patsylabrador Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Pumpkins, beetroot, swede and sweetcorn all doing ok. They took a while but kicking off now. Two types of carrot which look good on the surface but I have always failed with carrots. Butternut squash have been hopeless. Peas are starting to look strong. Peppers and chillis in greenhouse are strong but small. I have used nematodes for several years, I think they've saved me lots of grief with slugs this year. Despite the weather I haven't seen any slugs, at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migsy Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Carrots decimated by slugs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Patsy what is a nematode? Picked garlic - esp as worried when we are away will rot. Also main crop spuds suprisingly good as are new spuds. Courgettes etc - poor - plants healthy but need sun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Nematodes are naturally occurring microscopic parasites that enjoy a juicy slug. They are always in the soil and reproduce to keep pace with slug population. If you introduce them to your soil it tips things in your balance. They disappear into the ground and are harmless to other creatures. I buy nemaslug off of Amazon, it's not too late to use some now. I was sceptical at first but they've proved themselves this year for certain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I picked Peas, Broad beans, a Cucumber ,Courgettes, Raspberries & Blackcurrants over the weekend. Had to pull up my Pak Choi & give it to the hens as it was going to seed.................they also got the Beetroot & Carrot thinnings! Got another row of carrots & more salad in too....................also had to add more soil to the onions again,as it all keeps getting washed away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Thanks Patsy - will study these closely. We are slug city here and I dont want to feed to hens as I dont think they should eat too many. However if they catch them themselves not much I can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted July 17, 2012 Author Share Posted July 17, 2012 I picked a huge courgette yesterday. The only things thriving at the allotment at the moment are sprouts, swede, kale and purple sprouting, but the pigeons are starting to attack them, amazingly I quite a bit of good lettuce down there too, but I have to wash it so well because we have sandy soil, gritty sandwiches are not nice. The sweetcorn plants are healthy but if we ever get any sun when they need it is another matter. My carrots are hiding in a mass of milk thistles as are my onions, although maybe that has kept the soil around them. I also lost all of my seedlings of beetroot, turnips, chard, and parsnips in a weed patch. I will have to sow some more. We are losing a day of each weekend visiting my grandad in hospital and with that and the rain we just haven't been able to keep on top of it this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LolaLayla Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 Started picking the peas and also courgettes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 Today from the allotment we have had some broad beans, peas, black currants, courgettes and tomatoes. There is one pepper plant in the greenhouse that has some quite sizeable peppers on it and our sprouts and Calabrese are thriving, we also have some heads developing on our cauliflowers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 It's mainly flowers here. The dahlias are all beautiful & I noticed the freesias are all now in flower. I don't know what has suddenly happened to the sweet peas, but they have gone mad & I have a few deep purple sweet pea flowers too. As for the nastutiums - they are like triffids. They've gone mad!!! I have a lot of cherry tomatoes on the indoor plants - they just need to ripen now. Then there are about 4 cucumbers which are growing nicely too. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggasperated Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Eventually got out in the garden Saturday to do some weeding and see what has survived this awful weather. Shallots look really good, onions are a bit flattened but I think that's more to do with the deer walking on them rather than the rain knocking them over . Leeks and most of the winter brassicas are doing well. Some broad beans, French beans have a few flowers and the runner beans are struggling up the poles. Unfortunately courgettes are suffering from the weather and the carrots look sp"Ooops, word censored!". Early potato crop is poor and I can see the beginning of blight on the main crop potatoes. Also my strawberries have been really poor, terrible germination on the flowers and anything that has developed either goes rotten, is eaten by slugs or smashed by torrential rain. And I have given up sowing radishes. On the plus side I am getting plenty of cucumbers from the polytunnel, my lettuce seem be surviving the slug onslaught and the beetroot are doing well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue_F Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 My fennel's going strong but peas and beans all rotted in the rain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 My first lot of Peas suffered,so I sowed a very late lot last week, & they are shooting away nicely I figured that everything was late this year,so I might as well give it a bash & see what happens. My Tomatoes are not so good this year after - less fruit set than usual....by now I am usually picking the first ones,but the ones I do have are all still tiny & green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted July 24, 2012 Author Share Posted July 24, 2012 My hanging basket tomatoes are just starting to ripen with the sun, but we have far less set in the greenhouse than normal and they are no where near ripening yet. I have quite a few cucumbers and one courgette plant doing very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gertie Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 My tomatoes are still on flower and so far only one truss of actual tomatoes. And they are in the greenhouse! I've had some potatoes. My strawberries all rotted and I've had total onion and garlic failure So far not that productive a year. I think I'm really green fingered... Not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Our strawberries all went to a mouldy mush too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 Oh dear, my garden's a bit of a disaster on the vegetable front. No strawberries at all, my radishes are long pink pieces of string, the slugs got the lettuce and the cats ate the beans and purple sprouting broccoli before they got to the garden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted July 29, 2012 Author Share Posted July 29, 2012 It has been a tough year I feel your pain. We have however now got ripe tomatoes, plenty of cucumbers and the courgette glut has started Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Glut?????!!!!!!! Drum roll please.....I spy with my little eye 5 broad bean pods and 4 yellow raspberries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Yep,courgette glut here too. I have 7 in the fridge,another half dozen nearly ready to pick & have fed the hens loads too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted July 31, 2012 Author Share Posted July 31, 2012 What is your favourite way of cooking with them Sarah? I roast and fry them with other veg a lot and make curries with them too, and they are nice grated and fried lightly before mixing with eggs and making an omelette. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 I have a wonderful recipe for courgette & tarragon soup,which we all love & it freezes really well. The Husband & the youngest daughter hate them with a passion (apart from this soup!),but I throw them into everything this time of year - Bologneses,Curries,Pizzas etc. I made a big batch of ratatuoille & portioned it up to freeze ,& my eldest will take a few of those back to uni with her next month. Courgette & Parmesan Quiche is also a favourite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 I've grown cucumbers for the first time ever! What I mean is - they have survived! I didn't re pot them, just left them in big silver ice cream scoopy tubs & I have left them indoors on the window sill. They look like triffids from outside , but I don't care - I have cucumbers! They are still a bit spikey at one end yet - but I am so very pleased, can you tell? My cherry toms - just need ripening off. There are loads. I've done very well with the sweet peas - think they were very late to get their bums into gear this year. But they are good strong plants now & have the most gorgeous deep purple flowers. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 My Q's are amazing this year. I normally grow Telegraph,but this year I have gone for a mini one - EVERY seed germinated & I have heaps of Cucumbers growing away. I have 4 ready to pick & have already picked that many over the past few weeks - they are a great size for a weeks worth of salads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted July 31, 2012 Author Share Posted July 31, 2012 I make courgette and tarragon soup too, it even got the approval of a very particular foody friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
