Gardening
- Thread starter AudioAl
- Start date
manicatel
pfm Member
Good advice.
There are quite a few books along the lines of “a month by month guide to what to do in your garden”, so have a look for something like that.
Have a think about areas of the garden that get a lot of natural light/ or are mostly in the shade.
Ask neighbours whether the local soil tends to be naturally clay-like or Sandy, acidic or alkali.
I would set aside an area to grow some veg & herbs. There’s nothing like enjoying a meal based on what you’ve just dug up that morning.
There are quite a few books along the lines of “a month by month guide to what to do in your garden”, so have a look for something like that.
Have a think about areas of the garden that get a lot of natural light/ or are mostly in the shade.
Ask neighbours whether the local soil tends to be naturally clay-like or Sandy, acidic or alkali.
I would set aside an area to grow some veg & herbs. There’s nothing like enjoying a meal based on what you’ve just dug up that morning.
Tantris
pfm Member
I agree with the above; it's also good to see what works through the year in neighbours' gardens, so that you have something of interest at most times of the year, and aren't waiting from October until March for the garden to come back to life. In the way things are planted, such seasonal planning can be quite subtle and satisfying, making best use of the space, light and shade that you have. I also think Gardeners' World is a great source of advice and ideas, even though many of the nurserymen I meet say that they disagree with Monty on many points!
JensenHealey
pfm Member
Well...with the arrival of rats - you have a new hobby handed to you. Or get the local pest control in pronto.
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
Empty any bird feeders and remove or make secure any other sources of food from the garden, outbuildings, etc. Call in pest control at your local council. They'll advise as to where the runs are, and what to do about it. They'll probably set traps and come back to inspect them (to see if bait was taken) a couple of weeks later.
Hazelberry
sister
Get a cat. It will sort the rats out; perhaps the birds, too.Having my first coffee of the day looking iut the patio doors I noticed a RAT
Also seen some wrens, Blackbirds, Color dove
Opinions on what to do about the rat / rats
mandryka
pfm Member
Having my first coffee of the day looking iut the patio doors I noticed a RAT
Also seen some wrens, Blackbirds, Color dove
Opinions on what to do about the rat / rats
Re the rat, if it was outside, do nothing. There are always rats outside. Take a look at the outside of your house to ensure that there are no spaces where vermin could enter. And then forget it.
If it was inside I would call someone in, who’ll look for points of entry and put some poison down maybe.
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
I think this is contextual. If in a rural setting, eg open fields adjacent, then I'd agree. In a suburban or urban setting, you rarely see rats in gardens and when you do, it means they're probably nesting in gardens.
zippy
pfm Member
More easily said than done ! The OP quite understandably wants to get going now and not wait until next year.
My approach when I moved into my current house was to experiment from day one, but I expected some failures. It also takes a year or two before you can see what are the wet/dry areas, what gets the sun and what's in shade, etc.
Good gardening..
zippy
pfm Member
Regarding rats, we used to have the occasional rat which would eat any food falling off the bird table. We used to watch it and it caused no trouble, HOWEVER when we had new neighbours they immediately started to feed their birds which attracted more rats, who bred into even more rats. The only answer seemed to be regular doses of rat poison (the stuff in those black boxes).
It took many months before they all dissappeared. Don't be tempted by the spring traps (which we tried and never caught a single rat) nor the 'humane' traps which we tried and also never caught anything (in any case what would you do with the ones you did catch !)
The local pest control officer said the only real answer is a dog.
It took many months before they all dissappeared. Don't be tempted by the spring traps (which we tried and never caught a single rat) nor the 'humane' traps which we tried and also never caught anything (in any case what would you do with the ones you did catch !)
The local pest control officer said the only real answer is a dog.
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
If the garden is well-stocked already and looks like it's been managed by somebody who cares, then I'd leave alone and observe for a year. You don't know what's there, when it flowers, and so-on, if all you have to go on is the remnants at this time of year. You'll have a good idea about the more structural elements, shrubs and trees, etc, but less idea what herbaceous stuff is in there as much of it will have gone over by now.
