The all new good, bad and ugly of growing your own in 2020

[Deleted User]

-taff said:

There's no reason except depredation. Something might eat them before they get established....

Thanks taff!! 😊

Scrimps

Ive got very far behind on this thread as its been a bit busy here, im a bit far behind in the garden too.  May always goes very quickly it seems, having to hold off sowing and then all of a sudden Im sowing seeds too late!  It seems to happen every year
In early may we planted out our purple climbing beans - the cold dry winds really checked them so I dont think we will get a very good crop. but im going to leave them in the ground  Some Shiraz Mngetout I tried getting an early crop from in the green house is producing, its nice having a bit of colour variety but to be honest I prefer eating the young pods of the tall pea (possibly telegraph) I also grew in the green house for an early crop this year.  It seems much sweeter and get a few crops - pea shoots, mangetout and then finally some peas.  I have some growing on the 'shady side of the green house, we'll see how the go but i think theyre in a rain shadow and I dont have the water butts set up to water as i initially planned so they seem to be going quite slowly.
Things do seem to be growing rather slowly in the raised beds, im not sure if its my imagination or not, perhaps im being impatient but I suspect theyre wanting a little more water than theyre getting.  
Today we planted out climbing green beans and the giant sunflowers for the kids.  I also sowed some amaranths, sutherland kale and chicory into modules in the greenhouse.  I really needed to plant the Yakon that arrived last week but the midday sun got a bit too much in our south facing garden with very little shade and the toddler absolutely refused to wear his hat so we went inside.

My sun loving husband has completely conceded that we need some shade in the garden and over the patio, I have been looking up climbing plants to grow over a pergola over a 4mx5m patio - anyone tried the hardy kiwi 'Isaai'?  

[Deleted User]

Beds are all planted up now!! 🙌 Had another very busy day yesterday but achieved loads so despite being unable to move today it was worth it!! 😂 
I've left some gaps to do some successional sowing - I know it's so late in the season that I'm living in hope but we're not expecting anything great this year so anything 8works is a bonus in my mind 😉 
Hope you all had a lovely bh weekend! 

MysteryMe

All my tomatoes are now planted outside in their containers, I've gone absolutely mad there must be about 25 of them! I've still got 6 plants left so will try and re home them but I can see I'll be eating nothing but tomatoes in various guises for a couple of months.
I have also planted 2 courgette and 2 marrows but can't remember which is which.  Is there a difference in leaf shape or are courgettes just baby marrows  and marrows big courgettes? 
I have some romano peppers and jalepeno to pot on.
Some of my strawberries have fruit on them so will have to start netting soon

Any news of unrecordings?

Suffolk_lass

MysteryMe said:

All my tomatoes are now planted outside in their containers, I've gone absolutely mad there must be about 25 of them! I've still got 6 plants left so will try and re home them but I can see I'll be eating nothing but tomatoes in various guises for a couple of months.
I have also planted 2 courgette and 2 marrows but can't remember which is which.  Is there a difference in leaf shape or are courgettes just baby marrows  and marrows big courgettes? 
I have some romano peppers and jalepeno to pot on.
Some of my strawberries have fruit on them so will have to start netting soon

Any news of unrecordings?

Me too on tomatoes - I have the seven advance-guard tomatoes (three bought, four gifted) outside and the other 26 in the greenhouse, of which 12 are in their final pots and the rest are a bit behind. DH suggested removing the top of my benching (a removable cedar slatted panel in an aluminium frame) and putting my large trays on the bottom shelf so they are a) level and b) provide a rectangular support frame for those tomatoes - so far so good. I may with I had removed the bottom layer of slats too as they grow taller. Apart from that I have chillies and one melon I intend keeping in the greenhouse (and some seedlings too small to !!!!!! out, or where the destination location still needs more work) with the vast majority out and going for it. 

I never mind a glut as I freeze them then come the end of summer (the point where I compost the tomato plants) I cook them all and "can" (bottle) tomatoes for the winter months of soups, stews, chillies and bolognese.

My friend cycled over for eggs and plants and brought me more runner beans as mine have been so dreadful to get going (still no sign of climbing) so we have crammed two wigwams of canes into either end of the squash bed and stuffed them in.

In other news some local honey bees discovered an old hive in DH's workshop that had some melting honey in and decided to rob it. He went to get something and found a window full of bees so a quick relocation of the hive (awaiting refurbishment) and opened all the windows to let them carry it home. There was still lots of activity yesterday as they were coming (empty) and going (full). Hopefully they will remember where it was nice as they have found the honeysuckles too.

No sign of unrecordings since 3rd April. If something has happened and Mrs un logs in, I believe there are a few supportive messages waiting in his inbox. Fingers crossed it.

greenbee

@Suffolk_lass - you mention big trays for the pots that your tomatoes are in. I'm about to repot my toms into large pots (ones that roses originally arrived in), but only have small seed-tray sized gravel trays. What size trays are you using? And do you know where I can find some?!

-taff

And follwing on from that how big is your greenhouse?

-taff

MysteryMe said:

I have also planted 2 courgette and 2 marrows but can't remember which is which.  Is there a difference in leaf shape or are courgettes just baby marrows  and marrows big courgettes?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/digin/2010/07/gareth-austin-marrows-and-cour.shtml

MysteryMe

Ah thanks, so I will hopefully see two of the plants becoming bushier and know they are the courgettes.
I did buy separate seeds but got in a muddle when transplanting them!

greenbee

I was very excited yesterday to see that my carrots have germinated I wouldn't necessarily have chosen to grow them, but was given the seeds for my birthday. My courgettes, however, are being very, very slow to germinate...