Strawberry Bed! ! !

wow great strawberry bed Ian...we have a strawberry plan....its on the list......

I just can't justify buying them any more, they charge the earth for them and they taste so much better from home. Plus I know what went into them! ! ! :~))

Wot, no beer? It's a flippin' disgrace, after all that graft! Strawberry bed looks good, and I just love blood, fish and bone, my fave! Pongs a bit, though, doesn't it?
;-)

It does tend to clear the sinuses a touch, It also does a good job of clearing noisy kids from the garden! ! ! :~))

great looking plants

Thanks Doc. :~))

Strawberry plants look great Ian.a friend has offered me some but not until early September.I cant wait to get them planted. no nothing about them as this is my first time planting them so will follow your blog keep me rite.....:~)))))

Well I hope it does......... I'm no expert you know :~))

Lol....... and you the great King&Ruler of the planet Diggs!!!

Yes but thats by default.... I'm the biggest and I've got the biggest mouth. :~)))

Great Blog Mr Digs ... sir, you did good with the vanishing membrane too, I know what you mean when you said it kept moving around .... bugger innit?
And you call your computer station cluttered .... Hah! thats tidy :o))))

nice job digsy , I got some runners growing as well , u will need to net it next year or the birds will have most of em . . . they will even beat Holly to em

Och well sure we`ll give it a try and see what happens,you never know,could be the best strawberries on planet Diggs.....Lol, dont know bout mine though prob biggest disaster!!!!!!!:~)))))

nice one ian im concidering the same as mine have been naf to, my computer desk is very tidy, why i hear you ask! because ian i use my knees im on laptop lol, great addvice by the way, cheers

I have only one strawberry plant that my daughter gave me last year. We had some very nice fruit from it which our granddaughter helped us to "harvest!" ( I had to lift her up to reach the plant though!) This year it not doing so well. I fed it regularly - like the rest of the plants on my balcony - it has produced fruit but not as big as last year's. Kirsty, our granddaughter, has been helping us to pick them again this year but she puts her thumb through them. I took photos of her picking them last year & again this year.

Your plants look great, Ian. You're sure to get lots of fruit from them next year! I'll come knocking at your door with a bowl - just like Oliver Twist! Lol!

Balcony I think as the plants age you do get less fruit from them , so if it throws any runners out I would pot one up till it roots and grow on.

Strawberry cream teas all round next summer then Ian. Last time I was over at my sons allotment, setting out new runners for a new strawberry bed was one of my alloted jobs, so I`m hoping to taste plenty next year as well......

My plant doesn't seem to make any runners. I thought of it last year but there haven't been any. It's making plenty of growth & has had lots of flowers but the fruit has been small. It dried out once to the point of wilting which took me very much by surprise! I give it water most days but I obviously forgot it for a few days. May have been when I started with my sciatica & was in great agony for a time.

You must be feeling better to do all that - good! :-))

Not growing strawberries anymore, few weeks ago i was buying them 2big pullets for £1

Hi GoY's sorry I haven't been around to answer your comments but I've been picking some things up from freecycle. I will do another blog soon to explain........
Hi Bob, I just couldn't make it stay in one place, it was worse than trying to change Holly's nappy when she was a baby, and she was all arms and legs...........
Oh hello Mac, is the golf course closed then? ? ? Thanks for the advice though. Lol :~))
Hi San, I wish I could put mine on my lap and get comfy but I have to sit on a dining chair for hours on end.... Oh my aching back! ! ! :~))
Balcony, Mac's right about the age thing. I think about three years is about the limit for decent fruit but I found out today they can make some BIG roots. Try a bigger pot?
Lincslass, They will taste soooooooo good, your welcome here any time. :~))
Hi Spritz, I am absolutely bored to death with sitting in front of the pc, even I can only take so much of GoY and Ebay. 18 hours a day is enough for any man to endure.
Mind you I have just bought a Viburnum Dawn and a Fire grape vine - vitis brandt. Any thoughts on them?

Wow Carol, where do you shop? they are about £2 a punnet here! ! ! :~((

If igo in supper markets there about that,but i go up town in a market.

Theyre about £2 a punnet here too, & I'm in the fruit growing area of Scotland! Mind you, when I lived in the country they were free! Just had to go for a walk with a basket!
I havent tried growing my own yet!
What did you get from freecycle? Anything interesting?

Oooo You'll have to wait and see. !?!

Looks good digs. My supervisor grew 2 for me from roots and they are on the decking ready for next year.

Should I bring them in to the Gh over winter? He reckons they should be fine as they are quite hardy.

Anyone?

Nice blog Ian

He's right as far as I know. You're just supposed to cut the foliage off and leave just the 'crown'. You could put them somewhere frost free if its going to get icy but mine will be in the garden all winter... Obviously. I will just cover with fleece or even straw if it snows!

Well they are straw berries!

I knew someone would say it Lol :~))

And it HAD to be me!!!!!!!

Lol :~))

May just pop em in the GH then. Should be okay you reckon?

Oh, I sourced paper pottie tarto sacks as well for next year!

Nice one OB, prey tell where?

