The highs and lows of growing your own dinner 2015

savemoney

Day off from going to allotment due to the rain. Yeah we can do with it, but not the cold spell we have been getting of late.

The frost got my new potatoes this week just in time when they popped up so banked them up, wish I had done that earlier.

I may have lost some plants outside I planted some beetroot which were growing in greenhouse. At least if they done come I still have time to plant more.

Happygreen

Good morning ,all.
I managed to get some beet and chard seeds in before the big downpour.
The weeds will really come up now! Elbow grease for me, not weedkiller
One more potato bed to do. I bought 5 packs of seed at Lidl for £ 1 (only the small ones with the number 1) and they had round courgettes. Will put those in a tray today and sweetcorn, although it's slightly late. Sweetcorn will still be ok in the polytunnel if it germinates.

Scottish_Mike

I've planted some lettuces in front of my sweet-peas. Have some copper tape so going to edge the sleeper with it in the hope it keeps the slugs away. Also got some copper tape as little collars to protect my sunflowers.

Still haven't been down the plot to plant the remainder of my spuds.

Happygreen

Happygreen wrote: »

I was just listening to an on-line conference and this came up:
Roundup is not only made by Monsanto who now own about 50 % of all food crop seeds in the world (that's their real aim, to completely control the food crop market). This is besides the issue of them manufacturing GMO plants. Roundup is also registered as an antibiotic in the States - so besides the weeds you apply it to it also kills the Bacteria in the soil....

I have never touched a herbicide in my life but some of you might use it, food for thought...

I can't help updating... The World Health Organisation is now investigating the Roundup ingredient as likely to cause cancer, still I see ads on TV for the magic Dandelion killer :eek:

The_Only_Girl

Hello, a gardening newby here. My garden is currently not suitable for a vegetable patch as it covered in pebbles all through out, which was inherited from previous house owner. We are hoping to dig them out and replace with turf in the middle and have vegetable raised beds on the edges. At the moment, I am hoping to grow some vegetables in pots and containers. I haven't got a greenhouse either.

Yesterday I potted my dwarf beans which have been sprouted indoors, on window sills. They have outgrown their sprouting cells so needed re-potting. My question is, will they survive this temperamental weather, it is sunny and tropical one day and pouring down the next. Today is one of those wet days. That is if the slugs have not rated them all up yet? Will appreciate your expert opinions.

Hoping to sprout some more vegetables in the next few days.

Narc0lepsy

Agh - something has eaten most of the leaves off my mange tout peas. I can't see any mollusc trails. I didn't have any problem with them getting eaten last year - any suggestions anyone?
Howling gale and showers today, I only had time for a quick check round the greenhouse and to check the garden for any debris. at least anything outside should grow fast in this weather.

JP08

Narc0lepsy wrote: »

Agh - something has eaten most of the leaves off my mange tout peas. I can't see any mollusc trails. I didn't have any problem with them getting eaten last year - any suggestions anyone?
Howling gale and showers today, I only had time for a quick check round the greenhouse and to check the garden for any debris. at least anything outside should grow fast in this weather.

Pigeons ? Right gluttonous gits for fresh pea shoots !

Narc0lepsy

JP08 wrote: »

Pigeons ? Right gluttonous gits for fresh pea shoots !

I wondered that. We don't have that many pigeons in the garden that I've seen sort of lurking, although there are a couple of doves. Strange that it never happened in previous years. I also lifted up the polystyrene container of another batch of seedlings and there were several of the long thin slugs underneath. Huh.
I've had quite a low germination rate for climbing beans this year, maybe I soaked them for too long as they seem to have rotted. Bean soup anyone?

Happygreen

Narc0lepsy wrote: »

I wondered that. We don't have that many pigeons in the garden that I've seen sort of lurking, although there are a couple of doves. Strange that it never happened in previous years. I also lifted up the polystyrene container of another batch of seedlings and there were several of the long thin slugs underneath. Huh.
I've had quite a low germination rate for climbing beans this year, maybe I soaked them for too long as they seem to have rotted. Bean soup anyone?

That first courgette has been half nibbled all the way up it's stem but until now it hasn't been decapitated and is still growing. I also could not find a trail (suppose the slimey beasts can stretch!) nor a hidden slug under the module tray.
Bean soup is what happened here in the early weeks to my Broad Beans as they just didn't germinate, lol. I won't soak the Runners and Climbers....
I'm still enjoying the harvest of leeks (just coming up to flower, must hurry), Kale (same) and lettuces I planted last winter.

Kantankrus_Mare

Picked my first lettuce leaves to go with some salad to have with lasagne for tea last night. (Grown in a container in greenhouse)

Now I really must get some more lettuce seeds on the go so free lettuce throughout the summer.

The amount of times I buy a bag of lettuce from the supermarket and half gets wasted really annoys me.

Got some rhubarb in the fridge that needs using so probably crumble on the horizon.