The all new 2019 growing your own thread!

dancing_star

-taff wrote: »

Snap. If only there was a loud hailer with someone at the other end exhorting me to sow for winter when it's time to do so....

Ha, me too. Any suggestions what to grow for winter? I'm only in my second year of veg growing. last year I overwintered purple sprouting broccoli and that was it.


My raised beds will be full of summer crops soon so anything sown for winter will have to stay in the greenhouse or potting shed until I've harvested the summer stuff.



(I do plan to keep year round lettuce and poss spinach in the greenhouse)

-taff

leeks, cabbage sprouts, kale, a lot of leafy stuff, like pak choi, mustard greens, lambs lettuce, basically brassicas and lettuce
You can stick broad beans and garlic in but won't feel the benefit of those until april -may-ish and july.

euronorris

My tomatoes have been outdoors for a few weeks now, but that's because I simply didn't have room to keep them indoors anymore and don't have a greenhouse in the garden (no space). I have covered them over on exceptionally chilly nights (4 or below), with some big bubble wrap, and they have survived very nicely. They are thriving, in fact. Thank god!


My sweet peppers are also outside. Not sure they'll do as well, but again, a space issue.


The chilli is indoors and has started to flower already!! Putting them outside in warmer, sunnier, weather can help with pollination, but you can manually pollinate with a cotton bud. Ever so gently touch the inside of one flower (to get some pollen on it), best done in the afternoon (you'll see it coming off the flower as you do it), and then do the same to all the other open flowers on the plant before coming back to the original. Even better if you have two plants and can cross pollinate between them. I did yesterday when my plants were on the windowsill of the office, where they stayed all season long, and I had a glut of chillies


Everything else doing really well, though I noticed this morning that snail/slug as been at one of my peas!!! Grrrr!!! Have sprayed with garlic infused water in the hope of deterring any further nibbles! lol

zafiro1984

dancing_star wrote: »

Any suggestions what to grow for winter? I'm only in my second year of veg growing. last year I overwintered purple sprouting broccoli and that was it.

Same as Taff - brassicas mainly. I've just sown my leeks about a week ago, they haven't germinated yet but they will take me through to about March/April next year.
I sow main crop carrots in June. Eskimo is a good one as it will withstand frost and I can harvest them straight from the ground up to the end of March. I believe the variety Extremo is another one that will withstand frost.
A late crop if you have space in a greenhouse is to sow French Dwarf Beans in a tub in early August (I use a fairly large polystyrene box with holes in the bottom) they are ready Oct/Nov.

This afternoon I'm having a good tidy up. I'm not usually the most tidy of people but even I can see the mess

unrecordings

Bit of a tidy up here too this afternoon for a couple of hours, but rain stopped play and Mrs Un is off to get the chips. Got a couple more Physalis potted up, and since my cherry tomatoes haven't germinated, I just got three Gardeners Delight seedlings from the garden centre up the road. Hopefully the weekend will start to warm up nicely and I can get out there tomorrow and really get things done

dancing_star

thanks for the suggestions. I had forgotten to add that I have already planted Brussels. I'll try and remember a midsummer sowing of dwarf French beans, must write it on the calendar.


I am growing cavolo nero, think I might have some kale seeds somewhere.

Suffolk_lass

My lovely neighbour has offered us leeks again this year - I will be moving seedlings to him ready for the plant sale so will collect them next week. We are hellishly busy clearing up toot ready for opening Village Gardens - with a dump run of 4 x 1 ton capacity bags on this morning's agenda. I will have runner beans and Borlotti bean seedlings ready by then , together with tomatoes, chillies courgettes, cucumbers and maybe butternut squash, as well as path seedlings we have been potting up (mostly Stachys byzantina; lambs ears and self seeded aquilegia).

The rain has caused a bit of a spurt of growth and I may have radishes ready for next week, and loads of onions and potatoes are getting on with it. We must spread some compost around too, if only to get the bags moved from the veg garden paths! Oh my - lots of getting on with it needed!

Jazee

My garden is neglected and I think I've killed some of the tomato plants by forgetting to water them.

Have a migraine today so going back to bed and will see how I feel later.

Kantankrus_Mare

Seems everyone is in tidying mode, myself included!:D

Went to the allotment yesterday afternoon and am 95% weed free :j
It looks so nice...........just a shame it doesnt stay like it.

Whilst weeding around my raspberries, the bees were buzzing about doing their stuff. I find them fascinating and after watching them going from flower to flower in the strawberry beds, I realised I should hold off as long as possible before netting them to let the bees perform their magic.

My dads neighbour had given us some plants but dad coudnt remember what they were :rotfl: look like brussels or cabbage to me so I planted them near my caulis. Back was killing me last night. Just hoping I can keep on top of it whilst its tidy as it makes things so much easier.

Caught up with gardeners world before collapsing in bed. Montys tomatoes are huge compared to mine!!

unrecordings

Lovely morning here, already managed to negotiate the purchase of some old drainage pipes to use as planters, and I've got a plan of what needs to be done today, just need to try not to go off piste and end up making a coffee table or something. Must say I'm a fan of Monty Don - last night's Acer tip was timely, as I was about to distrubute the last of the chipped xmas tree down near the woods (but I now now the Acer would appreciate it more).

To those having to sit on the sidelines today, take it easy (yes I'm a fine one to talk) - looks like good weather for ten days or so at least