Gardening

[grumpyoldb]

I would be easier to import a few inches of topsoil, and re-seed.

 

[mad_mo]

Blasted Ant Hills!

Blasted Ant Hills!

Ive got a few Ant hils poping up in the Jardin. Ive boiled them to death you name it, but they still keep on appearing.

Anyone got any top tips on solving the problem??

 

[Scaley brat]

Ive got a few Ant hils poping up in the Jardin. Ive boiled them to death you name it, but they still keep on appearing.

Anyone got any top tips on solving the problem??

Neat Domestos poured onto the eggs if you can dig them out. Also does the queen if you find her. My last garden was riddled with the little bugg3rs DT_Xtremez_14:

 

[Tin basher]

Ive got a few Ant hils poping up in the Jardin. Ive boiled them to death you name it, but they still keep on appearing. Anyone got any top tips on solving the problem??

If possible dig them out (they will be deeper than you think) then rake the soil across as big an area as you can this disturbs and scatters the little darlings and if you step back the birds will have a field day with the eggs and larva. However if you don't get the queen they will reorganise in short order and begin again. Ant powder is good for spoiling their day but is doesn't work to good in to rain and damp choose a nice dry evening and don't be sparing with the stuff. Also in the past I have found Avtur to be particularly effective and cheap i.e. free from HM Queen PLC. You could try to burn your garden waste right on the nest site that really upsets them but the heat may not penetrate deep enough to kill them all. It's a never ending battle on my patch but hey we have to try.

 

[mad_mo]

Many thanks for the tips. DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[gemarriott]

If anybody wants to really now how to redaicate moles and ants from the garden pop down to the rmoury, we have some excellent ideas.

 

[Scaley brat]

If anybody wants to really now how to redaicate moles and ants from the garden pop down to the rmoury, we have some excellent ideas.

Is that where FLYING ants come from ?

There used to be a Gel you could buy which attracted Ants. Apparently they would then feed it to the Queen Ant, sterilising her leaving the colony without a leader (Egg machine ) resulting in no more ants !
Sorry MM I can't recall the brand name though but I did find this stuff on Amazon.co.uk though.
Hope this helps

 

[Tin basher]

There used to be a Gel you could buy which attracted Ants. Apparently they would then feed it to the Queen Ant, sterilising her leaving the colony without a leader (Egg machine ) resulting in no more ants !Sorry MM I can't recall the brand name though but I did find this stuff on Amazon.co.uk though. Hope this helps

The gel is still available and the brand name is Nippon comes in a small tube (red/black) as shown in the right hand corner of the first piccy on your attachment. Works quite well but must be placed on an impervious surface such as a flat stone or piece of old plate. If placed directly onto the soil it just soaks in and is wasted.

Gem your excellent range of products in the armouery may have a slight drawback. Whilst it may well turn an unwanted mole hill into an attractive crater DT_Xtremez_42: which you could then adapt into a nice garden pond with the right liners of course the neighbours won't be to pleased with all the noise and flying debris.

 

[tommo9999]

Moss & Stuff

Moss & Stuff

My FQ in Germany has a cr@p back lawn. Lots of bald areas and mossy parts and the garden is surrounded by pine trees. I've been told that there is something in the pine needles that kills grass, but allows moss to grow.

Any tips on a)getting rid of the moss and b) ensuring the grass grows all over?

 

[Tin basher]

Onions from seed

Onions from seed

I am growing onions from seed for the first time they have sprouted okay and are currently like little bits of bright green cotton around 3 inches high. Thinning them out as required. But my question is when will they be ready to harvest. This year will they grow the same size as onion sets then over winter and finally grow on next year to fullsize onions. Sorry have lost the seed packet for indentifcation of type as Mrs TB has tided up me workbench. DT_Xtremez_25:

 

[Tin basher]

My FQ in Germany has a cr@p back lawn. Lots of bald areas and mossy parts and the garden is surrounded by pine trees. I've been told that there is something in the pine needles that kills grass, but allows moss to grow. Any tips on a)getting rid of the moss and b) ensuring the grass grows all over?

Sadly the pine trees are providing at least three things that your grass doesn't like. The pine needles are making the soil very acidic not good for grass, moss is much more tolerant of these types of condition. The trees extract lots of water from the ground making growing conditions very dry moss is tough so can wait longer for rain without dying than grass can . The trees will promote excessive shade again poor growing conditions for grass.
If you can't chop them down not much you can do to help the grass unfortunatley. Try searching for plants that like acidic conditions to brighten up your patch. The RHS plantfinder website is useful as is the BBC gardening section. Being a bit of an IT biff I can't add the nice linky things.

 

[tommo9999]

Sadly the pine trees are providing at least three things that your grass doesn't like. The pine needles are making the soil very acidic not good for grass, moss is much more tolerant of these types of condition. The trees extract lots of water from the ground making growing conditions very dry moss is tough so can wait longer for rain without dying than grass can . The trees will promote excessive shade again poor growing conditions for grass.
If you can't chop them down not much you can do to help the grass unfortunatley. Try searching for plants that like acidic conditions to brighten up your patch. The RHS plantfinder website is useful as is the BBC gardening section. Being a bit of an IT biff I can't add the nice linky things.

TB
Thanks for the gen. I'm not a complete biff in the garden, but I'm no Alan Titchmarsh (spelling) either. Will have a look around the local garden centres after swotting up on the website. Cheers.

