Originally Posted by Samell

Every day I walk my dogs along the canal by Allenwood and the wild flowers are comming up great, all the old favorites are there and some new ones, only problem is it's not kids damaging them but adults, and paid to do it!!!!!!!!! the wild Orchids come up, though less and less because Waterways Ireland send a huge tractor down to slice up the grass, dig deep ruts, and leave huge bare patches where the blades are set too low. I would willingly mow a walking path during the growing season and they could cut later on in the year and have actually asked them about it, but no the tractor must cut at the time it does never mind the rare and beautiful natural flora.

A hand full of wild seed thrown into hoof prints make nice bunches of colour.

Yes we must outwork the lazy vandals.

This pathway planting as seen last year is now maturing and damaged plants replaced with self seeding varieties to outwit the dumb.
There are about 20 trees now surrounded by flowers just on this road. We live behind the white wall in the foreground.

Yes self seeding marigolds, forget-me-nots. dwarf nasturtiums etc are soon replacing the purchased plants and providing further stock. It's a Growth industry.

The idea of transportable gardens is now on facebook and twitter.

Maurice, you well know your stuff.
A little bit of an off-topic question:

What do you reckon is the best way of dealing with weeds on an allotment?

Myself and the brother-in-law have taken over my grandfather's one and I'm to do the weeding on eight potato beds tomorrow evening.
The old fella says doing it by hand before they've had a chance to grow big is best, whereas the b-in-l says the hoe is the best thing to use going in amongst the potato plants.

Originally Posted by Ultor

Had planted daffs that were doing nicely until the local scumbag children broke the heads off the flowers to throw at each other. And our taxes subsidising their lifestyle!!! Maybe it's for another thread!!!

Originally Posted by SeamusNapoleon

Maurice, you well know your stuff.
A little bit of an off-topic question:

What do you reckon is the best way of dealing with weeds on an allotment?

Myself and the brother-in-law have taken over my grandfather's one and I'm to do the weeding on eight potato beds tomorrow evening.
The old fella says doing it by hand before they've had a chance to grow big is best, whereas the b-in-l says the hoe is the best thing to use going in amongst the potato plants.

Hoeing will be easier on your back and knees. Every time a weed pops it's head up, hoe it off, it'll eventually use up all it's energy.
If you weed on a nice warm sunny day, you can leave the weeds lying on the ground, they'll dry up and die, and then get taken back into the goround by worms to help build up your humus.

Originally Posted by SeamusNapoleon

Maurice, you well know your stuff.
A little bit of an off-topic question:

What do you reckon is the best way of dealing with weeds on an allotment?

Myself and the brother-in-law have taken over my grandfather's one and I'm to do the weeding on eight potato beds tomorrow evening.
The old fella says doing it by hand before they've had a chance to grow big is best, whereas the b-in-l says the hoe is the best thing to use going in amongst the potato plants.

SeamusNapolean,I once watched an old veteran farmer rooting out weeds from his potatoe drills. He did it by hand working all day... day after day. Not a blade of grass was allowed to survive.

The hoe is easiest on the back, but leaves the roots! Or increases them.

Maybe that black weed repressing material sold in the Euro shops would be the the crafty solution?

Today we reclaimed a patch of garden overrun with Irish ivy. What a job! The stuff clings to the soil like a limpet.But determination works and we now have it planted with Fuschias, pelagorniums and ground covering plants. An instant little garden that will provide some welcome colour in due time.

There's no substitute for hard work. The exercise does us good.

Plant poppies once they seed they can never get of them.

Originally Posted by seenitallb4

Is there a kind of political thought process at work when people do stuff like Guerilla Gardening?

scum!

Originally Posted by Redstorm

Plant poppies once they seed they can never get of them.

See how a Dope followed your post?

A little humour is always welcome in the garden.

Originally Posted by DeputyEdo

Hoeing will be easier on your back and knees. Every time a weed pops it's head up, hoe it off, it'll eventually use up all it's energy.
If you weed on a nice warm sunny day, you can leave the weeds lying on the ground, they'll dry up and die, and then get taken back into the goround by worms to help build up your humus.

Cheers for that. I don't think we'll be seeing a nice, warm sunny day for a wee while but tis good to know.

I was down today, the potato plants are coming up a fair bit know.
Weeds are small so far, but they look to be quite a lot in quantity.
I guess hoeing it'll be.

Originally Posted by MauriceColgan

SeamusNapolean,I once watched an old veteran farmer rooting out weeds from his potatoe drills. He did it by hand working all day... day after day. Not a blade of grass was allowed to survive.

The hoe is easiest on the back, but leaves the roots! Or increases them.

Maybe that black weed repressing material sold in the Euro shops would be the the crafty solution?

Today we reclaimed a patch of garden overrun with Irish ivy. What a job! The stuff clings to the soil like a limpet.But determination works and we now have it planted with Fuschias, pelagorniums and ground covering plants. An instant little garden that will provide some welcome colour in due time.

There's no substitute for hard work. The exercise does us good.

Hard work!
It's alright for the grandfather to be recommending the hands approach as he sits watching, the fecker.*

We did spray for weeds before planting, but I think the other two are very reluctant about using any spray once the potatoes start sprouting - what's this €2 euro store stuff?



*in jest, of course, I'm very fond of the man