I went up to the allotment yesterday, and nearly broke down and cried.
All of my runner beans have gone. Lock stock and barrel. A neighbour
told me that a deer had been seen on the site, and another guy next to
me had lost all of his beans as well.
The beans were netted at the bottom of each wigwam of canes, but he(she)
still got at them. The peas were spared as they have only just broken
through, and I had laid a net across the top of them, prior to putting
in pea sticks.
Well, along with the rabbits and pigeons we now have deer to contend
with.
It's an expensive hobby, feeding the wildlife. I don't begrudge the
local ducks a bit of stale bread, but this is ridiculous.

Peter

--
He spoke with a certain what-is-it in his voice, and I
could see that, if not actually disgruntled, he was far
from being gruntled.
P.G. Wodehouse 1881 -1975

On Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:21:53 +0100, (Peter
James) wrote:

I went up to the allotment yesterday, and nearly broke down and cried.
All of my runner beans have gone. Lock stock and barrel. A neighbour
told me that a deer had been seen on the site, and another guy next to
me had lost all of his beans as well.
The beans were netted at the bottom of each wigwam of canes, but he(she)
still got at them. The peas were spared as they have only just broken
through, and I had laid a net across the top of them, prior to putting
in pea sticks.
Well, along with the rabbits and pigeons we now have deer to contend
with.
It's an expensive hobby, feeding the wildlife. I don't begrudge the
local ducks a bit of stale bread, but this is ridiculous.

Peter


Are deer fair game once they stray on to your allotment?
--
http://www.Voucherfreebies.co.uk
http://www.holidayunder100.co.uk

"Peter James" wrote
I went up to the allotment yesterday, and nearly broke down and cried.
All of my runner beans have gone. Lock stock and barrel. A neighbour
told me that a deer had been seen on the site, and another guy next to
me had lost all of his beans as well.
The beans were netted at the bottom of each wigwam of canes, but he(she)
still got at them. The peas were spared as they have only just broken
through, and I had laid a net across the top of them, prior to putting
in pea sticks.
Well, along with the rabbits and pigeons we now have deer to contend
with.
It's an expensive hobby, feeding the wildlife. I don't begrudge the
local ducks a bit of stale bread, but this is ridiculous.

If you want some Wood Mice and Moles to complete the collection just ask.
:-(

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

On Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:21:53 +0100, Peter James wrote:

I went up to the allotment yesterday, and nearly broke down and cried.
All of my runner beans have gone. Lock stock and barrel.

....is the right answer.

A neighbour
told me that a deer had been seen on the site,

Oooooohhh! venison, lovely.

In message , mogga
writes
On Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:21:53 +0100, (Peter
James) wrote:

I went up to the allotment yesterday, and nearly broke down and cried.
All of my runner beans have gone. Lock stock and barrel. A neighbour
told me that a deer had been seen on the site, and another guy next to
me had lost all of his beans as well.
The beans were netted at the bottom of each wigwam of canes, but he(she)
still got at them. The peas were spared as they have only just broken
through, and I had laid a net across the top of them, prior to putting
in pea sticks.
Well, along with the rabbits and pigeons we now have deer to contend
with.
It's an expensive hobby, feeding the wildlife. I don't begrudge the
local ducks a bit of stale bread, but this is ridiculous.

Peter


Are deer fair game once they stray on to your allotment?

I believe they are fair game but feel there will be some disagreement.
If you wish to shoot deer on land that you own, the law only requires
that you have a DSC1 (Deer Stalking Certificate).... unless you wish to
sell the venison when you need a DSC2. Farmers who rent their farms are
entitled to shoot "trespassing" deer, tho' the majority do not choose
this option unless necessary. I assume that allotments, rented by users,
fall into the same category. The DSC1 is to ensure that you are a
competent shot and thereby unlikely to harm others as well as not
allowing the deer to suffer.

Deer are elegant, beautiful and iconic animals; but they are also hugely
destructive. Stripping (bark removal), browsing (nibbling of vital new
shoots) and thrashing (by stags to remove velvet) can and do all cause
great damage to woodland, orchards etc. resulting in many thousands of
trees being lost.

Let's hope a more sympathetic way of protecting your vegetable
investment can be found without resorting to the ultimate sanction. But
it/they will keep returning until an effective deterrent is in place.

