[Christine]

Add manure or compost is my favourite.

Manure is fine if you are in a rural area and have access to farm or stables but it's not so realistic if you live in a town or city where it's as rare as hen's teeth or rocking horse whoopsies.

I think that this advice is handed down from generations of gardeners who didn't live in cities or who worked on large estates with walled gardens and access to the products of the farming side of the estate.

I think that people have also lost the skill of making compost because it's a throwaway society. Put it in the gardening recycling bin my dear and then go down the garden centre to buy some compost (made from what you have thrown away).

Does anyone else have a bit bit of advice from the old days that is now really hard to follow?

[DD.]

My grandfather always used to tell me not to worry about trying to sow too early as things will catch up.

Seems as though this is almost impossible to follow now!

[Nige2Plots]

Some of the old chemical treatments that we are no longer allowed to use.

[Paul Plots]

How "old" are the "good old days"?

The Victorians and their large estate plots...

I think they often had some brilliant ideas learnt through experience but there's one or two tips I'd find hard to follow...

"hot beds" = sounds wonderful especially covered with those expensive glass mini-frames but you need so much greenhouse space it's not practical for the average domestic greenhouse. (Anyone tried a "hot bed" outside? (sensible answers on a post-card  )

Growing mushrooms........all you need is a huge, damp, warm cellar or partly burried out-house.  :blink:

[totalnovice]

I bought a great book by Mr Middleton who was the guy who championed the Dig for Victory campain around WWII. It is a week by week guide to what to do when in the vegetable patch - I don't follw it because it wants me to do things too early for my soil and climate, but there are some snippets of really brilliant advise, and a great nostalgic look back.

[8doubles]

Add manure or compost is my favourite.

Manure is fine if you are in a rural area and have access to farm or stables but it's not so realistic if you live in a town or city where it's as rare as hen's teeth or rocking horse whoopsies.

I think that this advice is handed down from generations of gardeners who didn't live in cities or who worked on large estates with walled gardens and access to the products of the farming side of the estate.

I think that people have also lost the skill of making compost because it's a throwaway society. Put it in the gardening recycling bin my dear and then go down the garden centre to buy some compost (made from what you have thrown away).

Does anyone else have a bit bit of advice from the old days that is now really hard to follow?

Back in 'The Old Days' they would have walked miles with a hand cart and got the dung , now people complain that it is impossible to get if the cornershop or supermarket do not stock it.
I knew people who would have two buckets on the handlebars of the pushbike and would bring it back little and often.
Anybody who cannot find manure is not trying or wants it put on the plot for nothing.

[Paul Plots]

Add manure or compost is my favourite.

Manure is fine if you are in a rural area and have access to farm or stables but it's not so realistic if you live in a town or city where it's as rare as hen's teeth or rocking horse whoopsies.

I think that this advice is handed down from generations of gardeners who didn't live in cities or who worked on large estates with walled gardens and access to the products of the farming side of the estate.

I think that people have also lost the skill of making compost because it's a throwaway society. Put it in the gardening recycling bin my dear and then go down the garden centre to buy some compost (made from what you have thrown away).

Does anyone else have a bit bit of advice from the old days that is now really hard to follow?

Back in 'The Old Days' they would have walked miles with a hand cart and got the dung , now people complain that it is impossible to get if the cornershop or supermarket do not stock it.
I knew people who would have two buckets on the handlebars of the pushbike and would bring it back little and often.
Anybody who cannot find manure is not trying or wants it put on the plot for nothing.

Aren't we lucky it's not the old days any more.... no need to buckets on handlebars: 

[TheSpartacat]

Add manure or compost is my favourite.

Manure is fine if you are in a rural area and have access to farm or stables but it's not so realistic if you live in a town or city where it's as rare as hen's teeth or rocking horse whoopsies.

Might be worth checking the local police force if you're in a city... many have horse stables!
I can't think of any advice from the old days that is impossible now, (except where illegal), but can you imagine what the gardeners of old would make of our agricultural fleeces and debris netting and no dig methods? 

[rainie]

I have a muck heap in the field of well rotted safe horse manure. No one wants it round here, unless it is baggged and delivered and carried to the said place. For free! So, how can  share and swap over the 'garden fence' if others cant be bothered to make an effort. Thats not how it was in the olden days. (i will add, i do take it to the elderly people who are really unable to bag it and collect it).

I am known  for pushing a barrow to my field, filling it and bringing it back to my garden. With a springer spaniel in each hand too. Its about half a mile.

[Paul Plots]

I have a muck heap in the field of well rotted safe horse manure. No one wants it round here, unless it is baggged and delivered and carried to the said place. For free! So, how can  share and swap over the 'garden fence' if others cant be bothered to make an effort. Thats not how it was in the olden days. (i will add, i do take it to the elderly people who are really unable to bag it and collect it).

How elderly do I need to be and how far will those wheelbarrows travel?

Put me down for a helping and I'd happily contribute to next year's seed fund!! 

It'd be lovely if you weren't quite so far away.... I'd cycle round with my trailer 

[Christine]

 laughing@you all.

I need a chariot to collect manure. I can't drive and the chariot drivers did colllect manure once but said it stunk so won't do it again.

Excuse me but they are only just over 40  I'm not delicate of nose like them is. 

[Paul Plots]

laughing@you all.

I need a chariot to collect manure. I can't drive and the chariot drivers did colllect manure once but said it stunk so won't do it again.

Excuse me but they are only just over 40  I'm not delicate of nose like them is. 

"It's a good healthy smell!" my grandfather used to say whilst encouraging me to keep shovelling 

[Rangerkris]

I have a muck heap in the field of well rotted safe horse manure. No one wants it round here, unless it is baggged and delivered and carried to the said place. For free! So, how can  share and swap over the 'garden fence' if others cant be bothered to make an effort. Thats not how it was in the olden days. (i will add, i do take it to the elderly people who are really unable to bag it and collect it).

How elderly do I need to be and how far will those wheelbarrows travel?


Put me down for a helping and I'd happily contribute to next year's seed fund!! 

It'd be lovely if you weren't quite so far away.... I'd cycle round with my trailer 

Im sure your old enough Paul hahahah

[Trillium]

What always got me were some of the deadly concotions they brewed to kill greenhouse pests with and then spraying them in a closed area with no protection or breathing apparatus.. And leaving out arsenic to kill rats. The mind boggles.

[RichardA]

Soot and ashes as slug deterrents
R