Luvachicken Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Although the peppers usually carry on to October. Still waiting for my pepper to do anything other than flower Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 Although the peppers usually carry on to October. Still waiting for my pepper to do anything other than flower that could be a pollination problem normally because bees can't get to the flowers or pollen or if you only have only plant or variety that can cause pollination problems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 Thanks sjp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 15, 2017 Share Posted September 15, 2017 I use one of the chook feathers to dab the pollen around a fair bit - peppers and toms! Mine didn't seem to do much and all of a sudden there are peppers galore - of reasonable size, apart from the little ones and they are about the size of a thumb when full grown anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 Well, I've spotted one little pepper growing Bit worried that it might start to get a bit chilly at night though and all the other flowers could be wasted. Should I heat the green house once it starts to get cold ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 Pop fleece over things at night, bubble wrap and last resort is heating - very expensive or messy. I have an electric heater for the greenhouse, but it was a bit of a shock when the electricity bill arrived! But we did have tomatoes for Christmas that year! Then it's been relatively mild for most Christmases - the cold snap being February in the main. The only heating I use now is the propagator when the season starts again. I think this year it's going to be a long winter because the harlequin ladybirds are on the march - and some find their way into our bedroom. Nicer days and they march out again! I don't like too many congregating though - I shove a lot of them out of the window. Yesterday a lot were headed for the outside tiles where I guess they mainly hide over winter. Dill pickles anyone? We have a load! I also have been watching a huge leafy plant growing. It now has pretty blue flowers and it's a nicandra physalodes - shoo-fly plant among other names. It's like a blue Chinese lantern. I won't be eating this though! Seems it has self sown courtesy of the wild bird seeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 I think this year it's going to be a long winter I was thinking the same. Next door's oak tree has been dropping acorns since the beginning of August They don't normally start dropping until September. The amount of acorns has been never ending and this is the most it has ever produced since we've lived here. I'm fed up of collecting someone else's rubbish. It will be the blooming prickly sweet chestnuts next Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 We had blackberries ready in mid July around here nice big ones as well most had finished fruiting by late August just as the first cooking apples were getting big enough to use. I've already completely picked 2 varieties of apple that shouldn't be ready till mid October I've got 2 that I wouldn't normally pick till late October that need picking but I'm laid up with a bad knee. and to top it off I've got blossom out on two other apple trees British weather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 I agree with the acorns - we had the tree trimmed again to stop the acorns forming, but the tree has rebelled and produced a bumper crop which has been shedding for weeks. Crazy! And yes, we were nibbling blackberries on our walks - I did spot a lady at the bottom of our garden (on the road side of the fence) as I was driving along - she was picking the berries and had a big bowlful! Annoying that the juicy fruits were out of reach from the garden side! Another weird thing is one of my spring clematis flowers is in full flower again. Not only that, but a shrub that flowers around Easter with the most heavenly scent, is budding up again. It did have more flowers in July too! Always when you can't sit outside because the weather at the time is rubbish! It's not just us - my cuz from Toronto said their seasons were all out of sync too. They also have very hot summers (like 90 degrees and worse!) but recent years have been cooler with a lot of bad thunderstorms. They haven't had snow in recent winters but get bad ice storms! After hearing that I am relieved we are stuck with our little lot on this side of the Atlantic! So more runner beans tonight - yum! We've finished our potatoes a while back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 Just finishing the last of the greenhouse tomatoes - these later ones have been exceedingly tasty. The runner beans are supposedly good like butter beans. We left some on the plants to test - still quite green, but I think soon we'll have to pick the pods and dry indoors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 We are still eating raspberries! Yum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted November 14, 2017 Share Posted November 14, 2017 I think we may have eaten the last of the raspberries yesterday. The rest