--
Gopher .... I know my place!

"Peter James" wrote ...
I went up to the allotment yesterday, and nearly broke down and cried.
All of my runner beans have gone. Lock stock and barrel. A neighbour
told me that a deer had been seen on the site, and another guy next to
me had lost all of his beans as well.
The beans were netted at the bottom of each wigwam of canes, but he(she)
still got at them. The peas were spared as they have only just broken
through, and I had laid a net across the top of them, prior to putting
in pea sticks.
Well, along with the rabbits and pigeons we now have deer to contend
with.
It's an expensive hobby, feeding the wildlife. I don't begrudge the
local ducks a bit of stale bread, but this is ridiculous.

I presume, as you mention Rabbits, that you already have a Rabbit proof
fence around your plot (like everyone on our site). Just extend it upwards
with anti-deer fence.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

In article ,
Bob Hobden wrote:

I presume, as you mention Rabbits, that you already have a Rabbit proof
fence around your plot (like everyone on our site). Just extend it upwards
with anti-deer fence.

Two metres high will usually do, unless you are in red deer or deep
snow territory, when three is advisable. If you get both, make it
four ....


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

This is my first reply, so I hope it works.

That is very bad luck and I think if you have problems like deer they will just keep returning now that they have found a good picnic area! Have you thought of enclosing you allotment in a sort of fruit cage affair. It sounds rather drastic, but all your food will be safe - even the soft fruit.

waterlily wrote:
Hi

I am new to this forum, so hope I do it right. I am a keen gardener
and have had a go at growing most stuff in my smallish London garden.
I now have it in mind to try to grow Saffron. has anyone tried this
yet and were the results good?


You might like to take a look at this:

http://seeds.suttons.co.uk/search?w=...n&asug=Saffron

Came accross it in their latest catalogue. :-D

"waterlily" wrote
I am new to this forum, so hope I do it right. I am a keen gardener and
have had a go at growing most stuff in my smallish London garden. I now
have it in mind to try to grow Saffron. has anyone tried this yet and
were the results good?

Welcome to this Newsgroup.
Yes I tried growing it years ago and it didn't do well, gradually, over the
next few years, it disappeared.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

On Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:20:19 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:



"waterlily" wrote
I am new to this forum, so hope I do it right. I am a keen gardener and
have had a go at growing most stuff in my smallish London garden. I now
have it in mind to try to grow Saffron. has anyone tried this yet and
were the results good?

Welcome to this Newsgroup.
Yes I tried growing it years ago and it didn't do well, gradually, over the
next few years, it disappeared.

Then called it sallow yellow.


--
(¯`·. ®óñ© © ²°¹° .·´¯)

"Gopher" wrote in message
...
In message , mogga
writes
On Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:21:53 +0100, (Peter
James) wrote:

I went up to the allotment yesterday, and nearly broke down and cried.
All of my runner beans have gone. Lock stock and barrel. A neighbour
told me that a deer had been seen on the site, and another guy next to
me had lost all of his beans as well.
The beans were netted at the bottom of each wigwam of canes, but he(she)
still got at them. The peas were spared as they have only just broken
through, and I had laid a net across the top of them, prior to putting
in pea sticks.
Well, along with the rabbits and pigeons we now have deer to contend
with.
It's an expensive hobby, feeding the wildlife. I don't begrudge the
local ducks a bit of stale bread, but this is ridiculous.

Peter


Are deer fair game once they stray on to your allotment?

I believe they are fair game but feel there will be some disagreement. If
you wish to shoot deer on land that you own, the law only requires that
you have a DSC1 (Deer Stalking Certificate).... unless you wish to sell
the venison when you need a DSC2. Farmers who rent their farms are
entitled to shoot "trespassing" deer, tho' the majority do not choose this
option unless necessary. I assume that allotments, rented by users, fall
into the same category. The DSC1 is to ensure that you are a competent
shot and thereby unlikely to harm others as well as not allowing the deer
to suffer.

Deer are elegant, beautiful and iconic animals; but they are also hugely
destructive. Stripping (bark removal), browsing (nibbling of vital new
shoots) and thrashing (by stags to remove velvet) can and do all cause
great damage to woodland, orchards etc. resulting in many thousands of
trees being lost.

