MBE's new garden

[mrbadexample]

I guess the privet was planted at the same time the house was built in 2013. It appears well enough. It's starting to produce leaves so will no doubt look better in a few weeks.

[Chris11]

It means, at least for the moment, that they go in the rhubarb bed.

Lovely cats, and good to see the progress you're making in the garden.

I'm pretty sure rhubarb is toxic to both cats and dogs, although probably not as dangerous as some lilies. Hopefully yours are sensible enough not to chew it, as that could be quite serious.

Do you have an indoor litter tray available? Some cats will actively prefer the cleanliness and dryness of a litter tray, and will stop using the garden beds if given that choice.

Cats and gardens are always an entertaining mix

[nickdub]

privet will regrow even if its cut right down to ground level - its not a plant I like much, but it has its uses.

[mrbadexample]

Do you have an indoor litter tray available? Some cats will actively prefer the cleanliness and dryness of a litter tray, and will stop using the garden beds if given that choice.

Yes. Malt mostly uses it. Barley mostly doesn't.

[mrbadexample]

I was disappointed that the greenhouse lost a couple of panes in the storms. I think what happened was a gust of wind got through the closed door, or underneath, and increased the pressure inside enough to pop out one of the flexible curved eave panels, which then allowed a roof panel to slide out. Fortunately nothing broke and it was replaced fairly easily, but it doesn't bode well for future storms.

Of course, the cheap Norfolk Greenhouse at the old house was completely undamaged and unmoved.

The one issue I do have is that the new greenhouse floor is completely flat and level, so any excess water sits on the surface and doesn't drain away. This creates a higher level of humidity than I'd like and encourages botrytis. I wondered if any of you have a way to deal with this? If I leave the non-automatic roof window open, that's where the rain gets in.

[mothhawk]

privet will regrow even if its cut right down to ground level....

Yes, privet is hard to kill. You can lay it too, like a hawthorn hedge, which will bulk up the base.

[nickdub]

The one issue I do have is that the new greenhouse floor is completely flat and level, so any excess water sits on the surface and doesn't drain away. This creates a higher level of humidity than I'd like and encourages botrytis. I wondered if any of you have a way to deal with this? If I leave the non-automatic roof window open, that's where the rain gets in.

I can't think of any quick fixes for the water puddling - you could of course put a load of gravel down, which would at least mean you weren't sploshing around in it.

Otherwise the options would seem to be 1) cutting some drainage channels using an angle grinder or 2) screeding to create a new surface, which could be shaped to have a slight slope.

[Small pumpkin]

The one issue I do have is that the new greenhouse floor is completely flat and level, so any excess water sits on the surface and doesn't drain away. This creates a higher level of humidity than I'd like and encourages botrytis. I wondered if any of you have a way to deal with this? If I leave the non-automatic roof window open, that's where the rain gets in.

Can you not drill drainage holes in the greenhouse floor?

[veggiechicken]

Fit a couple of louvre windows in the side.
Fit an automatic opener to the roof window..............or both.

[mrbadexample]

Finally a day of sunshine, so managed to jetwash the floor. Then unscrewed a corner, and very gently prised it up with a crowbar, waiting for the ping of breaking glass.

Got away with it and managed to slide a couple of bits of 6mm marine ply underneath, so at least managed to make a gap to sweep the water under.

Drilling holes in the floor isn't ideal but might be the best solution.

[mrbadexample]

Fit a couple of louvre windows in the side.
Fit an automatic opener to the roof window..............or both.

Two windows - one has an automatic opener. I do think a louvre window in the side might be a good idea. I think they do a kit.

[mrbadexample]

Nice busy day today - spuds in, sowed beetroot, spring onions, snowball turnips, carrots, lettuce, mixed leaves and land cress. Repotted a blueberry, plus the sorting out of the greenhouse. Things looking much better than they did a couple of days ago.

Got a few more jobs tomorrow - would like to mow the lawn, tidy up the bog garden and get started on the pond.

Currently alleviating the aches with a couple of bottles of the original anaesthetic.

[nickdub]

Finally a day of sunshine, so managed to jetwash the floor. Then unscrewed a corner, and very gently prised it up with a crowbar, waiting for the ping of breaking glass.

Got away with it and managed to slide a couple of bits of 6mm marine ply underneath, so at least managed to make a gap to sweep the water under.

Drilling holes in the floor isn't ideal but might be the best solution.

I don't think drilling through the floor will do the trick in Winter at any rate, the problem being that unless you have a big sump filled with gravel and stones to let the water drain in to it wont go out in the soil underneath fast enough to be of any use. Might work in Summer if the ground in your garden gets very dry .

[mrbadexample]

I don't think drilling through the floor will do the trick in Winter at any rate, the problem being that unless you have a big sump filled with gravel and stones to let the water drain in to it wont go out in the soil underneath fast enough to be of any use. Might work in Summer if the ground in your garden gets very dry .

Yeah, I think you're right with that. It would need a soakaway of some sort. Plus the holes would get filled with debris anyway.

I should have asked the builders for a base that was slightly off level, but of course I didn't think of that at the time. I think this is going to annoy me in perpetuity.

[mrbadexample]

I've started to clear the area behind the garage. This is mostly a great big heap of once-neatly-stacked-but-now-fallen-over turf, from the raised beds and greenhouse base.

It dawned on me yesterday that when I created the beds at the old house, I dug a trench and buried the turf upside down in the bottom. I can't think for the life of me why I didn't do that with the new ones. I've just created extra work as I've now got to find another way of getting rid of it. At my age I'm supposed to be working smarter, not harder, but I've definitely got that wrong this time.

I've seen a number of queen bumble bees nosing about the pile of turf, which prompted me to make a nest site for them in the hope it might get used. I'll post a pic when it's finished. Most of the sites I've been looking at suggest that the best bedding material is an old mouse nest. I've just brought a bale of straw over from the old shed which is at last empty. It's been riddled with mice so I'm hoping this is just the ticket. I was planning on using it as a mulch or compost, but this is a nice way to use a bit. Hopefully if I can get it in quickly enough I might get some interest.