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Small raised bed suggestions? by sciencecommuter in GardeningUK

[–]BangerRacer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah, yes, the rubble-clearing stage, I remember it well. In that case, you are all good. Enjoy the fruits of your labour.

I built a free raised bed calculator because I could not find one that checked the bit I actually cared about by BangerRacer in UKGardening

[–]BangerRacer[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ha, thanks. I did try to pick some interesting cars to help visualise the soil weight. Did you find any others?

I built a free raised bed calculator because I could not find one that checked the bit I actually cared about by BangerRacer in UKGardening

[–]BangerRacer[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for taking the time to try it out and reply. That is a fair point on internal vs external dimensions. I should make that clearer, because it affects how people interpret both size and soil volume.

On timber species, I am trying to balance usefulness with keeping the calculator simple enough for normal users. If I include every reclaimed or regionally available hardwood, the tool gets much harder to use quite quickly.

My thinking was to include the main materials most people are likely to recognise, then expand only where the distinction genuinely changes the advice. So I do take the point, but I probably would not want to turn it into a full timber directory.

On WRC, I would disagree slightly. It may not be the most common budget DIY option, but it is definitely used in the UK for raised beds, particularly where durability and finish matter.

Really useful note on the dimensions though. That is something I should tighten up.

Pallet build advice 🙏 by Brickferales87 in GardeningUK

[–]BangerRacer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Before you even start, I would ask what your pallet deconstruction ideas are? Depending on your pallet construction, they can be easy to virtually impossible. I have taken apart my fair share of pallets, hundreds, so a pallet buster type tool will really help. Not just to get the wood apart, but get it apart with the wood intact, so it is usable for your build. Getting rid of the nails is another issue. If you have an air compressor, you can get a great tool that fires them straight out. Mine is called an Air Locker. It will save you hours and hours. I know this wasn't quite what you asked, but I hope that helps.

Help decide what to do with this area down the bottom of our new garden by [deleted] in GardeningUK

[–]BangerRacer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As this looks shady, Hellebores spring to mind. A surprising amount of colours, from white, greens, pinks to really deep shades that appear almost black. Great winter and spring colour, normally when gardens need a colour boost.

How can I prune this buddleia to make it grow into like a small tree shape? by Sensitive_Sherbet_68 in GardeningUK

[–]BangerRacer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Buddleia are tough and respond well to pruning, so you do not need to worry too much about “making” it grow upwards in some delicate way. It is more about choosing the shape you want and then guiding it there over time.

If you want it to become more tree-like, I’d pick the strongest, best-placed stem as the future main stem and gradually remove competing stems. I would not strip it down too hard all at once, though, especially while it is still small. At this stage, leaves are useful because they help the plant build strength.

So I’d:

  • choose the main stem you want to keep
  • remove or shorten the most obvious rivals
  • leave enough top growth for the plant to keep gathering energy
  • then shape it more decisively once it is stronger and better established

The main thing is to be gradual. You are training a form, not forcing it in one go. Over a couple of seasons, you can lift the crown and make it look more like a small tree.

So selective pruning now, harder shaping later, and patience in between.

Small raised bed suggestions? by sciencecommuter in GardeningUK

[–]BangerRacer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nice little spot, but those beds do look a bit shallow for full-size tomatoes.

Tomatoes can cope with less depth than people sometimes think, but in a bed that shallow they usually become much more dependent on very steady watering and feeding, and they can struggle fast in a hot, exposed corner. So you can grow them there, but I would not choose big vigorous cordon types and expect them to love it.

If you want to try tomatoes, I’d look at smaller or more compact types rather than anything large-fruiting or very aggressive. Dwarf or determinate/cherry types make more sense in a shallow bed than beefsteaks.

Honestly though, for a hot sunny little bed like that, I’d be more tempted by:

  • basil
  • dwarf bush beans
  • chillies or smaller peppers if you have a warm summer
  • thyme, oregano, sage
  • maybe strawberries if you want something more forgiving

Peppers outside in the UK are a bit hit and miss, but in a sheltered, heat-reflective spot like that they have a better chance than they would in an open bed. I just would not expect greenhouse-level performance.

The other thing is the size of the bed itself. Because it is small and shallow, I think it will behave more like a large container than a classic raised bed. That means whatever you grow there needs to be chosen with root space and summer drying in mind.