 

[gemarriott]

I am growing onions from seed for the first time they have sprouted okay and are currently like little bits of bright green cotton around 3 inches high. Thinning them out as required. But my question is when will they be ready to harvest. This year will they grow the same size as onion sets then over winter and finally grow on next year to fullsize onions. Sorry have lost the seed packet for indentifcation of type as Mrs TB has tided up me workbench. DT_Xtremez_25:

time to move them into individual plug cells and keep them warm. When they have 2 leaves into small pots and harden off. Aim to be planting out in the bed by mid may. Harvest when the foliage dies back about september according to variety. feedwith nitrogen rich fertiliser early doors after setting out in bed.

 

[Scaley brat]

My FQ in Germany has a cr@p back lawn. Lots of bald areas and mossy parts and the garden is surrounded by pine trees. I've been told that there is something in the pine needles that kills grass, but allows moss to grow.

Any tips on a)getting rid of the moss and b) ensuring the grass grows all over?

Get rid of the bl00dy pine trees DT_Xtremez_06:

 

[Tin basher]

How are things in the garden fellow green fingered types? In my patch everything is moving along fine except the grass which is refusing to grow haven't mowed it for 9 weeks now. Kids keep playing on it everyday though which doesn't help. One thing though even now in mid April there is a distinct lack of rain around the midlands hasn't rained for about 3 weeks. The evening watering routine has had to start early this year.

 

[scaleywife]

Hey TB... on third cut this year at the weekend for the grass and all salad seeds went in last week. Cucumbers sprouted already. Have put some flowers in too but will wait and see. Ohhh also planted Strawberry plants today, bought from e-bay!?

Have never done more than growbags etc so am sticking small!

I have to say I approached this thread very nervously as I couldn't believe it would actually be about gardening..lol. Then I remembered the SNEC (tightarse) ratio and thought it would probably be safe.

Very informative ta
From
A Snecs Wife(!)

 

[Tin basher]

Hey TB... on third cut this year at the weekend for the grass and all salad seeds went in last week. Cucumbers sprouted already. Have put some flowers in too but will wait and see. Ohhh also planted Strawberry plants today, bought from e-bay!? Have never done more than growbags etc so am sticking small! I have to say I approached this thread very nervously as I couldn't believe it would actually be about gardening..lol. Then I remembered the SNEC (tightarse) ratio and thought it would probably be safe. Very informative ta
From
A Snecs Wife(!)

Salad seeds also in this weekend (Lettuce, Radish and more Onions) nothing happening yet though. Your strawberries might not do to much in the first year but you should get something from them. Watch them though as they will spread like mad given the chance also the birds will like them as much as you do so netting might be handy.

 

[gemarriott]

Hey TB... on third cut this year at the weekend for the grass and all salad seeds went in last week. Cucumbers sprouted already. Have put some flowers in too but will wait and see. Ohhh also planted Strawberry plants today, bought from e-bay!?

Have never done more than growbags etc so am sticking small!

I have to say I approached this thread very nervously as I couldn't believe it would actually be about gardening..lol. Then I remembered the SNEC (tightarse) ratio and thought it would probably be safe.

Very informative ta
From
A Snecs Wife(!)

well the greenhouse stuff is thriving, cucumbers about a foot tall and in their second pots, salad tomatoes and beef tomatoes thriving but the new variety tigerella I am trying is well ahead of everything and into 3rd pots already.

In the garden, shallots, onions an rhubarb moving along nicely. Unfortunately my little brush with the hospital a couple of weeks ago has stopped me doing anything with the spuds and carrots but I'll make up later in May with extra beans and courgettes.

welcome to the garden Mrs scaley wife

 

[CodeMonkey]

I have 3 cats and know they can b'stards, i wouldn't have a problem with someone giving one of my cats a quick soak of water but anything like an air-rifle and you would be getting a visit from mister 2x4.

There are a few things you can get from a garden centre that puts cats off without hurting them. A friend of mine recommended putting holly leaves in the beds as the spikes put the cats off, you can also use pepper apparently.

That aside, can anyone recommend a good weedkiller that doesn't kill grass(mainly dandelions - trying to garden this qtr for once)?

 

[gemarriott]

I have 3 cats and know they can b'stards, i wouldn't have a problem with someone giving one of my cats a quick soak of water but anything like an air-rifle and you would be getting a visit from mister 2x4.

There are a few things you can get from a garden centre that puts cats off without hurting them. A friend of mine recommended putting holly leaves in the beds as the spikes put the cats off, you can also use pepper apparently.

That aside, can anyone recommend a good weedkiller that doesn't kill grass(mainly dandelions - trying to garden this qtr for once)?

B&Q do an excellent weed and feed at a good price. Be prepared to give it a couple of good goings over.

As for cats an air rifle pellet up the arse is the most effective way I have found of stopping them, the propretry stuff doesn't work. A pellet up th bum does an causes no permanent physial damage.

Cat crap is just about the worst poison there is for soil so serious gardeners will stop them the best way they can. I have noticed that hitting one cat puts them all off for ages so a pellet up the arse is fairly humane. The other way that is effective is if you know who owns the cat just return the crap through the letter box, the cat suddenly ceases to be a loved pet and more a stench on the hall carpet..