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Chit Chat Garden ( 2017 )
Chit Chat Garden ( 2017 )
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Oh and Tomatoes and Peppers showing some flowers and fruit in my 2 spare bedroom greenhouses.
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Just had an hour or so weeding my borders. The Chickweed is a nightmare this year, i am sick of seeing the stuff
 Still pulling Sycamore seedlings up as well  My sweat pea (Sir Henry Cecil) has started to flower, first signs of Red/Pink showing  |
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Goosegrass is a bigger problem for me, grows at a tremendous rate and smothers everything if you don't rip it out. The sticky seed cases means it spreads everywhere. Apparently, it's edible but I haven't tried it.
Sowed climbing Borlotti beans and French beans yesterday directly where they will grow. Runner beans are still growing in pots in a sheltered area. Need to get the summer bedding flowers in place this afternoon and tomorrow. Most are blooming already in their trays. |
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I pulled a few bits of Goosegrass up as well, it seemed to me to be designed to break off easily at the ground ?
Just reading about Goosegrass online, treats the Prostate, Blood and Kidneys, why aren't i eating it everyday ! |
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Bought a packet of Johnsons Runner Beans for £3.55.
45 in a packet, 17 came through in compost in the greenhouse. Phoned them up last Friday, said they'd send me a fresh packet. Still waiting. If they don't come by the weekend I'll have to pop down to Wilko and get some cheap ones for a quid. At least I know they'll germinate. |
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That's very poor, Dr C. With fresh seeds you should get nearer 90% germination. They normally need about 15 C minimum temperature and if the compost is cold, dampen with tepid water.
Polestar is a good reliable variety and the pods are virtually stringless when young. |
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I tried a few Runner beans - x18 pots - x16 came - however
tried french beans first batch x18 pots - one and a half came tried again x18 pots - about 2 coming in their own time any ideas? too wet from watering my guess  |
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It's usually temperature, Delta. Cold and wet causes them to rot. Warm and wet is not such a problem as long as they are not waterlogged. It's possible to germinate them on wet blotting paper or paper kitchen towel so long as they are kept in a warm place and not allowed to dry out.
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No chickweed here, but plenty of goosegrass (or sticky grass, as I've always called it, from the way the dog's coat gets covered in its seeds in the autumn).
Back when I had horses, I used to tear up armfuls of the stuff to feed to them - they go mad for it. Never thought about trying to eat it myself though. Just goes straight into the compost bin, as long as the seeds haven't formed. |
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Fothergill's £1 sale again.
There is still plenty of time to get growing this season, so grab yourself a bargain in our AMAZING £1 A PACK SEED SALE. With over 600 varieties to choose from; one of the widest ranges in the UK. Whether its flower or vegetable seeds you’re after, we are sure you will find something perfect! PLUS BUY ANY 5 PACKETS & GET THE CHEAPEST FREE ALONG WITH 2 FREE PACKETS WITH EVERY SEED ORDER. |
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bit of extreme gardening today here
courgette [2nds] in squash [2nds] in Radish [3rds] in - not holding out much hope of a result parsley [3rd] still havent got any to start ... not very extreme you say torrential rain and 40mph+ winds - never been so wet thru' EVER!  |
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Kohl rabi all keeled over in the wind. Need a strong easterly to blow them back up again. Oh well. At worst I'll have the leaves to eat.
Bad luck with the parsley. It can take a long time to get going though. Some of the sowings might appear now that you've given up on them. Back in the spring I stuffed compost into half a dozen ornamental pots which the previous owners had attached to an east-facing wall, and sowed parsley. It's funny. They all finally appeared and grew well, but the lower line of 3 pots, which happened to be shaded by a garden chair placed in front of them, are excellent and lush, while the top 3 pots, which get the full sun in the morning and early afternoon, have generally curled up and yellowed. Maybe parsley just needs shelter and/or shade (or the Somerset climate). Radish sown in June generally seems hit and miss as regards the bulbs forming. But as usual with radish, you always get some greens out of it at least. |
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This thorough watering we've had is just what was needed to support strong growth during June.
I'll be planting the winter squash and runner beans out on the allotment as soon as we get some proper sunshine. |
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Hey Foinavon. How are your apples? That very late frost hammered several varieties here, although those that had set much earlier and those yet to flower are ok. My Wisteria which runs 60ft three sides of the house got stripped on the east wall. I have a Davidia "Pocket Handkerchief" Tree - planted for my 50th in 2002 - which was just coming to its peak - STRIPPED, leaves and all
. My pots this year were late (even the 1st earlies = Lady Christl) and all are well. My second earlies are Marfona and maincrop (I dont grow many) is Picasso - a good baker. My new Asparagus bed (this is its second spring!) is good but did get topped by the frost. They seem to have recovered but may have set me back an extra year. My Rhubarb does NOT match yours but have been great this year - I forced Timperley Early and it was lovely though minimal and short cropping. I am not growing Florence Fennel - I do listen to advice  |
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screaming - whats your opinion as to why Radish, June time, dont bulb well ?
first two batches have been fine - but I know from last year that the 3rd batch goes pete tong! |
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Hot weather. They're basically a cool-weather crop, the first one our ancestors would look forward to after a hungry winter.
