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I think you can make it w/o citric acid, but maybe it won't keep as long so better to freeze. Why not make elderflower champagne instead? It doesn't need citric acid (only water, lemon, elderflower and sugar) and is just as easy to make as the coridial. Do a quick google search and I'm sure you'll f...

We used it for most things as I believe it is high in nitrogen. I simply pull up as much as I can find, stick it in a large barrel, add water or rain and wait a few weeks. Then we siphoned off the "tea" and used it to water in new plants or feed established ones. Also, when planting pumpki...

Thanks for your replies. Yes NZ red tape - we know it well, but are nearing the end of if (I hope). Medicals are booked for tomorrow and then all forms will hopefully be sent off to NZIS. Here's hoping we'll be there for spring!

Tara
p.s Do you have slugs in NZ?

Well I'd thought I'd just add a little here. I have been poking about this site for a while now, but thought this topic might be a way to get a bit of info from all you guys down under. My husband and I are in Manchester at the moment, but (finger crossed) are hoping to move to NZ in the next few mo...

I've made nettle risotto before - pretty simple. Also made a nettle and wild garlic soup this year which was very good in deed. However, I also tried to make a nettle cordial which frankly just tasted of sugar and nothing else. I guess I'll wait for the elderflower for that instead. Can definitely r...

Last year we used up all of those silly net bags that come around fruit and veg at the supermarket to support our squashes/pumpkins as they grew. They also worked well draped over the soft fruit to keep the birds off. Keep your hose/tights though for your harvested pumpkins. Use them to hang pumpkin...

I did this last year and it worked very well. Had some absolutely massisve parsnips! Few things to bear in mind Loo rolls will dry out very quickly. I packed them into a square plastic container to hold them together and then once showing watered from the bottoms. Pasnips are SLOW to germinate. THis...

Sorry haven't replied for a while. Thanks very much for all the suggestions. I particularly found the wasteonline website quite useful. I have emailed a couple of links found on that site, so hopefully someone will be interested.

Tara

Can anyone advise on the most environmentally friendly way to get rid of computer equipment (printers, scanners, modems,etc) that are no longer working? We have tried offering them on freecycle etc, but not surprisingly no ones really that interested in things that don't work. We have always prided ...

Anyone interested in an old, non-working (but probably fixable) flat-bed scanner? Free if you can collect from Manchester area. If not, can anyone advise on most environmentally friendly way to dispose of it. We have tried freecycle but no takers.

Thanks

Tara

My husband recalls a time when his dad hit a dear on a family outing, threw it over a wall, took the kids home and then came back to collect it. He hung it in the barn and he supplied his family of 5 with quality meat for a long while. The point is if you have a family to feed and little money, you ...

It may be frass (I think thats what its called) which is catepillar poo. Usually it's dark green, but maybe it can also be black. Check your cabbages thorougly because it may mean a catepillar is living in your cabbage and having coleslaw for it's breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Tara

Really isn't a lot to be sowing now, but there is still much to do. Get digging before the ground freezes or start planning your raised beds. At this point you have lots of time to get things prepared and can do it in small stages, as digging can be hard work. Also look at improving your soil by dig...

Lucky me! I found some walnut trees today and have harvested a modest amount. Can someone please tell me what is best - shell and freeze or keep in shell and use as needed. Also, is there any other preperation that I need to do (cleaning, drying etc). Cracked on just to see and looked nice but taste...

My husband has investigated this a bit. Our cats get cheap crunchies but husband cooks for them so they have wet food most evening. Here's the run down Cheapest - ox liver from butcher or morrisons about 76p/kilo Next is T***o value chicken portions at about 1.110p/kilo Cats favourite and reasonably...