Next steps; grip-relaxing bimbling, and avoiding the temptations

foxgloves

Yes, I thought washing jelly off tomato seeds looked like a faff too, though I usually buy tomato seeds. I need an F1 variety which resists blight, as it's quite a bad area for it here.

Suffolk_lass

foxgloves said:

Yes, I thought washing jelly off tomato seeds looked like a faff too, though I usually buy tomato seeds. I need an F1 variety which resists blight, as it's quite a bad area for it here.

@foxgloves If you want to try Black Russian in a greenhouse, I can send you a few to try for free. I have never had a blight issue with them. My mitigation is to always grow tomatoes in pots of new compost, and to spread the spend tomato pot contents on the flower beds, not the veg beds. I also only grow second early new salad potatoes to ensure early harvest and crumbly soil so I can grow carrots that are reasonably straight. Back to tomatoes, it is the Italian Costaluto varieties (genovese and fiorentina) that I have most trouble with. Blink and you have bottom end rot! I can see why the F1s are essential for you if you grow outside. I have/had blight in potatoes, two beds, twice in one, once in the other, hence my modification of what I grow now. I've also got a 15kg bag of pelleted chicken manure to try as my fertiliser next year, instead of three bulk bags that seemed to introduce new pesky weeds!

foxgloves

That's kind of you, @Suffolk_lass. I could probably fit a couple in - I mostly grow 'Roma' in the greenhouse & an anti-blight variety "Oh happy day" outside. My friend gave me a 'Costaluto' to try & it  took up a lot of space for very few fruits.....before getting chomped by a badger! I wouldn't bother with it again. 
Would you like to do a swap as I have saved a decent batch of this year's Guatemalan Blue Squash seeds, which are drying beautifully. This variety has always 'come true' from saved seed - they are big rugby ball ones, not the banana-type & are orange inside like a butternut.
F

Suffolk_lass

foxgloves said:

That's kind of you, @Suffolk_lass. I could probably fit a couple in - I mostly grow 'Roma' in the greenhouse & an anti-blight variety "Oh happy day" outside. My friend gave me a 'Costaluto' to try & it  took up a lot of space for very few fruits.....before getting chomped by a badger! I wouldn't bother with it again. 
Would you like to do a swap as I have saved a decent batch of this year's Guatemalan Blue Squash seeds, which are drying beautifully. This variety has always 'come true' from saved seed - they are big rugby ball ones, not the banana-type & are orange inside like a butternut.
F

Ooh, That would be lovely, yes please, @foxgloves. I will switch to PM you. If you want anything else seed wise, I have collected a few flowers; hollyhocks, Stachys (lambs ears), cornflower, lupin, - and I went mad with sweet peas so say if you would like some.

Humdinger1

Adoring the allotment chat and swapping! Where else on the Internet could we find this? Love Humdinger xx 

Makingabobor2

How lovely to see the garden love on here. 

Watty1

This corner of the internet is so heart warming.  I have masses of little seedlings and some seeds to plant later thanks to this corner, it makes me smile, there is so much kindness and love here. I feel so happy to be part of the community.

Suffolk_lass

Ooh, thanks guys. I am in the midst of studying and revising for the two exams I plan to take on the morning of 15th November, so a bit in and out of things. I also have lots of meetings coming up and last evening, successfully chaired a charity meeting for which I am a trustee. Lots of actions but only one is urgent. The next one is on Monday, for which I am secretary (another charity), Ugh!

I have been gently warming honey enough to put it through a 200 micron bag on my jellybag stand. It removed any black specs, or other specs like wax. In so doing I am decanting from 30lb buckets we use under the extractor, into 15lb buckets I can comfortably lift and store in little stacks. There isn't much this year - the Spring honey went back to the bees in the drought (which also caused them to eat what they had laid down for winter, much earlier, because the nectar stopped flowing). I have bought extra syrup to ensure I can get them to draw new comb in spring, and I have fondant, ready to put on, if they need more as the weather cools.

I'm just off with Mr Sl to walk the dog, having fat-necked coffee and toast. Up since 05.45, I need a little break!!

foxgloves

I'm an early riser too, @Suffolk_lass. The early mornings before the sun is up is my favourite time of day & I find I can get off to a good start & then have a bit of leisure time later on. I am learning a lot about bees & honey from you. Still quite a few bees visiting our garden for late blooms.
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Suffolk_lass

No need to ask when the aga went back on!