Author Topic: Have you got going yet? (Read 6282 times)

docsquid · « **Reply #25 on:** 20 April, 2009, 12:34:13 pm »

Has been a difficult year on account of breaking my knee on 2nd March while skiing, just when gardening was getting critical.

However, we have done a fair bit (Mr DS with my guidance). We planted 11 apple trees, one plum and two cob nut trees to make a small orchard at the back of our barn at the woods.

Mr DS made some raised beds and we planted a load of spuds in them, as well as onion sets. We also planted some spuds in planters at home. I've planted courgettes, squash, runner beans, courgettes, dwarf beans, and several varieties of tomatoes at home and they are getting going. We use the enclosed porch as a greenhouse and so far nobody has nicked any plants. Also some carrots in a tub outside (the subsoil is too close to the surface here to do root veg unless they are in pots). Garlic went in last autumn and is doing well. A few broad beans are growing, but I should have planted them in November really - they are rather behind having planted them in February instead.

Also started a new batch of mint as our old mint is really rather woody and not very nice. Will re-plant our mint planter when it has grown.

So not bad for a currently crocked cripple! Hope it's all worth it.

RJ · « **Reply #26 on:** 04 May, 2009, 11:07:59 pm »

Umm, finally.

Running late this year due to moving flats, which has had the unexpected side-effect of being asked by one of our new neighbours to help on their allotment. So, we've got (a) more ground to play with and (b) some catching up to do. Potatoes and broad beans are in, plus some bought in lettuce and parsley. More to follow in quick succession.

Bledlow · « **Reply #27 on:** 04 May, 2009, 11:27:44 pm »

Got some lettuce seeds in a window box. First floor for maximum sun & protection from slugs & snails. One of those varieties that you can pick leaves off. Fingers crossed!

Si · « **Reply #28 on:** 05 May, 2009, 08:23:56 am »

potatoes are poking their heads up. earthed up the first line of first earlies at the weekend.
onions are looking good too.
parsnips have broken surface, as have broccoli (calabrese) and sprouts

still waiting on the leeks, carrots and beans

as always something has eaten the peas again

But the problem is last year's spuds. I didn't get them all out and they are poking up all over the plot

clarion · « **Reply #29 on:** 05 May, 2009, 11:04:50 am »

Yay! We found the answer to clearing the weeds.

An energetic young niece.

No, really. Butterfly's sister's kids came over on Saturday, and one of the girls got the shears and chopped a load of stuff down, then went over it with the mower, after which some of the others started digging over and removing some roots.

We hadn't asked. But they did it anyway.

And now, we have something that looks passably like a vegetable patch

Regulator · « **Reply #30 on:** 05 May, 2009, 12:08:28 pm »

The potatoes are going great guns.

I've more 'pick and come again' lettuce than I know what to do with.

The strawberries have their first flowers on.

The herbs are going bonkers - I need recipes using lots of parsley and coriander.

Even the tomatoes are beginning to perk up.

The courgettes still look quite stunned.

docsquid · « **Reply #31 on:** 05 May, 2009, 02:41:56 pm »

Tomatoes now out. Spuds and onions going great guns, particularly at the woods in my little allottment plot down there. Broad beans coming into flower. Garlic and elephant garlic doing well after planting last Autumn. Runner beans going barmy. Dwarf beans all eaten by slugs

Chillis growing very well (slugs don't seem to like them). Rhubarb gone completely nuts and looks like an alien has taken over our garden - one crown is even flowering!

Courgettes and squash still indoors.

Si · « **Reply #32 on:** 05 May, 2009, 08:26:31 pm »

Just noticed that the broad beans are starting their march skywards, it's happening down on the plot this week!

Kathy · « **Reply #33 on:** 05 May, 2009, 10:27:04 pm »

Planted out all of the beetroot, and the last of the beans and peas (apart from the ones I haven't space for and need to work out where they go).

The potatoes seem to be coming up gasping for air since the last time I over-enthusiastically earthed them up.

The strawberries and raspberries and blackberries have flowers just coming out and we're halfway through rigging up netting to keep the birds off. The unidentifiable current bush has a few unripe berries but I think the sparrows will have eaten them all before we finish the netting.

The pumpkins and squashes will soon be big enough to plant out.

It's just the tomatoes that aren't doing anything other than sitting there weedily looking back at me...

