Two lupins in the border next to each other, one is thriving the other yellowing and small.  They're nothing special, I can't remember what colour but probably bog standard mauve/ blue. What can I do to strengthen the poorly one. Soil is alkaline and reasonably free draining although it is soggy with all the 4ain.

Every year we buy compost and have the same discussions about what rubbish it is. Or we make our own (or try too!). 
I can see the benefits of home composting and returning that to the soil but why do we sow seeds in "compost" when we also direct sow into the ground? Why don't we scrape up some garden soil and sown our seeds into that? 
I'm starting to think that commercial "compost" should be renamed "con-post". Can anyone convince me otherwise?

Share your delight at picking the first fruit or veg or flower or nose of 2023 

Is it earlier or later than in 2022 https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1468

 or
2021? https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1047

For anyone looking to buy some peat free compost, these are some current prices:

Wickes own brand 50L for £5 (no green waste compost, a mix of wood fibre, composted bark and coir, I quite like it)
Sainsburys 2 x 40L Levington for £8 (I wasn't happy with this stuff last year, contains green waste compost and had quite a bit of plastic contamination)
Home Bargains 40L for £3.49 (not been to a shop to see it myself, if it's the same as the Growmoor stuff they usually sell it's decent quality)
Lidl 40L for £3.49 (no idea what this stuff is like, if they're like Aldi it'll be mostly green waste compost)

These bean seeds escaped their packet, any idea what they could be.  Its not one I've grown before so it might be a seed swap one.   They are predominantly white/creamy coloured with black mottling around their 'belly button', I've no idea what that bit is called 

   

We don't seem to talk about Podded Peas much so now's your chance!
Do you grow them? Which varieties? Any tips? Are they worth growing.
Do you grow them to eat fresh, for freezing or for drying?

My son has built a fruit frame onto my raised bed that my blueberries grow in.
I’m very happy I can now get more ericaceous compost and replant 3 and 3 bushes and 1 cranberry bush in each section.

   

Ooh...sounds interesting

In May the forum celebrates its 3rd birthday!

To celebrate we will be running a competition with a prize fund of £50. The details will be published soon, so make sure you visit every day or you might miss the chance to enter

Over Easter 4 posts will be made containing key words you need to collect to stand a chance of winning a prize.

EDIT To make it easier for you all to Vote, I've moved the entries into the POLL thread. No excuse for not  Voting now. 
Voting closes 28th May. 

Lots of Dog violets in the garden now and I also have Dog daisies and Dog roses................but what does Dog mean in these names?

Without goggling, can you guess?