The Vegetable Patch Mark 2

[MereDintofPandiculation]

A continuation of the thread for those of us growing edibles, to share triumphs and failures, swap expertise and solve problems

You have a mouse. The next thing it will do is start digging up and eating any peas and beans that you’ve already sown.

Either make sure there’s nothing for it to eat in the greenhouse, or block up all holes, and use a small live trap baited with peanut butter to escort it outside

Another dreadful forecast for the week ahead
frost and sleet
its nearly May!!!!!
Tomato plants staying firmly in my kitchen for another week

anyone grows Lepidium latifolium (pepperweed)?

a friend gave me a few rhizomes.
and strict instructions to plant it in a pot placed on a slab.
sounds like a right thug.

@Zebracat I usually put in an order with Real Seeds, Aztec Broccoli is lovely.

What to do with too many currants @Lovemusic33 ?
Feed the black birds. We had two red currant bushes, the blackbirds pinched most of them. DH planted another dozen bushes, the black birds got even more successful at breeding

Please can somebody advise the best way to support runner beans in raised beds as I'm going round in circles changing my mind between teepees in the beds and A frames between the beds. The beans are earmarked for two 900x2400 beds, 30cm high and 70cm in between. The beans are Lady Di which grow to 3m.

Do you pick the beans mainly from underneath? Because obviously that will make teepees difficult in a raised bed.

And cucumbers a similar dilemma - are they also picked mainly from underneath?

Thanks!

Yes, that’s why bedding plants aren’t planted out till nearly June. It’s always possible to have frost and even snow in April

I use teepees in pots (difficult to do anything else). You pick by snapping the stem at the top of the bean.

hi, joining the thread if it's OK. I've got a tomato question.

I potted on 2 tomato seedlings. Now their leaves are curling down and don't look as happy as the rest (which are crowded). Are they likely to be just sulking like @PoseyFlump's? It's been 5 days. They are all inside. I thought I'd overwatered then under (hard to tell with this peat free stuff). Or damaged the roots. At least I have spares, but scared the same will happen when I try to transplant.

Thanks!

Hi @HelloMist! Welcome 🤗

I tend to water mine just once a week. It's good for them to send down strong roots seeking out water. You get to know when they want water as the pots are very light and when you stick your finger in you can't feel moisture. They start to sag a bit if you leave it very long but I always prefer that to over watering.

Are they getting enough warmth and light? It's best to keep them above 10 degrees. Windowsills can sometimes get very chilly. When you pot them into a bigger pot, try to keep the old soil around the roots. I will put my little pot in the next size up. Firm the compost around, then remove the little pot and there's a perfect shape for potting on (if that makes sense!) But you can't do that with tiny seedlings. Hopefully they will be okay 🤞😊

@HelloMist were the seedlings marure enough to be repotted? did you touch the stems with your fingers when repotting? potting mix too wet? pots wthout adequate drainage holes.

those were the most common mistakes I made at first.

toms tend to sulk for a few hours after re-potting.

Climbing beans just get one cane per 3 plants in my plot. Cucumbers one plant one cane and prune back any side shoots that don't have a fruit in the first 4 inches.

I am attempting a runner bean teepee this year. I love runner beans, they are probably my favourite thing to grow but some years seem to be better than others, I am hopping for a good crop this year. I also have purple French beans but not sure what I am growing them up yet.

Thank you, @greenacrylicpaint and @PoseyFlump. 😊 They were small but had several true leaves. Don't think it's too cold but will keep in mind. I think I may have touched the stems. I won't water for a few days even though they look like they need it!

How about a Munty frame? Easy picking and look great

Just popped up to the allotment to plant some raspberries and accidentally ended up with another plot, someone offered me to share their plot with them, it’s much bigger than mine and he had just dug it over so it’s ready to go. He said he was going to grow pumpkins in it so we agreed to still plant pumpkins and squash in it this year and just chuck in what ever else we have left over from our other plots. Also it has a large rhubarb plant which I am pleased with as mine won’t be ready this year.

oh, exciting @Lovemusic33!

my toms survived a couple of nights of near frost temps.
and they are almost big enough to be planted out.
cucumbers a bit slower still.

Was someone on here looking for raspberry canes?

We got ours last year from Asda! It's an autumn variety, got a few fruit last year, Seema to have more buds this year so 🤞. Our Asda has them in last week so maybe check your local store.

I'm hoping to plant out my mange tout it's big enough now to need caning so going to transfer into larger pots and cane. Might even move out of the greenhouse but it's meant to be heavy rain and lightning over the weekend don't want them to get damaged if they are outside.

Picked up the keys to our allotment yesterday.

Hopefully start on clearing one section and tidying up a bit at the weekend.

Hello - may I join you all?

After three years on the waiting list I now have an allotment! And it's in pretty great condition. I am very excited. But also a bit overwhelmed with how to lay it out.

(And trying not to be intimidated when nearby plot holders informed me that the person who had it before me was a champ vegetable grower who won competitions and was admired by all etc...)

Just waiting for the paperwork to come through now with the rules about what can and can't be done. Based on my visit up there, it looks like sheds, greenhouses and fruit trees aren't allowed.

I'm hoping that if I act fast I can get away with putting some maincrop potatoes. Plus nice Big Things that I don't have room for at home - pumpkins, squashes, courgettes etc, to take up lots of space and get the ground working for me quickly (and show the council I'm getting on with things..)

Some help with my chillis - if anyone can?

I had good strong plants growing indoors, about 15-20cm high. Yesterday I potted up the biggest 3 of them and popped them into the garden to start to harden them off and then bloody forgot them overnight! It dropped to about 5c. This morning all the leaves are droopy on them.

Is this transplant shock and will they recover or have I blown it?

Congratulations @tizwozliz and you have a lovely helper there!!

@NewYearNewSeeds bring them back in and give them a few days, they will hopefully recover.

The peas (blauwschokker) are finally in the ground. Fingers crossed they survive the predicted bad weather - I'm about to go for a midnight snail hunt.

I've been relocating snails to a bit of council greenery. Today someone questioned me thinking I was dumping rubbish - when I said they were snails he clearly thought I was mad

Oh I love this! How was your hunt last night?! 😂