Ex-lurker in central Europe

[Zelenina]

Hi everyone!

Ex-lurker here, delurking myself, or is it unlurking, or maybe it's dislurking.

I'm living in Slovakia now, and before that I was in Ireland, but I'm actually English. Not quite a gardening novice, because I grew stuff in our family garden in Surrey when I was a kid, and I had a garden in Lancashire for a year after finishing uni (where I studied biology). But that was a long time ago, and there were far too many years in between without a garden, until last year when I bought a doer-upper with a neglected garden in a Slovak village. And now I've got two other plots not far away to start work on as well. Am I totally crazy?

Warning! I'm a big seed nut with a very big stash, which I started collecting and saving a few years ago when I was still living in the city. I managed to grow out a few of them on my balcony, and in other people's gardens, but it's wonderful to have my own patch of land now.

So when I've done my qualifying month and 50 posts I'll be open to some seed swapping and VSPing, if I'm allowed to join in from Slovakia. Or I could time it for when I'm going on family visits to England if that's more convenient for posting.

The 50 posts probably won't take too long because I love researching, and I'm likely to pop up at random with answers to people's questions.

[Bigmallly]

Hello Zelenina & welcome to the vine.........seems like you already up & running. How do the seasons differ to the UK?

[veggiechicken]

Hello and welcome to the Grapevine and potentially the VSP
The postage may be the problem unless you have access to UK stamps. I'm sure we can sort something out however
How long have you been lurking? I was a serial lurker until I came out from behind a bush a couple of years ago. I haven't shut up since

[Zelenina]

Thanks for the welcomes I'm living in one of the warmest parts of Slovakia, BM, and up until this year, I would've said colder winters with lots of snow. Hotter, drier summers with some thunderstorms and sudden downpours. Mixed weather in spring and autumn, sometimes wet spells and sometimes very nice and sunny.

But last winter wasn't really a winter at all, with hardly any snow. Then spring and early summer was hot and dry, which was a bit worrying when there had been no melting snow to fill up the wells. And it's been mostly wet since the middle of August, which blighted all my tomatoes, and rotted my aubergines which I wanted to save seed from, but was great for the runner beans and Spanish slugs.

[noviceveggrower]

Hello and welcome to the vine
What sort of nuts do you collect or have in your collection? Sounds interesting

[Bigmallly]

Sounds like it's not only the UK that the weather is all over the place.

[Tripmeup]

Welcome and enjoy..

[Bigmallly]

What sort of nuts do you collect or have in your collection? Sounds interesting

I think Zelenina is a seed nut not a nut collector................

[Zelenina]

Hard to know how long I've been lurking VC. Or when did I change from being just an occasional visitor, brought here by Goggle when I asked it some gardening question, to being a fully-fledged lurker coming here regularly under my own steam for some entertainment and education. It's been a few years anyway since I first discovered all the friendly and helpful people here, and I feel like I already know all the regulars, although of course you don't know me yet.

No I don't normally have access to UK stamps, but I'll be going on a visit to England at the end of the year, so I'm sure something can be arranged. Or maybe I can get some sent to me.

[Knight of Albion]

A very warm welcome to the forum, dear Zelenina.

[Zelenina]

Yes noviceveggrower, BM got it right

I think Zelenina is a seed nut not a nut collector................

I do have an extra large walnut shell on my desk, I found it somewhere, but I think it's empty. And I have some raw peanuts I picked out of a fruit & nut mix that I might try growing next year. I'd love to grow some nuts, but the two walnut trees in my garden are fruitless. My neighbour said they were planted by the birds.

[noviceveggrower]

Yes noviceveggrower, BM got it rightI do have an extra large walnut shell on my desk, I found it somewhere, but I think it's empty. And I have some raw peanuts I picked out of a fruit & nut mix that I might try growing next year. I'd love to grow some nuts, but the two walnut trees in my garden are fruitless. My neighbour said they were planted by the birds.

I know what I meant I've been up a long time

[Guest]

Hi and welcome (properly) to the vine and no going back to macs and dark sunglasses

[PyreneesPlot]

Hello and welcome to the Vine. Enjoy the banter.

[Nicos]

And a big hello from me in Normandy.

Nice that you wanted us to get to know you!...no doubt you've got to 'know' us over the years???
Looking forward to hearing about your gardening skills and techniques - I'm sure you've noticed the locals do some things very differently from in the UK.
Always good to learn/ share alternative gardening techniques!