Poorly chicken

[mullethunter]

Cannot grow carrots! They come up and then disappear! Any tips? I thought they were supposed to be easy!

[sjp]

Cannot grow carrots! They come up and then disappear! Any tips? I thought they were supposed to be easy!

slug damage is the probable cause

I had my best eve carrots last year. I acquired an old shipping crate about 6ft x 2ft x 18in deep for firewood but decided to turn it into a carrot bed instead. googled potting mix for show carrots found a video on you tube and followed that. this year the only change I'm making is to put debris netting over them to try to keep the carrot fly out plus I've added a bit of Perlka to the fertilizer mix and I might thin the seedling out on part of the row of sweet candle to see if I can get a few big carrots. I've also got 2 big 50lt tree planter pot with carrots in this year if they work I might have a go with a dustbin next year and try for a few long carrots

[mullethunter]

Ive got a planter about that size which is currently empty. My mum thought I should put bedding plants in it but carrots is a much better idea. Thanks SJP - I'll give it a try

[Valkyrie]

I have carrots!!! Rows of them! It's also been wet and trying to rain at the moment. I fear the worst while they are looking so cute with the slugs and snails and all the deluges we've had! Also have parsnips and sugar snaps. Sugar snaps are really romping after the rain. DS brought me home a flowerpot man from Berrynarbor for my birthday (I've called him Sherlock because he has a pipe) and he is guarding the peas for me so that the pigeons keep off. More proper peas growing in the greenhouse and lots of beetroot (yuk). Also Romanesco, sprouts, and gherkins are just shooting up. I forget what else - cuddly toy? Nope, it's little Mousie Tung again in there. So cute - keep off my veg Mousie!!!

[sjp]

I have carrots!!! Rows of them! It's also been wet and trying to rain at the moment. I fear the worst while they are looking so cute with the slugs and snails and all the deluges we've had! Also have parsnips and sugar snaps. Sugar snaps are really romping after the rain. DS brought me home a flowerpot man from Berrynarbor for my birthday (I've called him Sherlock because he has a pipe) and he is guarding the peas for me so that the pigeons keep off. More proper peas growing in the greenhouse and lots of beetroot (yuk). Also Romanesco, sprouts, and gherkins are just shooting up. I forget what else - cuddly toy? Nope, it's little Mousie Tung again in there. So cute - keep off my veg Mousie!!!

do you do any good with Romanesco I've tried it a few times but I find it only produces very small heads even when the caulis are doing really well

slugs and snails are going to be a pain this year after the warm wet winter the brassicas have taken a pounding in the greenhouse already and I've lost some of the pumpkins and squashes before they had time to fully open the seed leaves

[Alis girls]

Yes slugs n snails abound, all you can hear is swearing and a crunch as I anilate them. Beans are in and squash, cucumbers and courgettes are still in cold frame

[Valkyrie]

Only one row left of carrots - nematodes on order again. I think that's what helped last year. The parsnips are untouched as are the sugar snaps. Everything else is still in the greenhouse. The old leek seed is a bit sporadic - only one variety doing very well. Although with moving next year, we don't need as much to harvest and freeze, so my plantings are very few this year.

[Daphne]

I was in near despair because of the weather. May has been unfeasibly cold and wet after the same in March and April. We had a fire going on Friday night. We have lost all peaches - the fruit, but also possibly one of the trees, we'll have to wait till next year to see if it survives the leaf denudification caused by leaf curl. I can count the number of plums on my fingers, one apple has no fruit - but the amount of leaf on both trees is crazy, I find this as worrying as no leaves, it must be a massive burden on the plant. I had started planting trees and I should be grateful they have had a thorough wetting, but in fact one of them looks as though it has drowned roots. Our cherries are OK, but most cherries in Portugal are late - normally there are cherry festivals through May, our local one featured cherries from South Africa - and you can't buy them easily yet whereas normally the markets would be full. Our neighbour says even growers with fruit have lost it all recently as the rain has made the fruit split.

 

However, the forecast is set to be much much better from today. Last week I saw a whole green tiny tomato and came rushing in to tell OH - small things, small wins Although overall half a dozen plants have died from branches rotting off. Strangely the pepper plants have survived with no losses. I have had to throw away whole trays of seedlings - veg and flowers; they had to stay inside for too long and became too long and leggy, I just couldn't put them out. I hadn't been outside for 3 days because of the rain, but yesterday I noticed that some sunflower seedlings which I had put out had literally doubled in size in those days, and a single gladioli spike has grown inches and will break into flower in the next week or two, whilst the rest are still just leaves. I think if I sowed stuff now, literally, it would probably catch up, but I can't because I won't be around enough to tend to it. The spuds we saw planted about 4-6 weeks ago by a neighbour are now huge, strong plants, so they have appreciated the wet. We don't get many slugs, but blackspot is rampant, and a kind neighbour sprayed our vines against something or other to do with the wet. I have noticed the olives are weighed down with blossom, so possibly they will perform well later.

