https://gardenandgossip.org/ Mon, 04 May 2026 15:24:52 +0000 MyBB https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2426 Sat, 07 Feb 2026 22:56:37 +0000 Veggie]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2426
My unwritten rule was to grow a root with a leaf and a fruit. Not because of my Roots/shoots/fruits and Leaves plan but because they compliment each other with their space requirements. For example, a carrot needs room to grow below ground, but its not very demanding above ground so sowing lettuce or chard with the carrots  takes advantage of the same space.
All the tomatoes shared their pots with carrots or radish, and a leafy crop like lettuce or rocket. The mangetout and cucumbers that were growing on supporting canes were also undersown with roots and leaves. 

I know this is all very obvious but I wondered whether those of you who grow in open ground grow "space complimentary" vegetables in this way. Maybe lettuce at the base of your beansticks or dwarf peas and radish amongst the courgettes.
Veg that take a long time to mature, like parsnips and brussels sprouts have always seemed to me to be "greedy" plants that take up too much space/time and I've stopped trying to grow them. However, if I can grow other veg in the same space it wouldn't be quite so wasteful. 

I shall be experimenting with this soon, but, meanwhile, any suggestion for workable combinations that you have tried?]]>
My unwritten rule was to grow a root with a leaf and a fruit. Not because of my Roots/shoots/fruits and Leaves plan but because they compliment each other with their space requirements. For example, a carrot needs room to grow below ground, but its not very demanding above ground so sowing lettuce or chard with the carrots  takes advantage of the same space.
All the tomatoes shared their pots with carrots or radish, and a leafy crop like lettuce or rocket. The mangetout and cucumbers that were growing on supporting canes were also undersown with roots and leaves. 

I know this is all very obvious but I wondered whether those of you who grow in open ground grow "space complimentary" vegetables in this way. Maybe lettuce at the base of your beansticks or dwarf peas and radish amongst the courgettes.
Veg that take a long time to mature, like parsnips and brussels sprouts have always seemed to me to be "greedy" plants that take up too much space/time and I've stopped trying to grow them. However, if I can grow other veg in the same space it wouldn't be quite so wasteful. 

I shall be experimenting with this soon, but, meanwhile, any suggestion for workable combinations that you have tried?]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2385 Sat, 08 Nov 2025 19:14:41 +0000 doublyjonah]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2385
Thanks!]]>
Thanks!]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2307 Sat, 01 Feb 2025 08:51:59 +0000 Small chilli]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2307 I know we’ve got our tomato grow lists, almost sorted. What about everything else? Anything new? Anything never again? My list is a work in progress.

Beetroot Mangelwurzel in raised bed (I have to put in place ) 
Carrots - variety to be decided (outside fish box)
DFB - last year’s chilli bed - Vermont cranberry, jacobs cattle gold , sonesta
Bush bean yin yang 
Mangetout green beauty  (outside fish box) 
Sprouting broccoli (outside fish box) 
Kale dwarf green curled (outside fish box)
Pumpkin - bath (variety to be decided)
Courgette - bath ( variety to be decided)
Samphire (fish box in tunnel)

Sunflower  (outside everywhere)
Bombay bronze cockscomb. -fish box
Other flowers - all of them (no idea where )

In chilli grow
chocolate habanero 1
Jalapeño 1
Beaver dam 1

Aubergine  1 - ( variety to be decided) tomato bed )

Salad bar
Lettuce
Mixed cut leaves 
Spring onions 

In pots parsley, basil, dill ]]> I know we’ve got our tomato grow lists, almost sorted. What about everything else? Anything new? Anything never again? My list is a work in progress.

Beetroot Mangelwurzel in raised bed (I have to put in place ) 
Carrots - variety to be decided (outside fish box)
DFB - last year’s chilli bed - Vermont cranberry, jacobs cattle gold , sonesta
Bush bean yin yang 
Mangetout green beauty  (outside fish box) 
Sprouting broccoli (outside fish box) 
Kale dwarf green curled (outside fish box)
Pumpkin - bath (variety to be decided)
Courgette - bath ( variety to be decided)
Samphire (fish box in tunnel)

Sunflower  (outside everywhere)
Bombay bronze cockscomb. -fish box
Other flowers - all of them (no idea where )

In chilli grow
chocolate habanero 1
Jalapeño 1
Beaver dam 1

Aubergine  1 - ( variety to be decided) tomato bed )

Salad bar
Lettuce
Mixed cut leaves 
Spring onions 

In pots parsley, basil, dill ]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2208 Fri, 23 Aug 2024 22:01:12 +0000 Veggie]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2208 I've been reading the info on https://www.sowseeds.co.uk/blogs/sow-see...een-manure and am still confused!
Does anyone here grow any of these seeds and can help me choose?
I don't fancy growing a grass seed like rye as  I hate grass and have a fear of it taking over. Same with clover.
Don't want to grow anything that needs to be dug in/turned in/mown as I'm too lazy. 
Ideally it would be something that dies in spring, or after a frost (assuming we have one). 
As a bonus, it would be edible in some way while it was growing. 