is going for the girls. Peppers still in the greenhouse and still have tomatoes! As for the veggie patch we still have runner beans looking rather good, although we are saving those for "butter" beans - or even seed for next year. Thing is they are fattening up nicely but no sign of drying up yet! I may have to pick some and dry them indoors at this rate and before they go damp and nasty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted November 14, 2017 Share Posted November 14, 2017 I picked most of my seed runner beans a couple of weeks back I'm just waiting on the few rogue white seeded plants to start to die back so the pods start to mature and dry out I need the pods about 80% dry for the seed to be any were near viable. I thinkI'm also going to have ago at saving tomato seed this year as I've still got a few half descent candidates for seeding down left. lost most of the seed leek heads to the rain and damp about a month before they were ready to harvest again just hoping that the few I did manage to pick are viable more or less finished clearing the main crop spuds another winter buying spuds as there's next to nothing worth keeping even for my displays Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted November 14, 2017 Share Posted November 14, 2017 I'm not bothering with main crops again. I found a missed root of new potatoes when I dug over the plot last weekend and hey were still perfect, so I'm just going to stick to Jazzy next year and just leave the unused ones in the earth without their tops until we're ready to eat them. Parsnips are a bit variable but I'm getting some brilliant ones - I had one a fortnight ago that was so long I struggled to pull it up - cleaned and trimmed it looked just like a bought one Leeks aren't as good as last year - think I let them get too shaded by the brassicas and beans. My only 2 but first ever sprout plants are nearly ready Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 I'm not bothering with main crops again. I found a missed root of new potatoes when I dug over the plot last weekend and hey were still perfect, so I'm just going to stick to Jazzy next year and just leave the unused ones in the earth without their tops until we're ready to eat them. don't leave them to long the slugs will have a field day what bit of a crop I've lifted most was badly slug damaged because I had to leave them in the ground longer than I normally would due to my knee trouble one tip if you only want new potatoes stagger the planting about 2 week intervals were you are probably through to August for Christmas potatoes just watch the blight if you grow Jazzy personally it's not one I grow as I found it don't do well in heavy clay unless it's really dry but then it gets to big Parsnips are a bit variable but I'm getting some brilliant ones - I had one a fortnight ago that was so long I struggled to pull it up - cleaned and trimmed it looked just like a bought one what variety Leeks aren't as good as last year - think I let them get too shaded by the brassicas and beans. again what variety were the leeks as I doing well with leeks this year and their growing smothered in tall weeds. if their a late variety then that is more likely one of the reasons the other could be heat/drought stress from earlier in the year I had that the last 2 years a mini heat wave and no rain for a month just after I planted out My only 2 but first ever sprout plants are nearly ready Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 what variety Gladiator. I tried White Gem on tapes last year and they were hopeless - just didn't germinate. what variety were the leeks One lot of Musselburgh which is what did really well the year before, and one lot of mixed season ones from Thompson and Morgan (Lincoln, Oarsman and Below Zero). You're right though that it could be weather related - it was all over the place at the beginning of the summer. I think I will do interval planting of my second early spuds next year - Jazzy do brilliantly and taste great in the soil I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 what variety Gladiator. I tried White Gem on tapes last year and they were hopeless - just didn't germinate. Gladiator is one of my preferred varieties and can get long along w . White Gem can be unreliable on a good year. seed tapes tried them don't like them what variety were the leeks One lot of Musselburgh which is what did really well the year before, and one lot of mixed season ones from Thompson and Morgan (Lincoln, Oarsman and Below Zero). You're right though that it could be weather related - it was all over the place at the beginning of the summer. Lincoln in theory should be ready as that's an early through I've no experience of the variety as I don't grow early leeks. Oarsman I've not had much luck with, Below Zero looks like a late variety in which case it'll need a bit of cold and probably the increase in day length after Christmas to trigger growth, the late varieties I tend to grow tend to behave that way I think I will do interval planting of my second early spuds next year - Jazzy do brilliantly and taste great in the soil