Does anyone know anything about gardening?

Same here, white aphids on the buxus, green ones dining on the mint and peas and then black aphid on the vibernum. All getting the ant massage too.

Fecking ants! I’d try killing them but I think I would have to nuke my garden from orbit. They’re everywhere, in every pot and under every stone. I’ve stopped them farming the apple tree aphids with a judiciously placed strip of gorilla tape, but apart from a fiery apocalypse I think it’s going to have to be live and let live.

Just remember that they're pretty strong candidates for 'most useful animals on the planet'. :)

#nothelping

My favourite method is with a file then finish on a stone. There's a video by essential craftsman on YT that shows you how, and he also shows a grinder method as well.

Regarding tackling aphids etc.

We built some of these in my old place, okay nothing as cool or shop bought, generally a stack of bamboo or pine cones. And whilst it won’t eradicate all pests, it does provide a home for pollinators and predators. I will be making a few in my latest garden.

https://youtu.be/Qpau_m2OCaE

Also while I was hacking away at the overgrown end I came across an abandoned wasp nest no bigger than a cricket ball. It was hanging in the bushes, beautiful delicate layer chambers like a very small grey paper lantern.

Brilliant. I was gifted a beautiful but useless bug hotel that's been ideally sitting on the back wall. Will give this a go with the young fella.

Worth doing a little reading on bug hotels to make sure you've positioned them correctly and know how to clean them out

Garlic coming along nicely

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Nice. How come netted? My garlic patch isn't and I'm now wondering what pest will come and destroy them just before they're ready.

Never netted our and it’s always been fine. Wondering what this is for too? Interested to know.

3rd! just had heart in mouth

We built some of these in my old place.

I hear you've been involved in refurbishing one in Westminster. :)

That was a completely unnecessary slur on bugs, of course.

We've always had problems with onion fly. Trying out this mesh to see if it keeps them at bay.
The larvae burrow into the bulb and cocoon themselves. Means the garlic doesn't keep as well and if you don't fancy protein enrichment you have to go picking the blighters out

Nice!

X post spam, sorry, asking in the DIY thread too, maybe slightly different crowds?

Righhhhttt... looking for hive mind advice, tips, suggestions.

My back garden does not get the sun past 5pm, ever, and as a result we tend to move to the tiny front garden for sun downers which although is pleasant is also a bit of a waste of a garden IMO.

We cant change the orientation of our house, or how the sun moves around the Earth, so have to find a way to work with those factors.

Thinking trying to go cosy, with some sort of pergola at the back to hang numerous lights off while plants grow up and around (garden has only been non astro turf for about 3 months).

I'm thinking making a pergola and maybe using the back fence (which is stable and solid) rather than adding yet more posts and gubbins.

So, specific questions - making a pergola and using the fence posts, daft idea? better solutions?

Is there a smarter option that I could use to achieve the same goals (cosy night garden).

Pic of current state, plus slightly goth filthy mock or proposed. Took 5 mins and I dont care about PS anymore, please dont judge.

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And current...

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More posts! Sorry, your rear fence is on 3" posts as far as I can tell, you'll want 4" to support a pergola. You would also find it difficult to attach to concrete posts. You will want 7' of headroom beneath (tall guest +6").

Ahhhhhh rats. Makes sense but kinda hoped to avoid more post. Cheers for the reply!

Cheer up, you will only need 4 posts. If you build the whole lot out of 4x4 posts and 6x2 tops, sawn and treated, you'll get change out of £200. Easily built in a day (if there aren't blocks of concrete where the holes must go).

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Two days if you get fancy....

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Is that one you did? One of the reason I am hesitant about extra posts is the rear neighbours garden is about 50cm lower and there isn't a lot reinforcing/propping up the soil at the rear so it sometimes slips down and under the fence.
Those examples do look decent though.

I'm in the market for a new watering can. Does anyone have a Haws? They look nice, buy pricey. Are they the mutts?

Yep. If you start with 9' posts you should have enough in the ground for it not to move once concreted in with a dry mix. I would go 18" from the neighbours garden with the posts. However, it does sound like you need a retaining wall between you.....

Does it do anything a green plastic one doesn't? Will it last any longer?

Probs not on both counts but looks sexeh.