Allotment /Veg patch thread 4 "Lettuce and Peppers and Pears OH MY!"

[agoodbook]

as per Cupcakes :)
come and join in the harvest !

previous thread here
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/gardening/2386388-The-2015-Allotment-Veg-Patch-Thread-Part-3-already?msgid=55842529

Evening!
welcome earthy - :)
You probably have time to sow chard and perpetual spinach as well for overwinter, along with everyone else's ideas.
Glad you like the tiles idea cedar - it works a treat on keeping them off the soil . It helps to see how many you have and where they are as well. I will be needing to start trimming down all the tendrils now. Don't really want more than 2 squashes per stem, and maybe 4 squashes per plant... (16 crown prince altogether, and they tend to be big!). But I hate cutting them off :)

Ahh. What are you supposed to do y way of trimming squashs. All I have done so far is wrap mine round squash mountain like a leafy feather boa.

I shall have to investigate those knives - thanks for the tip.

I haven't thought about trimming my squashes or pumpkins yet but of course there is a limit to how many you want to eat. Last time I grew them I just cut the growing tips off.

Morning All!

I had my best harvest haul ever yesterday evening from the plot. I picked more tomatoes, 3 cucumbers (gherkin sized), kale, lettuce, rasps and courgettes -Yay! I also picked my first ever Little Gem Squash, to try it, and my first Cosse Violette beans. Sorry, agoodbook /Cedar I missed your discussion on them upthread. Mine were late to fruit, hence only stay picking them now, but all plot beans were, really. I like these for their ease of picking - the purple colour stands out against the green of the leaves and makes them easier to find. I've not cooked them yet, but I believe that they revert to green when cooked.

I also have not trimmed my squash. In fact something has taken a big chomp out of the stem of BenSquash . I hope he (yes) survives, nay thrives and gives me many many squash. Or a few massive ones.

Intrigued by the addition of star anise is to blackcurrant jam, mink !

Right thanks for the advice. I've gone for the square foot gardening approach and divided my plot up. I've planted something in most of the squares so will see what happens really. I'm wondering whether it's worth getting a mini greenhouse or not, I could squeeze one of those tiny ones next to my chickens but I'm not entirely sure what I'd actually put in there . In the meantime while I'm waiting for things to grow, or not, I'm going to start clearing the dumping ground of a shed and attempting to turn it into one of those delightful little potting sheds I've been pining over on Pinterest. Think shelves stacked with terracotta pots, lavender hanging from the shelves drying, wicker baskets or produce and a nice little table and chairs for enjoying a well earned cider, I mean cuppa

Sounds lovely, earthy !

Do you mean a glass greenhouse, or a plastic one? On the garden bargain tread, someone said that there might be bargainous plastic ones, and other things, in Wilko as they sell off their garden stuff.

And in case anyone hasn't seen it, there are cheapy fruit plants in Aldi from tomorrow. I am buying raspberries as I gear up for 2016 - Zebra's Year of Fruit Glut. Also maybe some blackcurrants. And probably some other things too.

Plastic, I looked in Wilkos today but they didn't have any. Not sure if I need one or not really.

According to the flavour thesaurus blackcurrant goes with either star anise (it does) or mint.

not convinced about the mint tbh.

Yy, blackcurrant and mint is delish, IMHO! Also, ginger and BC.

But after lots of careful research over the past week, I can reveal that blackcurrant jam goes with EVERYTHING. It's without doubt now my favourite jam.

Off to Aldi soon, to get more fruit plants. Hurrah! And the quince (quinces? What is plural of quince) - anyway, the multiple quince trees in my garden are set for a bumper year. They are still small but turning golden now, and utterly beautiful in the sunshine. Not that I have any today, it's as gloomy as a damp January day. Again.

Morning
not been down to the plot since Monday - hoping to get there today to water and pick. Life will get in the way :)
spotted - a proper harvest- my cosse violette have not started yet , only the cobra- you are ahead of me.
When I say trimming the squashes its this - once I have enough fruit set ( and a few spare for attrition purposes!) we cut all the tendrils with fruit on back to the set of leaves beyond the fruit. They are constantly putting on new growth, and its quite hard to see which fruit belongs to which plant - the crown prince are always good, but it will keep on setting fruit on every tendril/shoot and they are just never going to grow to a decent size before the end of the season, so we make sure the plant puts its hard work into the fruit already well on the way. But I have to say sorry to them....

