Allotment/Veg Patch Thread 5 - The Diggers Rest !

[bookbook]

Thanks to teacuphalfempty for supplying the title .
so, its the 1st of March, the meteorological spring is here, and it's all systems go for the coming growing season. Let's hope for a good one -no pests and diseases, enough rain overnight and plenty of sunshine. Well, we can dream....

Ooo Cathpot - hot.

I have a date palm far too near the front of the house that I'll have to get someone to cut down this year.

Been restarting compost heap no. 1, so I took the opportunity of demolishing a prickly pear plant and putting its remains at the base of the heap - by the time that sees light again, all sign of prickles will be gone.

De-aphiding by hand - always a delight

Could you move the palm? This is our nod to the Middle East in uk...

I LOVE hearing about you all gardening in hotter climes. I can't even imagine how hot it is where you are cath. I imagine even the hottest day here in the UK is watery by comparison. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for your plot while you're away teacup. Salamander patrol will look after it for you!

book - Nooooo to mousetraps, that's just wrong at an allotment! Thanks for the advice about peas, and cedar you have cheered me up loads with the thought that it's not too late!

I have massive success with my anti-aphid remedy, which is a spray bottle full of water, with just a few drops of Ecover washing up liquid in it. Works a treat. I imagine you might have to time it in hot places, though, so as not to scorch the leaves.

Re moving palm - no, way too big 😎

You mentioning papaya Cath inspired me to search it and I clicked on this link www.tropicalpermaculture.com/growing-papaya.html

I might get me a papaya and give it a go. I don't think they'll survive the winters where I am (the roots definitely won't like the cold rain), but it seems that it's a good idea to just keep replacing them anyway. There's a bit about growing them in cooler climes at the bottom.

Good luck teacup! There is some knack to get them to fruit- I'll ask around, can't remember who was talking to me about it.

Evening all! Well, no gardening from me today other than the continuation of the hardening off. And more plants have been committed to being Outside Plants - I can't wait to get things planted out, hopefully at weekend. I'm planning on runners, French beans, sweetcorn, the first of the courgettes, and possibly some tomatoes. I'm relaxed about the tomatoes, as there are plenty more where they came from. I even threw 6 away today, AND some armpits. Oh, and I also have a few more broadies, and peas to go out. My last, I think.

quince I grew small squash up and over an arch last year - Little Gem, inthink they were. And I shall be doing so again, and on another arch will be tromboncino squash.

Evening!
well, I managed some time at the plot morning - planted out the plug plants from home - baby leaf spinach, beetroot and celeriac. The top was damp, that was it.
Had an appointment this afternoon, so on the way went to a good nursery on the way that sells loads of veg plug plants at this time of year ( loads of other stuff too). I could have stayed a while. Picked up a tray of celery, and a few other bits and bobs to fill gaps , including some courgettes -( I just know that mine will germinate now) .They had just about everything - some inside , others outside hardening off. And not expensive - a pot of germinated calabrese 'Marathon, which I grow - £1.50 with about 12 seedlings - not bad to my mind. This is the inside bit - more was outside! :)

book, that nursery sounds so, so tempting. I am beginning to realise that edible gardening is a bit like other crafts... I am brilliant at hoarding yarn and fabric, not so good at transforming into garments/ blankets/ cushion covers. I am also great at buying seeds and random plants, not so great at any kind of robust plan at what to do with them!
Still, I am gifting some of my excess seedlings, which can never be a bad thing, can it?
I can see there is a whole world of squashes which I have not investigated yet, Squash! Thanks for the tips.
Thanks again to so many of you for kind thoughts. It means a lot. I think it is part of the gardening-as-mindfulness vibe I have realised is so valuable. Cannot wait for whole school day in garden on my own tomorrow!!!

haha! - I am a wool and material hoarder as well - though I do knit and sew a reasonable amount of the time. I cant just sit and do nothing
But yes to gifting and swapping seedlings - about half my brassicas will be going spare at a guess!
Usually I buy seed to get the variety I want, but going there at vegetable plant time has really opened my eyes a bit!

btw Spotted - throwing away tomatoes - what is the world coming to? Does that mean you only have 94 left????

booky I keep on trying to count my tomatoes, then I get interrupted and can't be bothered to restart.
I had over 80 before, but have given some away to sister, nephew and neighbour. I reckon 50 ish?

I know lots of people have more, but I have a small half-plot, and a small garden, and no proper greenhouse or polytunnel. I heard for more space, and a lovely glazed empire however. I was going to grow fewer tomatoes this year, but then I, er, didn't.

That nursery looks amazing. I don't think I have anywhere like that near me. But I am gollum-like with my seeds. They are all my precious. I don't even like to waste them when I sow, I am so sparing! Even though I've bought them on the Internet and the perilla seeds came in a pack of 1000....

Spotted, that's a lot of toms.
I've just spat my tea out at the description of Gollum-like with seeds! I will investigate the squashes you grew round arches.

Oh, and excitement - I reckon it's way too late, but they were still selling them on eBay - a large bundle of 2 foot willow cuttings has arrived. I am going to have a go at building a little willow wigwam for the dcs.

