Over the last year or two I have been pleased to take advice from users of
this group, but I still need help and advice with two niggling problems
which if solved would be very nice, to say the least.

1 Whitefly on brassicas. THE problem.
2 Soil. (light)Mine does not retain moisture despite adding lots of organic
material and have to water every day in summer with a hosepipe when
permitted. This is mainly potatoes which need the water I have found.

All advice is most welcome,
Baz

On 16/03/2011 11:05, Baz wrote:
Over the last year or two I have been pleased to take advice from users of
this group, but I still need help and advice with two niggling problems
which if solved would be very nice, to say the least.

1 Whitefly on brassicas. THE problem.

Never found anything effective against whitefly apart from encouraging
birds like bluetits and ladybirds/lacewings into the vicinity. My hedge
is afflicted some years. My brassicas suffer more from caterpillars
appearing overnight and eating every leaf leaving just the ribs.

2 Soil. (light)Mine does not retain moisture despite adding lots of organic
material and have to water every day in summer with a hosepipe when
permitted. This is mainly potatoes which need the water I have found.

All advice is most welcome,

You might find it useful to put a mulch of bark chips on top of the soil
so that the water applied is not subject to direct sunlight and airflow.
That way the soil stays moist for much longer.

Regards,
Martin Brown

"Baz" wrote in message
...
Over the last year or two I have been pleased to take advice from users of
this group, but I still need help and advice with two niggling problems
which if solved would be very nice, to say the least.

1 Whitefly on brassicas. THE problem.
2 Soil. (light)Mine does not retain moisture despite adding lots of
organic
material and have to water every day in summer with a hosepipe when
permitted. This is mainly potatoes which need the water I have found.

All advice is most welcome,
Baz

Reference 2. Something we do, sorry, SWMBO does, but with my assistance, is
to take a trench out where veg plants are going, and line it with plenty of
layers of old newspapers, soak them well, then cover with organic material
from the compost bin then soil. We find that the soil doesn't dry out so
quickly. Well it does on the surface but paper and compost retains moisture
lower down. Fantastic for Runner Beans :-))

Mike


--

....................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
....................................

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
On 16/03/2011 11:05, Baz wrote:
Over the last year or two I have been pleased to take advice from users
of
this group, but I still need help and advice with two niggling problems
which if solved would be very nice, to say the least.

1 Whitefly on brassicas. THE problem.

Never found anything effective against whitefly apart from encouraging
birds like bluetits and ladybirds/lacewings into the vicinity. My hedge is
afflicted some years. My brassicas suffer more from caterpillars appearing
overnight and eating every leaf leaving just the ribs.

2 Soil. (light)Mine does not retain moisture despite adding lots of
organic
material and have to water every day in summer with a hosepipe when
permitted. This is mainly potatoes which need the water I have found.

All advice is most welcome,

You might find it useful to put a mulch of bark chips on top of the soil
so that the water applied is not subject to direct sunlight and airflow.
That way the soil stays moist for much longer.

Regards,
Martin Brown


but don't put the bark too close to the plants because of the wonderful
environment for Woodlice etc :-((

Mike


--

....................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
....................................

"'Mike'" wrote in
:



"Baz" wrote in message
...
Over the last year or two I have been pleased to take advice from
users of this group, but I still need help and advice with two
niggling problems which if solved would be very nice, to say the
least.

1 Whitefly on brassicas. THE problem.
2 Soil. (light)Mine does not retain moisture despite adding lots of
organic
material and have to water every day in summer with a hosepipe when
permitted. This is mainly potatoes which need the water I have found.

All advice is most welcome,
Baz

Reference 2. Something we do, sorry, SWMBO does, but with my
assistance, is to take a trench out where veg plants are going, and
line it with plenty of layers of old newspapers, soak them well, then
cover with organic material from the compost bin then soil. We find
that the soil doesn't dry out so quickly. Well it does on the surface
but paper and compost retains moisture lower down. Fantastic for
Runner Beans :-))

Mike



Good advice, Mike

Time I started collecting newspapers, flyers etc.
Do you tear them up or shred?
How thick is too thick a layer also how thin is too thin?

