Mike wrote:
In article , bigboard
writes

Victoria Clare wrote:

I also find British native wildflowers very fiddly from (bought) seed,
though I've had a lot more luck with stuff that I've just picked straight
out of the hedge and bunged into some compost.

But don't forget that this is illegal without the permission of the
landowner. And anyway, there's few enough wildflowers in the wild, why
remove them?



A 'Tree Hugging' 'Net Nanny' WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've seen the lot
now!!!!!!

Mike.

Who doesn't really like Tree Huggers OR Net Nannies, but has found
BOTH IN ONE GO :-((((((((((((


Hello sailor, I think you're '!' key is stuck.

MC Emily wrote:
I think taking seed is also illegal but who's to say she doesn't own the
hedge from where they came?! ))

But has she asked herself permission?

"bigboard" wrote

I think taking seed is also illegal but who's to say she doesn't own the
hedge from where they came?! ))

But has she asked herself permission?

Now that would involve a woman admitting to being two-faced in order that
one may speak to the other ;o)))

Jaqy

In article , bigboard
writes
Mike wrote:
In article , bigboard
writes

Victoria Clare wrote:

I also find British native wildflowers very fiddly from (bought) seed,
though I've had a lot more luck with stuff that I've just picked straight
out of the hedge and bunged into some compost.

But don't forget that this is illegal without the permission of the
landowner. And anyway, there's few enough wildflowers in the wild, why
remove them?



A 'Tree Hugging' 'Net Nanny' WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've seen the lot
now!!!!!!

Mike.

Who doesn't really like Tree Huggers OR Net Nannies, but has found
BOTH IN ONE GO :-((((((((((((


Hello sailor, I think you're '!' key is stuck.

No. Look ! 1 OK and to prove a point 2 !!

You have a problem?
Possibly in concept?


Mike

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.M.S.Collingwood Association reunion. Chatham May 30th - June 2nd
River Class Assn Dinner Leamington Spa Sept 20th 2003.
Castle Class Corvettes Assn. Reunion October 2003 Isle of Wight.
National Service (RAF) Association reunion. Nov 2003 Scarborough.

In article ,
Mike wrote:
In article , bigboard
writes
Mike wrote:

A 'Tree Hugging' 'Net Nanny' WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've seen the lot
now!!!!!!

Who doesn't really like Tree Huggers OR Net Nannies, but has found
BOTH IN ONE GO :-((((((((((((

Hello sailor, I think you're '!' key is stuck.

No. Look ! 1 OK and to prove a point 2 !!

You have a problem?
Possibly in concept?

No, but you do. Your finger and mind both appear to be stuck. I
recommend extracting the former and opening the latter.

The obscene Countryside Act may be the most abominable act of land
reiving since the Enclosures Acts, and does most definitely not do
anything useful to protect the environment. It was designed solely
to remove more rights from the public and give them to the so-called
landowners, under the guise of claiming to protect the environment,
while ensuring that it does nothing to protect the environment
against those most active in destroying it.

But that is not the point. "jon at bigboard" made a perfectly
reasonable posting, even if he has been fooled by government
propaganda. It did not justify your reponse.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679

The message
from "MC Emily" contains these words:

To pull all the points together here, if I sow the seeds in compost in a
tray, cover it with glass and put it somewhere where it will get very low
temperatures but be protected from being eaten, am I on the right track?
How low does the temperature have to get? I have a shed with a south facing
window it could go in but I have to have a frost beater on at night because
my washing machine and dryer are in there (we're in the middle of renovating
our house). Would that be OK for the seeds or would it be too warm?

Outside would be better. Mice could get into the shed, so you haven't
gained anything over outside - and you have lost the beneficial action
of the frost.


And
what about watering? Do I lightly water to start with and the moisture will
be retained because of the glass?


Yes, exactly so. Check in spring when the temperatures rise, but they'll
be fine through the winter.


Blimey, I'm sounding veeeery amateurish
here, aren't I?

Not at all. Don't worry!


Janet G

On Thu, 5 Dec 2002 14:25:06 -0000, "MC Emily"
wrote:

To pull all the points together here, if I sow the seeds in compost in a
tray, cover it with glass and put it somewhere where it will get very low
temperatures but be protected from being eaten, am I on the right track?
How low does the temperature have to get? I have a shed with a south facing
window it could go in but I have to have a frost beater on at night because
my washing machine and dryer are in there (we're in the middle of renovating
our house). Would that be OK for the seeds or would it be too warm? And
what about watering? Do I lightly water to start with and the moisture will
be retained because of the glass? Blimey, I'm sounding veeeery amateurish
here, aren't I?

Not amateurish, just someone at the start of a serious gardening
avocation. There's lots to learn, and a large proportion of it
has to be learned in the hardest way imaginable, by making
mistakes that kill the plants. It's very humbling, when you stop
and think about it.

One recommendation: do *not* keep the labels of plants that have
died!