Zebra - I remember aaaages ago, the ever-wise doreen suggested buying a particular comfrey variety. I think it was Bocking 14. It's sterile and therefore will not set seed all over your plot, giving you a nightmare to pull it all out again.

I need to get some too!

I don't have any tomatoes yet. Even in the greenhouse, they are ALL still very much green. BAH!

I wonder if it's because it's been so cold here? Or whether I am doing something wrong. I started feeding each week when the fruit set and the plants look happy, but no ripening yet

shove - mine are only just ripening , a few every other day - the roma variety are nowhere near, and just an odd marmande

Am I just being impatient again?

Mental note: My nerves are too weak to deal with late varieties! Plant early crops next year!!

Oh no re no ripe tomatoes. I am fully in glut situation here with cherry toms. And I have a red Roma at plot. Just the one though, well there was 2 days ago. I'll go up later. AND I picked my first Black Krim yesterday too. I've not eaten it yet, however, as I had so many cherry toms. Ones in the shelter of my garden are a couple of weeks ahead of those at the plot. I'm in North Bucks.

I went to Aldi, and bought more fruit plants. Hurrah! Just a few 4 each of autumn and summer rasps. And a blueberry. And another tayberry. Apart from the tayberry (Medana), no varieties were detailed.

Shove up it was Bocking 14. I too memorised it, so that I could snap it up if I saw it. But I never have. Maybe that'll be an online purchase. ..

Marking my place - 39 weeks pregnant and the garden has been neglected due to illness and the fact I'm incubating a baby!! Will catch up soon x

So sorry you've been feeling bad kimmi. At 39 weeks too - sounds like you have more than enough on your plate. The garden will keep!

Zebra I am x one billion at your tomatoes! I think the Tomato God is rewarding you for Services to Armpits.

Service to armpits

I have had toms in drivs and drabs for months. Skins are a bit thick though.

I shall try mint in the jam next year maybe.

I eill crack on with tendril trimming when I get back. No idea what kind of squash it is.

And spotted quince are beautiful aren't they. Are yours bush variery, dwarf or full size trees? I love the smell too (i don't grow any but there were some at my old office and I used to fill the fruit bowl full)

I suddenly have a tomato glut - luckily DH eats them as if they are about to be rationed so I think we'll be alright.

I have masses of comfrey (planted by the previous owner), it edges all my flower beds and thrives. i use it to make great liquid feed, I think it is the sterile kind as it doesn't seem to be invasive. If anyone wants a root I could sent it to them.

My courgettes are dire - they are rotting before they can ripen

Evening!
kimmi take care , horrible to be ill and 39 weeks !
well, I did manage to get down and water and harvest. I am now getting enough french beans to freeze, but the runners are a bit reluctant...
Rooster - a couple of my courgettes were starting to rot at the end, so I have taken the flowers off all the ones mid size. The variety I have - Genovese seems to bend towards the soil so touches the ground when a bit bigger.
I also went to Aldi , and bought a Tayberry :) In our branch, there was a trolley of really big, but sad looking squashes/pepper/tomato and aubergine plants being flogged off at 99p. I was tempted...

Everyone! Cheap 19p seeds in Aldi right NOW! Varieties in the 'cheap by nature' thread. BARGAIN!

pah- didn't see those when I was in today!
I have pottered this evening -watered, potted up the little tayberry I bought and - I have aubergines !!! - the tickiling must have worked . Just hope we have time for them to ripen-
Had to rub off white cabbage eggs off my cabbage seedlings

I'm off to Spain! My plot will have been reclaimed by nature by the time I get back! I went late last night, loads of peas loads of weeds and my rubarb chard iis being munched! I'm hoping it won't be too horrific when I get back but forcast is lots of rain and sun in turn. The weeds are going to be mammoth oh well, it will give me something to do besides washing and ironing when I get back.