Trying a new approach to weeds this year since not allowed to use napalm. I've taken old carpets and covered infested areas of the vegetable garden with it and weighed it all down with lots of stones. Has anybody else tried this method before and was it ultimately successful?

Weedol.

That's what's needed.

It's not agent orange.

Weedol.

That's what's needed.

It's not agent orange.

Tried all manner of glysophate and so forth - horse/mares tail porving to be tough opponent though adding liquid soap to the solution made it stick to the waxy surface and upped the kill rate big time - but I want to grow vegetables near this and hence the carpet/black liner.

Even tried a flame gun - works on some weeds but not others.

 

I hates weeds

---

 

Tried all manner of glysophate and so forth - horse/mares tail porving to be tough opponent though adding liquid soap to the solution made it stick to the waxy surface and upped the kill rate big time - but I want to grow vegetables near this and hence the carpet/black liner.

Even tried a flame gun - works on some weeds but not others.

 

I hates weeds

Get digging then, Skreever.

Turn the soil to a depth of at least a foot.

Break it and dig again when it settles.The winter will do the rest.

You will get nowhere without some effort. The tired but pleasant feeling of a day working in the garden followed by a glass of wine or a beer whilst you peruse your achievements is unbeatable.

Get stuck in kiddo,you will enjoy it and the rewards are great.

Gardens don't grow on their own.

I did say I would post a photo of the pond, but I emptied it as there were bits of cement etc in the bottom, then refilled it with fresh water.

But I only half filled it because tap water is not good for pond life , rain water is much better. So I`m waiting for the rain to fill it up.

Meanwhile we are having problems finding water plants, I`ve bought a couple, but the garden centres round here are out of stock because it`s the end of the season. We are going to Bridgemere Garden World tomorrow, if they have none there we will give up till next spring.

---

Looking forward to seeing the pond pics Eric.

I agree with Aimsir about digging.  Soil needs to be dug to expose it to the winter elements, which will kill off a lot of the weeds, then it's a case of manually removing weeds throughout the growing season.

My black grapes are still green and I'm sure they'd turned colour by this time last year.  They need a bit of warmth to ripen them now.  It's almost time to plant garlic again but my garden is looking better than it's looked all summer.  My hanging baskets are looking quite spectacular at last.  They had a very slow start due to the cool start to summer. 

---

In the growing room the tomatoes are colouring up well .. Hanging basket is looking very good at night. In with the fuchsias there is a small coloured solar lamp.. Shall try it again with tubs and pots next year. 

---

I've had no problem ripening tomatoes this year.  I have some in a hanging basket and some self sets in the border although they're in the most sheltered part of the garden.  I used to think it was sunshine they needed to ripen but apparently it's warmth. 

I love solar lighting and the idea of solar lights in hanging baskets Art.  I bought a string of fairy lights to try in a basket I have hanging on the deck but it was a bit too much, so next year I'm going to try something different.  As that part of the garden only gets morning sunshine, I have to have a light with a cable to the solar panel so I can position it in more sunlight.

---

Have decided to fill the pond up today with the hosepipe, I`ll be waiting for ever for the rain to fill it.

---

The finished pond; just a few more marginal plants to add.

---

Oh Eric.  That looks really good.  I love the way you've done the beach and I'll bet the frogs love it too. 

My pond used to have a beach area until hubby revamped it a few years ago and now it has paving all round.  Last year, after the disaster with the baby hedgehogs, I built a rock stairway on the upper marginal shelf as an exit route for any baby hedgehogs that venture in. 

---

Glad you like it Caz, it already has a couple of resident frogs. The cat likes it as well, it`s funny to watch her hobble over the pebble beach for a drink

---

Looking great.. Pebbles really stand out.

---

Glad you like it Caz, it already has a couple of resident frogs. The cat likes it as well, it`s funny to watch her hobble over the pebble beach for a drink

It's funny how cats would rather drink from a pond than from their dish.  Although I suppose their instincts tell them fresh water is better for them than tap water with chlorine etc added. 

---

Glad you like it Caz, it already has a couple of resident frogs. The cat likes it as well, it`s funny to watch her hobble over the pebble beach for a drink

I've just seen the pond Bradders and was about to comment on it's frog friendliness as we have had frogs for years.(love them)

A lovely job indeed.

Well done bradders.

I see you also have a wide border surrounding it.Great planning.That's going to be a really nice pond area.

You will get plenty of enjoyment watching it grow and develop.

As an aside:To Caz.

It is interesting as to why cats or dogs seem to like pond water,We have one of each and they do seem to prefer either pond or rainwater over tap water.I would agree with your assumptions on treated water.You got there before me.lol.

I've just seen the pond Bradders and was about to comment on it's frog friendliness as we have had frogs for years.(love them)

A lovely job indeed.

Well done bradders.

I see you also have a wide border surrounding it.Great planning.That's going to be a really nice pond area.

You will get plenty of enjoyment watching it grow and develop.

As an aside:To Caz.

It is interesting as to why cats or dogs seem to like pond water,We have one of each and they do seem to prefer either pond or rainwater over tap water.I would agree with your assumptions on treated water.You got there before me.lol.

Glad you like it AIMSIR, it`s exactly the same, and in the same place as the original pond which I filled in in 2007 and replaced with a small lawn. When I filled that in there were 45 frogs at the bottom which I took to a large pond in a nearby park.

I filled it in because we had very young grandchildren and I thought a lawn would be safer. Now they are older I decided to dig the pond out again. Looking back I should have kept the original pond as filling it in then replacing it again has been hard work.

Re- the pond water, I filled it up with tap water after all because I couldn`t wait for this dry spell to end, the frogs and the cat don`t seem to mind it though.

---

When I had room for TWO ponds then tap water was used. Held the hose up in the air and let it come down like a fountain.. Heard it was a good way to do it..  

Just finished being a fruit grower for the day . Planted a mini orchard on the patio using columnar fruit trees .. All in large pots.. Hope they grow well.   Planter made from pallets now has to go 0ut front. Not growing raspberries in it looks like herbs are the next years thing...

---

Re- the pond water, I filled it up with tap water after all because I couldn`t wait for this dry spell to end, the frogs and the cat don`t seem to mind it though.

It only takes a few hours for the additives in tap water to dissipate into the air, so I'm not surprised the wildlife and pets like it.  Our cat always drinks from the pond, or she drinks rainwater.  I don't bother with a water dish for her unless the weather's really bad and she's indoors a lot but even then she'd rather brave the elements and drink from the pond than drink tap water, even though we have a filter tap.  She must know something we don't. 

---

My hanging baskets were extremely slow to get off to a start this year because of the cool early summer weather but they did finally fill out and flourish and are now looking quite spectacular.  Just in time to be killed off by frosts no doubt. 

It's time to plant garlic now, so I must get that done at the weekend.

---

Will get fresh Garlic this weekend. Might dig up the reminder in the pot to see how big they are... Need what toughs I have for any herbs.

---

Yes, it seems such a shame that frosts will probably kill them off in their prime. 

I'll be up in the Cairngorms for a week from 17th October and I'm looking forward to it as the Larch trees there are a beautiful colour in October and there's usually some snow topped mountains along the way too.   

---