Crop protection

[DaveJ]

They say the old ideas are the best. I recently came across some old gardening advice. When sowing veg seeds directly outside, once you have dug your trench and placed the seeds in the soil, before backfilling, cover the exposed seed with chopped gorse - the thorns stop pests such as mice from getting to the seed and eating it. Anybody else got any old gardening tips?

[Liza]

Soaking peas in paraffin to stop mice eating them !

NOTE: not something I will be doing

[piskieinboots]

exposed ya butt to see if the soil is warm enough to sow

NOTE: not something I will be doing

[Paulottie]

Hundreds of tips...lots on here.

Gorse trick mainly used for peas and pumpkins. It is quite an unpleasant job for the human too.

Some soak their peas in paraffin for the same reason. Paraffin can also be watered up a row of carrot seedlings to stop fly.....not my scene though.

for me the best tip is don't sow your peas outside. I have a mouse free greenhouse where I sit with the radio and sow my peas in guttering sliding them out when they are 4 or 5 inches tall.

....oh liza beat me to it

[Paulottie]

exposed ya butt to see if the soil is warm enough to sow

fair dos ...less likely to be arrested with a thermometer..... but if you want to sit on the sod.

[Comfreyfan]

I use holly - same job! Wish I had some spare guttering though that sounds a much better idea!

[COMPOST CORNER]

exposed ya butt to see if the soil is warm enough to sow

fair dos ...less likely to be arrested with a thermometer..... but if you want to sit on the sod.

Public nudity is only an offence if someone complains, so I guess it depends how attractive the tester is.

[Paulottie]

I couldn't possibly comment but I'd certainly like to imagine Suzie has a beautiful backside...albeit slightly muddy.

[Two_Sheds]

cover the exposed seed with chopped gorse

I use holly

Both of which are simply evil: any hand-weeding you do will be accompanied with loud and violent curses. The thorns won't compost down quickly, and you'll be finding them for years to come.

[gojiberry]

Yes I found the same problem when I tried composting some old bramble briers. I was forever getting the thorns in my hands.

Ian

[DaveJ]

I also have heard of the parraffin technique. Apparantly seeds were soaked in parraffin and also mixed with red lead - certainly not my cup of tea.

[Flummery]

Everything I do is an old gardening idea. I'm an old gardener!

[Paulottie]

I also have heard of the parraffin technique. Apparantly seeds were soaked in parraffin and also mixed with red lead - certainly not my cup of tea.

If they were making their tea with red lead and paraffin it is surprising they got to be old gardeners at all.....just PG tips and a spot of milk for me.

[DaveJ]

If they were making their tea with red lead and paraffin it is surprising they got to be old gardeners at all.....just PG tips and a spot of milk for me.

I wondered why some of the old gents on the allotment were acting strange! As Leslie Phillips used to say in the Navy Lark - Ooooh Nasty!