Help MBE grow his dinner 2011

Lotus-eater

mrbadexample wrote: »

I've left one of the walking stick kale in place. I'm not really sure why yet, but I think it might grow a bit taller yet.

Lol, I wondered why you had a tree in a raised bed.

CommitedToChange

would a wigwag with peas work as well with a Courgette in the middle? Or is it only french beans. Sorry if that's an silly question, its my first year growing stuff

djohn2002uk

CommitedToChange wrote: »

would a wigwag with peas work as well with a Courgette in the middle? Or is it only french beans. Sorry if that's an silly question, its my first year growing stuff

Don't think french beans need a wigwam because they only grow a foot to 18 inches. Runner beans are what some people grow in a wigwam and peas need more to cling onto apart from most varieties only grow from 18 inches to 3ft except as I posted above, Alderman which grow in excess of 5ft.

Lotus-eater

djohn2002uk wrote: »

Don't think french beans need a wigwam because they only grow a foot to 18 inches. Runner beans are what some people grow in a wigwam and peas need more to cling onto apart from most varieties only grow from 18 inches to 3ft except as I posted above, Alderman which grow in excess of 5ft.

There are more varieties than just Alderman pea which grow tall. Many more.
And there are two types of french bean, dwarf and climbing, just as there are the same two types of runner bean.

CTC, peas need more of a net type thing to get their tendrils to cling onto. Or twigs with lots of bits on them. Also you need many more peas than beans to have a useful crop.
In all honesty, I still think you are better off keeping the beans and courgette separate, both would grow better and you can get more beans in the bean pot then also.
But experiment, what one person calls growing well, is not the same as someone else.

djohn2002uk

Lotus-eater wrote: »

There are more varieties than just Alderman pea which grow tall. Many more.
And there are two types of french bean, dwarf and climbing, just as there are the same two types of runner bean.

CTC, peas need more of a net type thing to get their tendrils to cling onto. Or twigs with lots of bits on them. Also you need many more peas than beans to have a useful crop.
In all honesty, I still think you are better off keeping the beans and courgette separate, both would grow better and you can get more beans in the bean pot then also.
But experiment, what one person calls growing well, is not the same as someone else.

I don't think I said that Alderman is the only tall pea. I could only find Alderman stocked regularly in seed merchants and other outlets. Similarly, I never said the climbing Runner Bean was the only variety available or dwarf french beans were the only available variety although the climbing french and the dwarf runner are not original species and to my way of thinking why would you grow climbing french when runners are available and dwarf runners instead of climbing.
Your last sentence doesn't make sense to me. It's either growing well giving a good crop or it isn't. That doesn't seem to be a matter of opinion but more fact. And what we should be doing on here is trying to pass on good experience to the "newbies" and most of all remembering that gardening rarely changes over the years.

Lotus-eater

You said.... and I quote "Don't think french beans need a wigwam because they only grow a foot to 18 inches"

Your new point about growing tall runners instead of tall french beans is your opinion, many people prefer french beans to runners. I hardly see what that has to do with the original discussion, but there you go.

And of courseit's a matter of opinion how well something is growing. Get a grip, I've spoken to people about how something is growing, about how great it's been, they've said the same about theirs, then either I've seen theirs, or they've seen mine and suddenly one person realises what one persons, doing brilliantly, may not be anothers.

LilacPixie

Can I join in please... trying to grow as much as i can this year and I need some company

Lotus-eater

LilacPixie wrote: »

Can I join in please... trying to grow as much as i can this year and I need some company

I think you already have

Strapped

Re. peas - I grow hurst greenshaft and they grow quite tall, about 5ft. (Recommend them btw - very sweet).

mrbadexample

LilacPixie wrote: »

Can I join in please... trying to grow as much as i can this year and I need some company

You're welcome to join me in a bit of digging, if you like? I've just come in for a cuppa. :coffee:

Vegetable bed number three is in progress. :j

So, what are you growing up there?