This week in your Kitchen Garden.

[gentlegreen]

Years ago I used to have a permanent syphon from the bath to my twintub, and by the time the dog's blanket had been through, the waste water was more like sludge. I had another hose from there to the tomatoes.

I would guess that sort of water is a bit on the alkaline side, but it didn't seem to hurt them.

 

[sheothebudworths]

Google "grey water", sheo - there's a fair bit about it online.

'grey water' hehe!

Anyway - excellent news! Cheers for that prunus - will save the good stuff for the seedlings then!
Sadly the bath is a trek too far though (upstairs to the bathroom then down another floor from the living room into the garden (house is on a hill) - my enthusiasm for conserving water/saving money has it's limits I'm afraid ).

Years ago I used to have a permanent syphon from the bath to my twintub, and by the time the dog's blanket had been through, the waste water was more like sludge. I had another hose from there to the tomatoes.

LOL

 

[gentlegreen]

waste not, want not.

The urine recycling project is closer than ever.

 

[prunus]

'grey water' hehe!

Anyway - excellent news! Cheers for that prunus - will save the good stuff for the seedlings then!
Sadly the bath is a trek too far though (upstairs to the bathroom then down another floor from the living room into the garden (house is on a hill) - my enthusiasm for conserving water/saving money has it's limits I'm afraid ).

I've used a hosepipe out of the bathroom window to syphon down the water in hot dry summers in the past - although my bathroom window does overlook the garden side, which yours might not. It's very easy - fill the hose with water in the bath (make sure it's full - I used to fill it from the bath tap then submerge it), put a stopper (firmly) in one end (champagne cork whittled to shape worked for me) and chuck that end out of the window, keeping the other submerged. Use a brick or something heavy (or someone to hold it) to keep the bath end at the lowest point of the bath (ie underwater) and pop the cork out of the other end, hey presto - syphon!

NB this is still illegal in times of hosepipe ban.

 

[sheothebudworths]

I've used a hosepipe out of the bathroom window to syphon down the water in hot dry summers in the past - although my bathroom window does overlook the garden side, which yours might not.

It doesn't.

NB this is still illegal in times of hosepipe ban.

WTF? Why? Just because of the use of THE HOSEPIPE?!

 

[prunus]

It doesn't.

WTF? Why? Just because of the use of THE HOSEPIPE?!

Yup

To be completely fair to the water companies it's not totally bonkers - they don't want any water being taken out of the system - the bathwater would normally be repurified and turned back into drinking water (which is what they're most concerned about) if you don't syphon it onto your garden (where it's effectively lost to the system). Same applies to using a hosepipe from your own rainwater butt - they want that rainwater into their system, so they can sell it to you...

 

[BoatieBird]

waste not, want not.

The urine recycling project is closer than ever.

Indeed - our compost bin is coming along nicely with the addition of the odd bucket o piss

I have come to the conclusion that I started off my cucumbers wayyyyyyy too early. The plants all have loads of little cues on them but I don't want to risk planting them out just yet.

 

[Melinda]

LMHF and others who own chickens.

Continuing my research into getting a bird or three. Found this handsome house, and its on special offer £150. What do you think?

from here:
http://thechickenhousecompany.co.uk...id=10&osCsid=6da32791621e24bbfbbdbac7fc34c9a2



Is it too small? Will it be too finicky to keep clean?

 

[gentlegreen]

Flippin 'eck, that's nicer than my house !

 

[fogbat]

I was going to ask whether Melinda would consider letting it out to me - I've always wanted my own place.

 

[ooo]

Growing one bell pepper at the moment.

 

[Strumpet]

I was going to ask whether Melinda would consider letting it out to me - I've always wanted my own place.

 

[sheothebudworths]

£150 sounds like a bargain!

How big is it?

ETA - Sorry just looked for myself!

For comparisons sake, Argos have one slightly bigger (Height 126 x width 200 x depth 94cm) but far less beautiful, for £209.

 

[Melinda]

I was going to ask whether Melinda would consider letting it out to me - I've always wanted my own place.

