Poorly chicken

[sjp]

red onions from sets do bolt expect about 50% on a good year this year will be bad as that hot spell we had about 3 weeks back will have put onions under stress. the over wintering onions on the plot next to me it's about 80% seed heads

onions from seed don't bolt as readily

I've lost all my carrots to slugs about half of the squash seedling in the green house got done beans weren't to bad

lost about half the onion plants and 80-90% of the beetroot to the heat the cabbage just about held on and is now doing well

spuds are not looking good took for ever to come through and with the exception of 2 or 3 first earlies have next to not tops on them most likely down to overly wet clay soil I did get a few new potatoes for dinner Sunday through which was a nice treat and a very nice surprise

[Alis girls]

Black fly are back on broad beans I am not happy. sprayed the b------rs. Excuse the French (can I say that now we are coming out EU?) but every yr they are there.

[mullethunter]

We're eating new potatoes which have done really well and are lovely - Jazzy for the second year. Runner beans are mostly at the top of the canes now and I've seen a couple of flowers near the ground. Sprouting broccoli and leek plants are doing well. I have 3 parsnips - that's all that germinated. Sown another row of carrots to try again. Onions are doing OK (the ones that didn't flower - should I pull up the ones that did?). Given up on peas due to sparrow onslaught - there's one pea!

 

Blackcurrant and Jostaberry are laden, raspberries are only a day or too away. Blueberry has a few berries on but is being crowded by raspberries - can I move it in winter? It's about 2 feet tall. Strawberries scattered around the place have a few on.

 

Gardeners Delight tomatoes on the decking and holey plastic greenhouse are doing quite well, but the ones in the new plastic greenhouse just seem to be too leafy - too much humidity?

 

Polish ground cucumbers (seeds given to me by a Polish friend) are in the ground and growing nicely.

[sjp]

planted my leeks yesterday and today, also sowed 3 more rows of carrots and a row of beetroot 4 varieties plus a few more squash seeds planted the sweetcorn and sweet-peas this morning and I'm slowly working through potting up the cucumbers and tomatoes cues and melon are done toms are about half way through

[kopperdrake]

Heya Relatively new to the forum, but been gardening for eight years now It's a mixed bag this year - all the potatoes are doing well, as are the parsnips, beetroot and asparagus. Another good result of the mild winter was that our globe artichokes survived and we have loads of heads on them! Peas, runner beans and broad beans were "Ooops, word censored!"bled by slugs and pigeons, but I've just planted my backups I sowed a while ago. Garlic has all died off, which is strange as it's right next to the onions which are doing okay - a few reds are flowering, but not too many, and the shallots are going great guns! Brassicas are just plain naff - they really don't want to grow and as they're taking so long, any random slug can kill one off with one munch. In fact I had a snail in the greenhouse that just ploughed across a pot with a coriander in, shredded it off at the base, then carried on his way leaving the leaves scattered! I finally caught him on a bean plant - no mercy!

 

Tomatoes were a bit slow to get going but are catching up now, and the cucumbers are loving the warm but not too sunny weather, best year so far! Squash are so-so, gooseberries brilliant and I managed to nematode the sawfly as they started so a good crop. Currants are loaded, and the old raspberry rows are having a bit of a swan song I think! As for carrots - I have no idea what's happened to them but they just don't seem to want to germinate in a raised bed that was fantastic last year, most disappointing! Apples, plums and pears are doing well, and our walnut tree that gave us our first singular walnut last year (still on the shelf as I can't bring myself to eat it!), has about thirty this year - very chuffed

 

So like every year, good and bad, but have had worse, and had much better!

[sjp]

carrots are more than likely germinating but then getting eaten. carrots should do well in a raised bed mixing sharp sand into the soil will help but that needs to be down before sowing

garlic if it's Autumn sowed then it will be nearly ready to harvest any way. but it's not as robust as onions and leeks and does get stressed easier which will result in it going over that hot spell we had just before the heavy rain about 3-4 weeks back will have been the trigger

Brassicas I think are suffering from aphids plus again that hot spell didn't help.the ones I planted out the beginning of the month look terrible even allowing for the scorching they suffered just after they were planted out but the ones that are still in the greenhouse are Ok most should recover cauli's will just bolt

[kopperdrake]

The carrots being eaten makes sense - I've recently added new compost to the raised bed and it's quite moist - I'll mix some sand in for next year to help break it up a bit. The garlic was spring sown, and seemed to just rot in the ground - I suspect it was just too wet for the young root system (we're light sandy loam with gravel in a 100 year flood plain). The brassicas aren't being attacked by aphids - I think it might be the compost. I've bought Horizons peat-free multipurpose, and the bits in it seem to be getting bigger and bigger. Whilst I try and buy peat free out of principle, if I can't get any with a decent tilth, I'll have to resort to another type, or maybe sift some of my own. I've never used my own for sowing seeds in and I'd worry it didn't have enough of 'something' to do the job!

