May Update: What are you growing in 2006? (Tips here for Fruit, Veggies and Flowers!)

Lemon_Tree

I can't believe it - all this rain has killed my courgettes, the stems have just broken in two.
thankfully i had some reserves in the kitchen, and here was i worried that 6 plants was going to be too many
Lem

Kazonline

Oh Lem! At least you have reserves as you say - probably still enough to see you through summer and winter if you freeze the fruit!
My DS was watching Braniacs the other day - they were experimenting to see if eating tons of a particular vege (carrots/spinach/beetroot) would turn you to that colour. Couldn't help but think of courgettes.....
Hi Purple Princess - it seems all the experts are out tending to their babies. I'm afraid I've no experience on those herbs - but I did read in this thread that too much sunlight can make sunflowers grow too tall too quickly - perhaps the same applies to the corriander? Is it getting straggly or is it strong?
I'm really thrilled with my lettuce. Thanks to morph3us I bought some seed in liddle. Planted them on Saturday and today I have darling little seedlings .... at least I hope that's what they are and not weeds from my compost! lol
BW
Kaz x

kjl26

**purpleprincess** wrote:

Hullo!:hello:

Wonder if someone could help me!! I have three pots on my window sill, one with coriander in it, one with sweet basil and one with parsely. Planted all these seeds at the same time and they are all sprouting nicely! The coriander is however seeming to "overgrow" it's getting really tall with only small leaves at the top. Is this right? When do I start putting it in my cooking?

QUOTE]

Hiya, I have coriander and it grew first quite tall (maybe 3-4 inches) with two normal little leaves, and only now (3 weeks in) is it getting third and fourth coriander-like leaves. I am not sure where yours are up to but if you just have the two leaves I would say it's fine and just hang on a bit longer and you should get some more promising ones. All mine is quite tall despite turning it, and some is outside now and doing fine, so probably it's nothing to worry about. Sorry I can't help with the others .

Lulubells

Hi,

can anyone tell me if earywigs do any damage to plants? as I seem to have alot of these in my greenhouse along with the slugs and snails....

Thanks

Lulubells

tw0906blue

Mmm, I think I remember my mum saying they get into the roots like woodlice. But it was from ages back and she is not the oracle she once was, and my memory isn't good so best see what others say for an eco treatment. Lol Didn't Pippa Greenwood of Gardeners World fame suggest other preditory bugs to hunt down pests? Sounds expensive though...

Best of luck!

I spent ages the other day fiddling with my precious plants to find the slugs. I was chanting "big and black put it back" as I came across a couple of huge ones. Isn't that what Bill Oddie said on last years spring watch?

So far we have spinich and chard; Peas and broad beans; Early and main crop potatoes; Cabbage; Lettuce, mixed, Rocket all growing out in beds (beds that were lawn last year) In the cold frame (inherited from in-laws) onion, cucumber, courgettes and Aubergine
seedlings sprouting through. Cheated and bought Tomato plants (farmers market) this year - as we failed last year with the ones we tried to grow from seed. I must get some Marigolds to ward off black fly from the beans. Have planted donated seeds of California Poppy to do the same and attract hover flies.

Fingers crossed we can feed ourselves with veg from our own mostly organic garden!

:T

Lulubells

WOODLICE ! thats what they are not earywigs - thats the ones with Pincers isn't it....not good then? sugar, this is a darn site harder than the vegetable growing dream garden I had in mind !

tw0906blue

Lulubells wrote:

WOODLICE ! thats what they are not earywigs - thats the ones with Pincers isn't it....not good then? sugar, this is a darn site harder than the vegetable growing dream garden I had in mind !

Woodlice are the little things that roll up into a ball, have feelers not pincers. Grey in colour. Earwigs are brown, evil looking things with obvious pincers at the front. I hate to say this but maybe boiling water will get rid of them? There will bound to be some though...tis the way of gardening :eek:

Also, I think my ant powder will do for earwigs too, got any of that?

Lulubells

I definitely have woodlice not earwigs, if I lift a pot there are loads of them underneath - will the boiling water help with these ?

I have large chunks of leaves missing on my tomato plants, not slugs - I am hoping you think the woodlice are doing this as I really don't want to add another attacker to my already ever increasing list !!

annie-c

This may be a stupid question but is there anything you can spray on plants/bugs that isn't chemical?

My tomatoes are getting stronger every day but some of the leaves look rather nibbled. i've taken the trouble to buy organic compost and peat, so don't want to start using non-organic methids now, but what else can I do?

Would be really grateful for advice!

Annie

Strepsy

Apparently marigolds, basil and borage are good companions for tomato plants and help keep pests away. Marigolds shoot up really quick too. I will be trying the marigolds and basil myself when I put my tomatoes in their final position.