The ups and downs of growing your own dinner 2016...

Ken68

Hi Thrifty, my redcurrant is now flowering in its second year and another is just leaves probably due to much shade. The dahlias just coming through got the egg shell treatment.
You have a lot going on, guess you are further North.

Fruittea

Hi Everyone Decided to put out the first of my climbing beans today. It was supposed to be overcast but it was bright sunshine here in Gloucestershire. And also planted out a row of iceberg lettuce. Artichokes are looking good and so are the first earlies. I think I might put the courgettes and tomatoes out next week if the weather stays good.

thriftylass

Ken68 wrote: »

Hi Thrifty, my redcurrant is now flowering in its second year and another is just leaves probably due to much shade. The dahlias just coming through got the egg shell treatment.
You have a lot going on, guess you are further North.

Thank you. Actually the bush is right between two trees, of which I had planned to take out the front one that makes the most shade for the bush come to think of it. Guess I won't be substituting that tree for a fruit tree . Wonder if I could move the current bush? Might try that once the tree is gone. Front garden has loads more sun.

We are north of Fife.

Jazee

Morning all. A damp start here today. Everything is growing in the garden but it looks such a mess and I feel the weeds are winning. Will try to get outside at some point this weekend but have a busy one planned.

I will put out the kale and courgettes and tomatoes next week.

Waterlily24

We've been picking our rhubarb for about a month now, it's doing really well. Some of the potatoes have just popped through the earth.


We had an awful lot of blossom on our fruit trees (more than usual I think) but the bad winds blew it off very quickly. Wonder if we will get much fruit.


We are looking after a bee hive so hope that will help a bit.

zafiro1984

Hi everyone,
Finally got all my potatoes in, the first earlies are doing well about 12"high and I've just earthed them up today, the second earlies are just showing and the main ones were planted yesterday, so that's one job done and dusted.

Bit of a set back with my tomatoes I've had to pot them on into larger pots as my DH has hurt his shoulder and cannot finish the polytunnel just yet, hopefully he'll be back to normal in a week or two.

One set of sweetcorn is out and the next batch is due to be sown in modules,
Runner beans went out yesterday - looking a bit sad.
Carrots have just started to show, really really small at the moment. I've not peeped under the fleece to see if the parsnips have germinated.

Just harvested my over wintered Japanese onions, they were not very big but I needed the space and there are enough to last me through to August when the next lot will be ready. Shallots were doing well until they were attacked by either rabbits or deer the other night, hopefully they will recover. Anyone else have a deer, rabbit problem - we are overrun with both. (the freezer is looking empty!!!!)

Can't wait - the strawberries are covered with flowers and some of the berries are developing already, I've about 80-90 plants on the go.
Blackcurrants in flower - looks like a good crop if the birds don't get there first, same with the blueberries.

Waiting in the wings and almost ready to go out, French climbing beans, leeks, cucumbers, courgettes, squash, peppers, peas (if there are any left after the mice) - the dog saw a mouse in the greenhouse - carnage - not good, I've lost an untold amount of bedding out plants - and the mouse got away :mad:
Still to sow this month, asparagus peas, more salad leaves, kohl rabi, beetroot, - it's hectic.

Just hoping it will rain for the next three days as I've an enforced break from the garden because someone is coming to stay next Tuesday and the house needs an overdue deep clean.

Fruittea

Hi Everyone
Zafiro you sound as though you've been a busy bee. Plenty of things going in. Shame about the mouse - I suspect I may have had a visit as none of my sweet corn came up. Trying a second lot just now. I also have the problem with space and I'm waiting for my onions and shallots to finish as I'm desperate for the space.
I don't usually grow much in the winter but this year I want to try more greens but it's a compromise on space. Be great to hear how others manage and can I ask how long other hold cabbages etc in pots before planting out?
And I have to mention it's the first year I've used root trainers for beans and I'll be using them again - I can really see the difference. In fact I've just bought some more which where a great price on Amazon - they should arrive today. I liked the compactness - so space saving for me and lovely straight roots which were easier to plant out.

zafiro1984

Hi everyone,
Fruittea:- Like yourself a few years ago I decided to try and grow more for the winter. (hungry gap).

I don't put my cabbages out until late September, along with kale and sprouting broccoli - all sown in July/Aug, leeks go out after first potatoes, they are sown in April.

I sow carrots in July for a main crop but I also find they stay in good condition over winter, I leave them in the ground and I was still using them this March. I've had good results with Bangor and Eskimo - parsnips also good and I was still using them in April.

Japanese onions are okish, but I wouldn't bother if you are short of space. If I need space I get rid of courgettes, and French climbing beans/ runner beans in September (freeze surplus) as I've usually had enough of them by then, same with lettuce.

It was very noticeable that this year we could have survived on what I had both fresh and frozen, however sometimes you yearn for the things you haven't managed to grow and the supermarket beckons.

Update on the antics of the dog:- (We have a very large water tank standing on a concrete base near to our red diesel tank which is sunk into the ground. There is a small gap between the concrete base and tank.) The dog found a rabbit on the veg plot, chased it into the gap and both disappeared under the concrete into an unknown rabbit warren. DH still in bed, me in tears at the thought of the dog being stuck. Faint barking noises - so before I gave DH his breakfast he had to crawl on his stomach into the gap and go under the concrete and into the warren. Fortunately, he managed to grab the dog by its tail (which then turned and bit him) and dragged him out, but as soon as he let go, the dog went straight back into the hole. Eventually we managed to get him out - I shut him away and then had to pull DH out of the gap. Not a good start to the day, the dog, who is mainly white is now a lovely shade of sandy golden and is fast asleep no doubt dreaming of the one that got away. The things you do for your pets, at least it all ended well. phew.

Fruittea

OMG Zafiro that dog tail sounds horrific - you were lucky to get him back and DH! Can't believe what pets will get up to.
Many thanks for your thoughts on the winter veg - I'll take note of that - I usually get a veg box from the start of December until June and would like to save on that.
I think with a bit of care I could manage to get through. I think I mentioned in an earlier post I have one of those machines that sucks the air out and seal freezer bags and it keeps things really well in the freezer. So I'm hoping for more fresh veg this year.
Just bought a few more blueberry bushes (on a Groupon) they look pretty good and worked out at a fiver each - they freezer really well to.

thriftylass

zafiro1984 wrote: »

I don't put my cabbages out until late September, along with kale and sprouting broccoli - all sown in July/Aug, leeks go out after first potatoes, they are sown in April.

I sow carrots in July for a main crop but I also find they stay in good condition over winter, I leave them in the ground and I was still using them this March. I've had good results with Bangor and Eskimo - parsnips also good and I was still using them in April.

Japanese onions are okish, but I wouldn't bother if you are short of space. If I need space I get rid of courgettes, and French climbing beans/ runner beans in September (freeze surplus) as I've usually had enough of them by then, same with lettuce.

Thank you for this list. I copied it to my garden journal