Does anyone know anything about gardening?

I'm about to go for fake grass too. A 2.7 x 3.7m lawn in a shady spot with insufficient drainage just isn't worth it, since it's slowly degenerating into a mass of moss and weeds. Where did you get your "turf" from @mashton?

I think we got "super grass" from:

http://www.artificialgrass-direct.com/

Yeah, can burn it. Trying to minimise annoyance to neighbours and was wondering whether it might benefit the compost. Can try bashing it with a spade and if it doesn't seem to do much I'll burn it.

Indeed - but mashton hasn't got a garden - its a back yard.
Concrete would be harder wearing but you can't skid on it.

Cheers. The bigger one probably is, but I need two and getting South plus carrying pots back might be too difficult.

I need some potting compost and some drainage so I might just do a mimi Homebase trip one evening.

Thanks for looking.

No worries.

BT,. I have loads and loads of little plastic pots, if anyone wants a job lot for potting up?

With the house move this year I doubt I'll be doing anything from seed.

get some plastic plants to match your lawn

Apparently putting cardboard around the base of your plants helps! Another method I've heard of is using a bacteria called Bacillus thuringensis (presumably discovered in Germany) which is a naturally occurring soil bacteria and harmless to humans and animals.

My potatoes (?!) got savaged by caterpillars last year so I'd be keen to find a sensible solution. These tiny ones strip my gooseberry bushes of leaves every year, too.

organic slug pellets recommendations anyone? and where to buy central or east.

the oxfam in Goodge Street used to sell but not anymore unfortunately.

and i don't want to give Amazon any money.

We're moving flat (into one with a mother fucking garden!) in mid/late May. Knowing that this was going to happen (although not that we'd be having a garden) means I've not done anything this year. What will I be able to start to grow that late?

Waitrose sell it - they call the Ferric phosphate pellets 'slug bait' as opposed to 'slug pellets' which contain metaldehyde. Both are Bayer products, which you may not be happy with.

There must be other online sources than Amazon.

Maincrop taters, beans, or you could buy little plants like tomatoes and plant them out. May is a good month to start, really - some years you still have frosts in April.

I just realised I was assuming you meant veg. I'm crap at everything else.

I did indeed mean veg.

Don't really want to buy seedlings, but... Last year I'd started my beans (and I think tomats) by now.

Adding courgettes to veg list from @General_Strike. We planted some old, knackered (I thought) seeds two weeks ago & they're already growing like topsy! Also our Chard, some lettuce and late broccoli all went in last weekend and the weekend before. Edit: also fennel and runner beans sown indoors to go out in a few weeks

Up in Cambridgeshire, we had a frost this morning. So that might have nuked some of the weaker plants/seeds outside. So I guess it's a bit of pot luck (no pun intended) this time of year.

Hard frost and hail in the last few days for me. Glad I put those tender lettuce's in the ground last week...

The head gardener only planted our tomato seeds last week, so you've still time for them, various beans, leeks, root veg etc.

The head gardener only planted our tomato seeds last week, so you've still time for them, various beans, leeks, root veg etc.

dictated to valet

Sweet - lots of time then.

Its too cold to whack anything outside yet, mrak. Get your seeds going

cheers dude. we think we have found something. not Bayer, though might be offshoot co.

Too much of a pain while moving. Will have to start once we've moved and settled.

Ill save you a few seedlings then. Just boring shit for me this year though, seeing as I am in shitarse dissertation mode 'til sept.

I am going to have a go at pickling cucumber s this year.

I do bread and butter pickles for BBQ stuff. I have a ton to make soon for DJ. You can head over and watch the process - so easy.

sweet - cheers