As you can see my enthusiasm outstrips my knowledge...if it all goes wrong I'll make a living willow fence instead

I got some sweetcorn at a plant swap.
I don't really know where to put them. would they be ok between the strawberries?
I also have too many tomatos, have space for 4 each, really but havd 8-10 of each. oops.

50 TOMATOES!?!?! 50?! You'll be going into partnership with Dolmio next.

I guess it is #2016yearoffruit!

book - I am incredibly jealous of your local nursery. It sounds absolutely amazing, and at £1.50 a pop it's not really much more expensive than growing your own, once you've factored in compost and stuff!! It would be so useful for those times where something just will NOT germinate.

I can't sew or knit at all. When I try, it looks like one of those pictures of a spider that has been given caffeine and allowed to spin a web.

No gardening for me today. I am being dragged to a beer festival. I don't even like beer - I am the designated driver. There will be steam trains too. It is basically my idea of hell. Think of me pityingly, fellow plotters.

Doesn't sound very mindful, does it Shove?! Just think of the calming gardening to come when you get home. I don't get the steam train/steam engine thing either. I hope your (Dp?) appreciates it!

Morning!
nursery is actually about 15 miles away, but quite near DD2, so doable.
Spotted - I have 10 tomato plants , so you are definitely the tomato queen!
quince - how about a runner bean/french bean tepee? I have seen pictures on pinterest
Green Marker - they need to be planted in a block for best crops ( wind pollinated), so I don't see why not they wouldn't shade the strawberries too much I don't think.
Beer and steam trains shove - oh dear.... somebodies idea of heaven I suppose ( my lovely SIL and partner are members of CAMRA - I will say no more......)
On a more annoying note - got home a bit late last night, so didn't do the usual slug hunting - plus it rained yesterday afternoon = collateral damage on brassicas arghhhh - they have chomped through about 6 little cauliflowers, some brokali Atlantis and had started on some sprouting broccoli seedlings too. Have taken off about 12 slugs on the peat pots of my kale plants this morning. Dratted creatures

Greenmarkerpen sweetcorn need to be planted in a block not in rows to aid germination and they do need a lot of watering which your strawberries might not like so much as may rot the fruit. Are you growing squashes or pumpkins as you can grow them in the same area.

SpottedZebra I was a bit shocked to see that you were throwing away tomato plants but then if you still have 50 left that is a LOT left.

Shove I quite like a steam train myself but not interested in beer at all. And being the designated driver is a bit boring. Hope it's not too dull a day.

On the subject of knitting I found a very good website which shows very clearly and very slowly how to cast on properly and then how to knit. My daughter has been keen to learn and I cannot knit. My mum (who can actually knit things you'd wear) started her off but every time DD starts a new bit she asks me to cast on for her. I have now speeded up from about half an hour to do 20 stitches to about 5 minutes. I blame it on being left handed though. Everything is essentially back to front for me.

Quick visit to the plot yesterday. The runners planted out last week are still alive. Slight bit of slug damage and a bit of wind damage (although I blame DH for tying up in the wrong place) but they are still there. Reapplied the slug bait after all the rain. My leeks are through as are more peas. Am wondering whether to plant out my french beans this weekend or hold off a bit longer. They are getting quite leggy which isn't good.

bookbook that's annoying about your slug damage. I was given kale seedlings last year and they all got munched by the slugs.

thanks all. might put them in balcony boxes then (so 3 in a row) and try to find a space.

Shove trains and ale? You poor, poor thing!

Yes, I hereby declare that for the purposes of #2016YearofFruit, tomatoes do indeed count as fruit. Yet, oddly, so does rhubarb.

quince the willow thing sounds lovely. I'd wanted to try a sunflower tepee thing (yep, saw it on Pinterest ), but I never got round to it.

I am joining you all in the pest horror - more mouse damage last night. Well, I presume it's mouse. Something is getting into my blowaway greenhouse and under my plastic cloche and digging out any bean seeds, or remnants of been seeds. They've even made it through the tomato forest last night, ignoring the tomatoes.

Also ignoring, are my 2 cats. I showed them the damage and debris to see if they'd react to a mouse smell. They didn't.

Bean seeds, obvs.

I think I will have to give in and buy new French bean seeds. My second sowing is not peeping out either.

My latest rows of radishes have shown heads, so another 2 short rows this weekend. The Courgette is happy in the ground, and all the broccoli seedlings have settled in individual modules (even the 1 I thought had lost most of its roots and looked droopy the first day has perked up). I'll give a few of those to my uncle as well - I only have room for about 4 plants myself and have 7 summer calabrese and 9 PSB which came up. And something of the courgette family (I cheated and didn't label everything one weekend of sowing) has actually grown. It's either a courgette (probably yellow) or summer squash.

This weekend's work includes a further short row of peas for later in August harvesting, more radishes, planting the tomatoes in hanging basket, weeding and watering. And harvesting a couple of older leeks to use in the kitchen!!

I planted butternut squash seeds but way too late in the year and hardly any have germinated. So I bought two 20cm (-ish) plants from the nursery for about £2 a pair. I'm planning to train them over an arch too. I thought I'd do one at either side and add pea netting to the metal garden arch that I bought for £8 at b&m stores. Do you think it will hold?