ROSE PRUNING!

Don't leave it to late - these are best pruned January or February.

Established Shrub roses - cut down all stems to half the average height of the shrub. Don't worry about slanted cuts or cutting to a bud. Make sur all foliage is removed and cut stems disposed of - put in your green bin. 

Established Climbers. Cut all side shoots on each main stem to around 2 to 3 inches. Ensure all foliage is removed.  Tie in new stems. 

Easy.....it was my job today but it was so cold I've got 2 more climbers to do!

Scarlet has had a clear out of saved tomato seeds - some interesting varieties - and we're looking for volunteers to grow them on with a view to saving seeds for the next swap. 

Everyone in the current seed swap will be receiving them but there are spares that need homes. 
I also have flowers, chillies, beans............all sorts!!

We'd rather they were grown than sit around in a cupboard, unloved. 
No rules, no length of membership requirements, just add your name here, with what you're interested in growing and I'll sort something out for you. 

Thanks.

Saw this on twitter today, a weird thing our brains do. This stuff fascinates me. Hopefully links to twitter allowed apologies if not.

https://twitter.com/OwenJones84/status/1...67951?s=19

Anything that I have read about asparagus crowns tells you to wait till the second or third year after planting before harvesting your crop, but is this absolutely necessary, what would happen to my plants if I harvested my plants on the first year

https://wire.farmradio.fm/farmer-stories...T5jOK8Pc4A

Thought I'd put this here with a view to trying it next winter. I always keep wood ash for the garden/chooks but I'll sift some ready for this experiment.

Hi,
I'm Mick, I live in the West Midlands of England. I have a small house garden and also an allotment for veg and some fruit. I know a good few names from the old place and also from new forum V1 and with the start of a new growing season I thought it would be a good time to register after an extended absence for one reason or another.

French beans with intent? 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/...cuA3CElii0

Just got round to adding up last years chilli harvest weights. 
A very disappointing 47. 749kg . 

Hope to do much better this year. 
Last year I tried growing chillies for a particular reason and put restraints in place, so there wasn’t as much variety as normal. I really didn’t enjoy it as much. This year I’m going back to what I know & love, growing chillies because I want to, not because I have to. 

But none of that has anything to do with the amount of chillies the voles ate.  they probably got thought somewhere between 5-10kg especially Havana gold & Padron!

Hi all,

I'm wondering if you have any recipes that benefit from/require a lidded casserole?

Thanks for your thoughts 

Does anything here grow Pea beans? No, its not a typo, they seem to be another sort of climbing bean with a 2 colour shell.
I've been given 6 "Jack Edwards" pea beans https://hsl.gardenorganic.org.uk/seedlis...ck-edwards. Pretty aren't they? 
I've seen similar ones, black and white ones like little whales but not eaten/grown them.

Any advice anyone - especially whether they cross pollinate and need isolation for seed saving.