sjp Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 That's the one! Close wasn't I? The seed packets are all in the allotment shed....memory is failing me.... Gave in and bought some Nicotiniana (sp) Domino Lime for my cutting patch, as I like the foliage for vases etc. Will plant them out later this month if I get a chance. that's one of my favourites but I've not heard of anyone using it as foliage before I find Nicotiana foliage gets very sticky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 It is, but when bunched up with other flowers it looks really nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 The water butt is full, thanks to yesterday's rain Busy day today, but will pop down to the allotment at some point and plant out the nicotiana and see how the beans are doing (in pots still). My neighbour made another cold frame from my old bedroom window for me. (Which is now full already). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 Question - can rain wash planted peas up to surface of ground? I planted as advised and today they are sitting on top of soil. give up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 yes if you didn't firm them in enough it's not so much they've got wash up more the soil has got compacted by the rain it's mainly a problem if they were grown in shallow trays or guttering personally I start mine of in either six cell trays or 3 inch pots the plantpak ones that a lot of plants come in from the garden centres and alike they get a deeper root ball that way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 3 French beans - er 2 blue tits and a sparrow waiting impatiently. Sorry it had to be done, now where was I? 3 French beans called Blauhilde are in because they were triffiding the greenhouse - the others aren't quite as big yet. Will have to do some of the runners as they are running too! The anti slug and snail spray is doing the trick as my lettuce and celeriac were planted the day before the rain and they remain untouched by the slimy demons. The munched tomato has now perked up and I will continue to give it a couple of squirts of the magic juice before putting it back down. All the other tomatoes are now looking the best I've ever seen them - usually the Sungolds have got leggy but they are looking compact and wonderfully deep green in colour. I went to the garden centre for some ant stuff and a few plants fell into my basket before I got to the checkout. Oops how did that happen!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 Thanks SJP - I stuffed the peas straight in the ground. I am a lazy gardener. I have poked them back in. Strangely some have germinated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 At least you know they are geminating! Slight time-out for weeding the veg path and we've bought up the local garden centre stock of bark to put on the veggie paths. Last time we had bark down we had to fence the girls out because it was ending up in the veggie beds! Not much of that left so time to top up and suppress those weeds!!! Where I've been doing the mulching and no digging there are very few weeds, the dandelions sneak through but next time I'm going to give them some vinegar. It's certainly giving me more time to spend on other things - like the front garden and still reclaiming the top part that wasn't mulched for years. Feeling quite happy about it all (still get the achy back but a couple of ibuprofen to nip that in the bud and I'm outside again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 I have netted my veg patch to keep the cats out. OH found a queue of snails trying to get in yesterday to my courgettes etc He chucked them over the other side of the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Apparently snails and slugs have some kind of homing skills and can travel up to 20 m to come back to their 'roost'. So chucking them over the fence is not going to solve it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 I left the bit out where he squashed them after so I dont think they will be back but their famillies might - eeek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Well, so much for not having any slugs on my plot 1 courgette completely vanished last night and a couple of others nibbled.... Planted out the Runner beans and sweetcorn today. Lovely day, just me, Furface and dirty hands - up to my elbows in soil Tomatoes also planted out but have a couple of spares at home just in case......and a couple of dahlias. Also planted out pumpkins given to me by a fellow plot holder. Nice bunch of people down there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Well done hope the back is ok. I have visions of one morning opening the back door and being engulfed in slime - bit like Dr Who episode as revenge of the slugs and snails which OH anilitated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Right. Now I know I'm definitely moving to my new garden (with house attached but tbh I'm not too interested in that ), I'm in late planting (well, planning / buying this weekend, planting next weekend) frenzy. Just ordered some seed potatoes (5 'Charlotte', 5 Jazzy (?!) 10 Maris Piper). My mum has some runner bean plants for me and I'm going to put some in egg boxes of compost on the windowsill in a minute. What else can I put in now or in the next few weeks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Radishes, lettuce, broccoli? That's what is still addorning my windowsill! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 were you are quite a bit really still not to late to put onion sets in if you can find some they won't get as big as the early ones but you should get useable ones. most garden centres will still have veg plants so there should still be a reasonable selection it's the perfect time to plant out tomato plants you'll get away with planting first early spuds right up to early or mid August at least possibly late August it's not to late for beans and peas to be sown straight into the ground Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 That sounds more positive than I had hoped. I that case I'll look out for tomato plants, and plant onion sets if I can find some and peas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 You must be so excited You are definitely in the right time frame for buying small tomato plants, and you can sow lettuce (particularly cut and come again for even quicker results) and rocket if you like salads. I'd plant a few courgettes (plants rather than seeds), and I'd give runner beans a whirl. The best advice I can give if you haven't already got them is to take a bit of time and find a border fork and small width spade which suit you - ie the right length of handle and not too heavy. If you are going to work the land you need to be comfortable and reduce the risk of back strain etc. Stainless steel works best for me every time, but each to their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 I used to get Lidls cut and come again and put in the ground as it kept them going longer as well as growing my own. Spinach can be sown now too. Have you space for your girlies too? Not in veg patch in garden? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Yep. Chooks will have at least five times the space they have now, and separate veg garden I got gardening tools for Christmas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 I grow chard and perpetual spinach in my garden for the hens. With a bit of fleece over winter it lasts all year.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Yes hens love spinach and chard and lettuce. There are loads of big plants like courgettes, tomatoes etc around in the garden centres and supermarkets at the moment and all of the fast growing stuff like, salad crops can go in now. Dwarf French beans germinate quickly now it's a bit warmer and can be sown successionally. Also if you like flowers then it is the ideal time to plant bedding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 My spinach always seems to run to seed - I am interested in covering with fleece to overwinter. Is there a way of preventing this - pick regularly for us and chooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 My spinach always seems to run to seed - I am interested in covering with fleece to overwinter. Is there a way of preventing this - pick regularly for us and chooks. it's getting stressed which can be any one of a few causes but the main 2 are transplanting either from growing in a pot or planting the thinning's it hates having it's roots disturbed. or more likely lack of water. it's one plant I can't grow as my soil is to light Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...