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The even newer good, bad and ugly of growing your own in 2021!

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  • -taff
    -taff Posts: 15,345 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    After last years growing where I actuallypaid attention to how things grew on either side of the greenhouse and when I'd sowed things, I'm not sowing my tomatoes or chillies until mid March. I usually don't sow the tomatoes early anyway,I find they go leggy, and like I said, last years greenhouse growing showed them sprouting up with the same amount of trusses as the ones in the sahdier side of the greenhouse that were sown later.
    Willbe doing some kale, kohlrabi and netting them this year. The cabbge whites will have to eat someone else's. Runners [ found the packet at the end of sowing season last year that I knew I had but couldn't find], frenchies and squash. The squash this year will be uchiki kuri or onion squash. I like crown prince, it's a lovely colour but I can never find this one I had in Italy once. They are dark green and mottled with a very intense orange flesh that stays firm when cooked, and is lovely in soups, so if anyone knows what that is, I'll be happy to know.
    As far as comfrey is conerned, you should be looking for Bocking 14, it's a sterile plant from cuttings, it will spread from the roots but it won't self sed over your garden and be impossible to eradicate. I managed last year to ave quite a few white borage seeds, I sowed two plants [one white, one blue] about 6 years ago and have never lacked them since. And lovage is lovely easy tog row from seed with a very particular taste. I like it but haven't sown any yet, I ned to find a place where I won't mind it coming back every year with it's six foot swaying stalks. The bees love it though.
    Non me fac calcitrare tuum culi
  • -taff said:
     I can never find this one I had in Italy once. They are dark green and mottled with a very intense orange flesh that stays firm when cooked, and is lovely in soups, so if anyone knows what that is, I'll be happy to know.

    Sounds like Buttercup or Green Hokkaido...
  • Suffolk_lass
    Suffolk_lass Posts: 10,265 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    -taff said:
     I can never find this one I had in Italy once. They are dark green and mottled with a very intense orange flesh that stays firm when cooked, and is lovely in soups, so if anyone knows what that is, I'll be happy to know.

    Sounds like Buttercup or Green Hokkaido...
    Good shout, we've had both in Italy - loads of Buttercup hybrids with pumpkins in the market
    Save £12k in 2025 #2 I am at £4863.32 out of £6000 after May (81.05%)
    OS Grocery Challenge in 2025 I am at £1286.68/£3000 or 42.89% of my annual spend so far
    I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the Grow your own thread
    My new diary is here
  • -taff
    -taff Posts: 15,345 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Thank you! More likely to be green hokkaido or a hybrid as suffolk lass says. They didn't have the bump underneath. I have done a search for seeds and identified somewhere to purchase from!
    Non me fac calcitrare tuum culi
  • I have signs of life - Whaooooo :)
    My Toms and chillies are showing signs of life.  I'm hoping the other things grow this week:)
    All indoors on a heater matt as the moment.  I may even have extra this year, must have been dud seeds last year.
    :jTo be Young AGAIN!!!!...what a wonderfull thought!!!!!:rolleyes:
  • I've still not started anything aside from letting my shop spuds slowly chitt away.
    Weather is mostly 'miss' rather than 'hit' up here, but at least the growing season hasn't really started yet.
    Mortgage started 2020, aiming to clear 31/12/2029.
  • Suffolk_lass
    Suffolk_lass Posts: 10,265 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I've still not started anything aside from letting my shop spuds slowly chitt away.
    Weather is mostly 'miss' rather than 'hit' up here, but at least the growing season hasn't really started yet.
    I'm the same. Some cleaning of pots and spreading of last year's pot-compost on beds to be a bit of a structure improver. The potatoes are sitting on the extractor hood in egg boxes. Less intrusive than normal. If it is fine I want to finish weeding the bed for onions and garlic and try and get them in today. It would be good to get some seeds planted but no real hurry yet
    Save £12k in 2025 #2 I am at £4863.32 out of £6000 after May (81.05%)
    OS Grocery Challenge in 2025 I am at £1286.68/£3000 or 42.89% of my annual spend so far
    I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the Grow your own thread
    My new diary is here
  • droopsnoot
    droopsnoot Posts: 1,868 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    My old lettuce seeds have probably had enough time to start showing some signs of life, so I think it might be time to give up on them. I did buy some new seeds from Wilko the other day, so I'll stick those outside next month and see what happens.

    I transplanted two of my pepper shoots into larger pots a couple of weeks ago, but I may have done something wrong. Although they haven't died, they're not really growing any more. Some of the shoots that I left in the small seed pots are starting to form more growth, more sets of leaves (not sure of the proper terminology) so maybe I just transplanted the wrong ones.
  • carinjo
    carinjo Posts: 931 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 500 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Was counting the garlic heads this afternoon for getting the soil ready and saw some of the bulbs (and some of the onions i have) have gone soft! They were still ok couple of weeks ago. Does it mean they no good anymore? 
    The potatoes are now chitting in the shed, no space inside at the moment! 
    It's good for the soul to walk with your soles on the soil. 
  • -taff
    -taff Posts: 15,345 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Possibly.Garlic should really be planted in November or December. If they're just a little bit soft, i.e. they've lost a bit of moisture you can still try them. If by soft you mean they're like a banana soft, then yes, it's too late.
    Non me fac calcitrare tuum culi
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