MBE's new garden

[mrbadexample]

My compost bins are in the wrong place. Unfortunately the correct place for them is behind the garage where all the stone is. I'm not especially looking forward to moving them, but it has to be done, and it has to be done soon.

[nickdub]

Looking forward to hearing how the bumblebee project goes. Now if you could link that nest building up with poly-tunnels, you'd have the pollination issue cracked :-)

[mrbadexample]

Looking forward to hearing how the bumblebee project goes.

Righto Nick....

Most sites I looked at suggested a bit of hosepipe to make a tunnel. The only hose I've got has too small a bore to allow a queen through, so I thought I'd use a terracotta plantpot pushed through the side of a larger plastic one. In my head it looked neater than this.



However, having cut the hole in the side of the plastic pot, the fit was rubbish so I needed sealant. All I had was some I bought and used years and years ago. I optimistically cut the tube in half and was rewarded with a super-sticky not-quite-gone-off-but-not-as-fluid-as-it-should-be mess of sealant which I had to push in with my fingers. That was fun.

It did the job so I added some chicken wire:



Some stinky mouse straw:



I upturned it over a small layer of stones for drainage, and partially buried it:



Barley is now patiently waiting for bees:



I'm not bothered about the lack of tunnel as I don't think the bees will mind. The only thing I'm really not sure about is where to site it. It seems to be a toss up between too little sun and too much sun. I've gone for too little as I don't want to cook them. I can always relocate it next year if I don't get any luck.

The other problem, for now at least, is a dearth of flowers. I don't have much (if anything) that will provide them with an early feed - yet. It's next to some weeny comfrey and the wild garlic, as you can see, but nothing flowering yet. I've just put in a big clump of Joe Pye Weed nearby, but again it's a long way off flowering.

Suggestions for early blooms appreciated.

[nickdub]

Looks like a bang-up job - not sure on the tunnel, as I don't know what the thinking behind it is - I suppose the acid test is will it attract some tenants.

As I'm on the bee swarm collection list I occasionally get phone calls from people who have new bees' nests which turn out to be bumbles. Common sites are in the ground under a piece of corrugated iron, but I had one where they had taken up residence in a nest box.

[mrbadexample]

Looks like a bang-up job - not sure on the tunnel, as I don't know what the thinking behind it is - I suppose the acid test is will it attract some tenants.

I don't think the tunnel's particularly important. I think the hole will be investigated at some time and Queenie will decide yay or nay.

[mothhawk]

I'm not bothered about the lack of tunnel as I don't think the bees will mind. The only thing I'm really not sure about is where to site it. It seems to be a toss up between too little sun and too much sun. I've gone for too little as I don't want to cook them. I can always relocate it next year if I don't get any luck.

The other problem, for now at least, is a dearth of flowers. I don't have much (if anything) that will provide them with an early feed - yet. It's next to some weeny comfrey and the wild garlic, as you can see, but nothing flowering yet. I've just put in a big clump of Joe Pye Weed nearby, but again it's a long way off flowering.

Suggestions for early blooms appreciated.

I have bumbles all over my pulmonaria and the creeping comfrey at the moment.

[mrbadexample]

I have bumbles all over my pulmonaria...

I had to Google pulmonaria. It looks nice. Please can you dig me up a bit and pop it in the post?

[veggiechicken]

Suggestions for early blooms appreciated.

Just had a wander around the garden, bee-spotting.
Honeybees and bumblebees on the wallflowers, honesty, white comfrey and the bolting kale and rocket but their absolute favourites are the fruit bushes - jostaberry, worcesterberry and redcurrant. A pleasure to see so many little buzzers.

[mrbadexample]

Compost bins moved, and completely rebuilt. A bit time consuming as there was a lot of pallet disassembly, denailing, sawing etc. The lids are a bit flimsy but they'll do for now.



Now I can put kitchen waste into the compost bins without tracking across the grass in my slippers when it's chucking it down.

Normally I would site my compost bin directly on the soil, but in this case I decided to leave the stone in place. There are a couple of inches of stone over a weed membrane, and this is an area where I have had horsetail. I was, and still am, a bit concerned that the horsetail will invade the compost bin and I'll end up spreading it all over the garden. I have filled the bottom 8 inches or so with soil. The left bin is now full, and I'm not moving it again.

The Stockbridge Arrow rhubarb is finally out of the recycling tub and in the spot where the compost bin used to be.

[mrbadexample]

Have received 10 asparagus crowns. If I follow the instructions I've got room for about two. I'll probably plant 8 though. Can't decide whether to move the rhubarb and devote the whole bed to asparagus. It seems a bit of a waste for something that's only productive for a couple of months a year.

[mrbadexample]

I was thinking of letting my mint loose round the back of the garage. At least, I was thinking of that until I watched Gardeners' World on Friday. Apparently Monty tried it last year and it went everywhere so he dug it up again.

I like mint, and nothing does as well in a pot as it does in the ground, in my experience. Having cut a water butt in half today (I'm planning on using the bottom half to make a mini pond if I can seal the leak), I was looking at the top half and thinking it might make a nice barrier for mint. How deep would a barrier need to be? This is about 10" at a guess.



My other option is to dig it out of the pots, refresh the substrate and replant. But I don't want to have to keep doing that, I want to set it free(ish).

[nickdub]

I reckon that will work as a mint corral - just remember to check for over-ground runners occasionally - like nettles it will go over, if it can't go under or through.

[mothhawk]

I would either cut the rim off, or bury it rim edge down, to prevent under the rim becoming a snail farm and sanctuary.

[mrbadexample]

I reckon that will work as a mint corral - just remember to check for over-ground runners occasionally - like nettles it will go over, if it can't go under or through.

It's actually deeper than I thought - 12.5" at the shallowest, so should be good I hope. Just got to find a spot for it now.

[mrbadexample]

I would either cut the rim off, or bury it rim edge down, to prevent under the rim becoming a snail farm and sanctuary.

That's a really good point, and I'm so glad I thought of it just now when I read your post.