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

Busy afternoon at the allotment, sorting out some pathway borders out of old pallets and topping up woodchip. Started on digging over and weeding but still lots to do. It's really easy to turn the soil and weed right now so fingers crossed can get a lot more done this week. Lots of frogspawn in the pond and picked some kale for dinner.

Starting to make a plan of where to put things.

Ooh can I join please? I feel like I’ve found my people! I’ve been growing edibles in my garden for a few years but kind of had a year off last year (young baby and getting to grips with motherhood!) so bar shoving a few squash and some herbs in I didn’t really get in the garden that much and gosh I missed it.

hoping I can get my toddler involved this year. I’ve got some second early spuds and main crop chitting at the moment. I’ve got a few heirloom tomatoes varieties that I’m looking forward to trying this year, as well as 3 types of squash. Also aubergine, leeks, lettuce, radish, carrots, peppers. I have two blueberries that my mum has gifted me so looking forward to seeing what those do. I’ve also just bought a blackcurrant and have a gooseberry already.

i defo have underestimated the value of companion planting with flowers in the past so going to do more of that this year. I have cosmo, marigold, nasturtium, basil, lavender…any other just grows to help with pest control?

STILL on the waiting list for an allotment…. 4 years and counting!

Speaking of companion plants I cannot get my tagetes to germinate, they are on a heat mat and everything. @Wildflower2022 it was 5 years for us so hang in there.

Well my tomatoes grew, but two varieties, a cherry and a marinade are indifferent in flavour, so eight kilos of green tomatoes have been chutneyfied. There are still some growing and they do ripen on the windowsill into a decently flavoured fruit.

Summer has turned up. In autumn! with warm to hot days and cool evening and no rain at all. I've planted the last basil of the season, lettuce and broad-leaved rocket.

Do you mean a Marmande tomato echt? Where are you based?

We waited 3 years for our allotment, I was honestly expecting it to take a lot longer. We were really lucky in getting a good plot too. I've just been planning where to put things. I might need to make room somewhere for more potatoes.

Parking! You lucky bugger!

Also: two sheds!

Before you get too jealous, the larger shed only has half a roof and is full of junk we inherited with the allotment. The smaller one is tiny and full of plastic plant pots. Although it does have a perspex roof so I may be able to harden off some things in there

I think you have French beans twice, so could the area in the middle also be for potatoes? I am hoping this year that I can start my courgettes off in pots, then plant them in the potato plot once the first earlies are harvested. I'm still a novice though, so that plan may not work!

The french beans by the pond is just one wigwam, there's a variety of flowers and herbs there so not much actual planting space. The other spot we had potatoes there last year so trying to rotate

Have planted aubergine, pepper and tomato seeds indoors so far. The peppers are half from fridge actually pepper That my ds wanted to plant and half old seeds, but a few are growing so theres hope.
Salad, cucumber and some mini sunflower seeds also on the go.

Also bought edible flower seeds this year to try with 4 year old. Going to just fill pots so he knows which ones are edible.

My potatoes are now ready to go in this weekend coming I reckon. I cant remember which they are though - does it matter?

I've only been on the allotment waiting list for a year so I fear it is going to be a while for me yet!

I'm making do with growing in pots still on my patio in the meantime. Autumn fruiting raspberries have gone into a very large pot and my potatoes will be going in at the weekend.

My broad beans are through.

When is everyone planting their main crop potatoes please? Mine are currently chitting and undecided when to plant….

Usually 4-6 weeks before your last frost date.

However I've not put any in the ground yet, it has been too wet here in the SW France.

I've put some in pots in the polytunnel, about 6 weeks ago.

Ours might start to be put in later this week or this weekend.

Hopefully Easter weekend for me, but it depends on the weather! I still need to clear the weeds from the allotment before they can go where I intend them to be.

I'm annoyed with Chiltern Seeds - I bought new chilli seeds, Ember Explosive, and not a single one has germinated. No such problems with the jalapeno and ring of fire seeds I saved myself last year! Grr.

Not a potato in sight here.

I've done a bit of indoor sowing. Looking forward to Pike's Peak sunflowers. Last year they got to about 2.5m - hoping for the full 3.5-4.5m this year.
Kale, pak choi, tomatillos (de milpa/super verde), tomatoes (black cherry), courgette (tondo chiaro di Nizza) have all hatched.

I need to buy some Shiraz or another purple mangetout. Last year I grew a purple-podded pea because they're easy to find, and then realised I can't be arsed shelling them.

Over the winter I made some high planters from scaffolding boards to put on the patio. Fingers crossed I can finally grow some leafy salad that doesn't get eaten by snails.

I usually grow runner beans in a very large pot, with 8 foot cans, on my patio. I'm thinking of using this set up to grow cucumelons this year as I've heard they will climb and scramble.

Anyone familiar with cucumelons and do you think this will work? Tia.

@Caspianberg I've grown lunchbox peppers for the last three years from supermarket peppers which all gave lots of fruit so hopefully yours should be a success. I've had 100% germination from mine this year too.

@WhatYouWearing - thanks. We have about 8 seedlings now so it’s looking good. And two aubergine have popped up (tiny still)

I spent the morning moving and pruning the strawberries. We have two raised beds full and they just go wild, then need tidying up each spring.

They happily climb but like a net to hold on to. I couldn't get mine to grab thick string, never mind canes.

Didn't think much of the flavour, either, so I've not grown them again.

Cucamelons prefer string to canes as their tendrils are quite small.