Fruit & Veg growers Club 2007

[nikkie]

What is everyone planning to grow this year?
I have the bluberry bushes, strawberries,apple and pear from last year and hopefully i will get some proper fruit this year.Will be growing peas/tomatos/lettuce for definate as they all did really well. Cape gooseberry plants did well but fruit needed a couple more weeks of sun and never quite made it ,possibly start earlier this time.

We're growing our Suttons mixed salad leaves in pots on the kitchen window as we had trouble with aphids. They're thriving and we've already eaten lots of the leaves.

Mrs Who - My plants are a bit bigger than yours & courgettes are getting a bit big and lanky and as have got 2 to a pot am wondering whether to put them in something a bit bigger. My mini greenhouse is quite mini so am having trouble shutting it!

F&Z - you can definately do carrots now but can't find my mag article atm. Does anyone know how much I should thin them out? I've got loads of wee plants in a 20 litre pot.

I have those little carrots , called something like chartenay?, I leave about 2-3inches between them (ina window box)

My minigreenhos thing is one of those plastic ones (actually have 2 one with 3 shelves and one with 4)

Your plants should be pretty hardened off now so next time we have a nice spell leave them out ingrowbag/pot whatever they are going to live in

I posted asking whether anyone had tried growing lentils a month or two ago, but no-one had. just thought I'd let you know that I planted them last week (after soaking over night) and they are shooting up like mad. Apparently they like dry conditions so I've put them at the bottom corner of my veg patch (which is on a slope) and will now 'neglect' them all summer to see how they do. I've planted chickpeas there too, which like similar conditions, and am waiting to see the results...

Thanks for carrot info Mrs W. Will go & do a bit of thinning.

oooh nothing much constructive to say except a few weeks ago i planted some peas and potatoes, peas in elongated pots and pots in huge old waterbutt, all with adequate drainage of course, and my peas are shooting up!
still waiting obviously for any action for the potatoes, but am very excited about those!!

yeah so you all say....

but this is my first time! yay!

We planted potatos in pot in late Feb (they spent a couple of weeks inside before going out on patio) and they are gargantuan. Not sure how much longer before we can harvest them - am tempted to have poke about now.

We planted our first ever spuds on Sat under the guidance of fellow allotmenteer; he's lovely and doesn't make you feel stupid. Then salad leaves and beetroot on Sunday and carrots and parsnips tonight.
We are really pleased but guys on allotment have been laughing cos they are harvesting stuff already.
We don't care just loving all this so much.

anyone know how long it takes for the first shoots to come up with potatoes?
planted them over 3 weeks ago and still no sign. Am I being impatient or is something up? I'm even tempted to dig down and have a little peek to see if there is any action.
Can't find any info on this on the internet so far but thought you experts out there might know...

burek, same here.
dont poke around though! My dad tells me this is normal!

well, that's reassuring, thank you
I was quite late planting the potatoes and they hadn't chitted very much so was starting to worry.

Hi all, I'm new to mumsnet etc but thrilled to see so many gardeners. Is anyone else (I'm in London area) really frustrated with this wet weather? I received my allotment order of flowers last weekend and it's been too wet to plant them. This weekend our veg order arrives and we haven't got beds for them to go on as too soggy to go out there. Is anyone else growing melons, aubergines or other exotics? It's my first try from seed, and with no greenhouse my kitchen looks like a plant nursery

I have aubergines, mini ones, did them last year too and got 3!
Kids don't normally eat them but did eat ones we'd grown

Hi Mrs Who, do you grow your aubergines from seed? My seedlings are only an inch high so far, is this normal?

I bought the aubergine from the market

Bought some squash plants today

What sort Mrs Who? I've put in a butternut squash - it's going great guns. A friend did them the year before last and they were fantastic.

I also put in a pumpkin plant - but last years seeds (that were thrown on the compost heap after Hallowe'en) have all germinated so I shall have carved pumpkin lanterns a-plenty this year!

I'm just off out to the kitchen garden to put in celery seedlings. I am a celery virgin so may have to consult Pippa Greenwood before embarking!

I have celery not doing very well atm

Butternut, snowball? and acorn(I think was the thrid) haven't done them before but have had loads of pumpkins

We grow cobnut squashes, which are a type of butternut. Very easy and productive.

It was snowman! and something like Kobeske?

how's everyone's gardens doing? bet the rain has helped.
Just wondering if anyone has ever tried PHACELIA as a green manure? Any good?

The rain has made the lettuce grow at an alarming rate. And now I've netted them the pigeons aren't spoiling them. Radish & loose leaves also fast growing right now.

Broad beans and peas are coming on slowly. The runner beans are being eaten by something 'unknown' Celery, leeks & cucumber very slow.

Potatoes are growing fast, as are the squash, pumpkin, courgettes etc. Tomatoes are OK but I'm a bit worried about this cold spell. I might have to get the fleece out tomorrow.

Strawberries have stopped since the sun disappeared. Apples are swelling. Pears have withered Cherries are sparse. Berries are fine. Raspberries slow.

And now the asparagus has finished I have nothing to harvest except salad.

Morning everyone! What a horrid morning!

It's my birthday and I'm not working so had planned a day that only fellow gardeners would appreciate.

I meant to get up, visit my DD's family, my ma, do some shopping then get back and :-

1)Plant up my hanging baskets, including one with toms, cue and basil

2)Plant out all the aubergines, tomatoes, courgettes, peppers, squashes, cucumber.

3)Put some flower seeds in

It's pouring down, I have chest infection and I'm at least 10 years older than I like!!

SO, should I carry on regardless, change my plans and go out for lunch or stay in bed with Monty Don? We're going to Hay on Sat, CAMPING, to see him talk about his work with young offenders, so won't be able to get to the allotment until next week!

Happy Birthday! Sorry the weather is so foul.

I'd stay in bed if I were you. The good news is that the rain is supposed to be clearing up at the end of the week so the camping should be alright. We're having DS1 4th birthday party in the garden on Saturday afternoon so fingers crossed.

Can you get any planting done in the evenings? Next weekend will be OK to get all your veg in - the plants aren't exactly missing out on long sunny hours are they?

Hi Earthy we must have passed , just left Hay! Lovely there today, If you heard a screaming 7yo it was mine!

MY pplants have done great whilst I was away, friend watered them and only one died (but it was looking dodgy before I went though.