Turning to your specific situation, if you think that sowing seed
of hardy plants (not necessarily cowslips) might become a regular
event in your life, then maybe it's time to cobble together a
coldframe. Use an old window sash as the cover and cheap lumber
for the sides. Site it where it gets good light but not a lot of
direct sun, esp. in summer -- you don't want you plants to bake.

A coldframe is the perfect place to germinate things like
cowslips that do best with winter chilling.

The single most important thing about coldframe design (imho, of
course) is the front-to-back depth. Be sure that when you are
kneeling in front of the thing you can *easily* reach a plant at
the back and lift it out. A coldframe suitable for someone tall
and strong man will be deeper, front to back, than one for
someone short and weak. There is something to be said for a
two-fronted design, btw.

--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

bigboard wrote in
:

Victoria Clare wrote:
I also find British native wildflowers very fiddly from (bought)
seed, though I've had a lot more luck with stuff that I've just
picked straight out of the hedge and bunged into some compost.

But don't forget that this is illegal without the permission of the
landowner. And anyway, there's few enough wildflowers in the wild, why
remove them?

My garden is surrounded by traditional cornish hedges, and being very
sloping, is also crossed by low stone wall/hedges. If I find something
nice when I am trimming them, I sometimes propagate it, and I've also
collected seed from friends' gardens.

I don't think that collecting some seed from free-fruiting plants in other
hedges would do any real harm, given the vast wastage rate of wild
distributed flower seeds, but I haven't actually done that myself (yet).

Victoria Clare

Victoria Clare wrote:
My garden is surrounded by traditional cornish hedges, and being very
sloping, is also crossed by low stone wall/hedges. If I find something
nice when I am trimming them, I sometimes propagate it, and I've also
collected seed from friends' gardens.


That seems fair enough.

I don't think that collecting some seed from free-fruiting plants in other
hedges would do any real harm, given the vast wastage rate of wild
distributed flower seeds, but I haven't actually done that myself (yet).

I completely agree about the seeds. If you can germinate them, then go
for it!

"Janet Galpin and Oliver Patterson" wrote

Outside would be better. Mice could get into the shed, so you haven't
gained anything over outside - and you have lost the beneficial action
of the frost.

True.

Blimey, I'm sounding veeeery amateurish
here, aren't I?

Not at all. Don't worry!

Thank you ))

Jaqy

"Rodger Whitlock" wrote

Blimey, I'm sounding veeeery amateurish
here, aren't I?

Not amateurish, just someone at the start of a serious gardening
avocation. There's lots to learn, and a large proportion of it
has to be learned in the hardest way imaginable, by making
mistakes that kill the plants. It's very humbling, when you stop
and think about it.

Gosh, I'm sure I can handle this emotional turmoil!! ;o))

One recommendation: do *not* keep the labels of plants that have
died!

LOL!!!!

Turning to your specific situation, if you think that sowing seed
of hardy plants (not necessarily cowslips) might become a regular
event in your life, then maybe it's time to cobble together a
coldframe.

OK, I'm interested in doing this but can I use clear perspex rather than
glass, for safety's sake? I have to admit to not liking glass at all, after
having an accident some years ago with a glass tumbler. I even have my wine
out of a perspex 'glass' now!!

Thanks,
Jaqy

In article ,
"MC Emily" writes:
| "Rodger Whitlock" wrote
|
| Turning to your specific situation, if you think that sowing seed
| of hardy plants (not necessarily cowslips) might become a regular
| event in your life, then maybe it's time to cobble together a
| coldframe.
|
| OK, I'm interested in doing this but can I use clear perspex rather than
| glass, for safety's sake? I have to admit to not liking glass at all, after
| having an accident some years ago with a glass tumbler. I even have my wine
| out of a perspex 'glass' now!!

It's not ideal, because of the transmission properties. The ideal
solution is to use safety glass. But you can use any reasonable
translucent (not necessarily clear) material.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679

In article , MC Emily
writes

Turning to your specific situation, if you think that sowing seed
of hardy plants (not necessarily cowslips) might become a regular
event in your life, then maybe it's time to cobble together a
coldframe.

OK, I'm interested in doing this but can I use clear perspex rather than
glass, for safety's sake? I have to admit to not liking glass at all, after
having an accident some years ago with a glass tumbler. I even have my wine
out of a perspex 'glass' now!!

yes you can. I use plastic bags.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/garden/

"MC Emily" wrote in message
...

OK, I'm interested in doing this but can I use clear perspex rather than
glass, for safety's sake? I have to admit to not liking glass at all,
after
having an accident some years ago with a glass tumbler. I even have my
wine
out of a perspex 'glass' now!!

Heathen!(:-)

Alan
--
Reply to alan(at)windsor-berks(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk

"Nick Maclaren" wrote

| OK, I'm interested in doing this but can I use clear perspex rather
than
| glass, for safety's sake? I have to admit to not liking glass at all,
after
| having an accident some years ago with a glass tumbler. I even have my
wine
| out of a perspex 'glass' now!!

It's not ideal, because of the transmission properties. The ideal
solution is to use safety glass. But you can use any reasonable
translucent (not necessarily clear) material.

Thanks )

Jaqy