Clever one

[dave]

1-litre plastic pop bottles

drill hole CENTRAL in base

cut eg 5 vertical slits equally spaced around main body of bottle, plus a small cut at each end at right angles like square bracket  ]  all facing same way

fold and crease each flap thus produced outwards so the thing looks like a sort of turbine

stick narrow enough cane through hole so it rests on the inside of bottle cap

plant in ground


spins in wind and provides hours of innocent fun for the easily amused, such as myself- purportedly scares birds too though I have never actually watched one fleeing from the device

dave

[twysted1]

i use old fishing floats as dibbers and prickers.

[bob_fox]

Scatter a few carpet tiles on your plot. Slugs shelter under them. All you have to do is turn them over and dispose of the slimy things.

[Eristic]

Greengrocers provide lots of useful items for the gardener. Net bags, plastic trays and polystyrene boxes.

Net bags, apart from being used to store your onions can be used to protect small areaa from the ravages of birds.

Plastic trays are just the right size to accomodate 12 small flowerpots. The ones used for tomatoes are best.

The polystyrene boxes are perfect for winter storage of bulbs and similar roots.

[Biscombe]

Again, plastic bottles! we get mole crickets here in Spain that attack plant roots, so I plant everything with a plastic collar! I also sink the top half of a plastic bottle next to thirsty plants! OOOoohohhh and yoghurt pots for planting seeds!!

[John]

Where abouts in Spain are you? My wife fancies moving to Extra Madura  How do you cope with the climate - what gows well, what doesn't - don't worry, a 5,000 word essay will do!

[Biscombe]

HI John!! I live near Granada, at the foot of the Alpujarra mountains  there's a town called Orgiva that's where I am! I love it here, colder in the winter than the coast but it's nice to feel the seasons, very hot in the summer (mid 30's). No problem here growing toms (I've got 7 varieites now flowering) peppers, aubergines, okra waiting to go in! we've got about 70 orange trees and some olive trees! I used to live on the coast it's my second growing year here, I really love it!!! I've never been to Extra madura but have heard it's beautiful.

All the best

Biscombe

[Biscombe]

Sorry John I missed the 'what dosent grow part of the question' The only thing thats a pain is lettuce. The best time to eat lettuce is in the summer!! and it bolts like crazy then!!! I've bought lots of different varieties of slow bolting lettuce this year! apart from that no problems!

[Biscombe]

Sorry John forgot to mention thanks for such a great forum! PS where in Nantwich are you, I used to live on a narrowboat before I moved to Spain 8 years ago! Used to spend a few weeks at the flashes in Middlewich! lovely round there!

[Jake]

At risk of revealing the fact that I've not paid enough attention to some of this site here :oops:

Whats bolting?

I'm very jealous that you've got oranges and olives btw.

[noshed]

It's when your plot is on a site with no lavs.
It's also when plants unexpectedly flower and you can't eat them - like lettuces. I think this is caused by drought.

[John]

It's when your plot is on a site with no lavs.
.

Hysterical  

And don't drink  the brown liquid in the milk bottle on the shed!

Biscombe - we're in Wiststaton which is on the edge of Crewe before the Middlewich road. Closer to Nantwich than Crewe.

You're in a lovely area - we often stay in Torrox, one of those 'white villages' near the coast  - detail at Spanish Holidays Website but it doesn't look as if we're going away this year as our cat needs too much medical help to leave him for the neighbour to look after.

I've seen  a lot of the agriculture over there - pretty ugly plastic tents though.

Why not post a few pictures for us of your garden?

Cheers
John