Any suggestions please?]]> I've been reading the info on https://www.sowseeds.co.uk/blogs/sow-see...een-manure and am still confused!
Does anyone here grow any of these seeds and can help me choose?
I don't fancy growing a grass seed like rye as  I hate grass and have a fear of it taking over. Same with clover.
Don't want to grow anything that needs to be dug in/turned in/mown as I'm too lazy. 
Ideally it would be something that dies in spring, or after a frost (assuming we have one). 
As a bonus, it would be edible in some way while it was growing. 

Any suggestions please?]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2162 Mon, 20 May 2024 14:27:32 +0000 doublyjonah]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2162
My allotment site is on a slope. My individual plot is higher on one long side than the other. From the weedy grassy path that runs between our plot and the neighbours', it's about a foot or more step down to my plot. That means some of my beds have a weedy wall with grass that grows down from the path. It is hard to strim and the overhanging grass causes a lot of pest damage to things growing in those beds 

Any ideas to practically mulch/cover/control the little wall/slope that won't be a complete haven for slugs etc?

Thanks!]]>
My allotment site is on a slope. My individual plot is higher on one long side than the other. From the weedy grassy path that runs between our plot and the neighbours', it's about a foot or more step down to my plot. That means some of my beds have a weedy wall with grass that grows down from the path. It is hard to strim and the overhanging grass causes a lot of pest damage to things growing in those beds 

Any ideas to practically mulch/cover/control the little wall/slope that won't be a complete haven for slugs etc?

Thanks!]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2132 Tue, 12 Mar 2024 15:32:15 +0000 Small chilli]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2132 Because we don’t have much to do at the moment ( if you can’t hear the sarcasm, there’s something wrong with you    ). Bob has had the idea of turning our village phone box into a greenhouse attraction for locals & visitors. He’s already been onto BT phone box department. As we thought the phone is no longer in service. What we didn’t know was charities or parish councils can buy the phone boxes. Bob has also had a mothers meeting with the village hierarchy     , they love the idea. Next step is asking the local charity organisations if they’d be interested in purchasing the phone box, for the pricy sum of £1.  Fairly high chance as they’ve just announced a grant for up £1000 for gardening projects to improve local villages/ towns. 
Bobs idea, guess who’s going to end up doing most of it   . It is actually a really good idea. But his timing sucks. 

Anyway plant for a phone box. They will have to be in pots as it’s got a concrete floor. All the glass is still in it. Not got a door at moment. But we know where it is. We were thinking a locked door so nothing gets damaged and it’s stop the door getting damaged in bad weather again. Most phone boxes on mull all look vandalised because doors are missing or hanging off. But it’s the wind, that does it. Obviously whoever (probably me) is looking after the plants will go in daily to water and do whatever needs doing. 


Suggestions please. Thank you]]> Because we don’t have much to do at the moment ( if you can’t hear the sarcasm, there’s something wrong with you    ). Bob has had the idea of turning our village phone box into a greenhouse attraction for locals & visitors. He’s already been onto BT phone box department. As we thought the phone is no longer in service. What we didn’t know was charities or parish councils can buy the phone boxes. Bob has also had a mothers meeting with the village hierarchy     , they love the idea. Next step is asking the local charity organisations if they’d be interested in purchasing the phone box, for the pricy sum of £1.  Fairly high chance as they’ve just announced a grant for up £1000 for gardening projects to improve local villages/ towns. 
Bobs idea, guess who’s going to end up doing most of it   . It is actually a really good idea. But his timing sucks. 

Anyway plant for a phone box. They will have to be in pots as it’s got a concrete floor. All the glass is still in it. Not got a door at moment. But we know where it is. We were thinking a locked door so nothing gets damaged and it’s stop the door getting damaged in bad weather again. Most phone boxes on mull all look vandalised because doors are missing or hanging off. But it’s the wind, that does it. Obviously whoever (probably me) is looking after the plants will go in daily to water and do whatever needs doing. 


Suggestions please. Thank you]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1562 Thu, 19 May 2022 15:57:09 +0000 doublyjonah]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1562
We got a fruit cage for Christmas (my phone keeps correcting this to cake...) and I'm wondering if it would be ok to grow peas or something up the black netting where they won't shade any of the fruit out.

Any other annual veg or flowers you'd suggest growing up the netting or potentially up string/support attached to the metal frame? Or will I regret getting things tangled in the netting? The cage is just over two metres tall, metal frame with meeting, it has a door.

Thanks!

PS hope this is an appropriate section!]]>
We got a fruit cage for Christmas (my phone keeps correcting this to cake...) and I'm wondering if it would be ok to grow peas or something up the black netting where they won't shade any of the fruit out.

