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

tibawo

Just realised can't get down with paperwork until tues but really want to go up even if just to out sheeting down ... Do you think I'll get moaned at?

Fruittea

I'd get straight in there Tibowa and make a start. Lucky you. And plenty of time to start sowing seeds.
Shame about your seedlings Determined but there's still time.
Lovely range of stuff you have JoJo - it's amazing how much you can grow and save a shed-load of money. Looking forward to hearing what you manage to achieve.
I've just put a few plant outside to sell today - just a few things I have too much of. Trouble is there's not many people pass by my house as it's a dead-end - we'll see.

determined_new_ms

tibawo wrote: »

Just realised can't get down with paperwork until tues but really want to go up even if just to out sheeting down ... Do you think I'll get moaned at?

do it I bet it won't be a problem. I got mine and didn't post the cheque for about 2 weeks but went down there 2 days after verbally agreeing it. I find the people at the allotment are pretty relaxed as long as they can see you working your plot

edited to add: at my allotment they are right gossips! there are several different plot holders who talk to me about other plot holders and the committee can be a bit loose lipped and 2 of them have told me who has had letters and who is going to have theirs withdrawn if they don't pull their fingers out!

great day for growing today did some potting on as well as the things I set out to do :j got a massive bit dug over today (2x3 m), planted a gooseberry cutting/tiny plant I was given last week, weeded beds that are ready to plant in (only 1 bit of marestail had poked it's head up ) I was there for 1 1/2 hours. Amazing what you can get done in shortish bursts :beer:

fruittea - re rhubarb I have a plant that has leaves and stalks grown a few of them decent size but I thought it was a bit early for it?

zafiro1984

Fruitea What variety of rhubarb do you have as I need some more, the one I have is quite spindly and could do with replacing. The rabbits ate some plants last year just as they were breaking into leaf, I thought they would leave them alone as the leaves are supposed to be poisonous.

Onions and shallots now planted. I was just going to bung them in but decided to take my time and set up the irrigation on the beds. Hopefully it will save me time in the long run. All netted as well so nothing can get at them.

Tomorrow is the turn of my second earlies, Red Duke of York. I've a couple of beds ready for them. We have terrible blight down here so the earlier I get them in the more chance I'll have of a crop. Again I'll have to net the beds and probably cover the soil with fleece.

I also bought a variety of potato called Carolus. I must google it as I can't remember why I bought them. I don't even know if they are seconds or main

Eagerly waiting for my asparagus to arrive DH has finished the beds for them. Fruitea I remember you got some earlier this season, are you going to use the spaces between the plants for anything else this year? I'm tempted to try quick maturing things like kohl rabi - any thoughts?

All leeks now pulled and in the freezer, should have enough to last until the overwintered onions are ready.

I've been outside most of the day so I now need to do the housework - not my most favourite of jobs but necessary.

Fruittea

Morning Everyone - lovely morning here in Gloucestershire.
I have Timperney Early and Strawberry rhubarb. I start to pick the TP as soon as there are plenty of leaves and stalks (about 10) as they are very established plants and I don't like them to get too thick. I find I only need to feed them once a year with a ring of manure (or whatever) around the crown and they keep going well all year. The Strawberry has a beautiful colour and looks much nicer.
Potato-wise I've stuck with Rocket, Charlottes, International kidney and Blue Danube - the plot suffers with blight so I never get that good a crop with mains as I have to cut the haulms down fairly early.
Zafiro I'd be a bit cautious about planting in between the asparagus as they really don't like any root disturbance and they like to be kept completely weed free - why not use the spaces as your tray starter bed that way you will benefit from the space, keep the weeds down with the trays and remember to water.
I earned £5 from the gate yesterday and I've got some bits and bobs out again today- so we'll see.
I'll be popping down the lotty in a while - I try to go down a little later on a Sunday as the lads on the plot like to go down to the pub and it's nice and quiet - know what you mean about gossips Determined - the three near me all talk about each other really badly and then you turn around and see them all sitting there have a beer together!
Today I'll pot up some self seeded oregano and put those out for sale. They seem to come up all around the rhubarb - I left them last year as they looked so lush but now they are about 6 inches across - so they have to go and it will help pay for my seeds. It's so nice to see everything germinating and growing so well.
I'll report back later.

Fosterdog

Jojo your garden does sound lovely and it sounds like you are making the most out of the space you've got.

Fruit tea good luck selling the oregano, that's just reminded me that I haven't even planted up my herbs yet, best get to it soon.

My strawberries arrived yesterday so they had some water for last night and got all but six of them planted this morning before it got too hot, 18 planted so far from five different varieties, the six left are from the same varieties I just don't have anywhere to put them. I'll pick up a couple of grow bags tomorrow to get them in.

