Chicken picking at feet

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Darn it, I've just come from there . Never mind, I'm bound to be back again soon!

[Christian]

The B^£%$@*@^ *@ rabbit has eaten all my radish markers, raspberry canes, some strawberry leaves, onions and all my direct sown salad leaves AGAIN!!

 

I spent this week stapling chicken wire to all the fences to try and stop it. Didn't want to have to cover every bed in chicken wire, but looks like I will have to.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

What a bummer, Christian . All that hard work .

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

I have a question for you experts ...

 

I'm about to sow my first seeds ( ) - indoors as there's still a chance of frost . I've got 25 courgette seeds - should I just sow them all at once, or do a few per week over a few weeks? Or should I keep half for next year? How many courgettes does one plant generally produce - the kids don't like them so we don't want too many .

 

Can you tell I'm a complete beginner ?

[Christian]

Sow 2 per pot, max of 2 pots if I were you

 

You can pull out the weaker seedling if both germinate, or re pot them both. You will get masses of courgettes if you keep picking them young.

 

I had 2 plants last year and had 80+ at least. Forget to pick them for a day or so and they become marrows!

 

Sow them on their side, as there is less chance of them rotting.

 

Grated courgette in salads or grated and mixed with potato/egg - makes nice fritters!

 

Good luck ANH

[Valkyrie]

ANH you can make courgette cake - similar to carrot cake - moist and yummy! Then you get sick to death of courgettes done whichever way humanly possible.

Poor Christian. Years ago when I was a teenager, there was a teeny baby wild bunny that often visited our garden and mum said how sweet it was. Until it munched her asparagus and then the exclamation was somewhat similar to yours! I think it either got run over or was scoffed by a fox - but then perhaps someone ate it (wasn't us)!

I seem to be having problems with my butternut squashes not germinating. Pesky seeds.

[Cinnamon]

I seem to be having problems with my butternut squashes not germinating. Pesky seeds.

 

Me too - they are my only non-germinater this year.

I don't know what on earth has gone wrong.....................

[Valkyrie]

Yes - they are the only failure so far (apart from ancient seeds and I was expecting that to happen). They are new seed too. I wonder if I should have another bash and soak them on kitchen paper to see if that softens the husk. I don't think I would try the scratching method just yet in case it damages the inside. Perhaps I'll stick some under Cheyenne to hatch!

[Cinnamon]

Today - 2 rows of carrots, 2 rows of pak choi, 1 row of Beetroot & my peas went out too.

 

I am awaiting my free Gardeners World seeds to give the Squashes another go,Koojie

[mostin]

The B^£%$@*@^ *@ rabbit has eaten all my radish markers, raspberry canes, some strawberry leaves, onions and all my direct sown salad leaves AGAIN!!

 

I spent this week stapling chicken wire to all the fences to try and stop it. Didn't want to have to cover every bed in chicken wire, but looks like I will have to.

 

Oh dear .

 

I shouldn't laugh but, been there and got the T-shirt. The wild rabbits and squirrels got my first crop of everything last year. OH built be what looks like a WIR but it has all the raised beds in so it keeps all the little darlings out.

 

It all worked out for the best because at the end of last summer we got the girls, so my vege's were already protected when they went out to free range.

[blackgold]

I am going to buy one from the garden centre. It only costs about the same as a packet of seeds and one plant is enough for me...Love sue xxx

[Blackrocksrock]

I seem to be having problems with my butternut squashes not germinating. Pesky seeds.

 

Me too - they are my only non-germinater this year.

I don't know what on earth has gone wrong.....................

 

 

I just sowed about 2 weeks ago seeds fresh from one I had just used - I did not dry them and I see to-day that one of them is just up and going!! Maybe just lucky.

[Valkyrie]

I think I'll try that next year! You lucky thing!

