Allotment/Veg Patch Thread 15 - will winter ever end?

[bookbook]

Hi everyone , just putting this up quickly , will add on later
Everyone welcome! :)

Ah.
What are my chances of getting seeds from a fresh chilli to germinate ??

Cath I ordered some (sweet) pepper plants from Marshalls on the 25th April and got an estimated delivery date of the 18th May, but that was +/- 14 days so it's anyone's guess, I suppose!

They do have chillis, though - eg these

What are my chances of getting seeds from a fresh chilli to germinate?? It would depend on how ripe the seeds were. Go for a red chilli rather than a green, in case the green is just an unripe red. It's got to be worth a try!

I have successfully grown peppers from harvesting seeds from shop bought, this year is the first year I have only have one germinate 🤣, last year I had loads, I’m sure chillies are the same.

I had some mini cucumber seeds arrive yesterday from China, haven’t go a clue if they are actually cucumber seeds 😂.

Right I’m going to try with a red chilli ( good tip) and see what happens

Blardy hell, winter is coooming in Melbourne. Such a cold autumn, usually the most temperate, pleasantly warm season. Lots of rain though, which is very good after nearly two years of effective drought.

It will mean excellent poppies and nasturtiums. I'm grateful for the latter as my dog loves chowing down on peppery flower - rocket, nasturtiums and I want the seed for pesto so the more the merrier.

My broad beans and snow peas are racing away, strawberries still fruiting, and stray tomato and mustard greens sprouting. Warrigal greens are going bonkers so picking out seedlings every day. I'll confine them to a container and as ground cover from now on.

We’ve had a bark chippings delivery for the allotment so have spent the last couple of days transporting barrow loads to lay on the paths. It’s looking much tidier! The courgettes I planted out last week have been mostly eaten by slugs though so will sow more this weekend...
still loads to do as ever-have one spare bed to fill-decisions decisions what to plant?!!

Whattodowithaminute , what plants are you thinking about for the spare bed?

I’m going to have a rummage through the seed box and see what I can find... maybe some chard, still hopeful that my aubergines might germinate...

I plated one of my courgette plants out last week as a tester, glad I have a few spare growing indoors 🤣 same with my French beans.

I bought a cheap pop up green house which is totally rubbish, got it to house my tomatoes and cucumbers but I think it will have fallen apart within a few days.

Got some kale seeds in the post today, not sure if it’s too late to plant them?

Evening!
hello echt winter !!!! - we have almost had our summer in 5 days , and back to normal spring now :)
Cath - let us know how it goes - it is often the case that fresh seeds do better in the germination stakes .
Love - I have only just sown my kale seeds , so not too late .
It has been an odd week for me - it finally rained yesterday - not enough , but better than nothing .
So today DH and I both went to the plot - we rolled up and tidied away the net from the last winters brassica cage . Put the door back on the fruit cage . DH went to blow up the tyre on the wheelbarrow , but it had a puncture . Luckily , Aldi have wheelbarrow tyres in this week , so DH popped in and got one while doing some shopping . I planted up my first sprout plants , and finished weeding and prepping the bed for the courgettes , and found 3 pink fir volunteer potatoes from last year.
Everything else is coming along slowly - it has been quite cold overnight, so it has slowed things in the greenhouse , but today I noticed my spinach has germinated , and signs that the second sowing of french beans are staring to show too at long last , along with a cucumber and another squash .
I decided at the last minute to sow some more sweetcorn . I have 22 already up and growing , but realised I could do with more . I may be a bit late , but worth a try .
I dug up a few of the little leeks that are now in the way , along with some late planted cabbages , which haven't hearted , but will do for leaves anyway , :)

@bookbook I love leeks but can never get them to grow! On the other hand my carrots, potatoes and onions are coming along well. I visited the pound shop earlier (first time in a couple of months) and invested in more bushes, netting, plastic sacks etc. I was very pleased with my haul! Just need to find some time to plant things again now...

I planted out some lettuce seedlings today and I can’t help feeling what I’ve actually done is create a slug buffet

Only one of my sweetcorn seeds germinated - they were old seed to be fair but now wondering whether to try and get some more or just write off sweetcorn for this year - tending towards the latter I think.