Also what does this mean? SWMBO

Baz

"Baz" wrote in message
...
"'Mike'" wrote in
:



"Baz" wrote in message
...
Over the last year or two I have been pleased to take advice from
users of this group, but I still need help and advice with two
niggling problems which if solved would be very nice, to say the
least.

1 Whitefly on brassicas. THE problem.
2 Soil. (light)Mine does not retain moisture despite adding lots of
organic
material and have to water every day in summer with a hosepipe when
permitted. This is mainly potatoes which need the water I have found.

All advice is most welcome,
Baz

Reference 2. Something we do, sorry, SWMBO does, but with my
assistance, is to take a trench out where veg plants are going, and
line it with plenty of layers of old newspapers, soak them well, then
cover with organic material from the compost bin then soil. We find
that the soil doesn't dry out so quickly. Well it does on the surface
but paper and compost retains moisture lower down. Fantastic for
Runner Beans :-))

Mike



Good advice, Mike

Time I started collecting newspapers, flyers etc.
Do you tear them up or shred?
How thick is too thick a layer also how thin is too thin?

Also what does this mean? SWMBO

Baz

We just lay them in. Shredded paper goes into the compost heap :-))

Thickness? Half an inch or more. Never really given it much thought ;-) Put
too much in and as it rots down the surface will sink too much, that is why
we don't put shreddings in.

SWMBO? She Who Must Be Obeyed ;-) She is the gardener, over 40 years
experience of flower gardening. We have in the past opened our garden to the
public for a charity function organised by our local Parish Council much to
the amusement to this newsgroup because our 'gardens' are only small.
'Gardens' because the garden is divided up into 'small rooms'. One of the
visitors said that one of the TV Gardening progs might be interested!! SWMBO
not too impressed with that :-(

Mike



--

....................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
....................................

Martin Brown wrote in
:

On 16/03/2011 11:05, Baz wrote:
Over the last year or two I have been pleased to take advice from
users of this group, but I still need help and advice with two
niggling problems which if solved would be very nice, to say the
least.

1 Whitefly on brassicas. THE problem.

Never found anything effective against whitefly apart from encouraging
birds like bluetits and ladybirds/lacewings into the vicinity. My
hedge is afflicted some years. My brassicas suffer more from
caterpillars appearing overnight and eating every leaf leaving just
the ribs.

2 Soil. (light)Mine does not retain moisture despite adding lots of
organic material and have to water every day in summer with a
hosepipe when permitted. This is mainly potatoes which need the water
I have found.

All advice is most welcome,

You might find it useful to put a mulch of bark chips on top of the
soil so that the water applied is not subject to direct sunlight and
airflow. That way the soil stays moist for much longer.

Regards,
Martin Brown

Thanks, Martin for your welcome advice.
I have to say that buying mulch is going to be quite expensive. That option
is not for me and I should have pointed out so. If it was a one time
purchase I would be the first in the queue.
I do think though for next year it would not be wasted money to buy a
chipper/mulcher to make my own. But that is on a long list of the budget to
make this veg. garden viable. I know most of the contributers within this
group are free of tethers such as mortgages, and so should I be if I had
not tried to get a better place above my means.
But here we are and I would not change a thing if I could go back.

Baz

On Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:05:33 GMT, Baz wrote:

Over the last year or two I have been pleased to take advice from users of
this group, but I still need help and advice with two niggling problems
which if solved would be very nice, to say the least.

1 Whitefly on brassicas. THE problem.

I've not tried it but a friend's husband used to go out with a
hand-held car-vac, disturb the whitefly and just suck them up. You
need to do it fairly regularly to make a difference.

Pam in Bristol

On 16/03/2011 12:58, Baz wrote:
Martin wrote in
:

On 16/03/2011 11:05, Baz wrote:

2 Soil. (light)Mine does not retain moisture despite adding lots of
organic material and have to water every day in summer with a
hosepipe when permitted. This is mainly potatoes which need the water
I have found.

All advice is most welcome,

You might find it useful to put a mulch of bark chips on top of the
soil so that the water applied is not subject to direct sunlight and
airflow. That way the soil stays moist for much longer.

Thanks, Martin for your welcome advice.
I have to say that buying mulch is going to be quite expensive. That option
is not for me and I should have pointed out so. If it was a one time
purchase I would be the first in the queue.

