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

unrecordings

Very little going on here really. I've got some onions in, yet to deal with shallots and garlic. I've a few tomatoes & peppers clinging on in the greenhouse, but I think I'll call time on them next week.

smeeinnit

Not much going on here other than some very late planted potatoes still just about alive. I had some spare seed potatoes which I planted at the beginning of August, to see if I could squeeze another couple of pounds out of them rather than chuck 'em, I've had about a pound in weight from one pot (which were the best looking main crops this year!), still 3 other pots I've not raided yet. I don't expect any more growth now as the frosts have arrived. Might harvest them soon before the slugs find them :mad:

Other than that I have been mulching and tidying up, starting to prepare the area I used for container growing this year for a new greenhouse, shed and raised beds. I decided not to grow direct as there are so many stones from where the area was previously gravelled, and slabs a few inches under the surface of the soil, yes its the lazy way but I didn't want it to become such a nightmare removing them that I give up altogether. In addition I will still grow lots in pots scattered around the area.

I've also got a cold frame to assemble, and will sow some broad beans and sweet peas. All seeds purchased for next year and catalogued, but I might ahem, waft past the garden centre up the road, ahem, just in case, you know.....

Hope all is well wherever you are, suppose it wont be too long before the 2018 thread starts, getting excited already!

Stay safe and warm

Suffolk_lass

I've just got beets and carrots left in the ground now, and a few ginormous chard above it. Lovely frost this morning will help kill off some of the gribblies that should not be able to over-winter and then there is just loads of digging and covering to finish off. My pelargonium hanging baskets look as good as ever but I might move them to the greenhouse anyway

Former_MSE_Andrea

Is anyone growing lettuce through the winter?

I've just moved house and after a year of not growing anything because we were moving I really want to grow something and can't wait till spring.

I don't have a greenhouse or cold frames yet though. Basically nowhere obvious - other than an old tyre but it's a bit late for potatoes.

unrecordings

Andrea, maybe try Japanese Spinach - it's still vigorous this time of year and it's doing great in my garden - so far seems immune to both slugs & pigeons. In other news, I'm just gathering the last of my overgrown herbs for drying (Rosemary, Broadleaf Thyme and Savory) before I leave them alone for the winter. I'm also gathering leaves for mulching beds and replenishing my leaf bin

CAFCGirl

Longer days and lighter days are soon to be upon us!

Can't wait.
Spent my morning going through my entire seed box and putting all the packets into envelopes marked with the months so I know what I can start sowing when.

Exciting times ahead.

Merry Xmas to my fellow veg growers

Kantankrus_Mare

CAFCGirl wrote: »

Longer days and lighter days are soon to be upon us!

Can't wait.
Spent my morning going through my entire seed box and putting all the packets into envelopes marked with the months so I know what I can start sowing when.

Exciting times ahead.

Merry Xmas to my fellow veg growers

And to you too CAFCGirl.

I still regularly visit allotment as I have bags of veg peelings and coffee grinds to take as we are on a major recycling thing at the restaurant I work at. Have almost four compost bins full so should have some great compost next year.

One lot of my sweet peas are doing brill but the other didnt germinate.

Only edible thing Im getting at the moment is my leeks. Had a leek risotto in the week..... Lovely......and think I have enough leeks to last me through to spring time.

If anyone has a supply of leeks all year round I would be interested in planting times to achieve same. We use loads of leeks at home.

Something has grown greenery in the bed that I put flowering bulbs in and Im not sure what it is. Will leave till spring as its in rows. Hmmmmm.

Jazee

Happy Christmas everyone.

KM - I don't have leeks all year round but do have a nice supply at the moment. Seeds originally planted in pots in the greenhouse in early spring, and moved outside when they were pencil thickness.

Broad beans plants about 5 inches high now. Herbs in greenhouse still doing well. Still have a supply of lettuce in raised planter, and some now germinating. Also have tiny strawberries, not quite ripe, in the unheated greenhouse. World has gone mad.

Still need to do some tidying though, didn't clear all the tomato plants and I don't want to encourage vermin with the rotting fruit.

CAFCGirl

Propagator Question:

In a bid to help with my seeds this year, I was debating investing in an electric propagator or a heating seed mat....

Does anyone have any recommendations over which one to go for?

Jazee

Sorry CAFCGirl, I don't have any recommendations as I've never used one.

Guests very impressed on Christmas Day when I went out in the garden for fresh veg and salad. You have to wonder where some people think food originates from.