Does anyone know anything about gardening?

Another csb, I walked through an alleyway not that long ago where one of the adjacent gardens had bamboo. It was busting up through the tarmac in the alley.

Definitely a visual reminder not to plant running bamboo. You have to wonder why it's permitted for sale.

permitted for sale

/ gestures vaguely at society

Gunnera has been banned now, so it could happen

We left the back garden wild this year and I cleared half of it yesterday, there was plenty of flattened growth suggesting a sunbathing spot, and a few visitors became apparent in the sunshine just now.

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Rhubarb suggestions? And generally anything I need to know?

A note in my diary said planting time is approaching and I don't want to be thrwarted for another year running.

Don't pick it in the first year to allow it to get established

I was wondering about

Fulton's Strawberry Surprise - good flavour
Timperley Early - as early as March
Glaskins Perpetual late season harvesting

That way I'd have a range across the season.

I planted some Timperley Early in 2022. Really taken off now. Tastes great too.

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Shout out to champagne, can start harvesting in April or earlier if you force. Pretty unfussy and easy to grow.

After a lot of procrastination and price comparison I found someone on ebay doing 2 x champagne for a tenner Inc P&P, so have just gone for that.

I'm not planting it in a great spot anyway so figure sometimes it's best just to get something in the ground. Or as my grandad used to say, "if you plant it, it can grow. If you don't it can't."

I've picked up a greenhouse frame, and I'm planning on replacing the lower glass with some kind of plastic as I have toddler running around and it'll be a bit safer.
Does anyone have any strong feelings about twinwall/poly carbonate/acrylic effectiveness?

All of the above should work, the twin wall is probably the most sprog-proof if the frame will allow for the thickness. Just make sure you set the frame up perfectly square and upright, 1mm out and you will be entering an entire world of pain, leading to insanity and suicide when you try to glaze it.

Twin wall is the cheapest too, but unfortunately the least aesthetically pleasing. I'll see what the other half says...

Ruled out a protective skirt? Low stripwood panels (that allow light) , stood off by 2-3” and backed up with chickenwire to stop any little hands falling between gaps would be cheap enough.

Green house related: we're looking for an old green house to take for parts to do a small hacky project. Glass, alu, wood – anything useable considered really.

Keep an eye on eBay, often find people who want them out of the way for cheap.

Gumtree/Facebook are pretty good as well for freebies if you’re prepared to dismantle and remove.

Edit: try and avoid fully concreted bases.

I planted some hydrangea cuttings and verbena and it looks like they’ve rooted.

Do I need to bring them in over winter?

100%

Have been on ebay / marketplace / gumtree scouring for something feasibly close enough and the right style / condition. Also looking at just horti glass job lots. Plenty of options a bit out of town but slim pickings inside the m25

I set a search previously and managed to get one pop up. Word of caution though, disassembly can be a nightmare, you'll definitely* need a hacksaw. I just took a socket set and soon realised that a few nuts/bolts were never coming apart and ended up cutting them after getting a hacksaw! I thought it'd take 30mins ended up there for 2.5 hours...

Have been tempted/afraid to look at used greenhouses “must dismantle yourself”. Stuff of nightmares.

Yeah, take a dremmel if you have one.

I echo what others have said, Facebook marketplace for me. I've had three greenhouses from there over a few years which I combined the various parts to make one complete 8x6 greenhouse.

Obvs availability can depend on where you are. I have loads of spare glass of various sizes you can have for nothing if you are anywhere near KT17/Epsom postcode.

Close, but you actually meant a 4" angle grinder with metal cutting blade and a 50 yard cable.

I stand corrected.

We got ours for free and the bloke had dismantled it himself and had everything prepped to go (I gave him some beers to say thanks). He had kept the gable ends built which made reassembly easier but also the fact I hadn’t disassembled it myself meant I then had to work out how everything fit together. Would recommend keeping the gable ends built if you have roof bars and not a huge distance to travel. Or a hulking great van.

https://www.lfgss.com/comments/17522727/

Now I think about it a can of GT85 was a real help as well.