I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 Oh no Sjp! Nothing worse than all that work and you can't salvage much. I didn't grow leeks this year or parsnips - we are still eating the frozen parsnips from last years seed! I do like Gladiator though and I try and test a couple of varieties each year. We had our best spud crops from Charlotte in the past. This year found some nice spuds to play with next time on a bigger scale. I tend to go for second earlies as my "main". Trying to run down the freezer in time to move next year, so a big haul of veg is not what we need! Our compost bin wonder stuff has been popped on the beds now. I do like this no dig thing - hardly any weeds at all now! And we found a gherkin! Not pickling it - it was a bit manky with the damp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 Oh no Sjp! Nothing worse than all that work and you can't salvage much. I didn't grow leeks this year or parsnips - we are still eating the frozen parsnips from last years seed! I do like Gladiator though and I try and test a couple of varieties each year. We had our best spud crops from Charlotte in the past. This year found some nice spuds to play with next time on a bigger scale. I tend to go for second earlies as my "main". Trying to run down the freezer in time to move next year, so a big haul of veg is not what we need! Our compost bin wonder stuff has been popped on the beds now. I do like this no dig thing - hardly any weeds at all now! And we found a gherkin! Not pickling it - it was a bit manky with the damp! it could have been worse it could have been a total wipe out next season will be better You can't say you've found some nice spuds and not tell us I finished digging next year brassica bed or this years spud bed and made a start on next years spud bed Friday morning so I'm now officially about a month up on this time last year I need to get the seed leeks and parsnips out tomorrow as it's the last week for the green bin for me Tuesday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 Oh golly gosh - yes, total wipeout would be awful - there's usually something that enjoys the season more than the thing you think and hope will be fine! Oops I forgot to say what spuds we'd got - thought I had - went back a few postings and I missed the spuds! We went to a potato day and we did want to try some different ones - Charlottes can be bought in shops easily and we get mains from our farming lady. We don't usually grow spuds because not much room, but felt a break from the norm was needed. Plus not using the ground for parsnips. So we came home with 3 varieties. Purple one - Violetta, which was recommended by a fella who said it was fun to dish up mashed purple spuds and tasty - he was filling a bag for himself. Well they didn't look very appetising when they were mashed, but lovely flavour. Nice as chips too. Maxine was another and Orla. Happy with all of those. But this year we used them under straw - which was an experiment that we won't be repeating. I don't know if the yield or sizes would have been better otherwise though. Even so we ended up with enough to keep us going for a few months. The straw went everywhere - mainly on the paths - and I had to keep putting it back on top of the spuds! Not the same problem with the straw on the strawberries! Perhaps as they were lower down they were more sheltered. I've lost my harlequin ladybirds! They must have gone walkabout and found somewhere better - or safer? I did hear that we were going to get minus 10 temperatures soon and they said around 24 winter storms or so. Perhaps that was for Newfoundland? Who knows what our Met Office is doing! On the other hand they may be right - swirly over Finland pushing cold air down? Oops digressing! Orla is a maincrop variety, but can be grown as a second early. We left them in for as long as the plants looked good. We didn't have blight until much later in the season. Maxine is a second early. Looking back at last year, we didn't do so well with raspberries as this year, and finished eating them in October - we beat our record with the last bowlful in November this year! There are still some red berries on the plants but not much - giving them to the chickens. And we still have peppers in the greenhouse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 which potato day did you go to? Orla isn't a main crop potato it was bred as a first early with some blight resistance and is at it's best as a first early at about 10- 12 weeks after planting it's one of my favorite First earlies at it's one I recommend to first timers. for some reason one of the Scottish suppliers changed it classification to main crop a couple of years ago I have tried it as a main crop and found it very disappointing flavour wise Violetta is one of the better blue ones, makes very good chips and crisps to.blue mash is very good on a display after 24 hrs as the shade changes slightly as it oxidizes it gives the impression that it's got a bit of a glow to it kids love it parents hate it but it proves a talking point Maxine's another good spud not always available through not sure what the yield for Maxine is like now but