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Risker
Dec 12th, 2006, 08:11 PM
It wouldn't be very vegan, plus the plants are in a bedroom as it's one of the few places in the house that provides enough light. Much as I like ladybirds I don't think I'd want a swarm of them indoors.

Apparently (for outside obviously) if you grow nettles it encourages ladybirds to stay in your garden.

auntierozzi
Dec 12th, 2006, 08:25 PM
We do have loads of nettles which maybe encouraged the ladybirds too. I planted a couple of rows of purple sprouting brocolli which are now swarming with huge green caterpillars. It seems really late for them. What with that and the slugs it feels as though my veg. patch is more a home to wildlife than potential food for us. ..I was really looking forward to that brocolli! I know that hedgehogs love to eat slugs but don't know how to encourage them. Do you?

Risker
Dec 12th, 2006, 09:09 PM
I just put out water for them during the summer and we have small bits of overgrown garden for them to nest in.

Next year I'm going to plant loads and loads of garlic all around my plants, it seems to deter most garden monsters, even slugs. That and garlic is tasty :)

PainterLady
Dec 12th, 2006, 09:11 PM
Garlic is medicine for your body and soul, baby! :p

auntierozzi
Dec 13th, 2006, 08:18 AM
Garlic it is!
I have already put in some Chinese garlic chives which haven't done anything yet. I am just reading this book where they burn all the skins from the garlic they eat which is supposed to give off a lovely aroma and which is very invigorating apparently. So we will have to keep the skins!

Risker
Dec 14th, 2006, 12:17 AM
Since it's not meant to be hitting freezing for a few nights I've put my plants outside in the hope that it will somehow cure my aphid problem. There's no way it'll work but at least I don't have all those bugs in my bedroom for a few days.

PainterLady
Dec 14th, 2006, 12:24 AM
;) Maybe a nocturnal flock of lady birds will fly in and feast.

auntierozzi
Dec 16th, 2006, 10:04 AM
My Grandad advised creating a small damp area to encourage frogs because they eat plenty of bothersome bugs and also slugs. At the moment our garden is one big damp area!!

cedarblue
Feb 13th, 2007, 04:25 PM
WOW this thread needs a bump!

over the last few days we have been tidying up out patio area and digging over the veg plot. we were going to take out the slow-leaking pond and reclaim the area for more growing but this morning we found a frog in there, so will leave for the time being. we covered over another large area with carpet and that is nicely soft now so we can dig off the top grass and prepare it.

got to buy some wood to make some raised beds.

anyone been watching the 'how to grow veg' prog on bbc2 lately? i loved it and bought the book, although its not cheap.

ordered lots of organic seeds from the organic catalogue company so i'm excitedly waiting for them to arrive and i can start planting some of them up.
i have ordered:

baby aubergines
dwarf french beans
mange tout
peas
melons
butternut squash
tomatoes
courgettes
cucumbers
peppers
chilli peppers
carrots
parsnips
kale
spring cabbage
maris piper potatoes
pink fir apple potatoes
radishes
salad leaves
rainbow chard
leeks

phew! i'm going to be busy.

im also going to buy some marigold and nasturtium seeds to grow amongst the veg.

get gardening everyone! its good for your health in every way :)

Cherry
Feb 13th, 2007, 06:05 PM
Wow! That's a lot of stuff!

Yeh, the 'how to grow veg programme' I saw was really inspiring. I liked the way they fitted so much into a small space, and had beans growing up the sweetcorn :D

RedWellies
Feb 13th, 2007, 07:17 PM
I watched some of the series too. It was lovely and I think I'm going to have a go at growing some veg! I'll keep you posted!:D

cedarblue
Feb 13th, 2007, 07:27 PM
i liked the way they were catch cropping and cramming stuff into small spaces which didnt seem to affect their growth at all! normally i follow instructions on the packets but this time i'm just going to plant and see.

the book is great too.

