I have just bought some garlic to grow on my allotment
and was wondering if I could put it in the ground as it
is or should I get it sprouting first, if this is the case,
how do I encourage it to do so ??

Second question is about peas and beans, when I plant
them (especially the peas) the mice dig up a lot of them
and I have a much reduced harvest.
I have been told by an old gardener that he used to soak
then in paraffin over night.
Is that still good advice or is there another way of protecting
them ??

Thanks for any input.

Wally

"Wally" wrote
I have just bought some garlic to grow on my allotment
and was wondering if I could put it in the ground as it
is or should I get it sprouting first, if this is the case,
how do I encourage it to do so ??

Second question is about peas and beans, when I plant
them (especially the peas) the mice dig up a lot of them
and I have a much reduced harvest.
I have been told by an old gardener that he used to soak
then in paraffin over night.
Is that still good advice or is there another way of protecting
them ??

Garlic should simply be planted in late Sep or Oct so it makes roots and
starts into life before the worst of the weather which it will simply shrug
off, tough as old boots. Don't bother sprouting it before planting, just
break up the head into individual cloves and plant them 9 inches apart, rows
1 ft apart. Rust in the late spring is the only thing to watch out for,
besides white rot.

Paraffin will have some effect on the mice but we haven't found anything
works except planting them in compost in square shaped guttering raised up
well away from mice. Once the plants are well into growth you slide the lot
into a pre-made drill and away they grow. If you have to buy the guttering
it's not cheap but it will last years, decades even, if you are careful.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

On 9 Sep, 16:08, "Bob Hobden" wrote:
"Wally" *wrote I have just bought some garlic to grow on my allotment
and was wondering if I could put it in the ground as it
is or should I get it sprouting first, if this is the case,
how do I encourage it to do so ??

Second question is about peas and beans, when I plant
them (especially the peas) the mice dig up a lot of them
and I have a much reduced harvest.
I have been told by an old gardener that he used to soak
then in paraffin over night.
Is that still good advice or is there another way of protecting
them ??

Garlic should simply be planted in late Sep or Oct so it makes roots and
starts into life before the worst of the weather which it will simply shrug
off, tough as old boots. Don't bother sprouting it before planting, just
break up the head into individual cloves and plant them 9 inches apart, rows
1 ft apart. Rust in the late spring is the only thing to watch out for,
besides white rot.

Paraffin will have some effect on the mice but we haven't found anything
works except planting them in compost in square shaped guttering raised up
well away from mice. Once the plants are well into growth you slide the lot
into a pre-made drill and away they grow. If you have to buy the guttering
it's not cheap but it will last years, decades even, if you are careful.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

We always used to soak the peas in parafin for a few hours before
planting, used to work for us.
David

"Dave Hill" wrote
"Bob Hobden" wrote:
"Wally" wrote
I have just bought some garlic to grow on my allotment
and was wondering if I could put it in the ground as it
is or should I get it sprouting first, if this is the case,
how do I encourage it to do so ??

Second question is about peas and beans, when I plant
them (especially the peas) the mice dig up a lot of them
and I have a much reduced harvest.
I have been told by an old gardener that he used to soak
then in paraffin over night.
Is that still good advice or is there another way of protecting
them ??

Garlic should simply be planted in late Sep or Oct so it makes roots and
starts into life before the worst of the weather which it will simply
shrug
off, tough as old boots. Don't bother sprouting it before planting, just
break up the head into individual cloves and plant them 9 inches apart,
rows
1 ft apart. Rust in the late spring is the only thing to watch out for,
besides white rot.

Paraffin will have some effect on the mice but we haven't found anything
works except planting them in compost in square shaped guttering raised
up
well away from mice. Once the plants are well into growth you slide the
lot
into a pre-made drill and away they grow. If you have to buy the
guttering
it's not cheap but it will last years, decades even, if you are careful.


We always used to soak the peas in parafin for a few hours before
planting, used to work for us.

Didn't for us completely the first time and not at all subsequently.
Ours seem to be living in the mole tunnels, do they live together?

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

Thanks Bob and Dave for the replies, so the garlic will
go in next week and I will try the paraffin treatment, even if
it doesn't work it won't do any harm.
BTW, does that still apply for broad beans as well as peas ??

Sheeessh have you seen the price of paraffin ? the last lot
I bought was one and ninepence a gallon, time to shop
around methinks.

Wally

In article ,
says...

Second question is about peas and beans, when I plant
them (especially the peas) the mice dig up a lot of them
and I have a much reduced harvest.
I have been told by an old gardener that he used to soak
then in paraffin over night.
Is that still good advice or is there another way of protecting
them ??

Thanks for any input.

Wally

I had some success this year by covering the rows of peas with fleece,
weighted down with stones. Seemed to stop the little b.......s getting
in.

Roger T

Bob Hobden wrote:
Paraffin will have some effect on the mice but we haven't found anything
works except planting them in compost in square shaped guttering raised up
well away from mice. Once the plants are well into growth you slide the lot
into a pre-made drill and away they grow. If you have to buy the guttering
it's not cheap but it will last years, decades even, if you are careful.

I've found we've lost more to over-paraffining than mice anyhow.

We have started the guttering method, and it works well, although it's
always a pain to transfer into the ground, as they start growing through the
drainage holes! Ours was cheap enough - my uncle was clearing a building
site and we got throw-away stuff for free. :-)

wrote
Bob Hobden wrote:
Paraffin will have some effect on the mice but we haven't found anything
works except planting them in compost in square shaped guttering raised
up
well away from mice. Once the plants are well into growth you slide the
lot
into a pre-made drill and away they grow. If you have to buy the
guttering
it's not cheap but it will last years, decades even, if you are careful.

I've found we've lost more to over-paraffining than mice anyhow.

We have started the guttering method, and it works well, although it's
always a pain to transfer into the ground, as they start growing through
the
drainage holes! Ours was cheap enough - my uncle was clearing a building
site and we got throw-away stuff for free. :-)

I didn't bother with any drainage holes, just kept them at a slight angle so
any excess water drained out the lowest end.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

Christina Websell wrote:
I always get them deceased on the floor in front of where I have the kettle,
so I can step on them when I want a cup of tea just in case I missed
admiring the catch.

Are you expected to dunk them?

wrote in message
...
Christina Websell wrote:
I always get them deceased on the floor in front of where I have the
kettle,
so I can step on them when I want a cup of tea just in case I missed
admiring the catch.

Are you expected to dunk them?

No, they are for my next meal ;p
He worries that I don't feed myself enough.