A big bowlful of lovely yellow plums this morning when i went up the garden for potatoes, beans, peas, curly lettuce, tomatoes and spring onions. The birds do not seem to notice these plums as they are very like the leaves of the tree and they are as soft and delicious as apricots. They also yield a great harvest so. all in all, one to be recommended as a boost to one's confidence. As I also came back with a huge bunch of flowers for the house the shops will not be seeing me for some time. Too busy gardening anyway.
I wish i only had birds to contend with, RABBITS - we have been in our house for 3yrs and trying to remove them 'naturally' but they are eating everything I try to grow and as they are under my woodshed we are having big problems of getting rid of them. DOes anyone have any 'natural' ways of remving rabbits without upsetting the kids!!
It would be nice if someone experienced provided detailed advice on drying and preserving herbs. We dont all have spacious houses with aga's, greenhouses or very dry areas. eg Lovage, golden majoram fennel etc Thanks P
Well now, i have been using my own herbs in my cooking for donkey's years, so I suppose I qualify, hortus. For what it is worth, I try to have chives, parsley and basil growing on windowsills all the year. I also pack surplus herbs into ice-cube partitions, cover with water and freeze. Thyme, marjoram,sage and mint, I tie in bunches, tie up a south facing drainpipe and leave till quite dry, then crumble into jars with lids. No need for Agas or a greenhouse. A dry spot in my garage helps in wet summers - I tie the bunches to the window latches.
Birds don't seem to go for whitecurrants, which are good for bulking out scarcer fruits for jam-making (scarcer because birds have helped themselves!) I also have a hybrid type of blackberry bought years ago from late-lamented Woolies. Its label said tayberry/loganberry cross, but must have been wrong as it's black. Too sharp for the birds, and makes great preserves.
So far this year the black birds have had every single redcurrant, every single gooseberry, only a few black berries, a few strawberries, and a few raspberries, the squirrels have amused me greatly pinching a few strawberries sat on the patio table enjoying them in the sun running off with bulging cheeks when disturbed; aside from the gooseberries I don't begrudge sharing, and I've never been a huge fan of red currants anyway! I've thought about netting but was worried about it's safety for wildlife that could get caught in it, Any tips or advice on this? thanks
Fruits in the garden is inviting the animals to come closer, our plantation house that has a sapodilla tree has made the bats come over and eat ripe sapodilla fruit or half-cooked sapodilla in a tree
Natasha yes you can take honeysuckle cuttings in the usual way, or pin down a shoot and cut off and dig up once rooted. They root very easily. I pin down pieces of as many established plants as possible, then you protect your investment against bad winters and plants can get old and woody and a replacement in a pot saves you money. When the cold frame is too full, I exchange plants with others or give them as presents. Whatever, if they don't root you have only spent time and a pot of compost, worth the risk. Give it a go and enjoy the outcome.
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evergreen clematis?
I've thought about netting but was worried about it's safety for wildlife that could get caught in it,
Any tips or advice on this?
thanks