Blooming into Flaming June

[Blackpuddingbertha]

Keeping the potting shed party going from the previous Rhubarb Society thread and all threads before it.

Please feel free to join in all gardeners, whether novice, professional or aspiring. Plenty of blackberry gin for all.

[HumphreyCobbler]

hello all. GW on pause as DH isn't here yet.

happyreindeer - our garden was a mass of weeds when we moved in and we spent a year spraying weedkiller. It was sad to have to do it, but necessary. Is this an option? Otherwise you could cover areas to kill off weeds. Apart from that I can only suggest a daisy grubber for the dandelions, but I never manage to get the whole lot out when I try that way.

[MousyMouse]

nettles are great for liquid fertiliser and apparently great to eat.

[HumphreyCobbler]

if you get to nettles when they are first coming up you can pull out great swathes of root from the ground. It is extremely satisfying and I have cleared large areas of the garden by doing this.

[happyreindeer]

We have been here for 13 years and their are quite a lot of establishes plants ,so I do not want to go mad with the weedkiller. Is that new weedkiller that you just touch the plants with any good?I will pass on eating the nettles thanks.I hate them so much.My ds has asd and he seems to know they are stingy.He tries to kung fu kick them.

[happyreindeer]

*there

[Blackpuddingbertha]

I pull the nettles (wearing Welles, thick jeans, waterproof coat and marigolds). Pulling up the spreading roots works better than weed killer but you do have to keep at it to weaken them. Never let them flower and never put flowering nettles on your compost heap.

Keukenhof looked stunning on GW.

[funnyperson]

whoaa..what a week! I'm not even sure if its been windy or what!
Gardeners World is one of the things which makes my weekend! That, and reading your mystic musings on gardening creativity and the relevance of dandelions!

[funnyperson]

On the subject of nettles I have a perennial patch at the base of one of the climbing roses where nothing else will grow because the rose in question forms a dense canopy. Every year in May, before they flower I harvest the nettles (yes, tis true!) and make nettle soup
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2137636/
I read somewhere that nettles are good for caterpillars so thats why I keep a little patch there.

[funnyperson]

I've been wondering about succession planting and tulips so it was nice to see Monty raking a bed of fine tilth and sowing annuals. His writing garden will be astonishing when it flowers.
Love the pinterest pots.
Agree re pretty being the reason: also scent, also watching it grow and change: like fireworks, explosion after explosion of colour and foliage.

[funnyperson]

hello happyreindeer and ds.

[HumphreyCobbler]

A friend of ours made nettle pasta once. I laughed when he asked me if we had any nettles he could use, he was standing in front of the hugest nettle patch. The pasta was delicious.

[Blackpuddingbertha]

We allow a large nettle patch over the fence to do what it will for the butterflies. I'm tempted by that recipe, just what does 400g of nettle leaves look like? About a shopping bag full or less?

[MousyMouse]

mowed the lawn today.
dug out the roses
dug out a couple of thistles from the lawn.
and tested my fil's tip for grubby hands. works a treat btw!

[funnyperson]

No idea what 400g of nettles looks like, I just chop a whole load up after washing: it shrinks down a lot when cooked, like spinach.

[funnyperson]

I add cream in for a garnish and dont put in any carrot

[funnyperson]

When harvesting nettles, whilst wearing gardening gloves, I think of the Hans Anderson tale about Wild Swans and grasp them firmly near the base.

[Blackpuddingbertha]

I have the 'weaving nettle shirts for the swan brothers' story going through my head whilst pulling nettles. Is that the same one?

[funnyperson]

Yes, the same!

[Blackpuddingbertha]

Glad I'm not the only one then...

[funnyperson]

Did you notice Monty's old jumper turned up?

[steppemum]

oww can I come in, we had rhubarb crumble for dinner - first ever rhubarb from our garden (proud emoticon)

[Blackpuddingbertha]

Hi steppemum' looks like you may need some pimms for celebratory purposes . I believe pimms goes nicely with rhubarb.

Yep, spotted the old jumper. No scarf though - must be officially Spring.

[funnyperson]

Welcome steppemum this thread isn't just about rhubarb of course. That said, I am wondering how to increase my rhubarb stock.

[Blackpuddingbertha]

My 'wild' rhubarb has done nothing this year. I was eyeing up the rhubarb in the garden centre today wondering where I could put it.

[WynkenBlynkenandNod]

Thanks for the Pimms. Not watched GW, that's my Sat morning treat along with breakfast.

Hi Steppemum. Another thing I loewe is how gardening connects you to the seasons, it makes me feel grounded.