When we had the allotment we tried with the butternuts - they grew everywhere but not one squash did we get from the vines. We did however manage to grow tons of custard ones (I like the little flying saucers) and Sweet Dumplings - very nice. This year thought about the butternuts instead of courgettes just for a change.

[Lesley]

I've only sown mine today as I forgot them - I'm trying the variety called Cobnut this year.

[ali-s]

I got round to sowing the first of my vegetable seeds today. The first for over 18 months, I have missed growing vegetables.

 

Today I sowed

Runner Bean, Enorma and The Best of All

Dwarf French Bean, Kinghorn Wax and The Prince

 

Also potted on some Vegetable plants I bought from Hombase

 

Tomatoes, 3 types, can't remember the names

Pea, Onward. 24 plants in the tray I bought, cost £1.99

[bluekarin]

In my ickle plot I have sown

Potatoes

Red onions

White onions

Beetroot

Carrots

Parsips

 

and in pots

Broad beans

Peas

Sweetcorn

cucumber

Spring onions

chives

 

sweetpeas

cat grass

 

I already have strawberry plants all over the garden in hanging baskets and pots. And my blackcurrant bush has got really big so fingers are crossed for some currants this year (it was only planted last year) as were 4 raspberry canes but only 3 have come up this year.

 

Oh, and my sister has sewn toms from seed so she is giving me some plants.

[Blackrocksrock]

Tomatoes, basil, parsley, thyme, sweet peppers, chilli, butternut squash, cucumber, courgettes, calendula maragold, mixed leaves - kinds - 1 lot ready almost to pick and another sown and through for the next lot. Perpetual spinach from last year too.

[Valkyrie]

OH has fixed up another shelf in the greenhouse - NO ROOM! All my seedlings go on there and the rest is devoted to potted on plants - and still no room - I've even taken over the garden table to harden off plants.

[Christian]

Sowed some sweetcorn, more courgettes and some basil today. Also a few nasturtiums to act as a deterrent for the black fly. Hoping to keep my broad beans safe.

[Valkyrie]

Well I was hoping to do more carrots and sweetcorn, but found I didn't have enough sweetcorn kernels, so will have to pop down the garden centre tomorrow. I saw the clouds come over and thought pooh to the ironing - get some plants in the garden. So I started bunging tomatoes in the ground and the sun came out blazing - I've come in for a break, but there are now 12 plants in (some Moneymakers and most of the Scarlet King) and there's still more to go!

I also chased away one fat bird eyeing up my beetroot and caulis - Piggy Sioux again - anything but the ruddy pellets that the pigeons and blackbirds can't get enough of!

[ali-s]

Today I have sowed

Runner Bean, Best of all and Enorma

 

Courgette, All green Bush

Leek, Autumn Giant

 

The Courgette and Leek are seeds from 2007 and the packets were open, fingers crossed they germinate.

[Valkyrie]

Sweetcorn - at last!

[kitchens]

I've done:

 

some italian salad potatoes

a herb garden with all the main contenders

purple carrots

onions (normal and red)

garlic

salad - various cut and come again

Sweetcorn

dwarf french beans

toms

courgette (normal and yellow)

butternut squash

couple of pumpkins (for halloween)

 

Ohh now i've made a list I am very impressed with myself

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I'm so proud . I have a baby courgette on the way (and two more imminent) .

 

Have patience with me, I've not grown anything from seed for a loooooong time .

[Lesley]

Well done Kitchens and ANH

 

I'm really pleased to have got on top of seed sowing this year - I had to buy a lot of plants the last two years. I still find it exciting when it all germinates......except for parsnips of course - mine still haven't emerged....I think I've drowned them!

[Christian]

Planted more carrot seeds yesterday - thanks to the rabbit

another row of peas - rabbit again - or mice

more beetroot - again rabbit

and another few nasturtiums - enemy unknown, but give you 3 guesses

 

Do you see a pattern unfolding?

 

On a positive note, I have 8 courgette plants for the two of us. Do you think that will do??