 

I guess its just a case of recalibrating, and it will get better

[chickencam]

Carrot seedlings are commonly eaten by slugs. I put slug pellets down when I sow them. I planted my courgettes and patty pans yesterday, but butternut squash are still in the greenhouse, they were potted on yesterday and will go out in a couple of weeks. Peas are doing well again after pigeon attack and we have flowers on a few early potatoes.

 

All of the tomatoes are in their final positions and we have one turning orange on the Tumbler plant that has been kept in the greenhouse . We have also been eating loads of rhubarb which is good this year, and have had the first radishes of the season including some purple ones which are yummy.

[mullethunter]

I've had plenty of rhubarb too - especially since I figured out what the weird upside down metal dustbin was!

 

Spuds, onions, runner beans and sprouting broccoli plants are all in and doing well. Second attempt at leeks are in and haven't disappeared yet (been in 4 days - last lot vanished in 2). There seem to be a few parsnip seedlings but not many considering how much seed I planted. Half the row of peas was demolished by slugs, and now the half that was doing really well has all been nipped off at the tops. I'm suspecting birds - I know pigeons are the usual culprit, but would sparrows do this?

 

Gardeners Delight tomatoes are doing well in small plastic 'greenhouse'.

 

Have foraged strawberries from pots around the garden and put them in a strawberry planter that I found and they mostly have flowers on them now.

 

Lots of fruit set on the raspberries, blackcurrants and jostaberry. A few on the blueberry - it's too crouched bough really and needs moving.

 

Half the victoria plum is covered in fruit. A few pears, but the tree which has been healthy so far seems to be dying. All the tip leaves are curling and some branches dying completely - does anyone know if there's anything I can do?

[sjp]

Carrot seedlings are commonly eaten by slugs. I put slug pellets down when I sow them. I planted my courgettes and patty pans yesterday, but butternut squash are still in the greenhouse, they were potted on yesterday and will go out in a couple of weeks. Peas are doing well again after pigeon attack and we have flowers on a few early potatoes.

 

All of the tomatoes are in their final positions and we have one turning orange on the Tumbler plant that has been kept in the greenhouse . We have also been eating loads of rhubarb which is good this year, and have had the first radishes of the season including some purple ones which are yummy.

you put the slug pellets out to early modern slug pellets have to start brake down after 7 days carrot take 7 - 10 days to germinate

if the butternuts had got a couple of true leaves on them they could have gone out

[sjp]

I've had plenty of rhubarb too - especially since I figured out what the weird upside down metal dustbin was!

 

Spuds, onions, runner beans and sprouting broccoli plants are all in and doing well. Second attempt at leeks are in and haven't disappeared yet (been in 4 days - last lot vanished in 2). There seem to be a few parsnip seedlings but not many considering how much seed I planted. Half the row of peas was demolished by slugs, and now the half that was doing really well has all been nipped off at the tops. I'm suspecting birds - I know pigeons are the usual culprit, but would sparrows do this? yes it's the youngsters mainly it's unusual to lose leeks that early unless you planted them out a bit early I don't plant them until they are about the size of a pencil normally about mid June mine are struggling a bit this year germinated well but stud still for a few weeks

Gardeners Delight tomatoes are doing well in small plastic 'greenhouse'.

 

Have foraged strawberries from pots around the garden and put them in a strawberry planter that I found and they mostly have flowers on them now.

 

Lots of fruit set on the raspberries, blackcurrants and jostaberry. A few on the blueberry - it's too crouched bough really and needs moving.

 

Half the victoria plum is covered in fruit. A few pears, but the tree which has been healthy so far seems to be dying. All the tip leaves are curling and some branches dying completely - does anyone know if there's anything I can do?

[sjp]

plat out my onions Sunday and my beetroot and swedes yesterday plus made up the potting mix for the first 7 pots for the tomatoes

and finaly sowed the parsnips never sowed them so late as this year

first early spuds are at least 3 weeks behind were they should be ( I'm normally thinking about lifting a root by now), I've never known spuds to take so long to germinate some have taken at least 6 weeks to come up half a row of Exqusia best part of 8 weeks

sprouts and cabbage will go in next weekend I hope could do with getting the squashes out as well but I need to get a covering of wood chip on first and give it a 2nd go over with the rotavator

beans and peas will have to wait for the weekend after

[mullethunter]

Thanks SJP - in that case the leeks went out way too early. Even the ones I've just put out are nowhere near pencil sized - more like pencil lead!

 

Oh well, live and learn - hopefully they'll be OK.

 

Have just planted some more peas in a tray and may try another row of parsnips.