I've worked out that is it the broccoli coming through in the house and it has shot up, worried that it is too leggy already at almost three inches tall in the space of a week. No sign of my peppers, peas or potatoes yet but there looks like something starting in my lettuce planter, I went overboard with them so will have to seriously thin them out if I'm to plant fortnightly for a longer supply.

I tried to get a bit more clearing done but it was just too hot so I've scrubbed the decking instead ready to repaint and the wooden patio furniture I cleaned last week has had a lick of paint today. Every time I look at the area to clear I feel disheartene, it feels like it will never be done and until it is sorted I'm struggling to even find level ground to put my planting tubs for this years growing let alone getting it to the stage I can do proper beds.

determined_new_ms

I have found with my allotment to just look at sections Fosterdog - I go there with a plan of action (check out 30 minute gardening book), a couple of things I'm going to do that session and then try to just look at sections rather than the whole. This has helped with feeling motivated definitely! So if I go there and plan to dig over a section 1m2 and only get through 2/3rds of it if I just look at that section I feel pretty pleased with myself.

This has stood me in good stead and now I am starting to look at the whole as I have almost dug over all of the beds.

I killed myself at the lottie today! Had a massive digging session yesterday and probably a bit tired from that as no where as productive today with the digging. Only managed just over 2/3s of a 1.3x1m bed, planted some broad beans and was just faffing around pulling back some plastic sheeting to weed where I'm going to plant my potatoes and a neighbour turned up and offered me some blackcurrent bushes. So then dug over a small area to plant them. This had nettles & blackberry weeds/roots in so was hard! Ended up pushing myself much harder than I had wanted to today and have felt pretty tired all day since!

sowed mange tout & courgettes today - 2 varieties, and potted on a few peppers and aubergines.

Every thing is coming on nicely radishes & beetroot have germinated at the lottie and BB planted last week looking good, as are the strawberry plants all beginning to develop little fruits

sowed 2 types of chard & dwarf french beans yesterday as well as some tyme.

I picked some rhubarb after your response yesterday fruittea, will stew and have as a sweet treat later.

Will hopefully get down the lottie for an hour tomorrow morning before oh goes to work so hopefully I can get my potatoes in as well as plant some more radishes and beetroot :j

Kantankrus_Mare

Evening all..........what a beautiful day it has been here in Lincolnshire!!

Fruittea.........I am reporting that all my onions are in. :j Around 150 white an d managed to pick up some reds yesterday with an unplanned visit to B & M. So 100 of them in as well.

Had to clear half a bed of leeks to get the rest of my whites in. They werent as big as Id have liked but fetched them home, trimmed, cleaned and sliced them and probably have enough for 6 portions of leek risotto.

Came home and did some more sowing in my potting shed. Did some more spinach to replace the seedlings that did and more gypsophelia.

Potted on my sweet peppers and also sowed sprouts, leeks, pak choi and swiss chard.

Every time I read of what others are sowing, I remember something I have not done and should have lol

Ooh....I also took a cutting of the clematis I have growing on the front of my house to see if I could get some free plants. Have tried before with no success but thought I'd give it another go. Nothing to lose I guess.

Hope everyone has had a good day.

smeeinnit

Hi all

Had a day off from the garden today visiting my parents, however on Friday I bit the bullet and moved the compost bin from in front of the garage to the back of the garage, on the growing area. The space where is was will now be a flower bed, and despite the compost bin being [STRIKE]neglected[/STRIKE] underused for years, it produced a surprising amount of proper good compost :j so the flowerbed has some nice starting material.

As long as its dry or as good as over the next few days I will be busy planting the rest of my spuds, and onions, putting a little log roll border round the new flower bed and planting that up.

I'm going to take a trip up to the local garden centre to pick up some strawberry plants (hope I haven't left it too late for this year) and see if there are any cheap dwarf fruit trees about. I hear Lidl and Aldi's do fruit trees but have not seen any, have I missed them?

Hope you all had a lovely weekend :beer:

zafiro1984

Fabulous day so hot. Everyone seems to be really productive.

Should have planted my second earlies but ended up helping to finish putting up the fruit cage structure. This just leaves the netting to be put over it but I suggested waiting until the posts and straining wires were done first inside it so we didn't catch the netting and tear it.
So it's potato planting tomorrow.

Carrots have germinated, I need to sow another short row this weekend. The farmer next door was drilling his sweetcorn earlier today so it's time to sow mine. Peas have started to show but something has eaten off a few of the shoots - probably slugs or mice. Ants have started to make an appearance so I must deal with those as well.

Busy Busy Busy but I need a few minutes to just stand back and think as I've probably forgotten to do something important.