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My first blog!

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Not been on the site for ages, sorry. However I have been busy getting to grips with my garden and I’ve added some photos to my home page. Don’t get too excited, they are all mainly at the before stage. Work has commenced on building the much needed wall, the foundations are in. I am planning to just paint the concrete blocks but have a wall water feature in the middle, some trellis either side with pretty and scented climbing plants, any suggestions as to what I should use would be very welcome!

My roses are coming along fine, the climbing one on the arch is growing like crazy and is looking very healthy. I have sprayed it with rose anti bug stuff and feed and water it regularly. I’ve planted a clematis on the other arch and that is growing really well, I’ve already had to secure it to both sides of the arch. I’ve got another climbing rose just waiting to get started on the arch, it doesn’t seem very enthusiastic, but early days yet, it is producing some very healthy looking shoots.

I’ve invested in a compost bin and I would welcome any advice on how best to use it. At the moment, I chuck everything in it, used rabbit bedding, fruit and veg waste, teabags, crushed egg shells etc. Someone told me to layer it if possible with different fodder, rabbit bedding/fruit & veg waste/ grass cuttings etc.Any advice would be very welcome.

I’ve pruned my raspberry canes in preparation for a good September crop. I’m about to order a garden shed, but can’t decide if I want practical or garden room type. I need practical to store all my garden stuff in, but would like it to be like a magical fairy den as well. The concrete base I have is in totally the wrong position. Is it worth digging out the old concrete base and setting up a new one elsewhere in the garden?

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Comments

 

Hello Ruralbliss.....nice to have you back. Your garden sounds to be coming along fabulously. I'll have to go and have a look at the pics you've posted.
Glad to hear your roses are doing well. The one that isn't looking enthusiastic is probably fine, especially if it is producing strong new shoots.
With my compost bins, I've found that they seem to work better if I keep mixing everything together. I tried the layering method and wasn't thrilled with the results...I think that works better for a compost pile not a bin. I just toss in what I have and then get the garden fork and give it a good mix and leave it until I add something else. Be careful when adding grass clippings as if you do layer them they can just sit there and go slimey. They are much quicker to break down if you mix them in a bit at a time. You can also add lint from the clothes dryer, contents of the vacuum cleaner bag, hairs from hairbrushes or dogs and cats, coffee grounds, shredded newspaper, torn up cardboard, feathers, spider webs, dry stale bread, fireplace ashes, cotton threads or fabric, cotton or jute string, paper towels and paper hankies.

14 Apr, 2009

 

Oh thanks for that Gilli thats helped me too!! didn't think about lint from the tumble drier i have a tin full at the mo, so it'll go in the bin now, thanks

14 Apr, 2009

 

Great advice there Gilli....so much of the stuff that usually just gets slung in the bin !

14 Apr, 2009

 

Thanks Gilli, that's really useful. I'll give it a good mix and add loads of other things from your list. I'd never have thought of the vacuum cleaner contents or the pet hair, they'll be going in there from now on.

14 Apr, 2009

 

Glad to be of some help everyone. With my soil being such heavy clay, I try to make as much compost as possible as fast as I can.
Lately I've been chucking all the kitchen waste into the blender with leftover coffee or tea and whizzing it around to chop it fine. Then I add it that way.....seems to get things heated up very quickly.

18 Apr, 2009

 

Gilli, you are a font of great advice and tips, you should write a book! I've no idea what my soil type is, but the soil that came out for putting the wall foundations in was fine and crumbly and has been put to good use to level off all the dips in my garden, after raking out most of the stones. Now I need it, I no longer have my old heavy garden roller. Are the water filled ones any good, or would a load of kids in wellies stamping and jumping on the soil work just as well?

I'm making more and more visits each day to my compost bin now, even the kids are getting into the habit of putting compost friendly rubbish to one side, thanks for all the tips Gilli.

19 Apr, 2009

 

LOL.....I'll write a book and become rich and famous and then I can spend all my time in the garden......wouldn't it be great?
Water filled rollers are good. They are really heavy when full. I believe 1 gallon of water weighs about 10 lbs. At that rate a 20 gallon capacity one will weigh at least 200 lbs when filled. And then you can dump the water to make it more portable.
I wish I could get my kids to be more compost friendly.....my two aren't bad as they have grown up with compost buckets, but my two stepkids are hopeless. They couldn't care less.....mind you, that might be because it's me that's asking them. You know, the Evil Stepmother......LOL.

20 Apr, 2009

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