33 thoughts on “Links”

1. Hi Charles, have you ever co considered using biochar to increase the microorganisms in your soil?

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   1. I have in the past used a little charcoal and did not absorb much difference. I add a little to the compost heap. This word biochar, what does it mean?!

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2. Hi, I would like to know if there are any course for people living in the Amazonia, because the weather and the ecosystem is different.
   Thank you.

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   1. Hello Juna, nice to hear and I don’t know of such, can only wish you success with your growing.
      Many of the principles I teach are universal but how to apply them will vary. We do have some lovely comments from places like the Philippines where no dig and mulching with compost is working very well.

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3. Thank you for the Calendar of 2022 that I recieved in the mail! That was very kind of you. Merry Chistmas and a happy new year from Sweden! //Basilious

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4. Hello Charles,

   I just recently discovered your site, and especially your Youtube channel, thanks to an interview you did with Sean James Cameron. I’m working my way through your videos – thanks so much for the information you share!

   I realise you’re in the UK, but I wondered if you might have any links to companies and the like in the USA?

   Thanks again.

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   1. Hi Colin, nice to hear, and I have no links to any US companies.

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5. Hi Charles, do you recommend any greenhouse suppliers by any chance?

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   1. I can’t actually, I have no experience of better or worse ones

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6. Dear Charles,

   In every video I saw your lovely watering can, I’m thinking I’d love to have that one too. Could you please share the name of the manufacturer and possibly the model? It has such a long nozzle and a fine spray, brilliant for seedlings.

   Thank you for the inspirational content. Besides it being informative, it also has a high aesthetical value. Lovely to watch, you created a little gardener’s paradise.

   Kind regards
   Michael

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   1. Thanks Michael, and it’s a Sankey, 17 years old now.

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7. Re: Quickcrop-
   7-10 days deli info on website, but now 14 days before dispatch min at present?
   Very slow with dispatch at present or communication?
   Ordered 11th Feb Payment completed , order confirmed and order number provided- No reply to email or update still as of today.
   Info to those who wishing for fleece or mesh to cope with cold snap that’s forecast!

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   1. Sorry to hear this and they are good people, but probably overwhelmed by demand, like everybody else in gardening especially vegetable gardening, good luck

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8. Hi Charles I got some wire to make hoops. What is a good length for a 4 foot bed. I did a bit of pi times diameter divided by 2 😁and added a bit for sticking in ground and came up with 2.1 metres.

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   1. Safer to cut 2.3m in case more height needed

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      1. Hi Robert or Charles, just wondering if this is the kind of 4mm galvanised wire you refer to Charles, please? I wasn’t sure if this would give enough curvature? Presumably some types of 4mm wire will just flop not keep its curved form? https://www.amazon.co.uk/GYZD-Galvanised-Florist-Modelling-Fencing/dp/B08GHZ2TW3/ref=sr_1_13?dchild=1&keywords=galvanised+wire+4mm&qid=1614019181&sr=8-13

         Thanks in advance

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         1. David,
            Hard to be sure without feeling it but it looks correct to me, good luck.
            The wire I use springs back to being straight once we pull it out of the ground, which makes it very easy to store as lengths of wire

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9. Hi All.
   Rain and more rain here on the Essex/Cambs border at moment
   Re Update bacillus thuringiensis.
   I ordered received the next day this below. Smaller quantity for many? I presume this ok Charles?

   Agrinova Xentari® Raupenfrei Box Tree Caterpillar Treatment | Bacillus Thuringiensis | Biological Insecticide Spray Mix (25g) £18.35 next day (Prime) Helpful?

   I would still like purchase in bulk as such 500g as previous tried from Italy. (Any pointers Charles?)

   Richard, I be happy still to share if a option for you if we could buy in bulk and of help or anyone else that lives near?

