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Allotment/garden thread 2013
Allotment/garden thread 2013
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Got myself another heated propagator after my other one "disappeared"
 My tomatoes went in the propagator last night. Iam using last years packet seeds, Money Maker and Tigerella. |
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Last year's seed should be ok provided the inner sachet was rolled up tight and they were kept cool and dry. Although they don't put much seed in packets these days one can usually make a packet last two seasons.
I like Money Maker, an old favourite, but can't grow it outdoors here. Blight resistant varieties Fandango and Cherrola were successful last year so will grow them again. Flavour was good but not exceptional, still far superior to shop bought though. |
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I grow all my toms under cover.
Now iam not sure if i did Tigerella last year, so they might be 2 year old seeds  The Tigerella were from a proper seed seller on ebay Member ID premier_seeds_direct , there were plenty of seeds in the packet. Iam not too worried about it though, there is always a mate somewhere who has too many plants on the go  |
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Ah ! Just found the label at the bottom of the jiffy bag, Tomato "Tigerella", 120 seeds, Packeted Mar 2011.
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Iam leaving them in the propagator, will report back here if they germinate ( or not ).
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You can keep seeds for years in the freezer. The important thing is to avoid air and moisture, so put them, still in their envelopes, in mason jars (i.e. old jam jars or mayonnaise jars with screw-top lids). Then put the jars in the freezer.
When you come to use the seeds, defrost them gradually in a cool dark place. Also it's best to avoid continually opening jars, taking a few seeds out then replacing the jars in the freezer. So with that in mind, try stocking one or two jars with a variety of seeds that you'll be using at about the same time. I've used this method to store pepper seeds which I've extracted and dried myself and half-used packets of radish, and both worked fine a couple of years on. |
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They were tightly folded in their packets and put in a large jiffy bag in a kitchen cabinet. Not the driest place they could be !
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I think about the only seeds that havent kept from my experience are Parsnips - have to be used within the year..
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I've lost sound on gardeners world?
anyone else? |
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yes, switch over to the HD channel
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Well i have just mown the lawn for the first time this year.
I can't quite believe the moss that has appeared  I gave it a real good scarifying last year because the moss was getting bad, i remember the huge mound of it i was left with. I also gave it a good forking in an attempt to get some air into it and maybe dry it out some.Somehow i have made it worse  |
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Mosses dislike alkaline soils. A good sprinkling of lime on your lawn every autumn will inhibit the growth of moss although it might not eliminate it completely in damp areas.
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Cheers Foinavon
 I will have to look for that garden lime stuff.From the rhs.org website...... Mid- to late March: Apply spring fertiliser and mosskiller during fine weather. Early April: Lightly rake out dead moss. Lightly over-seed sparsely grassed areas and lightly top-dress as above if necessary. |
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Friday - 2 rows each of GARLIC [Picardy Wight, usually try a hard neck and a soft neck but all same this season as only one available] and BROAD BEANS [Super Aquaduce]
Saturday - CELERIAC [Prinz] trying to improve on last years start so new deeper try and own compost + must remember to water regularly, in greenhouse Sunday - a little play about for some kitchen windowsill herbs for playing chef - a few pots of each chive/parsley/basil - see how it goes.... getting all Jamie Oliver its all starting .... PS lovely Sunny Sunday here = East |
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try = tray = thicket *
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Fabulous work gentlemen. I thought Ovalman's kohl rabi looked really like a good result!
This year I've had a crack at growing flowers, blue cornflower and 'love in the mist' have over-wintered well. Borage ( viper's bugloss ) has failed alas. There seems to be a big price variation in seed potatoes: e.g. 15 Pentland Javalin for £1 at Aldi, just 5 Desirae Reds for £1 at £-land. |
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Love in a mist (Nigella) is one of my favourites Bongo. I just love the delicate feathery fronds which surround the flowers. Easy to grow and will self seed. Nasturtium is another which is no trouble to grow and has the added advantage of being not only edible but has a delicious peppery flavour.
