Grow your own dinner 2014

[Deleted User]

moments_of_sanity wrote: »

My potato stems are floppy and look munched, do you think it's worth me digging them up and just hoping I have something or is that not very likely?

what are they and when did you plant them? In pots or in the ground? By a wall, near a tree or bushes? They could well be dry and may just need a good soaking, then when the leaves stop drooping the slugs will tend to avoid the foliage. The earliest potatoes in bags need about 14 weeks to produce potatoes. I am counting 4 months for my outdoor charlottes, my maincrop blue danube will be ages. the nicola in bags are so lush now, no sign of flowers and strong green foliage so it is too early. Water is very essential while growing, that and feeding. All mine had potato fertiliser when planting and chicken pellets two weeks ago. They need food

CAFCGirl

Sown some poached egg flower seeds this afternoon, repotted on my 2 strongest looking tomato plants which are beyond the seed leaf stage, thankfully! Also potted on my one lonely cucumber plant to a bigger pot so hes got plenty of room to grow on a bit more.

Everything else is enjoying a sunning on the deck. My coriander is finally picking up the pace and my basil too. Sweet peppers aren't looking like theyre doing much but I've brewed up some tea for them all to have a bit later.

Outdoor spinach seeds are starting to come up so that's pleased me.

Discovered that it is not slugs eating 3 of the leaves on my chilli plant. its my son knocking into it repeatedly and causing them to tear. So moved that pot to a hopefully safer spot to recover!

moments_of_sanity

kittie wrote: »

what are they and when did you plant them? In pots or in the ground? By a wall, near a tree or bushes? They could well be dry and may just need a good soaking, then when the leaves stop drooping the slugs will tend to avoid the foliage. The earliest potatoes in bags need about 14 weeks to produce potatoes. I am counting 4 months for my outdoor charlottes, my maincrop blue danube will be ages. the nicola in bags are so lush now, no sign of flowers and strong green foliage so it is too early. Water is very essential while growing, that and feeding. All mine had potato fertiliser when planting and chicken pellets two weeks ago. They need food

Ummmm, can't remember what they were but got the type from this thread, they are early potatoes and have been growing since end march. Should they flower?

I have given them a really big soak today and are on the decking in large blue ikea bags and don't get full sun all day.

ETA, will feed them tomorrow and see if that does any good. Thanks :-)

[Deleted User]

slug nematode update:

I planted a load of tender baby veg plants yesterday and went up to see them with trepidation today. Not a single one has been harmed, when normally there would be huge damage from slugs. My conclusion is that they are working and that they seem to take a week to work. They are not 100% but adding just a few slug pellets works very well as a belt and braces approach. I have decided that I will be using them again next year. The important thing is to apply just before a few damp days or be prepared to water-a lot

French beans are up and will join the runners in 2 days. Swede will be planted out in a week as will chard and then I have finished. The last 3 squashes went out today. The clay soil is still workable but will be impossible in days now, underneath is nice and damp, just right. Raised bed soil is great, warm and damp. My weather forecast has been 100% this year and has been awesome in allotment planning. I now have a few days in which the plants will put down roots and soon it will be so hot that I won`t be able to be comfortable and neither will new plants

browneyedbazzi

My tomatoes are potted on at last - well overdue (they were about 8" tall and had roots trailing out of their plugs) but they look fairly content in the new pots. I even have two 'volunteers' that I had thinned out of the plugs and just dumped in the side of the tray that but have survived so their now potted as well. I'm going to have more plants than room to put them so hopefully someone I know will home the spares. My cucumbers are looking pretty good too - on the cusp of 6th leaves coming out.

I'm determined to get my dining room back so all the plants are going out during the day now in preparation for being planted out in their permanent homes.

This morning I've found a tiny caterpillar on my rhubarb...along with plenty of nibble holes in the leaves. Any advice on how to stop caterpillars? Is it just a matter of monitoring and pulling them off the plant or is there something that can be done to discourage them?

moments_of_sanity

My slug nematode update too.......

Applied on Wednesday and have watered everything well since. I popped out last night with DH in tow and we found 1 large black slug, 1 small black slug, 2 greyish small slugs and a snail! :j

Looks like we are seeing the results already as my cucumber plants and mint (that seemed to attract an awful lot of slugs) are looking good and not been nibbled at all since nematodes applied.

I am picking up some 3l pots tonight to plant my French beans and tomatoes in but am going to wrap copper tape around the pots just as an extra deterant.

Happygreen

Coffee grounds are supposed to help as slug barriers, too. Not tried it yet, though.
http://organicgardening.about.com/od/soil/qt/coffeegrounds.htm

Lifes_Grand_Plan

Don't forget with Nematodes guys, they take up to two weeks to work....

Little_Vics

Hello! I'm back. Did you miss me?

I HAVE DONE PLANTING! This is my lovely list:

strawberries
quince
loganberries
jostaberries (I think - never fruited so have no idea)
toms
chili
spinach
beetroot
lettuce
pumpkin
peppers
courgettes
purple sprouting broccoli
yellow pointy cauli for comedy purpose

Next job is to sort out my herbs. Fun!

moments_of_sanity

I will be planting my French beans, more peas and tomatoes on today.....on my slug hunt last night (looking a complete loon with my head torch on at 11.30pm) I found 10 very large snails, 4 large slugs and about 15 of the smaller ones. Where do they all come from so quickly, my garden isn't huge and 3 laps around it, everytime I found a new slug or snail! :mad: