Natural Alternatives to Cleaning Products etc.

[leo8237]

We have a very small garden but we do grow pea's. Using a garden pot with bamboe sticks, like a wigwam ( tipee ). However the pea's that we used are the fresh ones from Tesco ( small packet ), you can use them for eating, but they germinate very quickly in a saucer covered with wet kitchen paper.
The resulting pea's are very sweet in taste.

They have been growing probably since may, but the beans/peas are being picked and eaten fresh straight out of the shell by wife and daughter.
the wife is the one with the green fingers.

[colmsmum]

Thanks so much for the brilliant tips. I'm going to have to print this thread & keep it for next year, as usual i'm late for everything! I'm definitely going to try the peas & beans even though i'm late but i'll put your tips to use & hope for the best. Carissa i forgot to mention the milton idea was great, i'd feel a lot safer letting colm eat them if i do that first. Noni your strawberries look gorgeous, mine (colm's) don't look that great yet, the birds had a feast on a lovely big red one yesterday & the rain & wind has battered the plants so as per your advice it's indoors they come! Leo is it just the normal peas from the fruit & veg aisle you mean?

Thanks all,
colmsmum.

P.S- i'll post a pic of the strawberries & herb basket, if the rain stops long enough to get one!

[leo8237]

Hello Colmsmum,

The pea's we got are from the fruit and veg department.
In the mean time the daughter planted some pea's from a seed packet last week in a pot ( straight into the ground ) and they they are allready sprouting.
This weather is great for plants in the garden lots of rain, a bit sunshine here and there.
regards

[colmsmum]

Thanks Leo, i didn't know you could do that (show's how much i know about veg growing!), sounds very easy, i'll give it a go in a pot & hopefully they'll grow for me. I'm raging this thread wasn't started sooner, i'd have everything up & running by now, ah well there's always next year.

[kiwigrl]

bread soda/baking soda and water also work a treat as an exfolient!

[colmsmum]

Hi All,

Here's the pics (sending to admin) of my strawberries & herb basket.

The strawberries are coming on so hopefully soon enough colm will get to try one.

The herb basket is looking a bit worse for wear as the wind & rain has battered it! I bought the basket ages ago at the local village fete for a couple of euro, it ended up in the attic until i found this idea in a gardening book i have, i just lined it with a black bag with holes on the bottom for drainage. I have bay, coriander, parsley, chives & thyme in it & keep it at the back door for easy access when it's raining!

[noni]

Hi Colmsmum,
The strawberries and herb basket look great, if you have any room you can pop in a few lettuce plants and pick the leaves as you want them.

[carissa]

looks great, good use of the basket

[unapam]

That's wonderful and there is nothing like the taste of freshly picked herbs. Well done! Nice to meet you yesterday!

[colmsmum]

Thanks so much for your kind comments, i'm so happy that they're still alive, usually my outdoor plants die after a couple of weeks! I left the strawberries out today as the weather was fine, a while later i noticed colms windmill stuck in the pot, i was about to give out to him until he said he was scaring the birds away with it and right he was! I didn't see one bird go near it all day, i'm gutted a 5 yr old came up with a solution & i didn't think of it, lol!

You wouldn't believe it noni but carissa gave me 3 lettuce plants along with tomato & pepper plants at the fete yesterday, thanks carissa, so now i'm going to try locate a crate for the lettuce as suggested by fizzywitch on another thread. I'll post a pic when they come on!

It was lovely to meet you too unapam (& carissa & lindaleagh) it was a bit crazy there yesterday, pity we didn't have time for a proper chat but at least we got a few bargains & great weather!

Best regards,
colmsmum.

[unapam]

Out of the mouths of babes!

Colm has a natural gift for repurposing!

[colmsmum]

Hi all, here's the lettuce plants carissa gave me last week, i found another basket in the attic, i think it's just perfect for them. I used the same principle as the herb basket, black bag etc. & it's working so far, the plants are really coming on. Thanks carissa!

[carissa]

they look great, did you cut a few holes in the bag for drainage? if it gets waterlogged the roots will rot, a few crushed egg shells will keep the slugs off, wont look as pretty but you wont see them when the plants get bigger

[colmsmum]

Yep, cut holes in the bag & put in a few stones as well. I'll get the egg shells into it over the weekend, thanks for the tip. Going to plant broad beans today, you've passed that bug to me, lol!

[carissa]

good lassie, your learning, wont be long till you're passing on your own tips & advice