RJ · « **Reply #34 on:** 06 May, 2009, 04:17:22 pm »

Still playing catch-up. Will try and put some beans and stuff in loo-roll/newspaper pots for propagating in the flat and planting out next month. I know it's late, but this is 56°N, y'know.

Chris S · « **Reply #35 on:** 07 May, 2009, 08:51:59 am »

Greenhouse stuff is burgeoning.

But... *looks skywards*

WE COULD USE SOME BLOODY RAIN!

Jon P · « **Reply #36 on:** 07 May, 2009, 09:01:18 am »

My first radishes have come online and they are great, compared to the shrivelled attempts of last year. I have some huge spring cabbages to start cutting leaves from and also chicory, which looks like it's starting to bolt already. Plus loads of other stuff growing. So I don't think I'll be buying any salad stuff in the shops for the rest of the summer.

hellymedic · « **Reply #37 on:** 07 May, 2009, 10:59:09 am »

Quote from: Johnny Thin on 07 May, 2009, 09:01:18 am

My first radishes have come online and they are great, compared to the shrivelled attempts of last year.

Coo! Amazing what the Interwebs can do nowadays!
Which ISP is this?

clarion · « **Reply #38 on:** 12 May, 2009, 02:48:36 pm »

Sunday we rode to the garden centre for breakfast. They do a great breakfast

Laden with stuff (and with a list of things it might be better to fetch with better load-lugging equipment (in this case a car $:-\$ ), we returned, and planted out cabbages, shallots & jerusalem artichokes (really? yes, really), with a row of pea plants up the side.

While I was off doing stuff (spending five hours travelling to return to my starting point, as it happens

), Butterfly cleared & dug over another little bed, and planted up a trough with herbs.

It looks really nice, now, and the local pigeons appreciate it

Regulator · « **Reply #39 on:** 12 May, 2009, 02:51:13 pm »

We had loads of salad leaves from the garden last night with our tea. Even Mr R agreed that they were nicer than those from Tesco et al...

...plus he didn't object to me buying another strawberry planter and a variety of plants to go therein...

Charlotte · « **Reply #40 on:** 12 May, 2009, 02:56:22 pm »

Whilst Liz was TTing, I rotivated half of the garden on Sunday. Even with petrol-powered assistance, by 'eck it's hard work! Then I built up a load of rather splendid raised beds, ready for the seedlings that Liz is going to start planting out soon.

As a newcomer to this gardening business and not being used to tilling the land, I'm rather chuffed with my work

Si · « **Reply #41 on:** 12 May, 2009, 03:08:15 pm »

Quote from: Charlotte on 12 May, 2009, 02:56:22 pm

Whilst Liz was TTing, I rotivated half of the garden on Sunday. Even with petrol-powered assistance, by 'eck it's hard work! Then I built up a load of rather splendid raised beds, ready for the seedlings that Liz is going to start planting out soon.

As a newcomer to this gardening business and not being used to tilling the land, I'm rather chuffed with my work

Someone gave me a brand new petrol rotovator. After using it for one bed (around 3m x 8m) I gave up on it - I found it's easier, well, less hassle, to dig by hand especially if you've a lot of couch grass root in there (in my case it was all well deaded but wrapped around the rotovator's whirly bits like buggery).

But, be heartened - each time you dig it over you'll find it a little easier as there will be fewer weeds in it.

And, I'm sure that you'll have been told this before, but don't over use the rotovator or you might get panning.

BTW, anyone want to buy a rotovator? Great condition, used once only, full tank of petrol inc! It's red in colour and everyone knows that red rotovators are the fastest.

hairyhippy · « **Reply #42 on:** 13 May, 2009, 05:33:59 pm »

How much, what kind and can you post it?

Si · « **Reply #43 on:** 13 May, 2009, 07:43:38 pm »

Not sure, I think that £90 ought to do it but I'd have to check how much they are going for these days.
It's one of these: http://www.littlewonder.com/12_engine_service_info/401702.pdf
Sorry, too big/heavy to post - can be collected from Birmingham.

toekneep · « **Reply #44 on:** 22 May, 2009, 06:04:51 pm »

We are more than a tad late I know but having no actual garden to speak of we made a last minute decision to use some pots. So we now have a gurt big bugger waiting for late potatoes which are sprouting on the window sill. Carrots have been sown in between lettuce and spinach and basil is nearly ready to go into individual pots.

Author Topic: Have you got going yet? (Read 6282 times)

Chris S