not too hard. With sets, you just plant them in spring and leave them during the summer, until the leaves turn yellow. But, I'm not sure how much they'd like shaded and moist conditions.

Magpie.... I have a botanical question... my mum gave my this really lovely pot of daffodils... But now the flowery bits have all gone wilted... is it possible to cut the stems off and re-use the bulbs??? Because I just love them and it would be such a waste to throw them away!!!

Oh and while I'm at it... what plant would you advise me to buy, knowing I'm the worst car-taker of plants you ever knew, I will be sharing the plant with a cat and I do not like cacti????

Thanks sooooo much!!!

*huggles*

Done with the strawberry bed. All the weeds pulled up, and the edges lined with large stones, so that next year I can at least see where the lawn ends and the bed begins. ;)  So tomorrow I can actually plant the strawberries. And perhaps get the last two flowerbeds in order, too.

Cool thank you!!!

*decides to re-pot the daffodils*

sometimes I hate my father. Like now.
Last year he had the brilliant idea to put a couple of boards on top of the compost heap  -the theory being, I think, that the rain wouldn't wash out the nutrients). In practice, however, the result was this: everything dry as dust, therefore none of it could decompose, and instead of good compost, I do now have a pile of dry leaves and grass and branches. And I NEED that compost! *sobs* oh, how I hate him! And why didn't I think about this sooner?

it would, but it would wash it into the lawn, where we don't need it as much as in the vegetable garden.
And on fresh compost it's not that much of a problem - only when it's "finished".
I'd have thought he knew compost needs moisture.

I'm thinking about visiting the people I used to work for in the summers (owners of a organic vegetable farm) and ask them if they could spare any compost. And use lots of mulch.
The things I need to sow now should do well enough without compost, but the pumpkins and others that need lots of nutrients...

they're the most silly kind of leaves - so large they'll always be blown away. :(

alright. calmer now.

*pulls battered seed packets out of pocket*
radishes, carrots, parsley, parsnips and red orache sowed, onions planted.

Been thinking... I'll manage somehow... somehow... Allow my mother her experiments a la Sepp Holzer (austrian pioneer of permaculture), who suggested putting kitchen waste directly on the ground rather than collecting them on a compost heap and then spreading the compost; collect every scrap of organic material that can be used as mulch - starting tomorrow.
And trying to see the positive side of things: less work (I have no time anyway!), and it forces my parents to admit we need a third compost heap (which I've been saying since we moved here) - there is just no more room for any more on the two we have.
And, last but not least, after this shock I just have to go and buy lettuce plants and spinach seeds (and arugula, too, although - or because - my father dislikes them. *grumble* I know it's childish, but I had half a mind not to sow any of his sacred runner beans this year. But yeah. I just can't be that angry that long.) and some more flowers.

Still... why did this have to happen?
I would be equally angry if we had had no compost for a different reason. But now I'm also angry at Papa for doing this stupid thing, and a bit at myself, for not thinking about this sooner. and hey, he is my father, you'd think it'd be his task to repair my blunder. And it's made even more painful by the fact that it was from him that I got my love for gardening. And now he forgets something that has been as obvious as the fact that grass is green since I was twelve. Will teach me not to trust him any longer. And... it's dreadfully sad, but he has now lost much of the respect I had left for him.

This was sort of funny today: There's this guy from the tree nursery who usually gets on my nerves by askingquestions I do not want to answer, and even more, by tugging my plait - nobody is allowed to touch my hair!
But today - he was working with us because he has some problem with his foot and is not allowed to stand, and we have some work to be done sitting at a table (which I hate!) - I got along with him better than ever before, after he agreed that compost-less-ness is a reason to be desperate. And it turned out he's the first person I know at work who is interested in organic gardening. And that he - just like me - sometimes dreams of owning a organic farm. (Although we still disagreed about many other things). He also made some suggestions about organic fertilizers I could use. Cheered me up a lot.

[ April 03, 2007: Message edited by: Magpie ]

wish I could.
*is not particularly witty, especially when talking*

i planted my coffee-beans yesterday:D (only three yet,want to find out if i can make them grow at all first)

and got me a herb-garden for the window-sill,chives,parsley and basil for yummy cooking
(nothing like scrambled eggs with freshly chopped chive on a sunday morning*rubs tummy*)

bäääärlauch rocks!we usually go and pick it ourselves(my dad knows a few good places)-very carefull,of course
i want more herbs,though,thyme,and rosemary.and marjoram.at least!

i know the oriental (or chinese)garlic where the garlic bulb is one big clove-it's tastier,but hasn't got the "true" garlic taste(i doubt it's good against vampires and such)