both Orla and Violetta are a bit on the low side. I go by the number of tubers per root regardless of size i.e it's potential yield before outside influences kick in. 20-25 is the aim and should be what a 'new' variety produces and what 'new' seed produces from most varieties anything below about 10 the variety needs re selecting at source with one or two exceptions I stop growing varieties when they get to that point' anything over 25 is very good for 99% of varieties and the norm for a couple Ratte been one I'd expect about 32 I've have had 36 Roseval is capable of 28-30 less that 25 and I'm disappointed, Linzer Delikatess again about about 30 but I've had 36-40 of it this one is hard to find but it's ones of the best salad spuds.used to be the main one used by M&S for bagged salad potatoes trouble is the seed is always late coming into the country so only makes it to a couple of potato days and garden centers only tried straw for spuds and strawberries once never again slugs loved it, I go for wood chip and/or chicken bedding from the runs as a mulch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 Yes - Orla is a funny one! Last night I was reading a January Smallholding mag - dunno why - it was in my sewing room and I thought ooh I'll just have a lookie - and a guy was doing his Orlas and said he was using them as a first early! Well that confused me somewhat! As for yield I just took it to be the straw. I read that those grown in straw would be lower than normal in any case - that was after we'd dumped a ton of straw down. My grandparents used to earth up and mulch with grass cuttings. They'd rotate the veggie patch with cuttings seeing as they had a lot of lawn, so it all worked well in that respect. I've still never seen such huge onions as my grandparents ones (apart from shows). But with a farm next door they had easy access to some good stuff! Turn up with a bucket and take what you want any time - nice farmer - I remember his garage had been set up for his children's guinea pigs - lots of them - squeaky paradise! I used barley straw this year, but no problems with the strawberries - we had a terrific crop. But that's probably why the birds had a field day (or field months) in the potato bed - no netting for that! I'm looking forward to when I can try lots of different varieties and have plenty of room for lots of veg. And your banana tomato! After finishing the last of the green tomato soup, I can only think it either improved in the freezer, or my taste buds adapted. But not being a fan of tomato soup red or green (marginally better than the red in the end), I think that will not be repeated (although OH has been slurping his red soup). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted November 22, 2017 Author Share Posted November 22, 2017 My toms are still on the go We have had the driest Sept ever and the hottest Oct. The last week of Oct was bright sun and mid 20s, and this month has been bright sun and low 20s. I have red and green toms, flowers and small fruit just starting. However, today is cloudy and tomorrow we have much needed rain forecast. These toms have been good, large and very juicy but quite difficult to ripen 100% all over, which I think is the reason we grow them up canes. Mine have been lounging about on dry grass beds (no slugs here!) as the sheer weight is more than the plants can bear. I planted some aquadulce broad beans about a fortnight ago and they have all come up, nice and sturdy at 2inches high. It has taken me a long time to work this out, but Autumn is very productive. Summers are so hot it's untrue, and the need for water is intense, it's almost like stuff stops growing. Spring is OK, certainly warm, but we can get very heavy rain and low light levels, it just depends. Overall, the year has been excellent. Everything has been ready a month early or more and the cherries, apricots and peaches have been exceptional. Some of the olives have gone over, they were ready weeks ago, but the mill is not open for pressing. The mandarin dropped a load of fruit in the last month, a bit like the June drop. This is not normal, but I think it was a combo of exceptional cropping and a lack of water. We juiced the fruit so it wasn't wasted and the tree is still laden. They will be perfect for Xmas Oh, and we grow arbutus (strawberry tree). It is made into firewater around here. The fruit is vaguely flavoured, pleasant but no better. However, OH discovered fruits for sale in a large supermarket for 3 euro for 100g and is now fonder of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 no lover of tomato soup myself but I do find that homemade soup like spag bol sauce is always better once it's rested for a day or two Orla been re classed as main crop only fairly new about 3 or 4 years I know which supplier did it but can't find out why it means that some suppliers list it as a first early mainly the ones that have stocked it from it's first release then the new retailers list it as a main crop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 A good all rounder then Sjp! Maybe it's a regional thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