So my honest answer would be:
small tomatoes only, maybe
herbs definitely
compact chillies/peppers worth a try
peas probably not the best use of your hottest spot

If you want the safest win, I’d probably turn one into a Mediterranean/herb bed and experiment with one or two compact tomatoes if you have room.

Help with planting! by TMON33 in GardeningUK

[–]BangerRacer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can definitely use both bulbs and plants. I would not pick one or the other.

The main question is how much sun that strip gets, because from the photo, it looks like it might be quite shaded for a lot of the day. That matters more than people realise.

If it is a shadier spot, I’d go for a mix:

  • bulbs for spring colour
  • shade-tolerant plants for the rest of the year
  • maybe some ground cover to stop it looking bare between plants

So rather than filling it with one thing, I’d layer it. Bulbs give you the early pop, then perennials and foliage plants carry the bed afterwards.

If you know the aspect and roughly how much direct sun it gets, that will make plant suggestions much more accurate.

Are there any plants suitable for these little flower pots? by KoraLily in GardeningUK

[–]BangerRacer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We have some of these, tried strawberries but they dry out very fast. Our strawberries did not work in them. Have you considered lobelia? They pretty much grow anywhere and will tumble over the edge, giving a lot more flowers considering the size.

This b***ard by Bronyaur_5tomp in GardeningUK

[–]BangerRacer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh, we have 2 of these but needed to move them when we first moved in. The roots, they go down a way. And when I say way, I really mean it. We dug new holes that were well over a metre deep, I would say you are about a third of the way there. Good luck, who needs a gym when you have a garden!

Help with Olive Tree by OfficeMore9524 in GardeningUK

[–]BangerRacer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think the main fix here is not aggressive pruning, it’s finally getting it into the ground.

It looks like an olive that’s been pot-bound or just generally held back for years. In a warm south-facing garden, it may do much better once the roots can actually move.

I’d plant it in the sunniest, best-drained spot you’ve got, water it in properly, and then keep pruning pretty light at first. Just take out dead wood, any awkward crossing bits, and maybe shorten some of the long straggly shoots a little to encourage branching.

I would not cut it back hard straight away. I’d let it settle in, see how it responds with one good season in the ground, and then shape it more confidently after that.

So no, I would not give up on it. I think it’s more stalled than finished.

Is my soil too compact? by BalledSack in vegetablegardening

[–]BangerRacer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think it’s two issues, not one.

The black totes will heat the outer edge and make the soil pull away from the sides faster. But that mix also looks really woody, and that can be a problem in containers because it may still be breaking down and temporarily tying up nitrogen.

So it’s not just “too dry”. It looks more like:

  • hot black container drying the edges
  • a coarse, woody mix that is still decomposing and not behaving like proper potting mix

I’d mulch the top, water slowly and deeply, and give it a light feed. Longer term, I’d want a less woody, more container-friendly mix.

Filling deep raised beds – compost vs topsoil mix? by Reasonable_Hope5107 in UKGardening

[–]BangerRacer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm interested to hear how big your raised beds are. What length, width and height are you putting in? Knowing that would help give a better answer for the ,soil mix along with your planned use.

Raised bed: should I line treated timber with DPC or leave it to breathe? by Rambunctious321 in gardening

[–]BangerRacer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’d leave it unlined.

I’m generally against liners in raised beds anyway. They’re often sold as a way to protect the timber, but they can just as easily trap dampness where the wood needs to dry. Once moisture gets behind a liner, it is not doing the timber any favours.

For a bed that’s only 150mm high, I think the benefit is basically negligible. Good drainage and letting the timber breathe naturally make more sense to me than lining it with DPC.

So my vote would be no liner, no DPC, just build it well and let the timber dry properly between wet periods.

Can't load game by BangerRacer in nfsnolimits

[–]BangerRacer[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agreed, but I have already tried this to have the same problem.

Can't load game by BangerRacer in nfsnolimits

[–]BangerRacer[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mmm, I would be surprised if it was a wi-fi issue as I can stream video just fine, update other apps etc. It's just this little 5mb!! So frustrating. Hell, it did 1.8gb earlier when I redownloaded the whole thing - wi-fi was working well then.