Help MBE grow his dinner 2012

lemonjelly

Someone else has peppers...:mad:

I "think" I've got peas, beetroot & lettuce all germinated.
Still waiting on the peppers, cucumbers & tomatoes.
Have planted some onions & carrots.
Planning to plant more lettuce this weekend.
Debating with myself whether to plant my 2nd tomato batch this weekend, or next (first lot went in 3 weeks ago sunday).
Decisions, decisions...

emiff6

Lotus-eater wrote: »

No this is a great idea and done by some people. There are various ways to support beans, I know Sambucus uses different ways of doing it.
I used to use a square frame and have vertical canes going up to it. I stopped doing it, mainly because the tent shape is easy to set up and is strong.
If you google (image) bean supports you will get lots of good ideas.

Never thought of doing that, thanks - so many different ways that people support their beans!

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

Yes I use munty frames. You can google it and see a few people's. The beans grow on the short side of the frame, up and over to the tall side whilst other crops grow underneath.

That looks a brilliant way Sambucus. I may try it next year, but alas don't have the space this year, I only have about 30 inches by five feet of ground for the beans. Don't want to grow them close to the fence this year as they've been there 3 years running.

lizzyb1812

Stefon wrote: »

Hi Just thought I would drop in with a Beetroot tip I found on the web, I have tried it and several (critical) gardening friends have and we have all been converted. Tip from Newxzealand gardener.
Don't pickle fresh beetroot in plain vnegar, all you get is the taste of red vinegar. Use equel parts white vinegard and the water you boiled the vinegar in, the original tip said also an equel part of sugar but we half that as we dont like it sweet.
You will find the water used to boil the beetroots has retained all the flavour and you will not find a lot of difference between preserved and fresh beetroots. Even People who don't like pickled beets enjoy the result.
Best wishes
Stefon

Just wanted to say a big thank you for this tip. I buy cooked beetroot from Aldi at 39p/59p for 500g but there's only me to eat it and it goes off very quickly. I used your method, sliced the beetroot and packed it into a sterilised jar then covered it with the boiling water/vinegar/sugar mix. I know it won't keep for ages as the vinegar acidity is reduced but it will preserve it long enough to stop it going off before I use it and it tastes lovely - just a hint of a tang. Had some with lunch today - lovely

adelight

I'm sort of giving the three sisters technique a go. Seems like a novel way of trying to support beans and apparently courgettes and beans work well in companion planting. I have about a dozen corn ~6" high so far that I'll plant out around Easter and plant beans in May. Courgettes will go near the beans and raddish near the courgettes.

I had planned to plant out loads of things next week but now I'm worried about frost. What to do??? Ahhh

lisakay_2

lisakay_2

at the front of the pic is an old scaffolding pole. i buried this a foot or so in and tied string to the top, maypole stlye. I grew runner beans up it last year and it worked really well. Looked good too:D.

I have purple carrots through, also more basil, toms, lettuce, rocket, landcress and spinach all through:D
sowed normal carrots, parsnips and sunflowers this eve. the kids were disappointed that i did it while they were out with friends, but i got it done much more quickly than with their 'help'!!

furball

Lovely pic. Not sure about the frost either, might have a go at some peas but i have loads of those so can replant if need be. Was going to plant some beetroot and round carrots but might wait. Er just re read your post, i will risk it as you have planted loads.

lizzyb1812

Lisakay - thanks for this. My allotment is a parcel of land behind my house/garage base. It has 2 old washing line poles in it that I don't use - using them as supports for climbing veg is a fantastic idea :T
10 out of the 40 leeks I sowed a little while ago are peeping through. And I'm having to shade the greenhouse as well as opening the vent and door - even with all that it's getting up to 34 C each day at the moment. Never mind spring - this is summer!

mrbadexample

Stuff I've done today:

I've extended the windbreak at the edge of the greenhouse, where I moved it over a bit. This is essential, as when the wind gets up it whistles round the back of it and the plants suffer. I also dug out the bit at the edge of the slabs. This was full of rubble and rubbish, but I dug it all out, put some compost in the bottom:



I riddled the stuff that came out, to reclaim any good soil, and refilled:



So I've turned a tiny useless bit into a tiny useful bit. I can chuck gherkins, peas, beans and stuff in there and it should do ok.

mrbadexample

I've also added to the new bee house:



This is ready to be mounted - up by the greenhouse somewhere I reckon. I can fill in the gaps with bits of bamboo etc as they become available.