Ask Doug!-- our Garden expert in the Snug!

[peterd]

We have cut down two very large Silver Birch trees. One in the side garden was in the middle of the lawn, the one in the back we built like a planter thingy round it.
Both have had liquid thingy poured in the stump but as I read it, its just stops it from growing.
So do we just have to wait for the roots etc to rot away?
Or do we have to dig it up or take it under the ground?

Jo

cut the trunk to about 6in from the grounded drill some holes in top of stump and put some oil in them this should kill the roots system off

[Jimmy]

Some people used to drill holes in the stump and pour in creosote, but I think that was banned.

[peterd]

Some people used to drill holes in the stump and pour in creosote, but I think that was banned.

creosote will do if its the oil base type

[grangers14]

Thanks for your thoughts.
Not sure how big the stump is but they have been drilled and this liquid we bought poured in it.
No way we could dig it all up, the roots are so fine and shallow!! One of the reasons they had to go, shame really.
Jo

[Annie]

We have cut down two very large Silver Birch trees. One in the side garden was in the middle of the lawn, the one in the back we built like a planter thingy round it.
Both have had liquid thingy poured in the stump but as I read it, its just stops it from growing.
So do we just have to wait for the roots etc to rot away?
Or do we have to dig it up or take it under the ground?

Jo

I agree with Rob Jo dig it up , we cut a tree down last year and poured liquid stuff in and I have noticed there are shoots sprouting out of the ground so looks like it will have dig it out.

Annie

[peterd]

kill the stump off first and the root because, if the root system is not dead and you leave any fine roots these may start to shoot and you may fine you have 40 trees growing instead of one

[Annie]

kill the stump off first and the root because, if the root system is not dead and you leave any fine roots these may start to shoot and you may fine you have 40 trees growing instead of one

My goodness I hope not .

Annie

[gardener]

Has anyone tried square foot gardening? I kind of like the idea but I'm wondering if it is as good as it sounds. Does it need a lot of watering?

[grangers14]

Ive never heard of it before? But looking was reading
WATER:
Water only as much as each plant needs. Water often, especially at first, and on very hot dry days, If possible, water by hand ( uses a lot less water )with a cup from a sun-warmed bucket of water. Warm water helps the soil warm up in early and late season.

from here,
http://www.squarefootgardening.com/inde ... arden.html

What can you grow in Iceland?

Jo

[gardener]

Hi Jo
Thanks for the link. I'm a bit lazy about watering things and the sun and the soil that I have dries out very quickly.
Our growing season is very short but most single season stuff does well although parsnips never get very big - my kids reckon they are better small and sweet but the yield is very poor. Same with broadbeans really, only one crop of beans and even then I have to make sure I buy the right sort. Runner beans are a none starter as the leaves go all papery and they just don't grow, too cold in early summer I suppose. I use that acriculural fleece stuff a lot because it keeps things a bit warmer.
Red currants and gooseberries do very very well, and black currants ok. Strawberries are possible too. Calebrese but not purple sprouting broccoli or anything else that needs to live the winter. Which is why I fancy that square foot thing as it looks as though the plants get intensive conditions. Also, I've been battling some nasty weed, forget what it is but the leaves grow fairly flat and a small flower spike has long seed pods on it. By the time the plant is big enough to weed the seeds are ready and at first tough they explode everywhere So hope to get rid of those blighters by putting down raised beds on top of the old soil and coverimg the rest of the soil with some membrane stuff.
Ooh, can't wit to start now but at the moment we have a fair bit of snow so I don't suppose there is much chance of doing anything! Beginning of May is about the best time. bedding plants are usually put out beginning of June so that there is some colour for the national day on teh 17th.
Think I'll oder a square foot book off amazon and then see if I can even get the stuff to mix the "soil". Not sure sacks of vermiculite are an option, wonder if I can use fine pummice? Got lots of that around the country from various volcanoes

[grangers14]

Also, I've been battling some nasty weed, forget what it is but the leaves grow fairly flat and a small flower spike has long seed pods on it. By the time the plant is big enough to weed the seeds are ready and at first tough they explode everywhere So hope to get rid of those blighters

Oh we get a lot of them too! Its so hard to get them up! Popping cress or hairy cress or something they are called.
Good luck with what you do!
Jo

[Carol]

Well I have been digging and am now chitting some potatoes! Perhaps I should combine the slimming thread with the gardening thread. Still a bit squelchy out there but at least it is warm today. Also bought some onion sets. How far apart do the potatoes need to be then folks?

[Rob]

So it's a quiz now Carol!!
How far apart do they need to be? That's easy but i'll wait for someone else to give the answer.

[Annie]

Well I have been digging and am now chitting some potatoes! Perhaps I should combine the slimming thread with the gardening thread. Still a bit squelchy out there but at least it is warm today. Also bought some onion sets. How far apart do the potatoes need to be then folks?

I should know this planted enough for dad on his allotment when I was much younger, about 9 to 10 inches apart .

Annie

[peterd]

Hi Jo
Thanks for the link. I'm a bit lazy about watering things and the sun and the soil that I have dries out very quickly.
Our growing season is very short but most single season stuff does well although parsnips never get very big - my kids reckon they are better small and sweet but the yield is very poor. Same with broadbeans really, only one crop of beans and even then I have to make sure I buy the right sort. Runner beans are a none starter as the leaves go all papery and they just don't grow, too cold in early summer I suppose. I use that acriculural fleece stuff a lot because it keeps things a bit warmer.
Red currants and gooseberries do very very well, and black currants ok. Strawberries are possible too. Calebrese but not purple sprouting broccoli or anything else that needs to live the winter. Which is why I fancy that square foot thing as it looks as though the plants get intensive conditions. Also, I've been battling some nasty weed, forget what it is but the leaves grow fairly flat and a small flower spike has long seed pods on it. By the time the plant is big enough to weed the seeds are ready and at first tough they explode everywhere So hope to get rid of those blighters by putting down raised beds on top of the old soil and coverimg the rest of the soil with some membrane stuff.
Ooh, can't wit to start now but at the moment we have a fair bit of snow so I don't suppose there is much chance of doing anything! Beginning of May is about the best time. bedding plants are usually put out beginning of June so that there is some colour for the national day on teh 17th.
Think I'll oder a square foot book off amazon and then see if I can even get the stuff to mix the "soil". Not sure sacks of vermiculite are an option, wonder if I can use fine pummice? Got lots of that around the country from various volcanoes

Bad soil, the best way to grow parsnip is to fill some 4" dia drian pipe 18" to 2ft long with compost and plant a sapling in the top this should give you a decent parsnip you can also do it with carrots