The all new 2019 growing your own thread!

Jazee

Carinjo wrote: »

Just a quick question: after reading some posts here and and a search in general, i am still a bit clueless on how to use fleece. Do you just drape it across your seedlings? Do you tuck it it close along each row? I have 2, 1m rows of broadbeans that are handhigh at moment and some leftover fleece from previous allotment holder.

With fleece I do pin it down round whatever it is covering, but I don't protect my broad beans over winter at all and they've always been ok.

My only excursions into the garden at the moment are just to feed the birds.

Suffolk_lass

Carinjo wrote: »

Just a quick question: after reading some posts here and and a search in general, i am still a bit clueless on how to use fleece. Do you just drape it across your seedlings? Do you tuck it it close along each row? I have 2, 1m rows of broadbeans that are handhigh at moment and some leftover fleece from previous allotment holder.

No need for fleece with broad beans - they are officially tough as old boots and will thrive next spring after the head-start you have given them.

For semi tender plants I wrap it around the base and over any growth shoots but bubble wrap works just as well. I would only do this with expensive palms if we had any now - we left the last lot at a previous house and now plant susceptible things near fences or bits of house to give a bit of shelter.

unrecordings

MysteryMe wrote: »

II've also got a hardy Echivera which has had multiple stems of beautiful pale pink flowers. Like Sempervivum they have young plants coming off them so I have been potting them up, they look so exotic but grow so easily. I have given one as a thank you gift. The image was taken in June and the main plant has increased in size and the baby plants at least 4 times the size.

Out of interest what are you doing with the spent dried up leaves on the more mature plants ? I've tended to leave them, but I did remove them on one plant leaving a not unattractive trunk/cactus effect (though this particular plant had 'branches' rather than runners just hanging over the edge of the pot). I'm sort of thinking I could remove the leaves and repot deeper..?

MysteryMe

I may remove the one or two that have gone brown at the tip in the spring but so far not taken any away. This is how they looked this morning. The planter is 37cm across. As you can see there are plenty of new plants coming through and the ones that I took away have grown well

unrecordings

They do look good, thanks for sharing

Suffolk_lass

We got out on Tuesday and cleared all the frost impacted veg (lettuces, cucumbers, courgettes and squashes) so four beds cleared and one covered by carpet, with four more to go and two left with leeks in. To be honest our veg beds are taking a back seat.

The greenhouse foundations are dug (Mr lass) and we have had the weed suppressant membrane delivered (german stuff, first lot damaged in transit) - so we are ready to fill the holes and develop our other front garden parking area. We need to order the breeze blocks and ballast for the first job, and the gravel mats and gravel to lay that parking area. Just some deliberating over whether we turf-cut or just level with sand and cover - I suspect we will do the latter after it took Mr lass lots of time and energy doing the greenhouse prep.

I also need to make some jams and jellies with some of our produce to free-up space in the freezer! At least that is a warm job!

unrecordings

No news here - garden pretty much abandoned for the duration. At least there's little rush to get the stuff done that needs to be done. Chillis (indoors) are still happy and I've only 3-4 marble sized tomatoes in a dish in the kitchen - they're ripening one by one

-taff

Have some alliums to plant out while it's nice and cold and will laos plant a garlic bub I had that had big juicy cloves [ never got round to using it] so will see how that fares. I'm not planning on buying any from Jersey this year so that will have to do.

Jazee

I have a daffodil in full bloom.

Primrose

Jazee wrote: »

I have a daffodil in full bloom.

The weather always turns up these delightful quirks, doesn't it. I have a clump of spring primroses too which survived the recent frost.