The 2015 Allotment / Veg Patch Thread Part 2

[agoodbook]

the previous thread is just about full, - well done spotted so welcome to everyone interested in growing their own veg!

Previous thread is here
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/gardening/2282529-The-2015-Allotment-Veg-Patch-Thread-its-here?msgid=53650520

Please anyone, before we do it.

Can you grow them alongside? Just because bean plants might be bigger/stronger and the peas might get hidden/not get sunlight or root space.

Too late , I've put them up the middle of a double row.

I chitted the peas so they might get away first (hopes fervently). DS's granddad is going to give me some fine fishing net, I'm hoping it will provide support and keep the flaming poultry out.

Sat down at last with cup of tea
Hopefully you will know where the peas are in a field of beans violet :) - Could you do bamboos and net in a box around them to stop poultry/pigeons?
I know nothing on growing celery, apart from them being grown in trenches, and you can leave them to self blanch, or blanch by drawing up the soil around them in ridges. Need a lot of water? I love celery, but no-one else here does, so no point in growing it , sadly... Growing celeriac instead, which everyone does like- weird eh?

They think they don't like celery, but they eat quite a lot one way or another

hehehe violet - I make minestrone soup, but have to swap the celery for celery seed to keep the flavour - DH and the kids( when they are here) just pick it out and leave it on the side - or flick it onto my plate! The only time I can sneak it in is when I make a proper ragu, and then I blitz it with a blender :)

A lovely peaceful hour or so at the plot today. I was trying to sort out my compost heap, plus giving everything (not that there's much) a water. It was super hot again here, but we have rain forecast for the weekend, then it is meant to turn really cold next week - lots of frost, and some sleet and perhaps snow in areas! So watch out for any tender things.

I'd like a bit of rhubarb advice, if I may please. I know I have been yammering on a lot about it -but it has been delicious! I've only picked it every few days, and only a bit at a time, and the stems have been big, thick and strong. But now the underneath ones seem slight and small and weak - is my plant depleted? Has my greed overtaken me and I did pick too much, as agoodbook warned me about? Or were they just shadowed by the fat stems above?

Is there anything I should do to help the pkant recover? I did give it a really good manuring at the beginning of the season. NB if I don't pick, the uppermost stems just grow MASSIVE.

That pic is from right down in plant, obvs. This one shows the whole patch, but it is after a picking. The lower, smaller leaves look paler too.

hi spotted - no not picked too much, but now its time to let it grow strong for next year :) The leaves and stems are enormous, aren't they - they do go sort of 'hollow' and fibrousy so not nice to eat...
I heard about next week as well- but first, I would really like some rain! I must admit, I still have fleece over my peas and broad beans, and was about to pluck up the courage to uncover them , so will keep a sharp eye out

Oh, has it come to an end already? Do I just leave it like it is, then.

Oops, posted too soon, and it takes an age to load this thread again. I have a day of rain apparently coming on Sunday - have you any forecast? The ground is so dry, it is cracking already in some places!

I was planning to plant out a few seedlings (chard,asparagus pea, perpetual spinach, cavolo nero), but I shall hold off for a bit I guess.n

You could get away with picking more - i usually pick about once a week, for 2-3 weeks, then leave it for a few weeks, and have another go and so on.. so maybe just give it a little rest :)
Rain is due here Saturday night, but I don't believe them - they never get it right, so I am not holding my breath!

Ok, I shall hold off on the rhubarb for a bit. Thanks again for advice!
That's all I have edible at the mo, apart from herbs. Possibly I'll eat some seedling thinning soon? Maybe I'll pop some salads in, eg rocket or cress, to keep me going for a bit. Or chomp through last year's stuff in the freezer. I still have loads of brambles, tomatillos, chillis...

Ooh, perhaps if it is rainy at the weekend, I shall do a big sowing of courgette and squash...

have serious rhubarb envy.
hope to make rhubarb crumble for my birthday in may but the older plant has only got 2 stems so far and the new one is too new (bare root planted in march)

I have much mych rhubarb. But it isn't ripe.
Think it was about July last yr. Any tips for ripening it?

I like rhubarb and ginger jam.

Must do potting on tomorrow.
And some broad beans, badly chewed have finally been spotted.

I also have to help out with a competition pallet garden for a nursery. They are doing butterfly thing and I volunteer for butterfky conservation so got roped in. Thing is butterflies like nettles, dandelions, grass, herbs and assorted weeds. They asked if I had cuttings....so I am going on a weed comandeering exercise tomorrow cannot take anything wild so going for things that are at the edges of the allotment and growing at the edges of pavement- have spotted some ragwort. Do you think they want some of my couch grass?

now is the time to look and plan for next year this time! - its called 'the hungry gap' ! I still have a few leeks and sprouting broccoli also spring cabbage is nearly ready, with first asparagus in about a week :) but after that will have to wait for the broad beans . and yes - a lot is now coming out of the freezer - mines mostly fruit, soup and pasta sauce made with veg and tomatoes.
mink - it maybe the variety, but they do like to be in full sun I've found.
cuttings of weeds? seriously upsetting thought :)

On the rhubarb front, can I move an ancient neglected rhubarb? - If I can find it, if so when?

I'm up at the plot now, my rhubarb is still tiny, a few weeks till rhubarb crumble comes to our table.

Rhubarb is fine to move, but ideally you'd do it when it's dormant, so late autumn through to winter.

But... you can't find it? How big is your plot/farm?

I have been Googling rhubarb. It's quite possible that my rhubarb will need dividing after this year, and/or I've over watered it a bit. I'll just leave it well alone now, see what happens.

Gosh, WhoKnows - what a difference between yours and mine! Do you know what variety yours is?
We should do a swapsies so that we can get a longer harvest!

mine is about the same size. variety 'pink champagne'

Ooh, pink champagne variety sounds delish

I have just acted ruthlessly and sent several of my hothouse babies off to new homes - two tomatillo plants are shivering out the front of the house in the hopes of attracting interest from passers-by. It's sad and I feel guilty but there are too many plants here!!