The great, good and not so good bits about growing your own dinner 2017

Fruittea

Hi Everyone good to see so many of year have made a great start.
Aubergines can take up to 30 days to germinate Determined so don't give up on them.
Made it to the allotment yesterday and happy to say things aren't too bad. Just need to repair 2 glass panes in the greenhouse and remove a dead mouse from the shed. So over wintering hasn't been as bad as it might have been.
I know I'm a bit late with things and seeing Mr T (one of my neighbours) has made me realise just how late I am. So I need to get a wiggle on.
However, I now have a bit of a plan mapped out and will be keeping it simple this year. So I've prepped, rotivated and covered the potato bed ready for the last week in March and hopefully will clear out the greenhouse today - it will take me about an hour. The only growing things in at the moment are spinach, onions, shallots and garlic - the rest is bare.
I bought home the last of parsnips for freezing (2 kilos) which would cost £4.58 at Ocado (who I'm shopping with at the mo). So I'm taking that as my first saving of the year. Veg box cost £16.50 plus £2 for tomatoes.
I still have plenty of fruit and veg in the freezer and onions to use up. Better get sowing then.




£4.58/£18.50

zafiro1984

Just been on the veg plot, collected sprouting broccoli, both white and purple. 350gm costing £3.50 at Sains**, and 2 fennel bulbs, they were not huge so £1.85 - gosh doesn't it add up, £8.55 in total so far this year.

smeeinnit

Been busy again today :dance:

Sowed 3 varieties of tomatoes, spinach, sweet peppers, some more lettuce and spring onions (insurance in case the outside ones don't grow) and some sweet peas. Trying a little experiment soaking some sweet peas for 24 hours before sowing, and some straight into the soil as last years germination was pants - 2 plants out of a couple of dozen germinated :mad:

Weather is glorious, almost up to 20 degrees today :j

determined_new_ms

my neighbour replied to my email and said I can take cuttings of her redcurrant plants :j was hoping I'd get time to go there today and cut and plant but sadly with madam and cleaning up plans I didn't make it.

Am almost up to date with washing out pots. Note to self do not be lazy this year and just wash them as they are freed up!

Happy to report I can see a little cauliflower peeking through the soil :j when I see one I feel confident the rest will follow!

Hoping to have some energy to sow a few things this evening when madam is in bed went through my seeds last night and a load more seeds are at the front end of the sowing times and with the weather being so lovely I think I'll take a chance

CAFCGirl

Good day to all,

Hope you're all being hit by the wave of glorious spring sunshine we have here.

New sowings this week have been peas and cornichons. Today I think may be beans LOL
I absolutely adore this. It makes me feel very productive indeed! It was my birthday yesterday and I got a little bit of cash so I'm deciding what to spend it on.... perhaps some gardeners clogs (for running up the garden morning and evening for the chickens) and maybe another blueberry bush or two....

determined_new_ms

happy birthday CAFCGirl! May all your seeds germinate

working today and running tonight so was thinking I've got no time to sow. But now you've said it CAFCGirl think I can squeeze in a few sowings

CAFCGirl

Theres always time for a few more sowings

Fruittea

Managed to sow 12 half trays of different things yesterday and will be taking them to the lotty greenhouse this morning. Mainly brassicas and some salad. The allotment is looking good and it's nearly all weeded - just one small patch and I'm relaying the 3 raised beds - one at a time. I have too many tree roots coming up with the current ones.
Tomatoes seem to be doing well but no sign of peppers yet.
Soaked some peas overnight - so I'll need to get them in today - trying out Kelvedon wonder and Meteor as a starter and will see what else I fancy as we go on.
And I have a plan!
Friendly Mr T at the lotty gave me the last of his flower sprouts -can highly recommend them and have sown some myself - they grow upright like a brussel and look more like a fancy sprouting broccoli - very good flavour.
Must get going -have a good day eveyone.

determined_new_ms

sad times! After 3 weeks I've investigated my broad beans as only 2 have germinated. Looks like they are dud. going to have to go to the garden centre and pick up another pack. I bought a load of seeds off of more veg, prices very reasonable and you don't get loads but I don't think I'll use them again

CAFCGirl

Oh thats a shame DNM!

Yesterday saw me sow some shallots and wash a stack load more pots ready for more sowing - although I'm half tempted to use the very large tray with small pots to start off some onion sets here, and then direct plant some at the allotment over the weekend.

Does anyone here follow the lunar planting guide?