Just to say Hello to Fellow Gardeners in France

New here! Just a quick hello to introduce us (me and my OH Judith).





We have lived in 72 Sarthe, Pays de la Loire, near Alençon (61 Orne,

Normandy) for 6 years. We’ve got a garden with pond and veg patch and

are keen gardeners and garden visitors.





Hope to get some good tips etc from fellow gardeners!





Phil



Putting the nettles at the bottom means you don’t get the usual pong from liquid ‘purin d’ortie’, as well! You could also put banana skins underneath - they are potassium rich and encourage flowering and fruiting.

PS The twisty metal stakes are great - but they do need to be secured at the top to keep upright, like to a wire between two posts. Otherwise later in the season, if they’re just stuck in the ground, they fall over taking the plant with them!

Nice tip!

Now I haven’t tried this but…just bought some of those curly whirly tomato stakes and the lady i bought them from, told me that she placed chopped nettles at the base of her tomato plants which acted as both fertilizer and ‘nasty things’ repellent. She was into totally organic gardening and her veggie patch was very impressive - so may be worth a try…

Hello Jill and thanks for the welcome.

I’ve a tip for growing tomatoes under cover that cuts down water wastage:

Plant the seedlings out under cover in a plant pot from which you’ve cut out the bottom, and put a length of 2" plastic pipe next to it. Fill rest of pot with compost.

The tomato is encouraged to put roots down deep instead of spreading on surface and the water goes straight to them.

Worked for me for last 2 years in greenhouse - and since planting/watering this way I’ve never had tomato blight, either. I DK if the latter is connected but it’s coincidental.

Hello Phil & Judith and welcome! I hope you enjoy this group, we are all new here since a few days ago, and I am sure we are all looking forward to any hints and tips we can all give to each other, Enjoy!