This year I will be growing Desiree, Charlotte and Ratte which is an old French variety similar to Pink Fir Apple, elongated but not as knobbly. 20p each for Desiree is paying top notch price, shame on Poundland, and would hope to find them cheaper elsewhere. |
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Hi all,
The Kohl Rabi didn't turn out too well, they never swelled enough in the window boxes but I'll try it again in deeper pots. I've raved about this veg and you should really try it, it's very easy to grow, quick growing and all parts of the plant can be ate. Foinavan, the upside down planters were in B&M and were just £1 each. I bought them 2 years ago but they had them last year so check again and they should be in stock. I've a min greenhouse to put up this week but I'm only going to grow courgette, chillies and peppers in it. I'm stuck for space but I've my name down for a council allotment but there's a 10 eyar waiting list :( |
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if short of space the courgettes will do fine outside - and probably too rampant/large for the min g/house anyways , also they are very easy too grow o/s. Remember to eat the flowers too at their peak - juicy and succulent [can also be deep fried]
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I'll be starting them in the mini greenhouse and move it out in June.
Gonna grow from plug plants instead of seeds. I've a great gardening centre 30 mins away that sell loads of different varieties. A packet of seeds cost the same as 1 plug plant so I'll be able to grow several different types for very little. Didn't know about the flowers |
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ah gotcha, silly me ...
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Foinavan, the upside down planters were in B&M and were just £1 each. I bought them 2 years ago but they had them last year so check again and they should be in stock.
Thanks Ovalman, there's a B&M not far away. |
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Foinavan, the upside down planters were in B&M and were just £1 each. I bought them 2 years ago but they had them last year so check again and they should be in stock.
Thanks Ovalman, there's a B&M not far away. |
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Smar Tarse 07 Mar 14
Ah ! Just found the label at the bottom of the jiffy bag, Tomato "Tigerella", 120 seeds, Packeted Mar 2011 Smar Tarse 07 Mar 14 Iam leaving them in the propagator, will report back here if they germinate ( or not ). Ok this is the first report on these old seeds. I get 6 pots in this small propagator, i have put 5 seeds in each. 3 pots of Moneymaker and 3 pots of Tigerella. Two pots have 3 Moneymaker seeds up so far, about 30mm high and one Tigerella pot has "something" up, i say something as it is too small to id yet.  |
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6 days
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Its been a cracking 6 days here in sunny Notts Delta
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I should have asked Delta, 6 days
because it was quick or slow ? |
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if the temperature and humidity are right, tomatoes germinate quite quickly. Four to six days is about right Smar Tarse.
My dad's allotment was in sunny Nottingham, happy days but long ago. |
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quick imo ...
I will start some toms next week end - unheated, and let you know my pop up time |
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I drive by a large plot of land that were allotments for as long as i can remember Foinavon, many decades of hard work and memories gone, replaced with "cheap" housing.
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Delta - they won't germinate until they are sat in the correct temperature, whatever the time of year is.
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That's what happened to the site where my dad's allotment used to be Smar Tarse. He had packed up long before though through ill health.
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I'll put them in the conservatory [still unheated] then S_T and try....
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First of my Daffodils is in full flower today.
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Where are you Smar Tarse? Greenland?. Mid Sussex daffs out in full almost exactly three weeks ago. Seriously though, I assume you are in the north?
Spring has certainly sprung here. Seen Small Tortoiseshell and Brimstone butterflies today, and a pair of Long Tailed Tits are three quarters way through to completion in one of my big shrubs - all the makings of the usual "work of art" by those little trojans. |
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I thought i would post this just to see where others were with their Daffodils
 Iam in Sunny Notts blackbarn. I have Daffodils all around the garden and only one lot (in full sun position) has opened up fully today ! I only get "raiding parties" of Long Tailed Tits here, they land in the Apple trees a dozen plus at a time and make quite a racket. |
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Smar Tarse - Not that far north then - Re LTT's, that's usually the same here. I have an orchard and they flock(?) regularly in the winter months. This year though it was clear that two had paired up as they were feeding together unusually close to the house, with none others anywhere near them.
They are nesting in a large evergreen clipped shrub (Phillyrea)and the nest is 15ft from the house, only six feet up but very well concealed. Looking forward to showing my 6yo granddaughter when it is finished - LTT nests are usually pretty special (the outside is like the inside of Miss Havisham's Dining Room). |
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yep.....Long Tailed Tits...stunning birds....stunning nests
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...my first attempt at growing Sweet Peas from seeds.....first couple have just broken through the earth......
bravvooooooo  |