Preparedness for when

westlothianlass

Fantastic gardening ideas everyone :j
I have been feeling quite lethargic about planning this years veg but reading your ideas and thoughts has reminded me how much I love "trying" to grow stuff (despite the rain).
Another one here that loves Real Seeds, I've had much better crops from their seeds than others I have bought , particularly Kale, Cucumbers, cabbage and tomatoes. Love the tyre links, we have 4 old landrover tyres in the garden (as you do:D) so I just need to persuade DH they need to be purple and yellow and full of Kale:rotfl:.
WLL x

GreyQueen

westcoastscot wrote: »

Pink Thrift have noted those varieties and will give them a go, along with some perpetual cabbage. GQ have not grown chard for years but sounds worth a go – maybe in a tub? Mar am going to try *your* toms too.

WCS, in case you've not dug one up, please be aware that chard has massive tap roots, as in about a foot or longer, so any tub would need to be very deep.

You wouldn't need to en-tub them to stop them spreading. What happened with mine is that they bolted in the drought of 2011 and set seed. In 2012, they grew from seed in the potato patch after I'd planted the spuds and re-grew en masse in the same ground after I'd cleared the spuds. I hadn't let them set seed in early summer so they were growing from seeds which dropped in 2011 the second time also. They germinate like cress.

A related plant is "perpetual spinach" which you leave in the ground year round and just harves the leaves as necessary. I've seen it come through snow and heavy frosts, the leaves dp droop a bit but it bounces right back, it doesn't get frost-nipped or die of the cold. HTH.

2tonsils

I have great trouble growing anything except orchids and bonsai trees here because of the extremes of weather and temperatures. Most things grow well but there is not enough shade in the summer and things just die in the sun . The orchids love the heat and humidity here and grow like crazy in the windowsill (they don't like other positions lol). I have three bonsai trees, the most unusual is a banana tree that is currently about six inches high. I will be replanting my herbs though, both the cooking and medicinal as you never know when you may need some.

I have given up on growing veg as its dirt cheap here to buy and its all organic or home grown. Fruit is the same and fresh clementines are currently 1 euro a carrier bag full. We got fresh walnuts today for 4 euros a kilo and he gave us a kilo free. Stocked up on fresh sardines and got enough for 4 euros to make us 6 meals each.

It was lovely today , 16 in the sun and 13 in the shade but it rained this afternoon and the weather seemed to change instantly. It is now very cold and feels like its going to freeze tonight. The forecast is for minus 2 tonight and 12 tomorrow with rain and high winds. It looks like the cold wave is heading our way and will be here before the Wednesday they predicted! So glad we stocked up on firewood last week. If we get snow and ice I will not be going anywhere as it will be too dangerous trying to negotiate the mountain roads, its bad enough now when they are full of deep potholes and treacherous when the olives fall on them then get wet. It turns the hills into skid pans and there is no way you can stop on them. Last year the car started to slide when I was driving slowly along the hairpin bends, and soon the rear end was overtaking the front. I didn't panic but just tried to control it...I ended up in the bushes at the bottom of the bends...along with a Greek driver who had just had the same thing happen to him. Neither one of us hurt and no damage done.

If the weather is okay first thing in the morning I am going to the car boot sales (2 different ones) to see if there are any more prepping things to buy. It's amazing how many handy things you come across if you ignore all the rubbish. We now have lots of different torches, including solar powered ones. We have also been finding cooking pans for the open fire and handy multi tools for the tool box.

Last night , when removing the Chrismas decorations I had an idea. Our front room opens onto the village and I have opaque patterned film up at the lower windows to let in light but stop people peering in. I came up with the idea of putting coloured cellophane squares under the clear film that sticks to the windows....with the light shining through it will looked like stained glass!!!!!

All I have to do now is take off the old ones and clean the windows before putting the new colours up. I have gold, green and red and they were only 50 cents for two big sheets of each colour. I think they will look really nice and add a splash of colour now all the decorations are gone.

Tomorrow is Epiphany, a HOly day here. They have a ceremony where the priest throws a silver cross in the sea and all the men swim down to try and retrieve it....if its going to be as cold as I think it is they have my utmost admiration! It is St. John the Baptist day so it is also my name day and my husband's as well. Unlike birthdays the cakes and drinks are on us on our name day!

Someone said today the cold wave that will hit Europe and later the UK will be a SNOWMAGGEDON......oooh I don't like the sound of that.....

2tonsils

Re the Green leaves that all taste of spinach....here they pick wild greens from the mountainside. They are blanched in salted water till soft (it only takes seconds!) and then they are strained and lemon juice and good olive oil are added....food of the God's....its called Horta and can be eaten hot or cold.

westcoastscot

Thanks GQ no I didn't know that - will maybe find a corner of the garden and be vigilent about picking. I do grow perpetual spinach as we love it in salad but mine died this summer, so shall start again from seed in the spring. It's been a great winter standby in years past. The only thing that really did well green-wise was rocket, which is still going.
WCS

maryb

2tonsils have you seen this stunning photo of Vesuvius?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2257624/Astronauts-view-sleeping-giant-Incredible-image-International-Space-Station-shows-Mount-Vesuvius-Bay-Naples.html

God help the Neapolitans if it blows

sb44

Does anyone know when snow is due to hit us in the UK?

I don't bother checking with the met office half of the time as they aren't the best in the world for telling us what is due to arrive!

bluebag

I can't grow anything, I turn every plant into a stick, Is there any room in the preppers shed for a stick grower?

pineapple

sb44 wrote: »

Does anyone know when snow is due to hit us in the UK?

I don't bother checking with the met office half of the time as they aren't the best in the world for telling us what is due to arrive!

The MSM is predicting a return to cold at the end of this week.

Other sites are predicting major cold in later January
http://theweathercentre.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/multiple-stratospheric-warmings-confirm.html
An Actic blast is being forecast for US at least.

Piers Corbyn of Weather Action says January 2013 'will be remembered' (place your bets on 'why' now!)
http://www.weatheraction.com/displayarticle.asp?a=511&c=5

Here's another forecast - predicting extreme cold for UK and much of Europe. Though originally they were forecasting this to start in December - hasn't happened.
http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=winter-forecast-2012;sess=

I think the message has to be, stock up on solid fuel (if you use it) and stand by yer thermals!

craigywv

wow been away 2 days and wow is all i can say and wow again ! i have thorouly enjoyed the posting on here it is written by the most intelligent resourceful people i "know". you lot should be in government ruling , the country would be a stable place to live if you were, RAS,GQ(as always), BUTTERFLYBRAIN,2 TONSILS,WESTCOAST SCOT AND SO MANY I HAVE FORGOTTEN YOUR NAMES NOT BEING RUDE BUT SO MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE ON HERE POSTING. ooooooooops left caps lock on again in my excitement in reading all this. I myself am heading into garden now to reek havoc on it wont be in till dark i hope only for lunch which oh is doing, me and ds aged 9 are sorting this out while the ground is soft. Fortunatley we have not had the extemewet weather you all have had on the mainland very mild here. so i want to get my veg plot,pots,tubs and any free space prepped for growing. i bid you all a good day and ALIBOBSY thats bad news i hope things get better for you and your family and LYNN LURCHER LOL glad i made you smile regarding the prince of Belfast...at present its running around with a parka on it looking mighty fine waitin on son taking it out for its walk today its accessories include a rubber chicken which i for 1 absolutley refuse to touch its like the Harvey and rabbit advert on tv sopping in drool and he HAS a very special bond with this one as it squeaks so ds and pob can run the fields chicken in tow as i get this garden sorted have a good day all xxx