What Are You Growing?

[Kinoulton]

The previous owner of this little plot planted more trees than you can shake a stick at.

And I'm eternally grateful that they present a glorious variety of green shapes against the blue sky.

But conifers? They just stand about 90 feet high like regimental soldiers, blocking out the sun and restricting your view of nicer things.

[DCat]

I must admit that nearly everyone I speak to round these 'ere parts hates the pigeons.

I've brought down about 30 conifers (useles blinking trees in any case), purely because they harboured so many pigeons that annoyed everyone from farmers to horseriders.

Cutting down trees????

Price Charles will be cross!!

Sod that. The idiots that built our house decided to plant two horse chestnut trees just the other side of our garden wall in a 'common area' so it took the council the best part of 20 years to acknowledge it was actually responsible for them. We did at last have one removed this summer, just in case the roots undermined our garage. At least we won't have kids throwing sticks at it to get the conkers.

If Prince Charles wants that sort of thing he can have his house built by Wimpey.

[Kinoulton]

If Prince Charles wants that sort of thing he can have his house built by Wimpey.

Prince Charles already has one dodgy old structure to maintain.

[Bill W (2)]

If Prince Charles wants that sort of thing he can have his house built by Wimpey.

Prince Charles already has one dodgy old structure to maintain.

Kindly leave Camilla out of it!

[cornish tigress]

Any one else got blight? I am suffering here as it's been warm and damp. Apparently it is called the Mills period and is BAD. Poo. I have nurtured these toms since they were seeds on my windowsill. And that's the thanks I get...

[Bill W (2)]

Quick! Get to the garden centre and buy a spray!

Dithane works well!

[cornish tigress]

I have sprayed, thanks Bill! Twice. I am getting a reduced crop of cherry toms, but the regulars and beefs are very spotty and ill.

[Bill W (2)]

Next year try blight resistant varieties:

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/p ... 323/1.html

[Rizzo]

Surprised there's anything without mould and mildew with all this rain

[madoqua]

I take paracetamol for my blight.

[Kinoulton]

No one could understand the enormous plague of wasps we've been subjected to. Until I climbed a ladder to inspect a blocked gutter and saw that every one of my apples has been eaten out by the pesky blighters.

There's thousands of them eating what are now rotten apples and no doubt getting p*ssed up on the rotten fermenting fruit.

[Rizzo]

Yeah I know Kinny. My Dad (sitting in state in his chair) despatched me up the garden to "pick up any apples that we could use" - there are quite a lot on the ground but they're all eaten away or half-eaten, and swarming with wasps.

No, Dad, I told him - if you want apples I'll buy some from the farm shop!

[cornish tigress]

It's funny here, have windfall apples aplenty but no wasps. But down the road at my friends the house was full of them. And a toad kept hiding in her outdoor shoes. It's amazing how far down you can tread on a toad without it getting squashed. And it just keeps getting back in!

[Bill W (2)]

Few wasps and no toads in deepest Essex.

Lots of apples on the floor. Lots of ripe figs. Peaches looking good and plums threatening!!

[Old Hob]

More wasps than you can shake a stick at here. In a nice pub yesterday (The Swan at Radcote) where 6 nests had been destroyed yet whole garden full of wasps. I gave up counting after 30.