[Valkyrie]

My Nemaslugs have arrived. Also arrived is a squirty bottle of Grazers and a concentrate for refilling - brilliant for keeping both slimy ratbags off the plants. I did find out last year NOT to squirt broad beans with it unless it's even more dilute! Not grown those this year so not a problem! Also snail bait to go in my snail trap. Mine are teetotal and turned their noses up at beer - lager, stout, bitter - I've tried all but they prefer my veg!!!

I still have carrot seeds to sow when I've done the nematodes.

 

Other than that it's slow progress in the greenhouse. Apart from the tomatoes - I've run out of compost and I've still got the peppers chomping at the bit now! The calabrese and the Romanesco are doing great and need popping out soon. French beans are almost ready to go out and I need to sow the runner beans next. Oh crikey my peas need to go in soon too! I'll pinch the tops to slow them down - and eat them in my salad!

[Valkyrie]

All tomatoes finally potted into their big pots and tied in. Flowers on most of them. Phew! Nematodes have been done and I even had enough to water some of the flower borders. Oh bother - just realised I left the key in the shed door. Meh! Better rush out while I can still see outside!!!!

[mullethunter]

Snap re. tomatoes. Also potted up small cucumbers. Sweet peas are flowering - one is a colour I've never seen before - dark purple veined bottom lip, lighter above - I'll try to remember to get a photo.

 

Ordered round two of nematodes. I don't know if it's just the dry weather, but round one really seems to have worked.

 

One of the 4 water butts is empty already.

[Valkyrie]

Wow! That means you have had good weather. We've had rubbish and such grey sky for a while. Today is supposed to be a high of 26 compared with 16! I haven't emptied one water butt yet although one is halfway! I have used more in the greenhouse so I expect hubby will have to wander in and out refilling it! We may just empty one today! On a brighter note I can weed without using a pickaxe (clay soil here)!

[Daphne]

Your toms are more advanced than mine I have flowers on maybe 3 plants only and all of them are still only 8-10 inches high. Although I also have 2 small green tomatoes

 

I have planted out some flower seedlings - loads of them didn't survive the transplanting as the root systems are so feeble because the light levels have been so poor indoors post-germination, they just didn't grow much. Luckily those which were stronger seem to have romped away as soon as they hit the soil

 

I am also on the verging of harvesting my first, absolutely beautiful, deep purple and velvety gladioli

[sjp]

trick to get tomatoes to flower early let them get root bound in a smaller pot before planting the into the finale pot or bed you'll get a shorter spacing between the trusses as well

[mullethunter]

One lot of my onions have flower buds. That's bad isn't it?

[sjp]

One lot of my onions have flower buds. That's bad isn't it?

sort of their still edible but the won't store remove the seed heads as soon as they appear

I take it their over wintering onions from sets as they're really prone to going to seed as are red onions from sets

I think the cause is partly stress and then the temperature plays a big part in it I think a sudden change from cool to hot with winter onions with reds it's more to do with the sets as you can grow the same variety from seed and they won't go to seed. also onions are a Bi-annual plant so trey grow the first year them produce seeds the 2nd year

If you wont to reduce the risk of onions running to seed grow them from seed their easy enough to grow

[Christian]

A couple of my red onions have set seed

 

I have lost out of the number of various needs I have sown this year at the lottie. At least 4 lots of squashes and pumpkins, as the slugs keep eating them. All my parsnips, chard, spinach and beets have been eaten, along with the bean seedlings. Had enough of the slugs now and might get nematodes if I can afford it for the lottie.....

[Olly]

Might be cheaper than resowing the seeds!

 

Just harvested the last of my Aquadulce broad beans, I sowed them in the autumn and the plants overwintered. I'll definitely do that again this year, very successful. Not doing too well in other areas due to miserable weather and not getting out in the garden as much as I'd like.

[Daphne]

Hardly any Portuguese fruit to be had anywhere; its all imported from Spain - its been a dreadful year for the wet

 

I have excellent lettuce who must like the wet and then recent burst of hot weather has brought them on well, and pretty decent courgettes. The toms are beginning to set more fruit but the peppers are sulking and look to be hopeless, not sure why as they were going well back in April, but perhaps there has been too much wet. I can't move for herbs - sage/thyme/basil/mint

 

I haven't sown peas or beans this year as I have been fed up of loosing them through too much heat and not enough liquid, trust me to pick the wrong year not to try them With hindsight I should have planted squashes and melons as well as I think conditions will suit, but I didn't.

 

However, I have amazing gladioli and the dahlia bushes also look great Its also been a good year for the roses, they are flowering their socks off, despite bad black spot earlier on One bush is repeat flowering, I've not known that happen before, I think its because I have ruthlessly hacked back its neighbour which I think is the original graft stock, it looks like a dog rose.

 

My current excitement is that we bought locally grown avocados at the weekend. They come from lower inclines than where we are, but OH is determined to have a go This grower also had the only decent strawberries I've tasted since being here, so it proves it can be done