Any other annual veg or flowers you'd suggest growing up the netting or potentially up string/support attached to the metal frame? Or will I regret getting things tangled in the netting? The cage is just over two metres tall, metal frame with meeting, it has a door.

Thanks!

PS hope this is an appropriate section!]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1522 Tue, 19 Apr 2022 05:23:00 +0000 PyreneesPlot]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1522 Most aubergines, pricked out in early March still only have a single pair of tiny leaves.  They have been indoors in the warm until about 10 days ago.  I know they were initially too dry, as I over-compensated for last year's fungus gnats,  but that was quickly rectified. 
I'm guessing the cheap compost is the problem,  do you think it's worth buying some better compost and repotting everything?  It all has to go in the ground by mid May as we'll be away then, so one month's time.
Thanks all.]]> Most aubergines, pricked out in early March still only have a single pair of tiny leaves.  They have been indoors in the warm until about 10 days ago.  I know they were initially too dry, as I over-compensated for last year's fungus gnats,  but that was quickly rectified. 
I'm guessing the cheap compost is the problem,  do you think it's worth buying some better compost and repotting everything?  It all has to go in the ground by mid May as we'll be away then, so one month's time.
Thanks all.]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1515 Wed, 13 Apr 2022 21:44:29 +0000 Small chilli]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1515 What do I dig into my very easily waterlogged peat bog to make it useable? 
How to look after the brown / black stuff is one part of gardening I’ve never really been able to get my head round     . Which is very embarrassing. As it’s probably the most important part. 
Advice please.]]> What do I dig into my very easily waterlogged peat bog to make it useable? 
How to look after the brown / black stuff is one part of gardening I’ve never really been able to get my head round     . Which is very embarrassing. As it’s probably the most important part. 
Advice please.]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1514 Wed, 13 Apr 2022 19:07:14 +0000 PyreneesPlot]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1514 I can't remember what I normally do so for now it's been left uncovered which feels very wrong with a sunny week of 20+ to bake the clay soil coming up!
Any thoughts    ]]> I can't remember what I normally do so for now it's been left uncovered which feels very wrong with a sunny week of 20+ to bake the clay soil coming up!
Any thoughts    ]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1473 Sun, 13 Mar 2022 08:20:12 +0000 PyreneesPlot]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1473 I'll let you know how I get on, but meanwhile what's new to you this year?]]> I'll let you know how I get on, but meanwhile what's new to you this year?]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1434 Thu, 03 Feb 2022 15:14:05 +0000 Norfolk Grey]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1434

Okay, confession time. My gardening efforts have diminished over the last several years to the point I can't even remember my crop rotation. I know I do four groups (P&B, Brassicas, Roots and Onions/Squash/Corn) What I would like help with is where you think the last 2 groups should go and why? 

So option 1:-

1. P&B
2. Brassicas 
3. Roots 
4. Onions/Squash/Corn

option 2 :-

1. P&B
2. Brassicas 
3. Onions/Squash/Corn
4. Roots

Many thanks as always]]>

Okay, confession time. My gardening efforts have diminished over the last several years to the point I can't even remember my crop rotation. I know I do four groups (P&B, Brassicas, Roots and Onions/Squash/Corn) What I would like help with is where you think the last 2 groups should go and why? 

So option 1:-

1. P&B
2. Brassicas 
3. Roots 
4. Onions/Squash/Corn

option 2 :-

1. P&B
2. Brassicas 
3. Onions/Squash/Corn
4. Roots

Many thanks as always]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1432 Wed, 02 Feb 2022 11:19:03 +0000 Scarlet]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1432
I need advice

It needs to be as low maintenance as possible - I have the garden to look after but I really want to do this.

The area is 30ft x14ft - grassed. There are trees nearby so it does have roots underground - but no other options. 

How would you tackle this. 
I would like to go no dig? I ave weed membrane - and more wood chips than you can imagine. A small amount of compost, manure and lots of card

Can I just cover with card and go for it ....]]>
I need advice

It needs to be as low maintenance as possible - I have the garden to look after but I really want to do this.

The area is 30ft x14ft - grassed. There are trees nearby so it does have roots underground - but no other options. 

How would you tackle this. 
I would like to go no dig? I ave weed membrane - and more wood chips than you can imagine. A small amount of compost, manure and lots of card

Can I just cover with card and go for it ....]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1402 Wed, 12 Jan 2022 23:58:02 +0000 Veggie]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1402 Complete all the jobs and you get a Gold Star;  Fail and it'll be something unpleasant.

We'll start at the weekend - publish your List on Sunday, start on Monday and complete it by the following Sunday - something like that anyway!!]]> Complete all the jobs and you get a Gold Star;  Fail and it'll be something unpleasant.

We'll start at the weekend - publish your List on Sunday, start on Monday and complete it by the following Sunday - something like that anyway!!]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1354 Fri, 10 Dec 2021 06:23:54 +0000 Scarlet]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1354
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.]]>
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.]]>