I didn't have in mind buying it. Anything organic will do as a mulch to
keep water in. I tend to use rougher compost from my heap for this
purpose and let the worms mix it in. All you want is something coarse
enough to let water in easily and prevent excessive evaporation.

I don't like it as a solution, but the anti weed membrane is another way
to get a similar effect. It traps water underneath to some extent.

I do think though for next year it would not be wasted money to buy a
chipper/mulcher to make my own. But that is on a long list of the budget to
make this veg. garden viable. I know most of the contributers within this
group are free of tethers such as mortgages, and so should I be if I had
not tried to get a better place above my means.
But here we are and I would not change a thing if I could go back.

Definitely start a set of 3 compost heaps then if you haven't already.
Scrap pallets or old doors are ideal as dividers.

Regards,
Martin Brown

In article ,
says...
On 16/03/2011 11:05, Baz wrote:

2 Soil. (light)Mine does not retain moisture despite adding lots of
organic material and have to water every day in summer with a
hosepipe when permitted. This is mainly potatoes which need the water
I have found.


I have to say that buying mulch is going to be quite expensive. That
option
is not for me and I should have pointed out so. If it was a one time
purchase I would be the first in the queue.

I didn't have in mind buying it. Anything organic will do as a mulch to
keep water in. I tend to use rougher compost from my heap for this
purpose and let the worms mix it in. All you want is something coarse
enough to let water in easily and prevent excessive evaporation.

I've also used dead bracken, green bracken,nettles and comfrey,
seaweed, grasscuttings. If the mulch is in short supply, spread it on a
bottom layer of flattened cardboard cartons (free from white-goods
retailer).


I know most of the contributers within this
group are free of tethers such as mortgages,

I must have missed the urglers' credit reference reports. I don't even
know what what they live in let alone if they own it.

Janet.

"Baz" wrote in message
...
"'Mike'" wrote in
:



"Baz" wrote in message
...
Over the last year or two I have been pleased to take advice from
users of this group, but I still need help and advice with two
niggling problems which if solved would be very nice, to say the
least.

1 Whitefly on brassicas. THE problem.
2 Soil. (light)Mine does not retain moisture despite adding lots of
organic
material and have to water every day in summer with a hosepipe when
permitted. This is mainly potatoes which need the water I have found.

All advice is most welcome,
Baz

Reference 2. Something we do, sorry, SWMBO does, but with my
assistance, is to take a trench out where veg plants are going, and
line it with plenty of layers of old newspapers, soak them well, then
cover with organic material from the compost bin then soil. We find
that the soil doesn't dry out so quickly. Well it does on the surface
but paper and compost retains moisture lower down. Fantastic for
Runner Beans :-))

Mike



Good advice, Mike

Time I started collecting newspapers, flyers etc.
Do you tear them up or shred?
How thick is too thick a layer also how thin is too thin?

Also what does this mean? SWMBO

She Who Must Be Obeyed!

In othere words, the boss!

Alan



Baz

"alan.holmes" wrote in message
...

"Baz" wrote in message
...
"'Mike'" wrote in
:



"Baz" wrote in message
...
Over the last year or two I have been pleased to take advice from
users of this group, but I still need help and advice with two
niggling problems which if solved would be very nice, to say the
least.

1 Whitefly on brassicas. THE problem.
2 Soil. (light)Mine does not retain moisture despite adding lots of
organic
material and have to water every day in summer with a hosepipe when
permitted. This is mainly potatoes which need the water I have found.

All advice is most welcome,
Baz

Reference 2. Something we do, sorry, SWMBO does, but with my
assistance, is to take a trench out where veg plants are going, and
line it with plenty of layers of old newspapers, soak them well, then
cover with organic material from the compost bin then soil. We find
that the soil doesn't dry out so quickly. Well it does on the surface
but paper and compost retains moisture lower down. Fantastic for
Runner Beans :-))

Mike



Good advice, Mike

Time I started collecting newspapers, flyers etc.
Do you tear them up or shred?
How thick is too thick a layer also how thin is too thin?

Also what does this mean? SWMBO

She Who Must Be Obeyed!

In othere words, the boss!

Alan



Wake up wake up wake up there.

