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

CAFCGirl

We managed to get up the plot for a good few hours yesterday and dug over/weeded out 6 of the beds I installed last year. Today I am hoping to get the remaining 4 done and clear out the raspberry patch, re-fit a border around it and then stakes in ready for stringing.

Due to a lot of arson attacks on our site, we have to seek permission for bonfires, so I've got that and plan on burning through the dead dry stuff that got piled up yesterday.

Not going up till later on this morning so right now I've got my coffee and some coir pellets and Im getting some seeds on the go

Dizzy_Ditzy

I got to both plots yesterday so started by clearing my strawberry bed. I started with 21 plants in there a couple of years ago. I came home yesterday with 26 MORE plants! I'll be potting those up today and hopefully make a start on one of my pallet planters I want to make a start on sowing chillies and tomatoes today too.

Got a bed dug over too. That was hard work because it's been covered for 18 months!

It was confirmed last week that I officially have an arthritic knee :eek: :eek: add that to the sciatic problem I have on the opposite side, you can imagine how much I was suffering last night I know these things all come with age but I'm not even bloody 40 yet :rotfl: :eek: :rotfl:

tootallulah

Runs in late to the party, hi all it certainly feels like spring is around the corner. As always I am growing those things I eat that are expensive in the shops: rhubard, red, white and black currants, raspberries, gooseberries and strawberries. I am also in charge of growing the annuals for my street plant swap. I will plant swap for outdoor tomatoes : Floridity, Roma, Gardener's Delight and some un-named chocolate tomatoes from saved seeds. I can't wait to get going I am going to clear out the greenhouse next week-end and as always the kitchen will become a plant nursery. In 5 weeks time the clocks go back -hurrah!

Jazee

Morning all. Nothing done here I'm afraid. I can see spring bulbs peeping through and I still have some veg and salad growing, but no seeds planted yet.

I can't wait for the clocks to go forward either.

CAFCGirl

My dining room table is 50% covered in seed trays and coir pellets

Yesterday saw me up the plot and we now have 16 raised beds ready for things to go in. Then back home, and I've sown spinach, lavender, brussel sprouts, sunflower, cucumber and tomato. I now have another two trays of coir pellets to sow into today ready. Also found my stash of half size propagator trays from the great W***ko sale so might use one of those and chuck some cress in just for fun.

We're predicted rain for the midweek and sun again by the weekend. Its coming, Spring is coming!

determined_new_ms

Hi everyone yippee spring looks like it's on it's way :j I went to the allotment yesterday for the first time in ages - weather has not been on my side when I have had the opportunity dug over 1/2 a bed, pulled the last of the turnips and did a general tidy - not bad for 1 1/2 hours will go down for the same again today.

I forgot how good it feels!

savingpennies

Morning everybody, I'd like to join in this year. I've lurked a lot and posted occasionally but now I am fully retired, I've more time for gardening.

I have a tiny greenhouse, and a small veg/fruit/herb section. I have raspberries (which did well last year), strawberries, cordon apples, a tiny plum tree and some blueberry bushes (which didn't do well). I have rhubarb, but looking for it this morning, I think it may have died.
This year, in the greenhouse, I hope to grow: tomatoes, cucumbers, chillis. In pots I am planning runner, French, broad beans, courgettes, carrots and salad leaves. In my little veg patch I hope to grow small crops like spring onions, beetroot, turnips, etc. I've grown many of these successfully in the past, but spring onions and beetroot I have been less successful with, so may need some advice on these.

downshifted

Hope you are all battening down the hatches ready for Storm Doris.

We still haven't set any seeds, but we have now filled the asparagus bed with 40 crowns, and made a start on the fruit part of the allotment by planting a redcurrant and two blackcurrants and some rhubarb. There is already rhubarb and some fruit trees and bushes on there, so we shall wait and see what they do this year before deciding wheter to keep them or not. The broad beans we sowed back in November when we first got the plot are up now - I was worried they look a bit yellow, but so do those on a couple of other plots nearby so it might just be the wind - we are very exposed, a mile or so inland on the east coast.

zafiro1984

CAFCGirl What a good start to the year - I must get started.

downshifted. 40 asparagus I love asparagus, I'd be interested in knowing what variety you have planted. I used to have a bed of Ginlim before we moved and my DH wants me to grow it again.

Early potatoes are now covered with fleece just in case the weather turns really cold. I've been on the plot most days but only for a few minutes each time.

So far I've managed to clear and turn over three out of 20 beds. I've still got a bed full of leeks, one full of kale, two of sprouting broccoli which isn't ready yet, but something looks like it has got to and eaten quite a few of my sprouts even though they are netted. I may have to call it a day with them and give them to the chickens as a treat.

In the tunnels I've fennel, onions, garlic, parsley and still enough carrots to take me into March.
My job for tomorrow is to put down a layer of manure on one of the tunnel beds and then move the strawberries indoors on onto the manure still in their pots. Fortunately they are in a bed very close to the tunnel so it won't involve much walking which I still find difficult at times, however I did just over 7000 steps today on my step counter which is the most I've done recently.

i really must kick my DH's diy tools out of the utility room so I can use the space and start my seeds. I've only a few to more packets to get, I just need the time and energy to sort things out.

Hope everyone has battened the hatches down for tomorrow, looks like it's going to be very windy here.

Ellie79

Hi, wondering if I can join in? Little late, I know.

Really want to try and grow some bits and pieces this year. On a tight budget and it has been a while since I have managed to keep on top of the garden. Need a plan for the year, as very busy finishing my studies. However, I would like to grow some basics and give my 5 year old a little place to grow her own veg too.

I have two of the little plastic type greenhouses already.

Really, I was wondering if all you amazingly green fingered lovelies might be able to help me out with some tips to start?

I was planning on getting a little plot in the garden sectioned off as soon as the weather is kind. Oh and as soon as I have begun my annual battle with the slugs!