tom waterman

I have considered log edging, Im not Sure I have access to enough wood of a decent thickness. It would look fantastic, and im sure there would be some beneficial properties having decomposing wood in the bed.

I could end up needing 100m+ of edging material to complete my design

I live in the UK, where grass grows easily. I'd like to do a mandala garden with grass paths, but I know how much work it is to maintain grass edges.

I'd like to edge the mandala to make semi raised beds, so that compost stays there, and I can easily strim and mow the paths.

But I'm not sure what material to use. Wooden boards won't bend easily to make the mandala shape. Stone would be great but it's not naturally occurring here and too expensive to buy.

Thanks for any suggestions

Hi there, I'm also from the UK, I work on a large organic garden. Even in a professional garden we don't have enough mulch. But I have found some great sources.

Nettles!find an area and cut them before they set seed. I maintain a river path and have an unlimited supply of very nitrogen rich mulch. You can cut several times a year.

Grass! Don't use the first cut of the year as it will have seeds in it. Offer to cut someone's lawn or a public area, so you are giving something back.

Both of these are good excuses for getting a scyth or sickle.

Weeds can be used. Nothing with seeds and make sure tap rooted plants have fully dried out.

I don't know your situation, but how about chickens? The manure is rich and straw bedding is great for composting.

Buy your friends and family compost bins and regularly collect it so they keep doing it. It's a good excuse to catch up.

Leaves! Find a local path or an area you can clean up. Leaf mulch is the worth the effort and collect way more than you need.

Grow more plants, it takes a while but once your garden is running, you will get a steady supply of remenants through the season.

If you are feeling ambitious about your garden, get comfry growing immediately!

I also don't drive, but I do have a bike trailer! Good luck

I want to grow climbing runner beans up a single row of stakes set at 45 degrees.

I want to do this As it will shade other beds alot less. also I want the beans to hang down below the foliage for easier picking.

I am unsure as to the orientation. My long beds run north-south so they get equal sun on both sides. Will the beans climb the poles or will they all try to face south?

I've done copper before by the textbook, but big slugs can and will make it over.

Anyways it's too expensive to do round the 44m perimeter of the strawberries and prop house. The strawberries are also planted through ground fabric so there's no soil available there.

I'm planning to build an electric slug fence, using 9 volt betteries and galvanised wire. It's the design I've seen on the Internet. Alas I know little of electronics.

I want to build two, one for In the propagation glass house, around a central table (1.5m x 4m). And another outside around a strawberry mound (2.5m x 22m).

What range does this setup have? Will it still work on my large strawberry mound?

Will it short in the rain? If my wires are around 2cm apart, and with only 9v through galvanised wire, my intuition says that the rain would have too much resistance for it to short. I have no idea if I am right.

Is galvanised wire the best choice? Copper is good at conducting, but expensive and will surely tarnish when wet, and reduce its electrocution ability.

Using an non electrified copper hasn't worked well for me in the past.

Cheers for any info!