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Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Fri Feb 19, 21 8:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

If you have any farms or smallholders near you, you could ask them if they will sell you a poor quality fleece, or ask for 'skirtings'; at least that is what we call them round here. It is the stuff they take off the edges that is too full of dung/muck/ too poor quality etc. You may have to pay a few pounds for a poor quality fleece, but you can pull it apart and store what you don't use this year. Best thing to store them in is a hessian sack, but a plastic rubbish bag will do. They smell a bit, so you may want to keep unused fleece in a mouse proof shed.

sgt.colon



Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.
PostPosted: Fri Feb 19, 21 9:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Slim, thanks, I'll start a few off in my greenhouse.

MR, I'll have a look and see if there is anyone near where I can obtain some fleece. Derbyshire is only a few miles away so hopefully there should be some sheep over there.

Thanks for your help peeps.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45372
Location: yes
PostPosted: Sun Feb 21, 21 10:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

dog fur also works, birds steal it for nest lining and disco wigs so it needs topping up quite often, a local mutt clipper might have a supply for a nominal gift,veg etc
a full clip on a pair of OESDs or "terrier day" would be a sackful

the pellet stuff is fine for a few pots and boxes but would be horrible expensive for allotment scale use

using rough fleece might attract birds that need santa beards and felt socks
the pellets are short fibres, under 15 mm and mostly around 5mm in a fair bit of sheep grease, they do not seem to be "valuable" to the wildlife

if you have plenty of manky fleece a top-up now and again is not much of a problem

my small scale trial last year was dramatic, the pellet stuff is almost fully protective, wolf fur is very good until taken for disco wigs, no protection was eaten by the slimy hoard in days

there is a wool based insulating felt, as used by meat delivery companies etc, that also works

the stuff made as house insulation might also be useful

if i was planning a semi tech trial at least one bed would have a full felt blanket with starcuts for the crops to grow through
another would have pellet fences around each stem
loose seems to be rather too valuable to birds for ease of use but roughly felted/matted loose "scraps" might be cheap and effective

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Mon Feb 22, 21 8:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

As the fleece I have been trying to spin is so felted that I can't tear it sometimes, I wonder if cutting it into rings for the garden might be a better use. It is still very much 'in the grease' so could be just the thing. I might try it this year.

sgt.colon



Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.
PostPosted: Tue Mar 23, 21 8:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I am being overrun at home with chilli and tomato plants. They have all been potted up from the first stage, so have second leaves and so forth. Is it still a bit too cool yet to move them from the house to the greenhouse down at the allotment?

Thanks.

Shan



Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 9075
Location: South Wales
PostPosted: Tue Mar 23, 21 8:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I normally move mine at this time. I'm afraid my gardening mantra with peppers, chillis and tomatoes is "treat them mean, keep them keen". You will lose a few but the plants that are left tend to be stronger.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45372
Location: yes
PostPosted: Tue Mar 23, 21 12:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

short and fast is my mantis style plan for growing a few one season things

perennial herbs in pots is part two

a few mange tout would be nice but not a good use of space in a canyon

sgt.colon



Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.
PostPosted: Wed Mar 24, 21 7:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Thanks guys. I'll move them down this weekend.

jema
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28098
Location: escaped from Swindon
PostPosted: Wed Mar 24, 21 7:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Also debating what to move when. We have loads in pots in the kitchen and our "craft room". This year will be a big learning curve for us I think.
Last year we were very focused on creating growing space in the garden and now is the time to actually use it. So we have chillis, tomatoes and loads of herbs being started

sgt.colon



Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.
PostPosted: Wed Mar 24, 21 7:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Thanks for the reminder Jema, I need to get some herbs on the go.

Slim



Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6533
Location: New England (In the US of A)
PostPosted: Wed Mar 24, 21 10:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The safe planting out date discussion is one that I certainly can't help you with, though it may be off some reassurance that I only just seeded my peppers, and hesitated as I was afraid I might be starting them too soon....
They would prefer not to see too many evenings below 50 F

sgt.colon



Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.
PostPosted: Wed Mar 24, 21 6:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I think that's about 10c in our speak. I'll need to get the thermometer for the greenhouse and pop down one night to see what temperature it is in there.

I suspect you have hotter and longer summer s than we do though Slim?

Slim



Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6533
Location: New England (In the US of A)
PostPosted: Wed Mar 24, 21 6:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Hotter likely, longer unlikely. Frosts can strike in early September or as late as October

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45372
Location: yes
PostPosted: Wed Mar 24, 21 7:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

is it comfortable to put your bare bum on the soil is said to indicate the time to plant carrot seed

i have not tried it, closed cell foam in the backside of my trousers for sitting on cold things is more my style

average soil temps can be estimated by which "weeds" and grasses, shrooms etc are growing

having lost loads of things to a late frost and never noticed a late turnout stunting a crop i now tent to go for later is better

with a thermometer soil over 10 C and a low risk of frost is probably safe for many things

playing the old yorkshireman card, cold resistant things are rather useful to a gardener
in a greenhouse you have more control over temp, heating can be done

re greenhouse heating, maturing manure can be quite warming, a long time ago a small oil lamp was a popular defrosting trick etc
if you get sun and chilly nights a water based heat sink(paint the bottles black) can be ace

the fan and broken glass in a hole thing seems over engineered and long term messy

sgt.colon



Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.
PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 21 8:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Top tip there DPack, thanks.

I don't think I dare get my arse out down the allotment. Sods law someone will turn up and then I'd have some explaining to do.

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