[Maryann]

I have just stumbled onto this thread and have read all of the comments from page 1 and all very lively. Some I agree with and others I dont - thats what makes it so interesting.

Just one point I would like to add to all the others.
Just how realistic can any TV programme like GW be?
I used to really enjoy watching Geoff Hamilton he seemed a genuinely nice guy with a lovely speaking voice but I very much doubt he had the time or energy to do ALL of the work himself for the programme.
I fully expected there to be an army of helpers in the background you never saw and who never got any credit - same with all TV gardening progs in my opinion. How would it be possible or feasible for them to do it all my themselves?

As to this guy's techniques and advice - you have the option to listen or not and you can always do what I did and switch off. Same as that Carol woman - one word out of her mouth and click off the TV goes. Her accent alone grates on my nerves and that hysterical laugh and voice....give me strength.

Good old Geoff.....gone but not forgotten, how he is missed.

[Teen76]

I wonder if even Geoff Hamilton got criticism when he started Gardener's World?

He was a completely different person from Percy Thrower and those before him.  He didn't use chemicals if he could help it and didn't plant regimentally, I'm sure they're were a lot of huffs and tuts when he arrived on the scene with his 'organic' ideas.

[mkhenry]

I enjoyed watching it!  Cos it's about someone getting a lotty.  He and zillions of others get a plot and rotovate the weeds in, so he's no different. He'll regret it (we know that) but he's a newbie and that's what they do. So, next week he might be telling us that was his first big mistake. Give the guy a break. Folks like us moan that there are no progs about lotties, then the first time we get one, everyone pours scorn on it

That's the thing about plotters, you can ask 20 different plotters the same question and you'll get 20 different answers  

So what if his raised beds are triangles, so what!  They're his chuffin triangles, he can do what he wants with em. Who says the straight row folks are always right :roll:  Vive la difference.  Gawd what a boring prog that would make, do things like everyone else. Yawn. PS Geoff Hamilton is dead

The whole point of the programme is to inform not misinform. To this end they are not his chuffing triangles at all.  We are paying for them and do you think for one moment he will still be working that plot in a year or so.  No of caurse not.  As to it being a boring programme if they just follow the old ways then I am for boring.  The reason for doing certain things certain ways are for very very good reason, And changing these ways for no good reason is foolish.  Over the years I have watched the newcomers who want to change the great and good practises proved over 100s of years come and go, but they and their ideas never last.  

[compostqueen]

oh I don't doubt what you say but why should we all do our veg growing like you do    I grow my veg how I like, veg grow whether in triangles or straight rows and if everyone does the same why watch veg growing programmes in the first place.  I like to see other ways of doing things and I fear that many potential plotters are put off by the sort of response the programme has garnered on here.  I shall be watching next week with interest and shall enjoy the programme as that's what I set out to do. I don't sit there with the intention of pouring scorn on other people's efforts and pooh pooing everything they do if it's not the same way as me.  I don't give a stuff about who owns the ruddy triangles. You wouldn't have worried about the raised beds if they'd been normal ones  

[mkhenry]

oh I don't doubt what you say but why should we all do our veg growing like you do    I grow my veg how I like, veg grow whether in triangles or straight rows and if everyone does the same why watch veg growing programmes in the first place.  I like to see other ways of doing things and I fear that many potential plotters are put off by the sort of response the programme has garnered on here.  I shall be watching next week with interest and shall enjoy the programme as that's what I set out to do. I don't sit there with the intention of pouring scorn on other people's efforts and pooh pooing everything they do if it's not the same way as me.  I don't give a stuff about who owns the ruddy triangles. You wouldn't have worried about the raised beds if they'd been normal ones  

You have missed the whole point I dont care how you or anybody else grows their veg, what you do on your plot is up to you and i would never ever make any comment on that.  I am commenting only on one person who has put himself up for comment but doesnot like it when people disagree with him,  he has made many misleading statements and is misguiding some people who know no better.  So I am not a person who insists on straight rows and if you read my comments you will see that I have said he had the chance to do something interesting and failed" IN my opinion"  

[John]

There are hundreds of new growers on this web site and thousands? tens of thousands? who watch GW to be educated. So, in my opinion. for the £45,000 an episode + they should be trialling these ideas and presenting ones that work.

If I took over a plot covered in couch then I'd spray with glyphosate or, if I really wanted to be totally organic, cover with carpets (oops they're not organic anymore) sheet plastic to kill off the couch.

Making out you can get away with rotovating couch is plain wrong. It will give people the idea it's just some fuddy duddy rule to break and then they'll be swamped with the stuff and give up.