Roxy
Feb 23rd, 2007, 05:34 AM
Yesterday I potted some pretty Primulas. I posted a picture on my blog:

http://www.thevegangoddess.blogspot.com/

cedarblue
Feb 23rd, 2007, 07:40 PM
what beautiful pink colour roxy - lovely!!

p.s. i enjoyed reading through your blog too! :) some great photos on there.

Roxy
Feb 24th, 2007, 04:52 AM
Thanks Cedar! :)

Ginger
Feb 24th, 2007, 09:44 PM
Our garden is sooo wet and soggy right now that we can't do much out there. But I use that as an excuse to curl up with some seed catalogues and do some forward planning :D
We're still on the waiting list for an allotment (nearly a year now) which is both exciting and scary :eek:

Ginger
Mar 3rd, 2007, 06:11 PM
Managed to get out in the garden for a couple of hours before the rain, hail and thunder started :eek:
We weeded the raised beds in the front garden so they are all ready to be planted. Still loads to do in the back garden but at least we've made a start.
Went to the garden centre this morning for some seeds and ended up spending way more than planned :( . We bought onion sets, seed potatoes, carrots, parsnips, peppers, sweetcorn and the kids choose a multipack of baby veg seeds to argue over (oops, I mean share!).
We still have a lot of seed left from last year which is still in date (peas, cauliflower, various salad stuff) so I've really got my work cut out :confused:.
As soon as we came indoors, a pair of collared doves landed on the bird table which was great to watch.
Hope we get a few dry hours during the week so I can get on with it all :D

Pisces
Mar 3rd, 2007, 06:36 PM
That sounds exciting, Ginger! I love gardening, but it's been forever since I've engaged myself into it. One of my many quirks is that I even like weeding too. :o

I wish you luck with the weather and hope that it treats you well in terms of giving you time to garden. :)

Ginger
Mar 3rd, 2007, 06:56 PM
Thanks Pisces, I need encouraging in this weather:D
Wish I had your love of weeding, I've even been known to pay the kids to do it:D

Christina
Mar 3rd, 2007, 08:13 PM
Im moving out of my flat in July to a lovely house. My new nextdoors neighbours don't actually live in the house next dear, they live in another town so they are letting us use their garden :D What can I plant (food and herb wise) in July? I know nothing at all about gardening!!! Please Help!

emmapresley
Mar 3rd, 2007, 11:33 PM
my garden is a shameful wreck just now, with the exception of a giant bay tree and several pots of (reasonably well maintained) herbs. :o

aside from the no doubt helpful suggestions you most likely will get from other forum members, i would suggest a trip to the library and borrowing a hefty book from the gardening section that illustrates month by month /season by season or some such easy to follow cultivating techniques and that. :D

Risker
Mar 3rd, 2007, 11:52 PM
Why do you have to plant in july? If you only have access to the garden from that time then it'd be a good idea for you to start growing plants indoors now and transfer them to the garden then.

I'm growing indoors now and I have access to a garden all year round.

Tomatoes are very easy to grow so a good choice. I also encourage people to grow garlic since it's easy to grow and is brilliant at deterring pests.

For herbs, rosemary, chives and mint are easy to grow.

Marie
Mar 4th, 2007, 08:19 AM
(Borago officinalis) I think it is called borage. You can use the flowers in salads. They have a blue/purpel colour. They also are beautiful in the garden.
Our garden is sleeping. Snow, snow and more snow.:(

Christina
Mar 4th, 2007, 01:02 PM
Why do you have to plant in july? If you only have access to the garden from that time then it'd be a good idea for you to start growing plants indoors now and transfer them to the garden then.


Well at the moment im living in student accomodation, theres not even enough room for a vase never mind plants. Im moving into my house in June/July and just wanted to get stuck into the garden as soon as possible.

veganbikerboy
Mar 4th, 2007, 01:06 PM
this year I am cheating, I have a gardener:D we are doing a land/crop share project. All vegan organic, which is new for her, so at least i am a positive influence on someone:)

she has loads of stuff started in the greenhouse, but i have no idea what:D