Help MBE grow his dinner 2011

Angelfeathers

alixandrea wrote: »

I have a world of courgettes, although the plants seem to be getting a mould all over the leaves so not sure how long they'll keep producing.

I got this on my courgettes last year and have it on my biggest pumpkin plant this year. It doesn't look very nice, but it doesn't seem to be anything to worry about as the plants still seem to produce fruit nicely anyway!

mrbadexample wrote: »

Nah, you're fibbing! Nothing grows faster than courgettes!

I don't know, I reckon that big pumkin plant of mine could give courgettes a run for their money. It seems to grow about 6" overnight, every night! I'm currently training it up the fence as I've run out of flowerbed!

I've finally given in today and taken my tomatoes out of the (tiny, plastic) greenhouse because they just weren't getting any sun and the peppers behind them *really* weren't getting any sun. The tomatoes also desperately needed staking, which I've done, but now there's no way to get them back in the greenhouse if I need to, so I hope I've done the right thing!

lemonjelly

Courgettes. Last year, planted 6 seeds. All of them grew. 1 never produced, but the other 5 did. Constantly! They were very nice to eat though. Having a year or 2 off them. Never aware how prolific they are, as well as not knowing how hardy they are (didn't expect all 6 would grow).

Good news! I have a flower on one of my pepper plants!:j Hope remains!:D

mrbadexample

My one courgette plant had been particularly rubbish this year. All the fruit is rotting at the blossom end. Good job I don't like 'em much.

@John,

Nothing much to say about the beans. My longest is stuck at 20", but I think I'm still winning, just. Off to Norfolk tomorrow to check out the competition. How are yours?

lolly5648

mrbadexample wrote: »

My one courgette plant had been particularly rubbish this year. All the fruit is rotting at the blossom end. Good job I don't like 'em much.

I have three plants only one producing and the fruit grows to about 2 inches and then rots. Grown from the same seeds as last year (still in date) when I was giving them away as there were so many.

djohn2002uk

mrbadexample wrote: »

@John,Nothing much to say about the beans. My longest is stuck at 20", but I think I'm still winning, just. Off to Norfolk tomorrow to check out the competition. How are yours?

My longest has only been 20" too, 3 1/2" short on last year, and I think it's too late to expect anything better now.

mrbadexample

djohn2002uk wrote: »

My longest has only been 20" too, 3 1/2" short on last year, and I think it's too late to expect anything better now.

I've removed all the beans (except one) from mine, and I'm going to let it have another go. I have to say, compared to last year, this has been a dreadful year for beans.

djohn2002uk

mrbadexample wrote: »

I've removed all the beans (except one) from mine, and I'm going to let it have another go. I have to say, compared to last year, this has been a dreadful year for beans.

We've had more beans than we know what to do with. Up to last weekend we were eating them every day and I'll have to pick a load again tomorrow or they'll be going tough.
It's just the very long ones that are absent. I've had half a dozen at 20" and maybe if I'd left them a couple more days I could have squeezed a couple more inches but at the time we were picking so many and giving them away at the bowls club I was putting a few of the longest in just to show off because a few of the members were growing from plants I had given them.:D

lemonjelly

mrbadexample wrote: »

I've removed all the beans (except one) from mine, and I'm going to let it have another go. I have to say, compared to last year, this has been a dreadful year for beans.

Don't say that!

We've had one small crop of beans - they were very nice! Will be picking another batch this weekend. We have some longer than previous years - indeed, when I saw one, it was so long I almost got a neighbour with a camera to post it up here to join in yours/johns [STRIKE]fight[/STRIKE] competition. I'm hoping that my bean plant rescues the garden.

Onions don't appear to be getting much bigger (but are tasty!)

Tomato plants, well I am just grateful they are still alive, & hope for a little sun as they need to redden. Pepper plant - one has only just flowered! Only got enough beetroot to fill half a jar! Praying that the 2nd lo of carrots I planted in a tub are miracle growers too! Peas went by the by.

oldtractor

my broad beans have been good. runners and french rubbish so far.

Miró

Help please!!!

How can you tell when butternut squash is ripe??? Some of mine have reached the size you see in the supermarket and are pale yellow in colour. I just have no idea if they are ready to eat yet and I would hate to waste even one Does it matter if they are slightly under-ripe?

Any advice much appreciated....