 

On the plus side, I think I'm going to try and resurrect the medieval chickweed diet, we'll make a fortune

[Valkyrie]

I think my compost is Westlands peat free veggie compost. It worked great last year and this year. I also put copious amounts of rock dust and I tried Grochar last year - brilliant results - so doing it again this year. The nematodes are doing well with the veggie section although the strawberries seem to be a bit nibbled in parts. Awaiting the next lot to arrive.

 

I also use this in the greenhouse or the odd susceptible plants in the flower borders:

http://www.organiccatalogue.com/Pest-Control-Slugs-and-Snails/c61_179/p3647/GRAZERS-G2-SLUG-AND-SNAIL-REPELLENT-750ml/product_info.html

 

You can also get the refill which is much cheaper.

 

I seem to have ended up with this instead of the snail stuff but hey ho - will try anything!

http://www.organiccatalogue.com/Pest-Control-Sprays-and-Powders/c61_181/p4054/GRAZERS-G3-CATERPILLARS-CABBAGE-WHITE-APHIDS-REPELLENT-750ml/product_info.html

 

Came back from holiday to find triffid tomatoes (had to get some twine because I've run out!) and all things in the greenhouse going well. In the garden my late sown runner beans are growing (as are the back up system in pots in the greenhouse) and look quite strong. I was sure they'd all have been nibbled with the rain down here. Yay nematodes! The brassicas have been tentatively nibbled by something but otherwise going great guns. As for the French beans they look fantastic. The peas are also doing well. Courgettes have flowered and already producing little fruits - just perfect for nibbling raw size!

 

Onions seem OK but my garlic also has gone a bit meh. I think I have only ever had one good year for garlic - and I tried different varieties too! Oh well win some, lose some.

 

Leeks were potted into larger root trainers and are romping away. Soon ready to plant in the garden when I can find a gap!

[sjp]

The carrots being eaten makes sense - I've recently added new compost to the raised bed and it's quite moist - I'll mix some sand in for next year to help break it up a bit. The garlic was spring sown, and seemed to just rot in the ground - I suspect it was just too wet for the young root system (we're light sandy loam with gravel in a 100 year flood plain). The brassicas aren't being attacked by aphids - I think it might be the compost. I've bought Horizons peat-free multipurpose, and the bits in it seem to be getting bigger and bigger. Whilst I try and buy peat free out of principle, if I can't get any with a decent tilth, I'll have to resort to another type, or maybe sift some of my own. I've never used my own for sowing seeds in and I'd worry it didn't have enough of 'something' to do the job!

 

On the plus side, I think I'm going to try and resurrect the medieval chickweed diet, we'll make a fortune

Chempak do a compost base for making your own potting compost I've started adding it to the potting compost I buy

try adding calcified seaweed to the brassica beds as I suspect the compost is a bit to acid

your soil shouldn't hold water to that extent it was probable to cold through

the main draw back to making your own seed compost from the compost bin is it'll be full of weed seeds and they'll germinate first have your thought about using coir as the base instead of peat I'll post up the compost recipe when I can find it. but basically it's peat or coir sharp sand (from a builders merchants it's cheaper) vermiculite and the potting compost base or seed compost base

personally I don't like the peat free compost We get now as there's to much rubbish in it

you have to remember with Garlic it ain't really a Northern European plant the spring sown one needs a good spring and summer to thrive, the Autumn one certainly does better around here but I think this year has been a bit to wet

 

I'm thinking off trying rock dust next year in my carrot beds and tomato pots and I might add it to my fertilizer mix instead of Nutrimate

[mullethunter]

Gale force winds here at the moment. Wigwam of sweet peas by the front door blown over and at least one plant broken off, probably more. Tomatoes on decking all blown over but don't look broken so,hopefully may be ok. I bungeed the heavy sagging branches of the plum to the more upright branches and so far alhough losing a few fruits that's worked, but there's a while to go yet.

 

I hate strong winds at this time of year. Chickens aren't impressed either.

[kopperdrake]

personally I don't like the peat free compost We get now as there's to much rubbish in it

you have to remember with Garlic it ain't really a Northern European plant the spring sown one needs a good spring and summer to thrive, the Autumn one certainly does better around here but I think this year has been a bit to wet

 

Thanks sjp, that would be appreciated if you get the time

 

We've been lucky with garlic the last eight years, but I know I was late putting it in this year so it's my fault really. And yes, I've noticed the peat free stuff (Horizons) does have more wood in it, quite large chunks, and some seem to have paint on them! Their tomato growbag compost is better, but then that went through a bad time a few years back and was quite large and lumpy. The local nursery is stopping selling it though, so I won't have much choice in the future I imagine.