Good Ian - you should get a better crop next year. ( I don't like strawberries myself so I never grow them. )

Dare I say from that great profit-making scheme that is known as Feebay!!

I sell myself on there to pay for the garden bits and plants etc so know the extortionate fees they charge.

The bags are identical to yours by the look of it and there are hessian ones on there to.

Will prob purchase some after xmas.

Yep. Dan, the fees are ridic!!!
I ended up closing my ebay shop, I was paying them what I made (in fees) nearly!

I only sell the odd thing so I hadn't thought they were to bad but as you say its probably different if you have a shop.
What do/did you sell on there GoY's?

we are selling things at the moment to make way for new furniture, and baz clearing out lots of door hindges etc from the garage, things he had when he worked for himself and are now cluttering, so all what we make goes to new sofa etc,but giving my son our old suite as nothing wrong with it

I was selling my hand-made jewellery, wedding flowers, etc!

Nice one Hatter. Shame you couldn't make it work for you though :~((
San, Good luck with that, I like your idea of passing on your sofa to your son. Recycling at its best! ! ! :~))

I'm in the process of starting up my own website to sell them (at San's suggestion) & trying to work out how to link it to my paypal account!

Brill, you'll have to let us all know when its up and running! ! !
Mind you I can't see me doing the garden in any kind of jewellery Lol :~))

Ha ha!! But what about Carol & Holly???????

Hmmmmm Not answering that ! ! ! :~))

That's ok, Carol can answer for herself when you get off that chair & let her log on!!

Never..... Its MY computer and she's not having it. so there! ! !

glad to hear your going with your own website mari, well done and hope its a success, when its up and running give me your site name so i can check it out :o))

So It's HIS pc is it? and I won't get a chance to use it will I not?
Why's he lying in the corner with his face all screwed up like a bulldog chewing a wasp?

lmao carol,, poor ian caught out hehe, nice one carol

I don't like HIM telling me I can't do something. Lol
Only joking about him having his face all screwed up in the corner, He's gone "in the shed! ! !" I think he's sulking He he he he

thats why i decided to buy my own laptop, always got the look when baz was wanting it back, so now ive got my own lol, boys and toys hehe

He's not that bad really, Im just not that interestd in pc's. although it is def. HIS toy and His car, while I think about it its His shed, His tent (which hes welcome to) His garden, His etc. etc. but its My hoover, my washing machine etc. etc. I think I might be having a word with HIM, anyone know a good boxing trainer?

Anyway must get on, unlike himself I have a mointain of ironing to do and Holly is going mad with bordem! ! !

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm I'm not that bad, she's welcome to the washing machine, iron, and the cooker, she can keep the hoover and the floor mop but its MY PC. Lol

lol ian, sound like baz hehe

:~))

Now look what you've done......... I've got to go shopping now.......... :~((

Well I'm a bit late on here. Last time I looked there were 4 comments and now there's 57! Don't grow strawberries, buy or sell on ebay or have my own website so I'm a bit left out here. Oh yes I do have an old creaky desk, my knees (like you San) and I used to do Freecycle but GoY's taken over now. Last time I looked on Freecycle it said I has 7564 messages! Took me ages to read 'em all. lol.
Going to be selling strawberries in a lay-by next year Ian?

I need to make some money somewhere Lily. I've just herself shopping and my wallet has taken itself off to bed....... :~((

Serves you right for being a chauvinist, Digger!!!
Hi lily. you ok? I havent started with the strawbs either, but might go & raid dad's garden!!!
Worth a visit, I think!!
Freecycle keep emailing me & it takes forever to go through just to keep in touch with my mates!!

If your getting a different Email for every message, go to your account and at the bottom change the thingy! from individual emails to daily digest! ! !

By the way Hatter I'm not a chauvanist, I hate everybody! ! ! :~))

Ok ta! will do that!
You ARE a chauvinist, you're just (like my dad says he is) not prejudiced!

Will do that next time I'm on there now I know how to change it, thanks Ian. I knew you could get it in a different format as my daughter doesn't messages like me. No, I didn't really read them all MP, started deleting them and after 15 minutes I was only down to 6400 so I gave up!

I know the feeling! I just scan the titles & delete, but I've managed to change it now!
Ta Digger!

That's what I WAS doing!

Yep,& it STILL takes forever!

Pleased to be of service your royal sheness! ! !

:~))

By the way, I'm right and your not! ! !

You just proved my point again!
Ner ner ne ner ner! :~)D~~

Your strawberry plants look great...... and yes my pc desk....... is a lot like yours lol............

It seems to be a common theme amongst GoY'ers Lol :~))

My dad always states it like this "I'm right you're wrong I apologize." LOL

I like that one Kris! ! !

What I'm wondering is how on earth you got the weedproof membrane down AFTER you'd planted the strawberries? Genius.....

If you think your desk is cluttered, you should see mine. And, no, I'm far to ashamed of it to post a pic! I'm going to have to sort it out pretty soon - there's a tax return burried somewhere.........

I'm so pleased I don't have to deal with things like that, Perhaps regular photo sessions with your desk would help you find things when they start to get buried

That's an idea....could build into a kind of 'heap-map'. Clever.......

