Selfsufficientish.com

I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to go anywhere near farcebook. In my opinion it's one of the worst facets of the internet.

My toms in the tunnel got blight quite badly, but now it's cooled down they have sort of grown through it and are still producing fairly well. I've been stripping off all the blighted bits as far as possible which does seem to help. Most of them are Sungold and they are delish. The Sungold also seem...

Yes, certainly you can be happy. Happiness is a state of mind. If you're an optimistic happy-type person you can be happy wherever you are. If you're a miz then you can be miserable in paradise. I should know, cos I'm a bit of a miz LOL I sure you can find ways to enjoy what you have, and fun and co...

Yep, plum wine can be yummy if you get it right. :mrgreen: I always use standard screw-top wine bottles now. Just check them occasionally in case they build up pressure - although with mine that's rare. That way you don't have to drink in one go, will last several days in or out of fridge. Anyway, t...

I've never used lime and I know it may depend on various things, like soil type and previous use, but never felt the need. Also as I grow lots of potatoes I know it'll be more likely to cause scab so will carry on not using it.

I've built several smaller flat roofs with a timber frame and bars 18" - 2' apart then covered with tunnel polythene held on with battens. You might get an occasional drip in places, depending on how evenly you tension the poly but I've found it works surprisingly well.

Are you sure it's a solenoid valve? sounds to me like a motorised valve. probably 25w not volt. The ones I've fitted have had both wires the same colour and have always worked so I assume that it doesn't matter which way round they go. Can't guarantee anything though without seeing it, and I'm not a...

My son's in the US. He's married an American girl and has been out there about 5 years now. We don't have much contact. I've been out there twice and they've also been over here twice. I can't use skype as only have mobile dongle which won't run it. He doesn't seem to worry anyway, when I email I'm ...

There's not somewhere outside that they could be laying is there Zoe? - under the new house for instance -
only if they suddenly stop I've found them do that, they will even hang on to the eggs till you let them out and then sneak off.

shame you're so far away Romie, I could help with that

Yes, I'd put on a layer of topsoil, then try growing whatever you want. I can't see the richness being a problem for most things although it might mean that they grown very big and lush, so may flop over each other and the sides. Don't plant too close together.

I don't think they'd be needed for hydroponics, a commercial tom grower of my acquaintance (now retired due to a stroke) was able to grow in the same soil year after year with no eelworm problems to my knowledge, by using grafted plants. I think he'd been doing the same for 15 years or more.

I would never bury couch in a trench and I wouldn't use chemicals either as I'm organic. However, I've not found it any great problem where you're growing annual stuff but, if you've got it around where you plant rhubarb, fruit bushes, or any perennial plants then it will always be a pain. I'm growi...

I don't know if that would hold enough heat.
Have you tried making a mud oven, and using it?

Well, could never afford to go to a shoe shop until I was 25, and now I can't afford it again