[sjp]

this is the potting compost mix 6 parts peat or coir 2 parts sharp sand or vermiculite or perlite to 1 box of chempak (795grams) potting base for lime loving plants add 4oz of lime or calcified seaweed personally I add about 2oz of Dolomite lime as a source of magnesium if you don't want the sand etc just use 8 parts peat or coir this is based on a 2 galleon bucket

I've got another version of this mix from an older box but it's in my shed on the lottie when I remember I bring it home and post that up as well as it has smaller mix ratios

[Valkyrie]

Thanks for the compost tip sjp. Not ready to try just yet, but next house will definitely give it a go.

[sjp]

Thanks for the compost tip sjp. Not ready to try just yet, but next house will definitely give it a go.

your weclome

but lets face it unless your as far behind potting up as I am you ain't going to need it 'till next March or April

[Valkyrie]

All on hold then sjp. March is our intended moving time when the house goes on the market.

 

At the moment I have strawberries coming out of my ears. Smoothies 2 days running and strawbs and raspberries for dessert in the evening. I can just see the hives arriving soon and I don't mean the bee sort!!!

[mullethunter]

can just see the hives arriving soon and I don't mean the bee sort!!!

 

 

Lots of raspberries here all of a sudden too. So far none have made it further than me eating them straight off the canes!

[Valkyrie]

I may have done similar things - well hubby missed those - shame to let the blackbirds have them all and what hubby didn't know about then it's my perk for weeding the veggie patch!

[sjp]

best way to eat them! plus no food miles that's a win win

[clucker1]

Guess what my 3 cheeky escaping chickens have found? The raspberries! so, they are going to be taught a lesson they will have to stay in their very nice fenced area with the other very well behaved chickens or I might mention chicken pie to them

[mullethunter]

no food miles that's a win win

 

I always feel very smug when we're eating veg which was grown approximately 4m away from the table!

[kopperdrake]

A belated thanks for the compost mix sjp - appreciated! I'll make a note for next year's sowing I'm about to give up with the brassicas I sowed and just buy some plugs - which I hate doing! On the plus side, after reading this forum and noting people's raspberries were already out, I mumbled to my dear wife about how wet and damp and cold this part of the country must be, as ours are still green. A week later and they're all ready!! I've been munching them as I walk past, and the cherries are on their way too!

[sjp]

your welcome

planted my sprouts and red cabbage out Sunday and I might plant the last of the cabbage out today as I don't much feel like going to work today

[sjp]

finally planted the last of the cabbages today only 6 weeks behind also planted a few late climbing been and a late germinating squash of some sort plus sowed 4 rows of peas just to fill part of a bed that was supposed to have pumpkins in but the slugs got them in the greenhouse plus I've lost 4 or 5 since they got planted out chomped the stems which I've not had outside before only indoors with cuecumbers

taking a break from potting up the last of the tomatoes

[Valkyrie]

Have been having a bash at hand pollinating the greenhouse toms. Feathers I seem to have aplenty! Bees have been few and far between lately. But I see quite a few forming now so I won't be totally without.

 

A word of warning - watch out for blight. I have heard an acquaintance mention that the fellow on the allotment plot next to hers has blight on his spuds. She's hoping that she can save her toms by loosely wrapping fleece around them. She is quite a way from me and I stopped planting my toms outside but with all this rain we've had lately I'm not surprised.

 

Still eating strawberries and raspberries. No hives yet!

[sjp]

Have been having a bash at hand pollinating the greenhouse toms. Feathers I seem to have aplenty! Bees have been few and far between lately. But I see quite a few forming now so I won't be totally without.

 

A word of warning - watch out for blight. I have heard an acquaintance mention that the fellow on the allotment plot next to hers has blight on his spuds. She's hoping that she can save her toms by loosely wrapping fleece around them. She is quite a way from me and I stopped planting my toms outside but with all this rain we've had lately I'm not surprised.

 

Still eating strawberries and raspberries. No hives yet!

wrapping fleece around them is likely to bring on blight as it could raise the humidity which is the main trigger for blight increasing ventilation around the plant can help . if it's one one plot it'll be on others, blight will take hold in 3 days roughly from the black/brown 'thumb print' on the leaf to total loss basically cutting the tops off to 6" above the ground at the first sign of blight can save the tubers if the blight behaves properly the last lot I had the year before last, on some plant attacked the lower stems first on others skipped foliage blight completely and went straight to tuber blight then part way in the wind picked up and stopped it by lowering the humidity and drying out the soil surface

I've seen it take half an allotment site out in less than a week more or less in a straight line down the slope along side a boundary hedge and bank the other half the site was hardly effected as it's more exposed

blight needs a temp of and 20C and about 80% humidity