I'm still impressed with the whole strawberries-in-before-the-membrane-goes-on thing. How'd you do it? For your next trick will you remove a table cloth before removing the dinner things?

I tried that ........ ONCE...... on my 21st birthday, Never again. My granny never did forgive me. Lol.............. I'm not sure how the membrane got there Sid, it just sort of...... well what I'm trying to say is...... I ..... well.............. Look OK I painted it on,right, I couldn't do it, it was all to much for me and, sob, sob. I CHEATED AGAIN sob, sniff, sniff sob.............................................................

:-O Oh, pooooor granny.....I do hope it wasnt her best china....

There, there, don't cry dear. I can't cope with people crying....I mean....what are you 'sposed to do or say? There is no such thing as cheating - just finding a more efficient way of doing things - like getting the dog to lick the plates after dinner - saves all that boring washing-up lark you see....

Oh blimey Sid, I thought I might could out-surreal you but I see I'm at the feet of a master. I bow wow to your knowledge and total weiredness ;~))

I actually cut a cross where the first plant was and then pulled the leaves through, this was repeated until they were all through, with the odd bit of re-cutting and repositioning. It only took me about two hours to do! ! ! :~))

Surreal? Weird? I'm sorry, I'm not with you.... ;-)

Ah, so that's how you did it. There was me thinking you'd had out a tape measure and tailor's chalk and carefully plotted the positions of hte plants on the liner...... How are your knees feeling now?

I have several kneeling pads which always helps! ! !

LOL!!
Paint everything, I say! Paint the strawberry plants onto the membrane & you wont need to do all that growing! LOL!

Damn! ! ! Why didn't I think of that? I could have painted the fruit on them in the summer! :~))

You just dont have my creative imagination, Digger!
Mind you, the fruit wont taste as good!

they will if u paint them bright red not green , they wont taste good if u paint em green

True, Mac!
Paint them with strawberry flavouring as well, just to make sure!

Very neat job Ian,it will all pay off next strawb season!

I'm licking my lips already Indy. :~)))

LOL I bet you are mate, ours taste sooo good straight from the slug bed (i mean garden lol)

Oh dear Indy, beer is supposed to stop them but I can never leave it alone long enough to find out! ! !

Theyre not too much of a problem really and they feed a lot of the wildlife around here so I'll live with em, they only seem to go for the ripe ones little b*****rs!

Beer doesnt really stop them, you put the beer in a bowl or a wide bottle that's oiled around the inside of the neck (on its side) & cos they love beer, they fall in, cant get oout again for the oil, but they die happy as newts!

When I tried it amongst my salad crops, they drank all the beer, got the munchies and then went out for a bite to eat! ! !

Maybe if we can get a license to grow coca bushes theyll eat them have their appetites suppresed and accelerate right out of our gardens till theyre far enough away to forget where they came from...its a thought!

LMAO Indy, The thought of hyper active sluggs and snails with their antenie standing out of their sockets is just to much. :~)))

That IS funny!

VVVVVVOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSHHHHHHH
There goes another one!
Wonder if they rub themselves out when they run out of slime?

LMAO. Like pencil erasers?

The mind boggles!!

thats the one, see them wear themselves out just a sliver of top skin left, smking slightly!

Oh I wish!!

Dreams are made of things like this..........
Nightmares, Lol

Just a thought but if you took everything out of a slug would it be a con**m

Now its my turn to LMSO....WOnderful bit of lateral thinking there, LOL!!!!!

But A yukky thought! :~{{{{{{{

Women !, lol

Men living dangerously!........................

is there any other way?

Yeah M, we live with women!

LOL!!

Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall-Posh-Bloke cooked some slugs on one of his cooking shows - to kill them he put them in the freezer and then he cut them in half and it was like a grey tube with green stuff in the middle that was presumably the slug's last meal. He sauted them in some butter and garlic...... Ian - maybe you should write to him and suggest your use for a slug skin....?! LOL

With hair like his I wouldn't have thought my idea would be of any interest to him. Or rather his hair would be of such little interest to anyone else he wouldn't get the chance to try the idea out. ! ! ! Lol :~)))

LOL!!
I WOULD ask why men act so stupid, but that would beg the question........ who says they're acting?

Its because of the example set by the women M.
We're only trying to humour you!

What's the definition of a well-informed man?

twice as intelligent as any woman perhaps?

Nooooooooooooo!
One who has the sense to agree with everything his woman says!

Too late M. already seen you asking a 3 year old MALE how to do stuff, you cant have any tapbacks on this one now , you asked the def I gave it, toooooo laaaaate missus!

LOL!!

Thats a good gal, give in gracefully us men don't get to win many gainst you lot!

Dont push it Petal!

gotta push the petals or the bike won' go!

Grrrrrrrroooooooooaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've got more, its the way I type em! lol ;~))))

:~)D

Just caught up with this, Ian, as well as my strawb babies, which were making a "run" towards the gate. They are now safely peggged down to root. Many Thanks for this blog. :-))

Your very welcome David. :~))

And, of course, you'll note that it has been "featured" - :-))

Lol, :~)))