Tips and Tricks

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Well I’ve tried it and it worked last year for me but that could be a combination of location, variety and growing attitude.

Milk for mildew. One quarter skimmed milk (apparently full milk can stink in the sun) to three parts water. Mix in spray bottle and spray both sides of leaves. Repeat every two weeks.

Solvable aspirin - again worked for me but the again weather, location and variety probably plays an important part.
One aspirin in trusty spray bottle. Add water. My bottle is a 500ml. Spray toms and tatties for blight.

Please note anyone reading that for the last two years I’ve only found these beneficial.

I would like some tips or tricks to help me keep my nails and hands clean once the gardening season starts.  All winter I have acceptable nails and clean hands, come February/March  they start going manky.  Grimy and split nails, rough hands which no amount of wearing gloves, scrubbing or hand cream seems to help.

You could draw your finger nails down a bar of soap which would stop the dirt getting under the nails and I have found that if you hit your nails with a hammer or similar you get a dark colour which could save having to put nail polish on

I would like some tips or tricks to help me keep my nails and hands clean once the gardening season starts.  All winter I have acceptable nails and clean hands, come February/March  they start going manky.  Grimy and split nails, rough hands which no amount of wearing gloves, scrubbing or hand cream seems to help.

You could draw your finger nails down a bar of soap which would stop the dirt getting under the nails and I have found that if you hit your nails with a hammer or similar you get a dark colour which could save having to put nail polish on

thanks Curly, I have indeed tried the soap trick but have not gone the masochistic route quite yet   no nail polish for me, it's pointless on gardening fingers.

You could draw your finger nails down a bar of soap which would stop the dirt getting under the nails and I have found that if you hit your nails with a hammer or similar you get a dark colour which could save having to put nail polish on

haha ouch!!

I know what you're saying about grimy hands JJB - mine get like that too! I DO use nail varnish in the week during gardening season (most of the year), bright colours, as that takes the attention away from the grotty bits!