The all new 2019 growing your own thread!

Suffolk_lass

euronorris wrote: »

My big black tomato plant lost a branch! It had snapped off the side. Such a shame as it was flowering as well!

Me too. I was tying up the tomatoes and the top of a Sungold snapped clean off leaving a low set only. No idea if any other shoots will come. Heart-breaking after all that effort!

Just popped in to check what the 3ft+ snake was that I almost stepped on. So much variety in patterns it was definitely not a slow worm but it was yellowy brown with dark markings on and basking in the sun outside the greenhouse until I came blundering past. Much longer than anything I have seen in UK. Grass/smooth is most likely but no pond. Unlikely to be an adder but always possible I suppose. I didn't half jump!

baggins11

It could be an adder suffolk lass - they have quite distinctive dark markings. Shame you couldn't take a picture, maybe you will see it again. I took a picture of the adder I nearly stood on a few weeks ago and checked the markings on the internet. I got chatting to someone recently who has a friend who's job it is to monitor adders in the area and he said they are rare in these parts so I was lucky to see it sunbathing.

On the veg front I harvested my first potatoes the other day. Delicious but not a massive crop off the first plant. Still harvesting courgette and cucumber thick and fast! Hope it continues.

I am having to share my salad crops with the slugs/bugs as they are getting a battering and the frilly stuff and spinach keeps bolting.

I thought my beetroot were all top and I was getting worried but I am pleased to see the roots have recently got much bigger. I roasted a couple the other day and they were lush. My onions and shallots have done really well but for some reason my garlic hasn't done anything.

Oh and I am sick of all the blinking rain.

zafiro1984

Suffolk Lass:- We're supposed to have adders around here but I've never seen one. I've seen slow worms and we have loads of small lizards on a sandy bank, they're quite bold and love sunbathing.

I took some plants to the local boot fair last Saturday and almost sold out, (£76 after expenses) the money will go towards seeds/fertilizer etc for the veg plot. I think I'll go again this coming weekend as more have started to flower.

I've taken advantage of the warm but wet soil and sowed my main crop of carrots which hopefully should take me through winter, plus some quick growing Nantes to harvest Sept/Oct. Also planted out some leeks. Tomorrow the last of the potatoes will go in and I need to tie in the tomatoes.

I've still got the fruit cage to tackle, it's a mess as nothing was done last year but I think I'll wait until the summer raspberries have finished and then have a jolly good go at it. That reminds me I need to net the currants which are outside the cage - must do that tomorrow.

Suffolk_lass

I concluded it wasn't an adder because of the size really. They don't exceed three foot long normally and the dark markings were not as vivid as any of the photos of adders - but I suppose it could have been. There are always mice and rats in the hedges and definitely small birds and rabbits so plenty of varied diet for them.

zafiro1984 I am loving the idea of selling surplus at a boot fair - I may have to go for that when our new greenhouse is in as I will have room for the extras I will need to grow.

If you want a quick crop - try "Speedy" dwarf beans - I have underplanted my cucumbers (plan to grow these over a willow arch as they are the small ones - hopefully) with some and they germinated in a week and are faster than the radishes planted at the same time.

The small cluster of leftover bees should have died out by now but are still going - good for pollination but they will not be a viable colony come winter, whatever they might be up to in the hive (I have not checked).

I must get out there and weed this afternoon (dog walking and opticians first)

unrecordings

Couple of days off again here (i've halved the steroids which is really tiring), but feeling bright eyed & bushy tailed today - so hopefully with the good weather will get things done. Got some teasel seedlings to pot up, some tomatoes to investigate (see below), top up some seed trays with salady stuff, cut back the pak choi (or tatsoi or whatever it was), weeding, maybe some strimming...
...I sowed some Christmas Grape tomatoes, then re-used the pots when I thought the seeds just weren't viable - well guess what, I might have 2-3 plants.

In the meantime I finally found this - first published in 1934 (this reprint with updates from 1942) While they'd not yet discovered the joys of DDT, there are an alarming number of preparations recommended that were actually used as chemical weapons in World War One. The section on blossom end rot is a bit disappointing though - no mention of calcium deficiency. I'll try to remember to quote from it later

Pablosmummy

It's not raining!! Finally some sun, took the dog out and I'm not covered in mud for once hurray.
I harvested my garlic a few days ago ( which is looking amazing!) So I think I'll sow a bucket of carrots today. I've selected the best sideshoots on my tomatoes and pinched out the rest, might be a bit awkward to support it but I will cobble something together.
I'm debating trying for a late courgette...I've got the large pot.my cucumber was meant to be in looking all empty and sad so I may aswell do something with it.
Also my psb and Pak choi are now big enough so I can tell them apart, need to.harden them off then out they go and I have my kitchen windowsill back woo!
I'm still very jealous of everyone seeing all this wildlife. I saw a bird once in my garden...I guess the middle.of a new build estate that's full of AstroTurf and decking isn't the most wildlife friendly place...ooh I saw some bats a few nights ago, that was exciting...

baggins11

You are lucky spotting bats Pablosmum they are wonderful things. It's a shame you can't attract more birds into your garden. Are there lots of cats in your area as sometimes that can mean less birds around.

Bear in mind the downside of living rural is that as well as all the wonderful wildlife you also have earwigs all over the place especially in the bathroom, massive spiders, loads of flies in the summer and rats regularly trying to set up home in outhouses!

Well done on the garlic - I don't know what I did wrong but mine was an epic fail.

zafiro1984

Nothing was done today outside, the potatoes are still sitting in their tray on the bench, and according to the weather forecast it's going to rain pretty nonstop until tomorrow evening.
On a positive note some much needed housework got done and I even cleaned the kitchen floor, - that took well over half an hour and I wasn't hanging about. It looks OK now just ready for everyone plus the dogs to come in with their muddy boots!!
Hopefully the weather forecast is wrong for tomorrow but somehow I doubt it.

Pablosmummy

We do have alot of cats around here, including mine (although he's too old.and lazy to chase anything now) so I'm not surprised there's no birds. I keep a bird feeder filled at the end of the garden in the hope that one day a bird will come lol.
Decided against the courgette because I found a packet of blauhilde climbing beans so sowed a few of them to go up a wigwam instead.
With the garlic, I know I should say I bought some fancy garlic from the garden centre but it was actually a few cloves that I found in the fridge thrown in a bucket of old carrot compost...
Lovely day today here! The garden is actually drying out which is nice

Living_proof

I have had a really MS gardening week. Firstly I noticed some plastic planters and seed trays outside a house in my neighbourhood and it looked just like they were being thrown out. I summoned up the courage to knock and ask, and the lady turned out to have had an allotment on my own site. She was indeed throwing them away and was glad to have them go to a good home. The three planters would cost £40 or more and the trays are the thicker, good quality ones.

I then had the offer of ten bags of alpaca poo (beans) about 20 miles away. Well worth the drive and I got to feed the alpacas too! I had no idea that the poop could be used immediately and without composting, and I am very grateful for the chance to experiment.

Finally my friend mentioned that grow bags were 5 for £5 at his place of work due to a drastic over-order. I have taken 10 which will last me quite a while if I use as potting soil.

All in all a very MS week, shame about the weather!