Rather annoying, in fact very annoying

[Palustris]

Listened to a TV programme the other day. I do sometimes you know. Gardening guru of long standing and good repute says, " I do not like to see bare soil between plants, the more plants you have the fewer weeds."
Great, so a. Where do the plants expand to if they are all cheek by jowl? and  b. Why is is that the bare soil between my plants is weed free, but the weeds grow under, on top of, right next to the plants I want?  Answer to b. Because I can remove the weeds from bare soil but not from inside plants without digging the things up.
Also said "Mulch  thickly to keep down weeds."
and "Hoe off seedling weeds in dry weather."
You cannot hoe if you mulch.
I wish they would listen to their advice and THINK.

[Palustris]

[gavin]

Hmm - and I wonder what the bloke/ss who actually did the gardening had to say?  

http://www.growing-careers.com/jobdetails.asp?Job_ID=2965  Good communication skills required - mouth zipped?  :-X

All best, Gavin :)

PS  It's a fun site to visit - some amazing jobs!  Swannery Assistant, Assistant to the Head Gardener on Balmoral Estate, and all sorts.

[tim]

-  which reminds me of the very helpful leaflets by the National Veg Research Station - whose HID lights I have envied for 20 years - esp the one on Spacing Veg. Not exactly the 'square foot garden', but food for thought? = Tim

[cleo]

Dear Palustris

I have seen your postings before and thought them wise-but you must know by now that Guru`s are always correct. One can appreciate your concern but can I refer you to DR D.G HESSAYON---

Happy Easter Eric :)

Stephan.

[Palustris]

And Ailsa Craig to you too!

[allotment_chick]

Cor Gavin - what a fab site - I'll add it to me faves.  I'm in the middle of a mid life crisis and feel the need for a career change coming on!
AC x

[Garden Manager]

I am going to agree with erics comments they ring very true - there are often inconsistencies in what we are told by the GURUS on TV. But perhaps it is poor researching by backroom staff and the presenters are just going from a script??

But as I always say you listen to advice given but decide for yourself what to follow and what to discard based on you own experience. After all advice is just that it is not gardening law to be strictly followed.

RE Growing Careers website - very good, now if only I had more experience I'd apply for the GW job myself!

[Multiveg]

Mulching is a good idea as it conserves water and can suppress weeds.

I listen to Gardeners Question Time regularly, and they had a piece from The Centre for Alternative Technology. The head gardener sometimes doesn't bother with weeding. I don't bother with weeding around the onions later in the season, because they take up the water and excess nitrogen which helps the onions. I wondered why my dad didn't water the onions in July/August, but watered the rest of the veg.  

Gardening "experts" often advise differing things - to bend the onion stalks or not to bend. The one I tend to listen to is Bob Flowerdew, though he has some strange ideas.... I try to grow organic.