The ups and downs and ins and outs of growing your own, 2018

zafiro1984 · 4 May 2018 at 1:01AM

Just spent a few productive hours on the plot.

I netted the black currants
Sowed in modules some Alderman peas: 2nd sowing this year, plus sowed my Crimson Crush Tomato seeds which arrived in the post yesterday.
Moved on some calabrese, melons, aubergines, chillies and sweet peppers
Planted out in the smaller tunnel Hurst green shaft peas and Amethyst dwarf beans.
Sowed some carrots in the tunnel plus turnips and radishes.
Mended the catch on the tunnel door so it will shut properly - saves using a brick to hold it shut.
Tunnel No1 is now back to where it was a couple of years ago.

I'm continuing to tidy the greenhouse which was badly needed as it became a dumping ground this last 12 months for anything related to the outside. (My health being less than 100% last year meant things seriously got out of hand)

I've still to make a start on tunnel No 2

Got my DH to service the small rotavater and start it. It's over two years since it was last used, fortunately it works ok so tomorrow I'll see whether or not I can lift it without it hurting my chest/operation site. If I can it will make a huge difference in effort and time for the outside beds.

All in all I'm feeling so much better and have got my enthusiasm back but I must keep nibbling away at things as there is so much to do to get everything back to where it was two years ago.

josefgiven · 5 May 2018 at 2:02PM

What do you like to grow?
- Vegetables!

Are you going to try anything different this year?
- I was gifted a victoria plum tree this year. Hasn't got any blossom on it, so I might have to wait until next year to get any fruit.

Did you try anything different last year? Did you like it? Would you grow it again?
- Parsnips. Did the proper thing and sowed them in situ. Ahem. Haven't dug them up, so they've overwintered in the ground. They *might* have the consistency of wood when I get round to digging them up!

Do you have any tips for growing?
- Hit and hope. Plants that can fend for themselves are the ones to go for.

Do you make anything with what you grow?
- A full belly!

How much does growing your own save you?
- If you consider that the hours I spend on the allotment could be spent working for money which could be used at the supermarket, it's a huge net loss. That said, onions (75p for a bag of sets at Lidl) work out very well. Over all, though, it's a labour of love, so don't bother if you're looking for the economic angle.

wishuponastar · 5 May 2018 at 7:06PM

Butternut squash update.

Some are going limp in the leaves and brown coloured. Not sure if it was too much water as I did leave them out in the rain or if it was too cold for them. The ones I repotted that were in their own containers prior to that were looking good and these have turned limp and stem thinning / dying too. So not too sure what happened. I hope I have at least 5 healthy ones that survive.

zafiro1984 · 6 May 2018 at 1:20AM

wishuponastar wrote: »

Butternut squash update.

Some are going limp in the leaves and brown coloured. Not sure if it was too much water as I did leave them out in the rain or if it was too cold for them. The ones I repotted that were in their own containers prior to that were looking good and these have turned limp and stem thinning / dying too. So not too sure what happened. I hope I have at least 5 healthy ones that survive.

It is probably the cold that has done it. My French climbing beans have had a setback and the leaves look brownish. I've covered them with fleece and hope they recover.

Didn't do too much on the plot today as it was so hot this afternoon but I found 11 raspberries just starting to grow around the back of the greenhouse. I bought some canes early last year and know I put them there in pots but I never got round to planting them out. My DH assumed they died as they never got watered so threw them out but some of the roots must have escaped into the ground, hence the small but healthy raspberry plants. Got DH to dig them up, I've potted them up and will put them in the fruit cage in a few weeks time.

Watered the seedlings in the greenhouse plus the tunnels. Also worked out how to get the compost which is sitting in the front loader of the tractor out side the plot onto the beds without lifting it.

wishuponastar · 7 May 2018 at 12:41PM

Zafiro1984, thanks for advice. That was good to hear about the surprise raspberries, it's always good when you get a nice surprise like that.

I had not such a nice surprise when I went to check on my 5 surviving butternuts today. One had been totally eaten and another had been half eaten but the part that puts out leaves is still intact so that is good. I'd left them in their pots on the ground (which I realise with hindsight that wasn't the best thing to do) but just glad whatever ate them didn't eat them all. Going to cover them with an old plastic bottle or something tonight.

My butternut survival rate is not doing so good. Wondering how Kantankrus Mare is doing with theirs? Did you germinate them and how is it going?

stoozie1 · 7 May 2018 at 2:03PM

I couldn't restrain myself any longer and planted 5 of my 7 courgettes out.

Are we doomed?

unrecordings · 7 May 2018 at 9:22PM

Quiet few days for me as it was too hot to attempt anything outdoors. Potted on a few things, topdressed a few other things, recycled some further things (all from the safety of the workshop). My courgettes are now overdue their 'forever home'. In the ground isn't an option as I don't have room and the slugs would have them before they fruit anyway. Greenhouse is an option, or maybe I might try hanging them over the verandah this time...

kacie · 8 May 2018 at 8:38AM

My courgettes did not germinate this year, last year was my first year doing them and I had loads, this year nothing, so I've redone it this morning, hopefully it's not too late to get some growing.

I'm trying beetroot for this first time this year, and have got them in pots growing, so we'll see what happens with those.

Kantankrus_Mare · 8 May 2018 at 9:54AM

I have ffive very healthy courgettes which I am hardening off daily.

Will put them out just before I go away for 2 weeks on May 21st. (Not great timing in the allotment scheme of things)

Hoping to get my daughter to go down to the allotment at least every other day to water whilst I'm away.

Going to have a bumper crop of strawberries. :j My three beds are full of flowers and look really healthy.

smeeinnit · 8 May 2018 at 10:05PM

Lots of things happening here, but not so much on the growing front

Had a new shed/girl cave delivered and erected last Saturday after having the base laid the week before. There is space for the new greenhouse to go, that's being put up a week this Saturday. We have also been replacing the decades old rotting wire fence at the bottom of the garden with some nice picket fence, that's about two thirds complete. Meanwhile...the house is full of leggy tomatoes dying to be potted up and out but not quite hardened off yet, trays of pansies and other bedding plants still on the ironing board....

I have sown some fast growing crops outside in the cold frame, and have some lettuce (tan tan and salad bowl red I think), spinach, beetroot, and spring onions all poking their heads up. Better put some beer traps down before the slugs find them :mad:

Still trying not to panic that its too late to sow stuff, just have to keep in mind that spring was 3 to 4 weeks late here.

Hope everyone is growing well :j

The ups and downs and ins and outs of growing your own, 2018

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