Let's hope a more sympathetic way of protecting your vegetable investment
can be found without resorting to the ultimate sanction. But it/they will
keep returning until an effective deterrent is in place.

It takes an 11 wire fence to keep deer out. They can jump - well, like
stags ;-)
It's an expensive option to keep them out, but if you can afford it..
Otherwise, do you like venison?
Tina

Bob Hobden wrote:
"waterlily" wrote
I am new to this forum, so hope I do it right. I am a keen gardener
and have had a go at growing most stuff in my smallish London
garden. I now have it in mind to try to grow Saffron. has anyone
tried this yet and were the results good?

Welcome to this Newsgroup.
Yes I tried growing it years ago and it didn't do well, gradually,
over the next few years, it disappeared.

I've sometimes thought about trying, but have always been put off by a)
our mostly unsuitable climate (that could change, of course), and b) the
triflingly small yield they get in even favourable areas. What is it...
three or five stigmas per flower? Something of that order, I
think...Wikipees...yes: "Roughly 150 flowers yield 1 gram (0.035 oz)
of dry saffron threads; to produce 12 g of dried saffron (72 g freshly
harvested), 1 kg of flowers are needed (1 lb for 0.2 oz of dried
saffron). One fresh-picked flower yields an average 30 milligrams (0.46
gr) of fresh saffron or 7 milligrams (0.11 gr) of dried saffron." Life
gets discouragin', don't it?

--
Mike.

On 17/06/10 22:46, Mike Lyle wrote:
Bob Hobden wrote:
"waterlily" wrote
I am new to this forum, so hope I do it right. I am a keen gardener
and have had a go at growing most stuff in my smallish London
garden. I now have it in mind to try to grow Saffron. has anyone
tried this yet and were the results good?

Welcome to this Newsgroup.
Yes I tried growing it years ago and it didn't do well, gradually,
over the next few years, it disappeared.

I've sometimes thought about trying, but have always been put off by a)
our mostly unsuitable climate (that could change, of course), and b) the
triflingly small yield they get in even favourable areas. What is it...
three or five stigmas per flower? Something of that order, I
think...Wikipees...yes: "Roughly 150 flowers yield 1 gram (0.035 oz)
of dry saffron threads; to produce 12 g of dried saffron (72 g freshly
harvested), 1 kg of flowers are needed (1 lb for 0.2 oz of dried
saffron). One fresh-picked flower yields an average 30 milligrams (0.46
gr) of fresh saffron or 7 milligrams (0.11 gr) of dried saffron." Life
gets discouragin', don't it?


The Dutch were trying to get the locals in Afghanistan to grow it as an
alternative crop to opium poppies. As the Dutch are leaving Afghanistan
in August I guess this programme is dead.

Martin wrote:
On 17/06/10 22:46, Mike Lyle wrote:
Bob Hobden wrote:
"waterlily" wrote
I am new to this forum, so hope I do it right. I am a keen gardener
and have had a go at growing most stuff in my smallish London
garden. I now have it in mind to try to grow Saffron. has anyone
tried this yet and were the results good?

Welcome to this Newsgroup.
Yes I tried growing it years ago and it didn't do well, gradually,
over the next few years, it disappeared.

I've sometimes thought about trying, but have always been put off by
a) our mostly unsuitable climate (that could change, of course), and
b) the triflingly small yield they get in even favourable areas.
What is it... three or five stigmas per flower? Something of that
order, I think...Wikipees...yes: "Roughly 150 flowers yield 1 gram
(0.035 oz) of dry saffron threads; to produce 12 g of dried saffron
(72 g freshly harvested), 1 kg of flowers are needed (1 lb for 0.2
oz of dried saffron). One fresh-picked flower yields an average 30
milligrams (0.46 gr) of fresh saffron or 7 milligrams (0.11 gr) of
dried saffron." Life gets discouragin', don't it?


The Dutch were trying to get the locals in Afghanistan to grow it as
an alternative crop to opium poppies. As the Dutch are leaving
Afghanistan in August I guess this programme is dead.

A pity, as it sounds like a really good idea. Saffron may even be a
better financial bet...unless some goon drives up and shoots you for not
growing poppies any more.

--
Mike.