Allotment/Veg Patch - Thread 7 - The Harvesters Arms

[bookbook]

Well, it's been an interesting summer, to say the least.
We are now heading into the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness :)
Everyone welcome to join in and ask for advice , share their woes and just enjoy growing!
previous thread here

just back inside.
potted on dc's bonsai into a shallower pot, hope it will survive me cutting off the tap root.
the leeks and beetroot are now outside to harden off before I plant out next weekend.
sowed first lot of toms: tigerella
plan to stagger a bit, for space reason and to get a better chance at a good crop.

Afternoon!
Welcome Anonymous - I am very nosey, so have you had your plot long?, or a relative newbie? ( I am only asking as garlic feels a bit late for planting....) And whereabouts are you -North, South, East or West ? Just jump in and join us all :)
It has been horrible here so far today , rain and wind - and very wet underfoot. I was helping out in our local Horticultural shop all this morning though .Really quite busy with folk getting ready for spring.
I am not sowing seeds until March , I made myself a promise.
RedBug - leeks and beetroot? ( we had snow last year at the beginning of March)

we are in se - didn't have any frost last winter, so hope for the best

I've pricked out and potted on my Maskotka tomatoes, and my one Ohnivec chilli. By heck it is cold out there.

Lost two panes of glass in the greenhouse. Pah.

Book First year (it's obviously obvious ) my book said Jan or Feb and I'm trialling bio-organic gardening, this weekend is a root weekend hence leaving it so late in the month. We usually get cold snaps in March/April so I remain hopeful. Daffodils, crocuses and onions all looking good and green manure is working its magic on 1/4 of my mini plot.

Biodynamic even

Everyone seems way ahead of me in terms of tomatoes. Are they going to be indoor or outdoor? I went to the garlic farm last week and they had garlic ready to plant out in pots. I didn't buy any as going there is a good excuse for a bowlful of chips with garlic mayonnaise, plus they can store the garlic much better than I probably could.

don't panic elephant - I haven't sown mine ! Next weekend perhaps :)

my toms will be going outside so need to be on the windowsill until they have their first set of real leaves.
then thinning out/potting on for another set of real leaves. then out in final position.

book- your PSB looks amazing! You're way ahead of me! I am on my phone, so I can't see properly, but is one of the things you posted white?? (Am wondering if you've got the perennial caulis going already!!)

I haven't sown anything for the plot except leeks and onions yet. I've been really focused on hardy perennials instead as those need some cold (in some cases, several cycles). I need- really need- to get my broad beans and early peas on. Will be doing them in modules in the greenhouse to get them moving! I showed tomatoes far too early last year and it was a pain trekking them from house to greenhouse every day for weeks to avoid night frosts. So I am waiting patiently this year

Chuck- I love your new username!

Sowed, not showed. Unlike our Zebra, my tomatoes are by no means worthy of the show bench!!

I think I might get a bit of time in the garden today, if baby dd will settle with her daddy. Pondering what to do. I'd like to prepare a little patch for some new raspberry canes. I had to pull all of mine out a couple of years back as they were diseased. Aldi apparently will be getting fruit bushes in on Thursday so would like to get prepared! Might also get some tomatoes sown.

Anon I'm intrigued by the idea of bio dynamic gardening. Can you tell me more, and maybe point me in the direction of a good calender?

Basically (from my limited understanding) it's working soil and planting to the lunar cycle. Venus and Saturn play a role too. Each plant is categorised as root, leaf, flower and a fourth one I've forgotten and each phase of the moon benefits one of those groups. I'm using a tom kollerstrom diary to get me started.

All is not lost Doris might have done me a favour, OH has now said we can have a brick based, wooden frame, lean-to greenhouse against the back of the house and went to get the bricks yesterday so today I'm drawing plans. Planning on starting my tomatoes this afternoon if I get a chance.

yay to new greenhouse!

Morning!
a bit breezy, and due to get colder tomorrow. So today, just picking white and purple sprouting broccoli, and digging up grass.
shove - the perennial caulis - if only! - one is looking well settled, just starting to motor a bit - next is recovering reasonably from slug attack, third one is looking totally bedraggled after a concerted slug attack - have had to go in with slug pellets sadly, so a while before I get caulis I suspect!
Bella - hope you enjoy a little foray - don't go mad!
Anon - I rather think that is the approach Chuck is taking - she posted a sowing/planting guide something like that upthread.
nightshade - that sounds wonderful - and at home , you can keep a close eye on everything!

Thanks, just working my way through the whole thread now. Will keep an eye out. Garlic is now in and I've planted a heliport?? in my garden.

I meant helibore

This

yep - a hellebore - great plants! :)

Well, I feel like a right slacker. Nothing sown at all yet and my potting shed is so full of clutter that I can't get to the bench. We had to clear the understairs cupboard in Dec when we had our boiler replaced and all the stuff went in the shed and it's been too cold and damp to spend any time sorting it all out again. It has been raining most of the weekend here. So glad the evenings are getting lighter now.

I did spend half an hour clearing stones and couch from a previously uncultivated strip at the plot on Friday though, and at home I have pruned my buddleia.

whoknows - well, I shall join you in the slacker corner. I still can't do much. I did, however, sit in the garden all wrapped up yesterday and did some magisterial direction of DH as he moved a plant

I might call my hellebores heliports from now on! I think I like it better!

night - hooray! A happy ending!

book - well, I'm still impressed with your PSB, it's miles ahead of mine! The only things I have at the moment are leeks, cabbages, and c. nero kale. I'm really pleased with how the cabbages have grown and stood - they are basic old Tundra, but they have quite a pleasant, sweet flavour which seems, if anything, to be getting better the longer they are in the ground. I thought I didn't like cabbage and was boggling a bit as to why I thought it was a good idea to grow so many, but actually these ones aren't so bad at all. [grin[

Morning!
I am just gearing up to pop to the plot, but it is looking remarkably grey and damp - I think w are due rain.
shove - I quite like the idea of ordering someone around to dig stuff up, !
Of course, I do have a heck of a lot of PSB - I planted about 4 varieties, so I could pick over a long period.. Some plants are not producing just yet :)
WhoKnows - I am surrounded by loads of people having sown tomatoes , planting out sweet peas etc . Its still February, so I haven't . I am just bumbling along, sorting bits of stuff here and there.

It was raining - quickest trip ever for leeks and kale, then straight home.
It looks as if it has set in for the day.

Thanks Anon, I'm having a look at some websites. Interesting stuff.

Managed to get a patch prepared for the raspberries so will be at aldi on Saturday to hopefully get the canes. DS sowed some tomatoes that his grandad gave him. Also did a little tidying up, so pleased with that.

I love hellebores / heliports.