   Regards
   Alan Essex

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10. I am new to caterpillar control other than hours of hand removal, so hit the web to find out about Bacillus Thuringiensis. There appears to be two strains one using Kurstuki and one Aizawai – apparently only first is bee friendly. I only read two different sites regarding this but Charles do you have any further information regarding this please? I would hate to start killing off my visiting bees. Any information would be appreciated. Thank you

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    1. Hi Sarah and I do not know about the different strain, I’m a little confused myself but also I am suspicious I must say. I feel that Bt gets a lot of flak for such a harmless product, based on soil bacteria. Meanwhile so few people mainstream worry about pyralid, roundup et cetera

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    2. Hi Sarah, I can answer this as I actually did this research last year after talking to charles, there are actually 5 strains of BT just to confuse things but it all depends on what you want to kill.

       This link will tell you everything you need to know about them all!

       https://gardenerspath.com/how-to/organic/bacillus-thuringiensis/#:~:text=Another%20strain%20of%20Bt%2C%20Bacillus,of%20wax%20moths%20in%20honeycombs.

       Happy gardening,

       Sam.

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11. Hi Charles
    Am shortly to take the plunge and click the biodynamic link, as I’m just sitting down with your calendar and working out my plantings. I wondered if the dates on your calendar account for moon phases please, and if so is it purely waxing/waning, or do they also take into account the four-rhythm approach mentioned in your ‘Organic Gardening’ book please?
    Many thanks
    Nicola

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12. Hi
    I’ve just been looking into buying Bacillus thuringiensis and seen the link to the DiPel ‘brand’ of it. There is also Thuricide as a brand too. However, it looks like it is only sold in UK for agricultural professional pest control use (which Charles may qualify for) but hasn’t been registered for public use and there’s no current home & garden registration in UK. See example here.
    https://www.dragonfli.co.uk/blogs/news/beware-illegal-pesticides-available-online

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    1. Thanks for this Dave. It seems a way that gardeners can be prevented from using ecological products (soil bacteria) and diverted to synthetic chemicals, or plastic covers.
       Like how the photo at the top of that piece is not related to gardening!

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       1. Charles, I agree that the picture suggests that the company is likely to push you into buying chemical solutions to pest problems. However, if you look at the rest of the site it is selling biological controls for a variety of pests. I just wish there was something for onion white rot!

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13. Hi Alan

    Sorry, only just came back to the thread as was thinking about ordering for next year, but a bit worried about buying through EBay now if unlikely to receive it and hard work getting refunded! Have you tried again since?

    Regards

    Rich

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    1. I have just purchased this small amount (Link Below)

       https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01FKO565Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
       Unable to find 500g as previous from Italy on ebay if of any help to all.
       Appreciate a direction if possible for larger amount (Charles)

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14. Hi Charles

    Just looking into bacillus thuringiensis for next year as brassicas got mauled this year! Just wondered how often you spray? Seems crazy to buy 24g, when 500g is only 3 1/2 times the price (but at the same time £38 is quite a big outlay for my small plot!).

    Thanks

    Rich

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    1. Yes it’s a pity somebody does not sell say 100g.
       I spray av. 6 times a year, every 16-20 days.
       A guy on my open day reckons his still works, ten years after he bought it.

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       1. Many thanks! Perhaps I’ll see if anyone locally wants to go halves on the purchase!

          Thanks again

          Rich

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          1. Hi Charles/Richard.
             I read this with interest Re Bacillus thuringiensis as I ordered some from Poland 500g and then I had a message they unable to send and presumed it was as we was supposedly leaving the EU end of March this year, which was only a week to go and presumed they could not guarantee delivery time, held in customs? I had to also wait over 4 and half weeks before received my refund via ebay/PayPal.

             I would very appreciate a contact/number where I can purchase for next yeas as yes it works, but purchased a very small sachet to get me by this year and yes, my opinion buy a bulk pot as I been told lasts for ten years too.. I thought it was a gardeners allotment joker. Some more creditable info from you Charles re shelf life so Thank you.

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             1. Alan this is worrying, I become a conspiracy theorist when I hear of something simple and natural being so hard to buy. It helps us to feed ourselves 🙂 and wish I could help.

    2. Hi Richard

       I be happy for you to split half each if rather a large outlay for you if helps you.
       Regards
       Alan

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