so what happened to the allotment /veg patch thread-

[yehudiwho]

nows the time when we really do want to know what everyone's doing

I've planted out onions grown from seed,
sowed tomatoes- germinated
sowed peppers - not germinated
sowed basil- germinated
sowed lettuce germinated
sowed aubergine not germinated
and this weekend sowed runners, french beans, squash,leeks and various brassicas (last two outside in pots)

despite my best intentions I still havent completed the allotment digging- same every year, but nearly there.
Garlic., autumn onion and broad beans sowed i autumn up and doing and still harvesting leeks

Anyone else

sewn outdoors:
carrots (starting to germinate, I think)
onion sets (sprouting)
various brassicas (some may have germinated just - hard to tell)
parsnips (only sewn yesterday)
radish (germinated)
lettice (no sign yet)
leeks (no sign yet)

sewn indoors:
tomatos, peppers (both germinated)
celeriac (germinated, potted on)
lettice (small plants, moved outside with night prtection, later ones germinated)
chives (germiated)
basil (not germinated)

to do:
melons
squashes
courgettes
runner beans
french beans
cabbage
probably some other stuff too.

do you grow the melons outside? I bought seeds this year but have never grown them before

You can grow them outside apparently see here, but mine will be staying in our conservatory. I expect some varieties are better for outside & others for in, but I've not researched this, just saw a packet and bought it on impulse. Tis a first for me this year too.

maybe we should rename this thread- how did your melons grow?

I tried melons in my greenhouse last summer ( what summer?!) but they never got past developing a few flowers. Very disappointed so won't bother with them again this year - that should guarantee you a wonderful hot summer just perfect for melons

a friend of mine maintains she grew them well on her allotment a few years ago and ate the products- I will have to try them for sure this year.
Since last post I havent done anything veg wise

still eating from garden:
sprouting broccoli
kale (spouting kale has been nice too!)
shallots (which have grown like spring onions)
leeks (only a couple left though!)
carrots
swede

sown and germinated:
tomatoes (varieties: gardeners delight, peacevine, cumquat, sahel and spanish big globe)
peppers
sweetcorn
beetroot
kale
courgettes
butternut squash (but only one out of four sown)
basil

also planted out potatoes and garlic plus broad beans waiting to be planted out

sown but didnt germinate:
chives
red onion

will plant: runner beans, climbing beans and summer squash, lettuces

grown last year but wont bother with this year: swiss chard, kohl rabi, jerusalem artichokes, peas, cucumber(always bitter - even when we try to remove the flowers) and chick peas (part of seed trial - big flop with last years lousy summer!) also chilli peppers - still have loads of dried chilli's left

must go and repot my tomatoes

I always grow cucumbers- outdoor ones and only once were they bitter-
I cant belive how cold it is- for once my lax gardening is right on the button!

I've sown
Tomatoes Germinated
Aubergines, not
Peppers Germinated
Chilis Germinated
Sprouting Broc Germinated
French Dawrf beans and brolotti germinated

Is it too early to sow carrots/ onions from seed into the ground? Was planning to sow this weekend, but really not sure on the timings?

thanks

still eating last few chillis growing on plants from last year (anybody know how to make chilli oil, or how to dry chillis)and will these plant keep on going for another year? they are already covered in flower buds.

sown:
sunflowers - germinated
sweetcorn - germinated, but only 3(is it too late to sow more?)
tomatoes - germinated
bell peppers - only one weakling germinated
pepper di corno - germinated
chillis - germinated
butternut squash - germinated
chives - not germinated
basil - germinated
lemon balm - 2 germinated

still to do:
climbing beans

my tomato plants grown from seed are nearly a foot high and already starting to flower, as are my courgettes and squashes [smug emoticon]

Franniban.. re. your carrots. if they are an early variety you can sow now if they are an autumn variety like autumn king you need to wait until June.