The highs and lows of growing your own dinner 2015

Dizzy_Ditzy

Ken68 wrote: »

Just been given a score of leek plants, topped and tailed, usually buy them local at £3 per 100. Yet to see the advert. You're about 2 weeks ahead of me, Queen.

We've been very lucky here Ken, the winters haven't been *too* cold for a couple of years now. We've started everything off indoors then used the greenhouses before planting out

Ken68

Have deleted photograph of runner beans, not sure if posting attachments is allowed, see posting rules below on the left.

Dizzy_Ditzy

There's no problem with photos as long as you own the copyright or give credit where it's due. I've posted tons of pics across the site over the years :cool:

Happygreen

Ken68 wrote: »

Have deleted photograph of runner beans, not sure if posting attachments is allowed, see posting rules below on the left.

You can incorporate your pictures somehow - haven't tried it since the forum changes. There are no issues if the pics are your own.

I haven't managed to get out other than for watering but there are urgent jobs waiting, mainly weeding .

Narc0lepsy

Well this year seems to be a lot of going away then coming back to catch up - no I'm not complaining really as I'm lucky. This year is actually the first time for 20 yrs we haven't had horse(s) to care for, so are making the most of weekends away etc as it's a novelty.

So, after 5 days away I have come back to picking loganberries (yum), gooseberries doing well, still some rhubarb (when is the last you can pick it? I'm sure I read somewhere that you should stop?). White and red currants are looking good.
Runner beans have been erratic to germinate but seem to be doing well although some have blackfly! I have never seen blackfly on runner beans before, just broad beans. And talking of which, the plants all look good and strong and were flowering well when I left, but are now smothered with blackfly. I have nipped the tops off, but I do hope more pods form as it looks pitiful at the moment and they are taking a lot of space.
Mange tout peas are ready to pick, as are mixed salad leaves. Last year's chard which I left in has grown but going to seed, new batch is good.
Tomatoes and peppers doing well, as is basil and coriander.
Cauliflowers and red cabbage desperately needed planting out before I went away, so that's my next priority job. I'd hoped the broad beans would be ready so they could have that space, but that's not going to happen.
On the squash front, winter ones desperately need me to find a space to plant them out; butternuts are doing ok. This year I've got some in the greenhouse which have small squashes on, and some outside which don't. A few years ago I did some and was told they need to be outside (all squashes dropped off when small). ......Cucumber plants look well but no cucumbers yet.

Phew, my next challenge is to get it all under control as next Thurs I'm going on holiday for 2 weeks; terrible timing I suspect. And still lots of fruit in freezer from last year, despite eating as much as we can.

Ken68

So many cabbages maturing, will have to think sauerkraut pickling.

unrecordings

Picked garlic & onions today. Not sure if i left them in the ground a little too long though

Jazee

Morning all. I lifted my garlic last week. About half is ok, as in split into cloves, but the other half just round balls which I'll roast. I just don't think that last winter was cold enough to make the split properly.

I have one flower on my courgette plants, haha.

Not sure how much time I'll get this weekend to sort things out, really want to put up some more net protection as the caterpillars are about.

Have a great day everyone.

Dizzy_Ditzy

Ken68

Wow, Queenie, good for you.