I answered that ages ago :-(((

If you MUST have a Siesta now the sun has come out and we have had a superb
day, then read what has gone before :-))

Kindest regards

Mike


--

....................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
....................................



Baz

On Mar 16, 12:58*pm, Baz wrote:
Martin Brown wrote :





On 16/03/2011 11:05, Baz wrote:
Over the last year or two I have been pleased to take advice from
users of this group, but I still need help and advice with two
niggling problems which if solved would be very nice, to say the
least.

1 Whitefly on brassicas. THE problem.

Never found anything effective against whitefly apart from encouraging
birds like bluetits and ladybirds/lacewings into the vicinity. My
hedge is afflicted some years. My brassicas suffer more from
caterpillars appearing overnight and eating every leaf leaving just
the ribs.

2 Soil. (light)Mine does not retain moisture despite adding lots of
organic material and have to water every day in summer with a
hosepipe when permitted. This is mainly potatoes which need the water
I have found.

All advice is most welcome,

You might find it useful to put a mulch of bark chips on top of the
soil so that the water applied is not subject to direct sunlight and
airflow. That way the soil stays moist for much longer.

Regards,
Martin Brown

Thanks, Martin for your welcome advice.
I have to say that buying mulch is going to be quite expensive. That option
is not for me and I should have pointed out so. If it was a one time
purchase I would be the first in the queue.
I do think though for next year it would not be wasted money to buy a
chipper/mulcher to make my own. But that is on a long list of the budget to
make this veg. garden viable. I know most of the contributers within this
group are free of tethers such as mortgages, and so should I be if I had
not tried to get a better place above my means.
But here we are and I would not change a thing if I could go back.

Baz- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Best not to fight nature. Avoid stuff that won't grow in light soils.
You should do OK with most root crops but avoid brassicas. for eg.

On Mar 16, 4:27*pm, "alan.holmes" wrote:
"Baz" wrote in message

...





"'Mike'" wrote in
:

"Baz" wrote in message
. ..
Over the last year or two I have been pleased to take advice from
users of this group, but I still need help and advice with two
niggling problems which if solved would be very nice, to say the
least.

1 Whitefly on brassicas. THE problem.
2 Soil. (light)Mine does not retain moisture despite adding lots of
organic
material and have to water every day in summer with a hosepipe when
permitted. This is mainly potatoes which need the water I have found.

All advice is most welcome,
Baz

Reference 2. Something we do, sorry, SWMBO does, but with my
assistance, is to take a trench out where veg plants are going, and
line it with plenty of layers of old newspapers, soak them well, then
cover with organic material from the compost bin then soil. We find
that the soil doesn't dry out so quickly. Well it does on the surface
but paper and compost retains moisture lower down. Fantastic for
Runner Beans :-))

Mike

Good advice, Mike

Time I started collecting newspapers, flyers etc.
Do you tear them up or shred?
How thick is too thick a layer also how thin is too thin?

Also what does this mean? SWMBO

She Who Must Be Obeyed!

In othere words, the boss!

Alan





Baz- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

As per H.Rider Haggard!

On Mar 16, 11:57*am, Baz wrote:
"'Mike'" wrote :







"Baz" wrote in message
.. .
Over the last year or two I have been pleased to take advice from
users of this group, but I still need help and advice with two
niggling problems which if solved would be very nice, to say the
least.

1 Whitefly on brassicas. THE problem.
2 Soil. (light)Mine does not retain moisture despite adding lots of
organic
material and have to water every day in summer with a hosepipe when
permitted. This is mainly potatoes which need the water I have found.

All advice is most welcome,
Baz

Reference 2. Something we do, sorry, SWMBO does, but with my
assistance, is to take a trench out where veg plants are going, and
line it with plenty of layers of old newspapers, soak them well, then
cover with organic material from the compost bin then soil. We find
that the soil doesn't dry out so quickly. Well it does on the surface
but paper and compost retains moisture lower down. Fantastic for
Runner Beans :-))

Mike

Good advice, Mike

Time I started collecting newspapers, flyers etc.
Do you tear them up or shred?
How thick is too thick a layer also how thin is too thin?

Also what does this mean? SWMBO

Baz- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/She_(novel)