Quick question, due to shortage of compost I'm emptying out last years compost into one of the raised beds and will use that bed for my courgettes. I'm will cover and then plant through, is it better to cover with plastic or a weed type membrane?

The trouble is though Cathpot is that the slugs won't even be polite enough to write 'Thank you' with their horrible slimy trails. Tiz if you want some sweetcorn seed send me a pm with your addrees. I have some that is leftover from this year and it probably won't be much good for next year. I got 9 seedlings after planting 12, but I reckon that will be enough for us. My french beans are taking an age to germinate. I've got 2 out of 12 so far, I can't remember if this is normal. The runner beans are going great guns.

Thanks for the kind offer @elephantoverthehill

My french beans normally germinate super fast, the second lot I sowed a couple of weeks ago took less than 48 hours to emerge! That's a dwarf variety, I find climbing french beans take a bit longer but they're normally still fairly speedy.

Although the temps haven't been very high today it's been really still so I've got lots done outside.

First courgettes are in the ground - I have plenty of spares so these can be sacrificed if there is a cold snap but forecast looks ok.

I've rescued a load of self sown radishes, earthed up potatoes which were just starting to show, potted some stuff on, sown more mange tout, cut some tulips, prepared another courgette bed, shifted compost as well as general weeding. All in all a productive day.

Strawberries just starting to flower and plenty of gooseberries on their way.

evening all!
well, another heavy day at the allotment . Spent the morning catching up on weeding and forking over . Afternoon went back with DH to shore up wire fencing , and for DH to put new tyre on wheelbarrow .
Ruby - I really don't do anything other than normal , but I do think I am lucky that the soil I work is chalk , so free draining and relatively 'loose' . I know it is much harder on clay .
My second sow of french beans have finally germinated -but I did those in the greenhouse , rather than indoors where it is warmer . Everything has been hit and miss this spring for me.
I have just seen the weeks forecast on Countryfile , and they are warning a turn for the much colder , with wintery showers for next weekend!

Let 's hope they are wrong eh?

Busy busy weekend here. Last year we covered part of the plot with membrane to try and suppress the weeds, we took it off on Saturday to find... a tube map of bindweed roots like you would not believe!

Many many hours of digging after, we've got courgettes, runner beans and mini climbing pumpkins planted, frames made, beds prepared for French beans.

I'm also now completely broken! Think I'm going to be very stiff tomorrow

I went back to the allotment today after last week’s horrible rainy weather. There is now an obscene amount of weeds especially around where I sowed carrots, onions and leeks. Not entirely what to do there - do I weed and risk my veg?

I’ve also had something sneaky nibble my brassica leaves. Under netting. 🙄. Only a tiny bit though so they’re still fine.

@Trebolla I've also had my brassicas nibbled and that's after using nematodes in the garden. I'm so cross.

Can ask advice on TOMATOES please. Some of mine are now out in the half grow bag method (learnt here). But some are smaller and just in pots. I'm worried as these smaller ones don't look happy.

Have I put them outside too soon? Do I need to bring everything back in until it's warmer? I'm normally late sowing everything but with lockdown maybe I'm premature?

everything nibbles brassicas ! check to see what sort of holes - slugs tend to tear to shreds , pigeons strip down to the ribs , and flea beetle makes a frilly edge
footprints - I am still bringing my tomatoes inside overnight , though they are getting so big they really should be in pots in the greenhouse ( I even have a spray of flowers coming out ) Its the difference in day/night temperatures that tends to be the worst thing for them

You are making me worry now! I finally received my tomatoes plants from Dobies last week (very tiny plants) and put them straight into the ground over the weekend. Fingers crossed they'll survive!

I have 2 lots of tomato plants, first lot are huge and the other lot are still tiny but seem to be growing fast.
My pop up greenhouse got flattened last night by tue wind, luckily I hadn't moved anything out there yet, I weighed it down with compost but the poles bent, only bought the bloody thing last week 😭.

Just found a packet of rainbow carrot seeds in my kitchen which mist have come in the post weeks ago, now wondering where o can squeeze them in.