I get really cheesed watching people take on plots with high horse organic principles they don't understand which end up with them giving up and someone new coming along to take over the weed infested solid plot.

Part of me feels sorry for them and part is annoyed because they can't be bothered to research properly and certainly won't listen to anyone else.

Organic is good and laudable but please, don't pretend it's not hard work - harder initially than chemical. I believe in explaining the options honestly and allow people to make an informed choice.

As for shapes and so on - the objection to his large raised beds is that the whole concept is based on being able to cultivate without walking on them and compacting the soil. Nothing wrong with triangles and knots or anything as long as the practicalities are complied with.

Good design complies with the rules and then excels. Bad design ignores the practical aspects in favour of aesthetic fripperies. In another life I was a qualified designer. When I did my job well, my clients loved the look and the use.

As for Teen76, get the faggots and stake ready - we'll burn the heretic

[mkhenry]

So very well said John ,my point exactly. But you put it much better than I could have.  So its not just the shape/size it the practicality, the idea that you donot really have to prepare the beds other than rotovating the weeds in and I could add a few other things that should have been done correctly.  I, like a lot of people will now watch and wonder if he will end up regretting some of his mistakes , or because its TV land just forget about them all together. :roll:

Last year I was astonished by one tv expert who tried to grow carrots under a tree, then at the end of the season wondered if in fact it was too cold and sheltered in the chosen position.  Meanwhile many newbies not knowing any better followed suit and ended up with failed grops. :roll:

[Teen76]

I thought it was getting a bit warm John!  I like being a rebel  :twisted:

I just like to see how things go before making my mind up if he's an idiot or not.

I was smart enough to turn down the offer of the use of a rotavator because I knew of all the horrible bindweed roots beneath the surface I'll have enough trouble without making lots more. :roll: But most people seem to use them on my site I think they're astonished I do it all with my trusty fork!

[compostqueen]

I can't quite believe this.  A guy getting a plot to grow a few veg and the earth fell on his head  :roll:

Oh well, I'll be tuning in on me own next week then

[Snap Dragon]

To echo you earlier John....

Good point - well made

We were at the lottie today painting our new shed (I can't stand that 'new orange shed' colour! We had some funny looks from the 'old timers' because hubby was spraying the outside of the shed green and a few raised eyebrows when they saw I was painting the inside! Just because it's not a falling down wreck like a lot of theirs! It's nice to get away from the 'this is how it's always been done' brigade sometimes! Just wait till they see my Munty frame... There's been nothing like it on our site yet!

PS... I used glyphostae on my new plot (and had to do it more than once - damn hard nut weeds! :twisted: )... As I've got 2 kids to keep happy and the weather has been more than cr@p I would still be waiting to get started! No way would I be getting any veg in this year!

[mkhenry]

To echo you earlier John....

Good point - well made

We were at the lottie today painting our new shed (I can't stand that 'new orange shed' colour! We had some funny looks from the 'old timers' because hubby was spraying the outside of the shed green and a few raised eyebrows when they saw I was painting the inside! Just because it's not a falling down wreck like a lot of theirs! It's nice to get away from the 'this is how it's always been done' brigade sometimes! Just wait till they see my Munty frame... There's been nothing like it on our site yet!

PS... I used glyphostae on my new plot (and had to do it more than once - damn hard nut weeds! :twisted: )... As I've got 2 kids to keep happy and the weather has been more than cr@p I would still be waiting to get started! No way would I be getting any veg in this year!

You will find this very hard to believe but in 1961 I shocked the lottie old boys so badly that they cosidered me a rebel who needed watching.  Locks were put on some sheds that had never been locked before. What do you think I did that was so shocking that some didnot speak to me.

I will give you a moment or two to think about it.  I can assure you that it was considered very very bad form.  

[Snap Dragon]

My mind is boggling Henry!.....

Put me out of my misery!

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease  

[mkhenry]

My mind is boggling Henry!.....

Put me out of my misery!

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease  

Well and I feel ashamed to admit it.















I wore a pair of red flared trousers and pointed shoes (winkle pickers) down on the lottie. I changed into wellies before I started digging, but too late the damage was done,

I was considered to be trouble, and avoided by thoses who didnot know me. :roll:

[Snap Dragon]

Ha ha......

Henry, you cool dude!      

Now you know we're going to want to see photographic proof of this rebel of yesteryear!  

[vegmandan]

I can't wait until Anti-Glyphosate Joe starts spraying newly "Organically qualified" Bordeaux Mixture on his Spuds against Blight,If they ever make it through the mountains of Couch Grass he'll have.

(Sorry,Bordeaux Mixture is my personal "Bete Noire")

I'd like to see him justify using this but not using Glyphosate.