Does anyone know anything about gardening?

In the interests of mistake-sharing, I lay some wildflower turf in the front but didn't suitably remove the nutrients from the underlying soil. The grasses have largely taken over again but I'll keep you updated. I intend to lay some yellow rattle in October and possibly buy some wildflower plugs for next year.

On the plus side, this is my first year growing Martagon Lily, which are an excellent colour!

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Is this similar to the du pint scandal in the 90s where most people on the planet have it in their system

best way to get rid of bamboo without chemicals is to let it shoot up, then just as its about to start creating leaves cut it back and repeat until it runs out of energy and dies. Might take a couple years.

More thoughts on glyphosate.
Many many moons ago when all this was brakless sleds I was on a farming restoration project/apprenticeship scheme. As a part of that I got my PA1 & PA6a pesticide application licence. The tutor did the whole spiel about how safe Roundup was (even to the point of necking a capful to prove the point). Got my ticket and was then immediately tasked with area spraying head height bracken for several weeks in a row. Wore a suit, gloves and specs but at the end of the day it was practically impossible not to spend a whole 8hr shift basically spraying that mist into your own face. It definitely is effective but my god the effect on a large area is shocking. Beech plantations are usually teeming with insects and life but after blasting the whole place is a desert apart from the trees.

I felt sick for months after that project and won’t touch that shit ever again. I implore all of you not to use it in your gardens.
Also, fuck Monsanto.

The same goes for tree stump removal, granular potassium nitrate mixed with glyphosate was popular when I started out in tree surgery but had to be careful with application and covering it up before it destroys the garden, kills any animals that went near it etc. That stuff would take a layer of skin off your hands quite happily.

The tutor did the whole spiel about how safe Roundup was (even to the point of necking a capful to prove the point).

Is the tutor still alive?

With the average tutor on that sort of course it would be hard to tell without a machine that goes 'beep'.

Saving bulbs, what’s the craic? I planted a load of tulips and daffs in containers and now they’re all done I’d like to use the containers again. How best to store the bulbs?

didn't suitably remove the nutrients from the underlying soil

I recently discovered this.

For wild flowers you need to remove all your top soil up, get to the shit stuff below, and then put that on the top.

Can't help but feel life is too short.

I've already got shit top soil. I was hoping to overlay with compost to prevent the birds eating everything. What's a better idea, sand?

Sawdust or shreaded cardboard in a dark place. Basically no light and no damp.

What's a better idea

No idea. This is 5yrs of wild garden effort + 1yr of sacking it off

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Cheers!

I’d like to use the containers again

Once the top foliage has died down I've been putting a 2 inch layer of compost/soil over the top and sown into or planted annuals into that.

My mother's garden is completely 'overgrown' and looks fantastic ...

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Another NGS tip for tomorrow:

https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/29826/

6 courtyard gardens in Spitalfields for £15, free tea and cake at the rectory, jazz band from 2pm.

I’ve got this raised bed in our garden. It’s full of lavender, the only problem is the rhs is nice and healthy, but the lhs isn’t happy at all. I try not to water it too much. The soil is crap and sandy which I’m pretty sure it likes. But it doesn’t get a lot of sun except in the afternoon/evening.

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Looking for inspiration for a "living wall" for a visible section of our alleyway roughly 2x2m.

In quotes, because I'm not wedded to a true corporate building style living wall. Living wall as a reference, because it needs to be slim/flat so as to not hamper access.

The reason I'm not thinking of a climber in a pot is because I'd like a bit more interest. Also in the winter and late summer especially the alley turns into a powerful wind tunnel - so worry about pots blowing over.

Anyone got any smart ideas?

(although it's a south facing wall it is obviously in shade from the house for large parts of the day)

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What's the furniture?

Homebase corner sofa. It’s 🔥

https://www.homebase.co.uk/spirit-metal-garden-corner-sofa-set-grey/12889918.html

Climbing rose, clematis, honeysuckle of the top of my head.

climber in a pot

climber in a rectangular planter :)

Climbing hydrangea

Dig out the mortar and plant wallflowers 😅

Would not recommend digging up flag iris on the hottest day of the year, especially if your partner has a pulled hamstring and can't help. I am a broken, sweaty mess.

Is this the place for pond advice? We have a (no pump) pond which filled with rainwater over winter and now has newts + other wildlife in it. It's getting pretty low now and I'm trying to refill, but have exhausted water from our water butt - all that is left is

• the really murky water butt stuff that comes out if you tilt it - there's a fair amount of this but it smells grim. Suspect it may have the undisturbed run-off from tarred shed roof in it..
  
• fill it from the tap, wait 24 hrs for chlorine to dissipate (how well does this work?!) And then try to fill. Risk is that we can only do a couple of watering cans at a time, not sure if tap will change the water quality too much and will the water evaporate while standing waiting to go in?
  
  

Any thoughts what people would do...? Don't want to leave the newts homeless