Urban allotments could be as productive as traditional farms while using fewer pesticides, new research has found.
https://wickedleeks.riverford.co.uk/news...szp1CWKtcY

"The growers harvested on average one kg of insect-pollinated fruit and vegetables, such as tomatoes, beans, strawberries, and apples per square metre.

Researchers calculated that the average harvest at an allotment would be worth £550, based on the cost of organic produce at the supermarket. They also worked out that £310 of this produce was insect-pollinated, highlighting the importance of insects and biodiversity in growing food."

One kg per square metre?  How many lettuces weigh a kg? I suppose they weighed everything they harvested and divided it by the square metres of the allotment. Does this include paths, compost heaps, sheds or is it just growing space.

What do you think your output is? Apples, tomatoes, beans are good heavy croppers but I'd struggle to grow a kg/sq.m over the whole garden. Wouldn't want to actually.

Has anyone got a tried and tested way to get rid of onion fly, and has anyone tried a flame gun on their soil to see if it kills off the fly?

Thought I’d start a thread so we can share all the delightful ( and the I’ll never use that ) gifts we’ve had for Christmas.
Must admit, I’m doing very well already this Christmas     .
I’ve had a beautiful David Austin rose, quite a large cheque and yesterday Bob came home with a raised bed a friend made for me .

         

2.4m if you were wondering       

I try to fast for 23 hours each day, not always successfully!  I have done a 48 hour fast a couple of times. I just wondered whether anyone else on here fasted?

I would like to do a seven day fast soon but its a bit awkward with Christmas and New year upon us soon. Apparently a seven day fast is a good thing to do now and again.
There is a story about a man who was feeling suicidal and decided to starve himself to death. After three days fasting he felt great and his depression lifted and he decided against suicide. Fasting dioes have an effect on your well being and you supposedly don't feel hungry after the first couple of days. As long as you take your multivitimins and electrolyte tablets and try and drink 2 to 2.5 litres of liquid a day your body is at home feasting on your accumulated fat.

Sounds a bit nutty I know so maybe Veggie can stick this in the nutty as a fruitcake thread!

Well, actually a garden warming gift

The winners of the harvest festival competition wanted to donate their prizes to someone starting out in the joys of gardening.

Who better to choose than Poserpina

We have topped up the generous donation by our prize winners to £75, so Pros can start buying the basics she will need, whilst spending many happy hours in her new garden.

If you drop me a pm Pros, with can discuss the options of getting the prize to you

How do I report a concern regarding a message

Every year at this time I wish I'd planted some willo for coppicing. I planted a couple of whips in my hedge but I would like a little willow area? For make wreaths etc and encouraging wildlife.

Anyone know which ones to get? Good for wreaths? Would like some colours? 

Anyone grow any?

I've been offered a couple of water tanks - the ones in frames? I just have to get them here!! Anyone got any? A couple of questions...

Weight??? How heavy are these? I need to get transport!

Would I need to clean them out? Not sure what it had in it?? If so, how.

I don't think I would bother to hide it? But I know people dig them into the ground?

How do you access the water? Put a tap on it or just pump out? 

I'm quite excited about these - though waiting back on my question regarding what it stored.

As the title states I have recorded a little walkthrough of my Christmas decorations which I have just put up for this year. These were all lights I had stored in the attic but I have laid them out in a different way this year. I was so impressed I made a video of it. 

Don't be shy and I've shown you mine so lets see yours (Childhood memories abound)

https://youtu.be/EPACxgOuJtg

You'll have seen how the names of some months are tweaked to turn into a challenge/aim like Veganuary/January to turn vegan, No Mow May to put away your lawnmower and Movember to grow a moustache for charity.
There are others but they elude me at present!
My question is - can you think of names/aims for each month of the year, just as some of us (well, Vinny and I) have names for days of the week.
I'd like to be able to say, its Weednesday, No Mow May.