Help MBE grow his dinner 2012

mrbadexample

Too much rain!

My rainfall prediction today is:

0400 V Light 0.269 mm
0700 Moderate 2.269 mm
1000 Heavy 9.189 mm
1300 Torrential 13.9 mm
1600 Light 1.3 mm
1900 Moderate 4.5 mm
2200 V Light 0.3 mm

I know we need it, but my liquorice is sitting in a puddle (it's meant to be free-draining! :eek:), my beetroot is wearing scuba gear, and the pond is pretending it's not leaking.

We haven't even got to the "torrential" bit yet. I might have to go and put a gamp over the liquorice.

greenval

Hi MrB
I Know you to be something of a gooseberry expert:D Should my gooseberry be starting to develop leaves yet ? I have to say it looks very dead and when I cut some of the branches back a little to look for signs of life it looked errrm, dead:(. A picture of your goosegogs would be helpful.
Incidentally the rain here on Merseyside is torrential and would not only top up a pond but cause it to overflow if it doesn't stop soon.We're not even suffering from a drought:eek:
I suppose I could get rid of the lawn in favour of growing rice:)

mrbadexample

greenval wrote: »

Hi MrB
I Know you to be something of a gooseberry expert:D Should my gooseberry be starting to develop leaves yet ? I have to say it looks very dead and when I cut some of the branches back a little to look for signs of life it looked errrm, dead:(. A picture of your goosegogs would be helpful.

Oh dear. I fear for your gooseberry. Mine's developing fruit:

pink_poppy

Funny goosegogs should be mentioned, I've just been looking at some in a nursery today & was tempted to buy one.

Your plant looks very healthy, mbe, what variety is it?? I was looking at Careless & Hinnonmaki yellow. Cost £6.50 for a decent size plant. It did have what looked like flowers on, but I thought I'd better do some research first as I would want to grow it in a tub so I'm off to have a google.

mrbadexample

pink_poppy wrote: »

Funny goosegogs should be mentioned, I've just been looking at some in a nursery today & was tempted to buy one.

Your plant looks very healthy, mbe, what variety is it?? I was looking at Careless & Hinnonmaki yellow. Cost £6.50 for a decent size plant. It did have what looked like flowers on, but I thought I'd better do some research first as I would want to grow it in a tub so I'm off to have a google.

That one is the Hinnonmaki Yellow. My other is the Red. Don't buy one unless you don't know anyone else with one. They're easy enough to take a cutting from.

Lotus-eater

I have a couple of really nice red gooseberries, they taste a bit like gooseberry flavoured grapes when they are ripe, really nice, the wasps love them

I can't remember the name, but I may have it somewhere in paperwork if anyone is interested.

Like MBE says, they are easy to take cuttings from. But are a little slow to get going.

mrbadexample

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I can't remember the name, but I may have it somewhere in paperwork if anyone is interested.

I'm interested!

















Not really, just wanted to make you look for it.

pink_poppy

Only just realised I forgot to put compost in with the raspberry cane when I planted it this morning :doh: I need to buy some food for it as well. I'll be amazed if it does anything if I'm honest, I think I'm too dizzy to be a gardener At least it's getting a good watering in

bluemeadow

Hope this helps pink poppy, I have a gooseberry (not sure what type, sorry) in a pot on my allotment its growing realy well and starting to form fruit, sorry grenval! I dont do anything special to it just top dress it in spring and net it when the fruit starts looking ready, 2 years ago my huppy was eagerly anticipating the first crop only to go up there and find the whole lot had been pinched by pidgeons i think!

KazLA

We have had our gooseberry bush about 5 years, it has lovely looking healthy leaves, but had never done anything more than that, should it flower before it produces fruit, and any idea why it doesn't?!

Managed to get out for nearly an hour Tuesday evening to keep on top of the weeds (has anyone had any success in getting rid of bindweed? I'm being particularly vigelent this year, digging around to get roots up and pulling any.new shoots with as much root as possible, but not sure I'm winning. My dad said something about paint on weedkiller? Need to be careful as its all around my raspberries (which my dad has helped me tie up & are looking good!

Pears trees aren't looking good though Bought from b&q last year, one developed some sort of disease on its leaves and the other was covered in black bugs. Well the new leaves on both are covered in horrible sores and all curled up photos to follow.

Seeds not doing much good either. They've been in conservatory, but only 2 of 8 French marigolds up, no courgettes or runner beans. It was about a month ago, so think that's it (had just planted the beans before the conversation about it being too early!) But why hasn't anything come up?

Tomatoes are doing well and have been re-potted.