Sending you birthday wishes Vinny bit late in the day though.

I have tried to grow decent swedes on my various allotments for many years without much success. I have tried numerous varieties but never Magres? I asked google what variety of seed the farmers grew for human consumption and these were what are appaently used?

The farmers close by grow fields full of wonderful swede which I have never been able to emulate.

I have ordered a packet, and hopefully Magres will assist me in growing what up until now I have been unable to achieve!

Lots of these flying around the end of the garden. Didn't know what they were - shiny black flies with, I thought, a trailing tail, dropped below its body.
The Duck says that they are St Mark's Fly which appears around St Mark's Day, 25th April. Should I tell them to go back to bed for a few more days? 

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-w...ark-s-fly/

Daft question but you're used to that!
I have several packets of marrow seeds which I ignore every year because a marrow is a big watery thing. Right!
My question is - if they're picked when small are they the same as a courgette to eat and to cook with?

I'm sure your answer will be  - try it and see - but I'm hoping for a knowledgeable reply here.

Next daft question

I don't know about you, obviously, but I have never followed any of the soil rotation plans  - where a specific group of veg move to another area each year - the theory being that each veg benefits from whatever was grown there in the previous year. Don't expect me to explain it  as its beyond me!
I've realised that I always grow beans in the same place - always grow peas in their own place, every year - because that's where the supports are.
Perennial vegetables - leeks, kale etc stay put and seem to thrive. ...............
.........So, why, are we advised to grow annual leeks and brassicas in a different place every year?

You can probably see where I'm going with this........to create permanent "beds" for each veg that I grow. It would have the added benefit that self seeders would be in the right place to grow, year on year.

I was watching an old episode of QI last night and gregarious flowering was mentioned.

A particular species of bamboo will flower at intervals of 10 to 130 years. All examples of that species will flower at the same time no matter where in the world they're growing or under what conditions. A bit of a simplification but nonetheless fascinating. 


https://www.guaduabamboo.com/blog/bamboo...rs%20later.

I have seeds for many different vegetables and many different varieties of most of those vegetables. So I've been wondering how few do I/you really need? 
Let's start with essentials - the veg that you always grow and couldn't do without. For example - tomatoes - but which one?

Let's start with 10 (or less) essential veg, then we'll narrow it down to naming the variety. 
 My essential veg are :-
Tomatoes
Courgettes
Lettuce
Mangetout
Beans
Cucumber
Rocket
Kale

We've had rats coming into our garden since last year. They finally got into the garage early this year, and my husband got into hazmat gear to clean it out and throw loads into a skip. They keep coming into the garden albeit a lot less frequently. Our garden is small, probably 6m at the longest bit and 5 across, but smaller because a garage is in one corner. If that makes sense. I have my blowaway greenhouse out there and I'm really struggling with the idea of them getting in and rummaging around amongst the plants. I'm paranoid about diseases even though I know they must be accessing the allotment along with badgers and foxes and cats who think it's a toilet. 

This is mostly a rant of course, but please give me your advice for keeping them out of the garden and/or not being so worried about disease. We have purchased rolls of rodent mesh that are 40 cm deep which we plan to bury along the fence as much as possible. We have probably useless sonic scarers. We have moved pots and things around back there to make it less hospitable and blocked up the garage access (awaiting new steel door installation). Any other ideas? Please help your neurotic internet acquaintance.

I’m going to use palette collars in my bigger tunnels. Would you stack 2 to make deeper beds. Like this       
Or would you just use them single hight ?

Do you feed the garden birds? 

I’ve just started again. We used to feed them at the old place. Now most of the big noisy work is done. I thought it was about time we started. 

How & what do you feed ? Hanging feeders, bird table, ground.? 

I’ve got 2 hanging feeders, 1 seed, 1 peanuts. 4 fat feeders, 3 different types. Also one homemade feeder with wool in for nesting material. They get one handful of mealworms a day as well. They go on top of the big rock in the garden. 

   

I plan on having a bird table at some point. But it’ll probably be a homemade unique piece. It’s still in the planning stages. 

I buy my seed from here https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/MaltbysS...BNAZ4QHQD0
I get the 15kg bags . I’ve brought enough half coconuts fat feeders now that I can refill them with homemade fat feed. A mix of seed, mealworms & chopped currants .

What species do you see the most of? Mine is definitely the chaffinches 

Finally how often do you clean your feeders? 
I brush any stuck stuff off every time I refill. Going to try to be good and clean monthly.