trailing squash

[jools]

Hi Weavie
Yes, I'm interested! What do we need to cut willow??? Scissors, axe, machetti?
Jools

[Weavie]

The most important thing to bring along is a thermos, then secateurs, folding saw perhaps, some loppers whatever you have that's sharp and can cut stems. The ranger has spares if need be. I only have loppers so am taking those. Wellies are advisable or walking boots. They have also said to bring lunch if you've got a lot to cut or get chatting! don't see why willow can't be used for bean supports, it's one of the supports I plan to make. Be great if any of you can come!

[Mrs Dobby]

Wish we were near there Weavie, we'd love to come along, but its a bit of a trek from deepest darkest (and wettest) Manchester, and looking at the link it doesnt look like there's anything similar happening round here, oh well, back to the drawing board!

[goddess]

munchkin

i tried munchkin from sarah raven last year.they were very easy to grow.i put them on metal wigwam which wasn't high enough so the rumbled on and ended on grounds.they tasted good but the drawback for me was the very hard skin that i couldn't peel unless i boiled the litle pumpkins.i don't think i will grow them this year.An article in a garden mag 2 years ago featured the garden of a photographer called Derek st romaine,him & his wife grow ukhi kuri on ropes attached to metal posts as edging to the garden .the same poles have climbing roses in spring.it loked wonderfull and very inspiring.g

[Peter]

........ don't see why willow can't be used for bean supports, .....

I can.

How to get a new willow tree.
Take one saw and one crowbar.
Cut a six foot length of willow.
Make a one to two foot hole in the ground using the crowbar.
Insert the cut end of the willow branch in the hole.
Backfill / firm out any gaps.
Leave to root and grow.

If you feed your beans lots of manure etc, then water them as runner/french beans like to be watered, you may find you have some willow saplings by the end of the season.

Hazel is much better.

[Poledragon]

Unless, of course, you stick them in the ground the wrong way up.

[supersprout]

An article in a garden mag 2 years ago featured the garden of a photographer called Derek st romaine,him & his wife grow ukhi kuri on ropes attached to metal posts as edging to the garden .the same poles have climbing roses in spring.it loked wonderfull and very inspiring.g

Brilliant idea goddess, thank you

[Weavie]

Hi Peter - yep that's true re: willow growing. Do you know how to stop it sprouting - is there something you can paint on to stop them there roots from taking root?

[jools]

Typical. Spend much of my time trying my best to get things to grow & here we have something free, within a reasonable travelling distance and the only problem is we DON'T want the bloomin' things to grow. What do you think Weavie, should we wait for the hazel?

Thinks.......what if you put tape round the bit that goes in the ground?

[Peter]

Hi Peter - yep that's true re: willow growing. Do you know how to stop it sprouting - is there something you can paint on to stop them there roots from taking root?

Weavie, flippantly, yes lots of things, but I would not want to use them as they are poisonous.

Seriously, this has been covered elsewhere.

Where a very helpful lady called Sally Wright said

"stack the withies in a large metal dustbin, build a bonfire, put the bin on top and fill with water and bring to the boil. boiling should not make the bark come off as long as you don't rub it in any way. They are not going in for hours only 10 minutes or so. Dunking the ends in creosote or cuprinol is a good idea in theory but as you are going to weave with them you will end up with the stuff all over your hands, clothes etc if you do it before you weave. Leaving the withies to dry out is one way of killing them but they go brittle and will need a long soak before you can work with them.
Spliting the withies will only make both bits root. See the broom in the Micky Mouse/Disney film (magician's nephew?) for details of what happens to a willow stick if you chop it up."

Personally I think that if you turn them upside down it will have no effect whatsoever on the rooting process. Think of a bramble, it hits the ground, roots and grows.

[Weavie]

Crikey! Or words to that effect. Think I'll still go to willow cutting as you can make hanging baskets with willow, really nice deep ones and there are weavers there that can give advise. I'm taking your advise on board Peter and I certainly wont be making wigwams! Thank you for that as you have saved me lots of hard work not only making them but digging out all the roots afterwards. I'm especially looking forward to going now as we were burgled on Tuesday so I need to pretend I'm cutting something other than willow with a good sharp lopper.

[Mrs Dobby]

Sorry to hear of the burglary Weavie, I hope they didnt take too much or do too much damage, scum who think its ok to help themselves to others belongings need their hands chopping off!

[Jaxom]

Sorry to hear about the burglary. Having someone go through you house is horrible. The worst thing is that most often the thief is needing their next fix of drugs so will sell you hard earned possessions down the pub for a pittance, as they are by then beyond rational thought.
The problem is the people who buy the goods from the thieves. If there were no way of selling on the goods then the burglars would not brake in to houses to feed their habit.

[jools]

Sorry to hear about the burglary Weavie. We had burglars in our neck of the woods about a week ago. They tried to get in our house and several of the neighbours houses. They got in next door but one by fishing her keys (left on a side table) out of the letterbox and letting themselves in through the front door. They then loaded up various possessions into one of the neighbours' own cars parked on the front drive and would have made off with the lot had another neighbour not seen them. This was 2am and there were two adults and three kids in the house! Makes my blood boil!!! Grrrrrrrrrr!
Hope they didn't take much.

[Weavie]

Thanks a lot guys, what a lovely bunch you are!! Yes they got away with a fair bit of jewellery/watches small items. I had got home feeling really chirpy cos had just got the most fanstastic bargains in the way of fruit bushes from woolies, thought I'd pop to the greehouse and unload and saw a ladder up to my sons bedroom and the window wide open. Rang 999 and the police were with me in no time. the burglers had already scarpered. I'm just consoled by the fact that no-one was in the house at the time. Your poor neighbours jools that must have been awful for them. You're right Dobby they're scum. Anyway I did some digging yesterday and felt so much better!