One line questions / One line answers

[Obelixx]

As I understand it they sleep a lot but when they get the urge to breed they set off in search of mates and that means tunnelling and molehills and then, having mated, they set off back to their own territories or pastures new and then when the babies are weaned and need their own space they all set off making new tunnels and molehills.

Self perpetuating hazards for human and animal feet/paws/hooves if they step on a tunnel or hidden hole just below the surface and the soil gives way.!

[Obelixx]

[Beersmith]

Helpful. Thank you.

I'd assumed they lived in colonies.  Not so it appears. I'm not fond of mine - he / she has never offered to help with the rent, and sometimes causes a bit of damage although to be fair never seems to eat much. Having been around for a good few seasons I have grudgingly accepted that squatters rights apply.

[JanG]

I think I get just as much damage in winter as in summer but haven't closely monitored whether they're less active when it's very cold. Presumably they would meet some resistance if the ground is very frozen.

[Obelixx]

They just burrow deeper when it's cold, away from the frosty surface, like the worms they eat.

[Digeroo]

I would say my soil is too dry for celeriac I have tried a couple of times.  But my former plot neighbours always did very well and gave me a couple.  I have never worked out how they did it.

[Beersmith]

Not really a question, more of a grumble.  Just bought a new can of jeyes fluid.  Completely changed.  No longer a thin milky liquid smelling of coal tar.  Just a clear liquid no longer any apparent difference to most ordinary disinfectant.  Rant over.

[Deb P]

Re Jeyes fluid, apparently they have removed the brown colouring so it doesn't stain clothing etc and can be used on rust and limescale, and are putting it in a recycled plastic bottle to reduce the weight.  Other main ingredients are unchanged. I love the smell of it, I hope that hasn't changed too!

[Beersmith]

Some local blackbirds hereabouts seem to be adapting to modern life and are active after dark in areas where street lighting and domestic lighting makes it possible. Anyone else seen this?

[gray1720]

Yes, lots of robins singing after dark round here too.

We are close  enough to the edge of suburbia at the mo (literally one set of gardens between us and fields) that when the wind is right in summer we can hear skylarks. Not at night, mind!

[small]

We walked round the village on Christmas Eve looking at the Advent Windows Trail. You couldn't hear yourself think for blackbirds singing along the main road! Very weird.

[Beersmith]

Rhubarb is usually a pretty robust and trouble free plant.  But mine is looking very poorly.  Large brown areas on many leaves.  Does anyone know anything about rhubarb diseases?  It looks bad enough to kill the whole thing if it doesn't improve. It has been in the same spot for about eight years.

[Obelixx]

Congestion?

I had a big patch of rhubarb in my old garden and would lift and divide the clumps every 3 years to maintain vigour.   An 8yr old clump will probably be crying out for nutrients and space and he chance to shed old material and make new roots and shoots.

[Palustris]

Definitely hunger and thirst. Lift divide and feed.

[Beersmith]

Congestion?

I had a big patch of rhubarb in my old garden and would lift and divide the clumps every 3 years to maintain vigour.   An 8yr old clump will probably be crying out for nutrients and space and he chance to shed old material and make new roots and shoots.

A sensible suggestion, but it has ample space to spread in all directions and gets a regular top dressing of horse manure most recently last autumn.  Also the stems are not showing any signs of being soft or bendy as I have observed before under drought conditions. On reflection eight years is a long stint so maybe issues have built up over time

Still a lift and divide is a fairly routine thing to do. I just need to get galvanized.  I may do a little more research just to be sure it isn't a rust or fungal disease before taking any action.

[Obelixx]

I think you'll find that rhubarb is like irises or hemerocallis - needs regular lifting and dividing to maintain vigour.  The oldest roots in the middle will be woody and not very productive.

[Beersmith]

I think you'll find that rhubarb is like irises or hemerocallis - needs regular lifting and dividing to maintain vigour.  The oldest roots in the middle will be woody and not very productive.

Thank you ( and others too) for the inputs.  I'll timetable lifting and dividing.  Perhaps better when dormant?

[Palustris]

Yes.

[Tee Gee]

My slant on Rhubarb; https://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Content/R/Rhubarb/Rhubarb.htm