Selfsufficientish.com

Thanks Andy

Wow, that was quick mate!

Nev

Good article, Nev. What's a whipper snipper? A strimmer or some kind of Aussie snake?

Ah M3,

Here we have a conundrum........I don't know what a strimmer is, and you don't know what a whipper snipper is!

It is a thing what spins around on the end of a handle and cuts down weeds..........no snakes

Thanks, glad you liked the article

Nev

Yup, that's a strimmer Nev! Ooh just got a new word to add to my 'Strine' diccy! (dictionary!)

Yes I know its cracking the flags (for those not in the know that means its blooming hot) but tonight I intend finally getting planted up..........so..........actually should be good timing as downpours are predicted to give everything a good watering in...................so..................can I plant tomatoes out in my garden (in rows) with the pumpkin in between.........and do I cane them now. My patch is tiny, 3 feet by 12 feet long? max. So I want to make the best of the room.
I have my nettle fertilizer ready, do I need to use the organic blood fish and bone at the same time to get great plants?
I am thrilled at one green strawberry so my ambitions and still small and modest, but I want to get as much as possible in my first year.
Can I grow anything over my ugly (but very cheap via the council cleaning co) black plastic compost bin - its round with a lid, and hatch at the base but I'm sure someone must have ideas. Its about 3 - 4 ft high I'm thinking maybe I'd need netting around it but would peas or the infamous dwarf beans grow up it - and if so is it too late for them to go in.
Also - I have a confession...................I have a water meter to encourage me to save water and money - but don't feel guilty when my neighbour very kindly uses his hosepipe (no jokes please we're British!) to water my garden.....................phew - I feel cleansed thanks for sharing..........
Any one with ideas all much appreciated.

Phew, wotta lotta questions! I don't know the answers to them all, but yes, cane your tomatoes when you plant them, then you won't damage the roots sticking a cane in later. Plus they grow quickly and you need to tie them in straight away and then check regularly.

Dwarf beans don't grow up anything, they are small and bushy!

I don't know what the NPK is of nettle fertiliser i.e. is it nitrogen or phosphorus or potassium. Blood fish and bone is nitrogen and phosphorus I believe. You need to feed potash (potassium) to tomatoes usually when the second truss is set - the 2nd lot of flower buds have started to turn into little green tomatoes.

You can grow them in rows and I don't see why you can't have the pumpkin in between. Hope that helps!

thanks for the speedy feedback
I'm celebrating - spotted our first HUGE frogs / toads last night
bless em - a round plastic tug is like their own little palace and they look very happy - I feel like a new mum all over again!
Must find slugs to feed them now

Anyone any ideas on what I can grow over my compost bin?

Hiya Sue, So I take it you are trying to hide/disguise your compost bin? I think it might be a bit late to grow beans or pens, unless you get quite mature plants, but someone else here will know better than me. I am going to try to grow squash and pumpkins up my garage wall. Poor hubby has been tasked with making me a frame/support, now this will be a lot higher than your compost bin, but what about growing a pumpkin plant or squash adjacent to the bin and train it up the sides to cover, you can see from previous posts that bras, nets and jock straps can be used as supports, crikey, thinking about it, this might end up looking worse, then again, Tracey Emin might be interested, you you could make a fortune