Its very good looking isnt it? *smugs*

You are always welcome, you'll love Hither Green. We watch films in the local church hall.

BTW I have a shed too (with windows). You could get half a sofa in there.

 

[gentlegreen]

Growing one bell pepper at the moment.

That's early

 

[prunus]

Growing one bell pepper at the moment.

My pepper plants are only as big as my little finger at the moment. That's very impressive - when did you sow?

 

[fogbat]

I'd forgotten how quickly beans grow

They only emerged from the soil a few days back, and they're already bigger than any of my chillies!

 

[Hellsbells]

I'd forgotten how quickly beans grow

They only emerged from the soil a few days back, and they're already bigger than any of my chillies!

ooh fellow bean grower! Are you growing your beans indoors to start with?
I have a mixed pack of very exciting magic looking beans

 

[pennimania]

I've just planted beans

I have them inside for now, will set them in my polytunnel when they have made a good start.

Also just planted gherkins and cukes.

Some of my tomatoes have got flowers! too early surely?

 

[fogbat]

ooh fellow bean grower! Are you growing your beans indoors to start with?
I have a mixed pack of very exciting magic looking beans

I am indeed. Will keep them inside for a bit yet, though they're growing so quickly I may have to plant them outside just for the space.

I grew four or five Borlotti bean plants last year. Unfortunately I neglected to water them for a few weeks mid-summer, so I ended up with only about half a large Ragu jar's worth of beans in the end. Probably a ROI of about 20 beans for each one planted

Once planted, they do apparently nothing for a few days, then the soil cracks, and these monster plants emerge. It's almost frightening

 

[felixthecat]

Planted my beans outside last week, with plastic cloches to give 'em a bit of protection if it gets chilly at night. So far so good.......

 

[BoatieBird]

I am indeed. Will keep them inside for a bit yet, though they're growing so quickly I may have to plant them outside just for the space.

I grew four or five Borlotti bean plants last year. Unfortunately I neglected to water them for a few weeks mid-summer, so I ended up with only about half a large Ragu jar's worth of beans in the end. Probably a ROI of about 20 beans for each one planted

Once planted, they do apparently nothing for a few days, then the soil cracks, and these monster plants emerge. It's almost frightening

I've just planted some borlotti beans - I have a vague idea that I might be able to dry them for use in the winter. Is this possible?

 

[free spirit]

ooh fellow bean grower! Are you growing your beans indoors to start with?
I have a mixed pack of very exciting magic looking beans

oooooh really? I have a cow here that I'd like to swap for your magic be.... no wait, I'm doing it wrong, and I don't have a cow anyway

 

[free spirit]

I still want magic beans though

 

[fogbat]

I've just planted some borlotti beans - I have a vague idea that I might be able to dry them for use in the winter. Is this possible?

Yep!

I just left mine on the plant to dry, and snapped off the pods when they were all snappy. Apparently another option is to take the whole plant inside and let it dry somewhere rain-free. You can freeze them, too.

 

[free spirit]

Planted my beans outside last week, with plastic cloches to give 'em a bit of protection if it gets chilly at night. So far so good.......

planted mine without cloches last week coz they're northern and hard and all that, but now I'm a bit worried because the weather forecast last night was showing a load of coldness coming down from the arctic this weekend...
.

 

[BoatieBird]

I'll be giving that a go then (drying beans that is) and saving my freezer space for other stuff.

 

[gentlegreen]

I'm still at the choosing stage.

My prejudice is that there's not really such a thing as a stringless bean, or if there is, they're not as tasty ...

I thought I would try a fancy French bean too ... though without a freezer, maybe also a drying bean ...

 

[Melinda]

My solitary elderly dwarf bean has been joined by some siblings! *does bean dance*

My parsley and delphinium seedlings were visible today.


Nothing from my squash yet and still nothing from my BBC carrots which I actually bothered to plant in drills.

Its been 3 weeks for both. Anyone else's BBC carrots up yet?

 

[gentlegreen]

so ... tastiest runner and French beans ?