But if the garden is obviously neglected or unloved, then yes, I'd get stuck in with making changes to structure and things over the Winter, with a view to stocking in Spring and Summer. It helps to have some sort of idea what you'd like - what sort of colour palette, where are the shady/dry spots, do you want flowers for cutting, veg, seating areas with shade, etc. Don't just buy plants you like the look of and bung them in a gap; try to be a bit more systematic. Look at when they flower, so you have succession rather than a riot of colour in June and a big green blob for the rest of the summer. If you want adjacent plants to complement each other, make sure they a) like similar conditions and b) flower at the same time. And once you're getting going, try to visit nurseries/garden centres monthly through the summer, you'll see what's in flower at what time, and whether it will fit with what you're planning.
Above all, take time to enjoy it. If it's a chore, you'll not do it, so find out for yourself what benefits you derive from the garden. Whether it's a nice place to sit with a drink after work, or in the evening, a place to eat, or places to wander round and just observe, enjoy and be mindful, create a garden that does those things for you.
But if the garden is obviously neglected or unloved, then yes, I'd get stuck in with making changes to structure and things over the Winter, with a view to stocking in Spring and Summer. It helps to have some sort of idea what you'd like - what sort of colour palette, where are the shady/dry spots, do you want flowers for cutting, veg, seating areas with shade, etc. Don't just buy plants you like the look of and bung them in a gap; try to be a bit more systematic. Look at when they flower, so you have succession rather than a riot of colour in June and a big green blob for the rest of the summer. If you want adjacent plants to complement each other, make sure they a) like similar conditions and b) flower at the same time. And once you're getting going, try to visit nurseries/garden centres monthly through the summer, you'll see what's in flower at what time, and whether it will fit with what you're planning.
Above all, take time to enjoy it. If it's a chore, you'll not do it, so find out for yourself what benefits you derive from the garden. Whether it's a nice place to sit with a drink after work, or in the evening, a place to eat, or places to wander round and just observe, enjoy and be mindful, create a garden that does those things for you.
Darren L
Egalitarian
During the three years in our previous address in a rural setting with open fields, wooded area and a graveyard adjacent I only saw one rat , a big old fat rat too, but the cat got him in less than a minute, I've never seen a cat move so fast. I think he came from the farm across the way, that day the farmer was cleaning out a byre and yard, I could hear the scrapes of the bucket on the concrete.
I'd recommend you have a good look around and close up any holes or possible access, perhaps put down some Poison boxes. A cat or a terrier is also a good method for keeping the furry vermin away.
Seeker_UK
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
A cat is a bad idea. Unless the cat is a feral tom, it won't go near it. If the rat has Toxoplasmosis, it loses its fear of cats anyway and passes that nasty on to cats.
If you want animal-based control, what you want is a dog, like a Plummer, Jack Russel or Cairn Terrier.
If you don't, I agree with @Darren L, poison boxes are what you need, but even then keep an eye on them to make sure there's no rat poison brought out by the rat and leaving a hazard to other animals. You also need to remove any places they might be nesting.
On the plus side, it means you don't have mice
AudioAl
pfm Member
This is the garden
OK , Looks like some black rat boxes are to be ordered , I'm not happy having them around
A cat is a bad idea. Unless the cat is a feral tom, it won't go near it. If the rat has Toxoplasmosis, it loses its fear of cats anyway and passes that nasty on to cats.
If you want animal-based control, what you want is a dog, like a Plummer, Jack Russel or Cairn Terrier.
If you don't, I agree with @Darren L, poison boxes are what you need, but even then keep an eye on them to make sure there's no rat poison brought out by the rat and leaving a hazard to other animals. You also need to remove any places they might be nesting.
On the plus side, it means you don't have mice
OK , Looks like some black rat boxes are to be ordered , I'm not happy having them around
Seeker_UK
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
This is the garden
OK , Looks like some black rat boxes are to be ordered , I'm not happy having them around
Do you have places in the garden the rats are nesting or can you see where are they coming in? Sort that and you won't need the boxes for long.
AudioAl
pfm Member
Not had a look for nest sites yet but have ordered the box and blocks , Will see if I can find a site later