Hi All,

A while ago I was (well my beans were) suffering with slugs and I
finally resorted to pellets and beer (guess who had what) and we seem
to be ok again hic. I'm still on the lookout for some copper sheet /
strip and will try that later / next time.

The other day we (daughter and I) helped 'granny' put on a flower
stall at our (all three of us) old primary school fete. Most of the
stuff was her home grown, some was donated and she raised 50 quid for
the school. I ended up with some of the leftover donations in the form
of 4 tom plants (about 1'6" tall with baby toms already) and 6
'peppers' (red / green / yellow it says on the stick).

I've just put the toms in instead of the leaf stripped bean stalks and
for now(?), stuck the peppers in a large planter. They seem very
'floppy' (they look healthy enough just can't seem to stand on their
own) so wondered what I was supposed to do with them (sticks, nets
etc)?

I have also got some more beans (as advised by K a while back, blue
lagoon or summat g), started them off in one of those little
propagators and they all came up well. As soon as they reached the lid
I just took it off and now they are just growing as is. At what point
should I put them in the ground (replacing the other slug damaged
runners) please?

We also have some spring onions coming along. Same process, started in
a propagator (black plastic base, transparent top) and they seem to be
doing ok. I'm not sure if they are being 'thinned out' though .. would
birds eat them and if so what should I do?

Lastly, one of the smaller remaining runners has been converted into a
little smallholding by the local black ants re a nice little herd of
(black?) fly. I didn't want it near the new toms / beans so (partly as
an experiment) just re-located it the other side of the garden. Will
this be ok (will they just carry on out of the way) or should I have
disposed of the lot?

All the best and thanks for your time ..

T i m

"T i m" wrote in message
...

Hello T i m !

A while ago I was (well my beans were) suffering with slugs and I
finally resorted to pellets and beer (guess who had what) and we seem
to be ok again hic. I'm still on the lookout for some copper sheet /
strip and will try that later / next time.

You can get copper mesh strips at garden centres, they're very good.

The other day we (daughter and I) helped 'granny' put on a flower
stall at our (all three of us) old primary school fete. Most of the
stuff was her home grown, some was donated and she raised 50 quid for
the school. I ended up with some of the leftover donations in the form
of 4 tom plants (about 1'6" tall with baby toms already) and 6
'peppers' (red / green / yellow it says on the stick).

Funny how that always happens :-)


I have also got some more beans (as advised by K a while back, blue
lagoon or summat g), started them off in one of those little
propagators and they all came up well. As soon as they reached the lid
I just took it off and now they are just growing as is. At what point
should I put them in the ground (replacing the other slug damaged
runners) please?

I'd say do it NOW. But you know how bossy I am :-)



Lastly, one of the smaller remaining runners has been converted into a
little smallholding by the local black ants re a nice little herd of
(black?) fly.

That's very interesting. Recently I re-located a bumble bee nest from three
miles away and they're still thriving despite potentially being flooded out.
they made their own levee.

I didn't want it near the new toms / beans so (partly as
an experiment) just re-located it the other side of the garden. Will
this be ok (will they just carry on out of the way) or should I have
disposed of the lot?

I'll be interested to hear what happened to them.

Mary

On Fri, 29 Jun 2007 20:32:53 +0100, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:


"T i m" wrote in message
.. .

Hello T i m !

Bonjours. ;-)

You can get copper mesh strips at garden centres, they're very good.

Ok, I'll have a look round. I was hoping to find an old hot water
cylinder and then I';d have all the copper I'd need but they are too
valuable these days ;-(

The other day we (daughter and I) helped 'granny' put on a flower
stall at our (all three of us) old primary school fete. Most of the
stuff was her home grown, some was donated and she raised 50 quid for
the school. I ended up with some of the leftover donations in the form
of 4 tom plants (about 1'6" tall with baby toms already) and 6
'peppers' (red / green / yellow it says on the stick).

Funny how that always happens :-)

Didn't last year, just flaaauz (as we say in Norf Lundin) left over ..
;-(


I have also got some more beans (as advised by K a while back, blue
lagoon or summat g), started them off in one of those little
propagators and they all came up well. As soon as they reached the lid
I just took it off and now they are just growing as is. At what point
should I put them in the ground (replacing the other slug damaged
runners) please?

I'd say do it NOW. But you know how bossy I am :-)

Well they are only likkle (~8") and I wasn't sure what would be wrong
with keeping them up out of the way of slugs in their little tray a
while longer? Well that sprout climbing things when they are old
enough .. could that be my prompt?



Lastly, one of the smaller remaining runners has been converted into a
little smallholding by the local black ants re a nice little herd of
(black?) fly.

That's very interesting. Recently I re-located a bumble bee nest from three
miles away and they're still thriving despite potentially being flooded out.
they made their own levee.

Tis clever isn't it ..

I didn't want it near the new toms / beans so (partly as
an experiment) just re-located it the other side of the garden. Will
this be ok (will they just carry on out of the way) or should I have
disposed of the lot?

I'll be interested to hear what happened to them.

Well I'll pop them in the post then Mary (sorted) ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

"T i m" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 29 Jun 2007 20:32:53 +0100, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:


"T i m" wrote in message
. ..

Hello T i m !

Bonjours. ;-)

You can get copper mesh strips at garden centres, they're very good.

Ok, I'll have a look round. I was hoping to find an old hot water
cylinder and then I';d have all the copper I'd need but they are too
valuable these days ;-(

That's how we made our first ones then we were buying new copper sheet
anyway and Spouse used some of that. It's thinner than cylinders so easier
to work and results in rings which are a small fraction of the price of
those from garden suppliers.



I have also got some more beans (as advised by K a while back, blue
lagoon or summat g), started them off in one of those little
propagators and they all came up well. As soon as they reached the lid
I just took it off and now they are just growing as is. At what point
should I put them in the ground (replacing the other slug damaged
runners) please?

I'd say do it NOW. But you know how bossy I am :-)

Well they are only likkle (~8") and I wasn't sure what would be wrong
with keeping them up out of the way of slugs in their little tray a
while longer?

Well, here in dark, wet Yorkshire I pinched out the tops of min some weeks
ago, at 6'. There are now 2" long pods. I'd say get them in, they're already
late.

Well that sprout climbing things when they are old
enough .. could that be my prompt?

I don't understand that ...




I didn't want it near the new toms / beans so (partly as
an experiment) just re-located it the other side of the garden. Will
this be ok (will they just carry on out of the way) or should I have
disposed of the lot?

I'll be interested to hear what happened to them.

Well I'll pop them in the post then Mary (sorted) ;-)

I look forward to it :-)

Mary