[UrbanGrower]

Hi all

Hope everyone is enjoying the Bank Holiday weekend. I had a great growing experience for some of last year but I got a job away (July!!!), left my containers with a friend who enjoyed a bumper harvest! So now I've moved house new location new challenges. Though I have a garden…the sunny spots seem over grown with dare I say it Japanese Knotweed (have told my landlord but he doesn't seem bothered) and 2 massive bushes (there maybe a tree hidden in one) that are rapidly taking over the whole Garden was tempted to cut them right down but seems to be home to a hundred birds and butterflies. So I am thinking to continue in containers in the Garden!

But a few questions can I use last years soil? It may need weeding as some of it is covered in moss, and others have growth of what i'm not sure?

Also notice some large grub/maggot type things in the containers a few months back….

I have managed to clear a small patch of garden but its very stoney…not sure how growing veg will work in there…

Lots of pictures any help and advice…I have a conservatory so lots of seedlings are doing really well have Swiss Chard, Rainbow Chard, Courgettes (round and yellow) cherry toms, stripy toms and other toms, cucumber, dwarf beans, mange tout, carrots and herbs started…

Any all advice and help greatly appreciated…
Many thanks for reading
Urban Grower

[UrbanGrower]

Sorry photos didn't attach

[UrbanGrower]

Sorry I will get the hang of this eventually. Here are the photos of weird things that I'm not sure are weeds or potential food…?

Thanks again
Urban Grower

[New shoot]

Hi UrbanGrower

To take some of the question in your first 2 posts in order :

The maggot things could well have been vine weevil, in which case you need to empty those containers completely and use fresh compost.  Otherwise, you could have just replaced some of the compost and added fertiliser to replace the nutrients the plants used up last year.

Not sure on the first pic, but the 2nd looks like a rose, the 3rd ceanothus and the 4th bindweed, rather than knotweed.  This is good news as it is far easier to deal with.  Either dig all the white roots out - the tiniest bit will resprout - or use a glyphosate based weedkiller to get the top leaves and the roots.  It may need a couple of treatments, but it will die.

The soil does look stoney, but not impossible.  You would need to add some organic matter like well rotted farmyard manure, but it would be worth trying at least some stuff to see how you go.  There is nothing on yout list of seedlings that couldn't be grown in a pot, if you prefer to stick to this 

[Nobbie]

I'd agree about the bindweed, the last three photos are calendula (pot marigold), a weed, and third could be a chard or beet of some kind.

[UrbanGrower]

Thanks so much for the replies.

New Shoot, I googled Vine Weevil and I think that is what I saw! So will empty out all the containers. Could I lay the soil out for the birds to pick through it as we have a large bird community in the garden. Then add it to the stoney patch with some manure…? Or shall I get a composter and add the vine weevil soil to that? Yep the second is a rose but it seems to have a rosemary bush climbing up it and taking over...

I Love a pot marigolds and I grew some last year so that completely makes sense! Thanks Nobbie

Bindweed is s much less scary that Japanese knotweed, so thats a relief. I will attempt to reclaim this Garden! thanks for the help!

[sunshineband]

Re your question about birds eating vine weevil larvae

You would have to put the soil in some sort of tray so that the grubs don't just bury themselves and get away

Plus birds round here ignore them on the bird table and my brother has found the same. He feeds them to his large pond fish, or just squishes them