Do you have any tried and tested tips for gardening? I thought we might make a thread of them all

For new gardeners planning their new garden is to wander around your street and have a look to see what plants grow in conditions that are very likely to be the same as your own. This will help you avoid costly mistakes. (still got that t-shirt :hihi:

Offer to help neighbours clear up fallen leaves. Collect in a black bag, fork a couple of holes in it, and leave it up a quiet corner of the garden for a year to make some lovely crumbly leafmould for free. You can also collect the leaves in your street...but I'm not entirely sure if you're allowed to collect in your local park.

Ask your neighbours for cuttings of a plant in their garden that may have caught your eye. Not only is this good manners, but more often than not, they will be happy to oblige, and who knows, you may well begin a new friendship!

When planting your seasonal bulbs, if Squirrels are a problem, get hold of some chicken wire, and pop it over the top to prevent them stealing your bulbs, just under the top layer of soil/compost. The squirrels have even snarfled all my garlic this year! :rant:

Talking of bulbs, leave the leaves on for at least 6 weeks to allow the bulb to draw its energy through them for the next year.


Ok, that'll do for now, who's next? :D

Do you have any tried and tested tips for gardening? I thought we might make a thread of them all

For new gardeners planning their new garden is to wander around your street and have a look to see what plants grow in conditions that are very likely to be the same as your own. This will help you avoid costly mistakes. (still got that t-shirt :hihi:

Ok, that'll do for now, who's next? :D

Oh me too, that is a great idea, I don't have soil I just have heavy clay no top soil at all,I have given up and made up tubs now.
No tips I'm afraid but just wanted to say this is a brilliant idea, and that I need all the help I can get so will be watching eagerly for ideas :hihi:

You got there before me- only my thread would have been titled "what have you learnt this season".
I will definately be covering my brassicas with chicken wire next year so the butterflies cannot lay eggs on them. The caterpillars have eaten most of my sprouts and cabbages the cheeky beasties:rant:

Also I won't plant my beans out quite so early.

Ah yes. I've learned loads this year, especially in the fruit & veg dept. There's been a great many more moths and butterflies I reckon than usual.

You got there before me- only my thread would have been titled "what have you learnt this season".
I will definately be covering my brassicas with chicken wire next year so the butterflies cannot lay eggs on them. The caterpillars have eaten most of my sprouts and cabbages the cheeky beasties:rant:

Also I won't plant my beans out quite so early.


Another tip, the butterflies will just go straight through chicken wire. They do sell a thing called enviromesh, but its stupidly expensive, and as I had the same problem this year, next year I will buy 50m of blue mdpe piping (£15) make hoops with it and cover with old net curtains(car boot/charity shops). That will stop the little buggers.

would fine pea netting work? They had some really cheap at Wilko's

I read somewhere that pea netting is not good as the butterflies can get their wings caught in it.

Tip: If you split many plants & grasses you buy - a little less this year = heaps more next!

My Cauliflower and Broccolli have been a dissappointment this year - I must have planted it at the wrong time or been too haphazard wih the watering. Any advice?

would fine pea netting work? They had some really cheap at Wilko's

As below and also they can still get through pea netting, scaffold debris netting works ok. But with any netting make sure its not touching any of the plant or they will still lay eggs.

Tip:
For root veg i.e carrots fill toilet roll tubes with compost, plant the seed in there and when big enough, plant the whole tube in the ground. This not only helps protect the seedling while young, but when transplanting on it does not effect the root system, this helps to get big long carrots and also helps to prevent carrot root fly(as if the roots are broken they smell them and attack).

Tip: If you need cheap large plant pots, visit morrisons and goto their flower isle and they often have bunches(usually 8) of buckets for a £1.

next year I will buy 50m of blue mdpe piping (£15) make hoops with it and cover with old net curtains(car boot/charity shops).

I've got some spare MDPE pipe, less than 50m, but not much less, I'd let that go for a suitable fee.

I've got some spare MDPE pipe, less than 50m, but not much less, I'd let that go for a suitable fee.

Can you move closer to me :hihi: Tempting as this is though, better use the pallet collars first!