Their roots just don't seem to appreciate hard, baked soil, and fail to expand, so the plant instead devotes its energy to flowering and going to seed for the next generation. (I do like those peppery flowers though.) Having said that, I've tended to have fair results with the round-bulbed varieties, when I plant them this late. E.g. the "Riesenbutter" ("giant butter") variety from Lidl. I've just had a look in the cupboard, and found a packet I must have picked up in the spring, to make up the 5 packets for a quid offer. So they'll go in tomorrow, between the potatoes. Hopefully the big potato plants will shade the soil, and once the seedlings appear, I'll mulch them with grass clippings, to cool the soil further. I think on reflection I've never really made any effort in the past to care for summer radishes - just assumed that radishes don't need any work, that being part of their appeal. Perhaps the effort might get rewarded. |
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Hi Blackbarn,
The apples have set loads of fruit this year. I have James Grieve, Jonagold and Pitmaston Pineapple. I planted another James Grieve this year as the first is in the wrong place now. It was very late coming into leaf due to the shock of being moved. Have finished picking rhubarb for this season and will give it a liquid feed soon. It gets a good layer of compost mixed with chicken manure every spring to top up the nitrogen before the leaves appear and well watered in dry weather. It repays me well. Hope the frosted plants have recovered, wisteria is quite tough. Marfona is a good choice, must grow those again sometime. Have never grown Picasso. This year I'm growing Saxon which I haven't grown for ten years and thought I would try it again as I remember good early crops in July. I also have a new main crop red whose name escapes me at the moment. Will look it up tomorrow. I once planted Asparagus but after a few years it was taken over by couch grass. No choice but to dig it all out and didn't bother again. Good luck with yours. If the soil is clean to begin with you should do alright in Sussex. |
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The red potato is Manitou. Said to have high resistance to blight (everything's relative) and similar to Desiree in appearance and use.
Has anyone grown this variety? |
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Things certainly are getting a shift on now it has been wet and warm for a week or so.
I have lots of flowers on my sweet peas. The Sir Henry Cecil variety look really nice but as of yet don't have the strong scent that the "Everlasting" sweet pea has right now. My runners (Lady Di) are full of bright red flowers and look really well. I have my first full truss of tiny toms set. I can't wait to fill my plate with them every night |
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They got a hose for the tap, I was able to water everything in the greenhouse in 10 minutes. Both water butts are filled, I'll use these for tomato feed. I also noticed some more fruit trees on my side of the building, they don't look well (maybe wrong time to plant) but they should eventually grow. With all the criticism I gave about planting too close together, things are coming on great.
Harvest time soon, I notice peas ready for picking (not mine) but I have turnips to thin and small carrots which may go into tomorrows dinner. I'll plant some more when I harvest them. |
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I have stripped the bottom few branches off my toms this morning, they aren't serving much of a purpose at this stage. All my plants have got at least one full truss of toms on now. Time to switch the feed over to potash/phosphorus.
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This is the first time i have grown Sweet Pea, i have a few seed pods on now. Question is, will i get Sir Henry Cecil from these seeds or will they revert back to something else ?
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I have just picked my first bunch of runners (Lady Di)
 And unintentionally won the UK gurning championship after plucking a lovely looking purple Guzgog and eating it, first of the year  |
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I ate a couple of them yesterday on my allotment, Smarty. Still quite sour so will leave the rest to sweeten up. Emptied my water butt on the winter squash and runner beans. The squash are looking sad in this weather as their root systems are not yet fully developed so the plants wilt. The potatoes are loving it and the garlic tops are starting to yellow and dry up as the bulbs ripen. I usually harvest garlic at the equinox and leave it to dry completely in the sun before netting the bulbs. Not long now.
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I have a solution for slugs, get a hedgehog. Even my hosta is still intact. I give the fat bugger a handful of fruity suet pellets when he arrives at 10.00 pm, and another when he leaves around 1.00 am. Spends 3 hours covering every inch of garden several times over.
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Thanks Foinavon. Sorry I missed your reply. Apple trees seem to have recovered well. I have James Grieve and Pitmaston Pineapple too. Each of my trees has a dedication to friends or family. My dad is "Bloody Ploughman" (obvious!) my wife is "Sops of Wine" (again obvious
). My Daughter is a variation on "Katy" and my granddaughters are "Orleans Reinette" and "Scrumptious". James Grieve is dedicated to a good friend who is a lifelong Spurs supporter. Geddit? - sometimes you have to be creative. NB - The Wisteria is fully recovered and making the usual 6ft wands; I prune mid July and then again mid February. I will let you know how Picasso goes. It is reputed to be the best "baker" in the business. We'll see. |
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I hadn't made the connection with the ex-England and Spurs striker although I watched him many times on TV. He didn't do much donkey work by today's standards but didn't need to.
It's an excellent eating apple with good balance of flavours and one you don't normally see in the shops. I'm pleased my quince has set fruit after drawing a blank last year. Should be able to replenish my stock of jelly in the Autumn. |
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blackbarn
them Cucumber seeds you told me to grow, I have struggle to get started this year. in g/house, in poly, in conservatory - propagator lid on or off.. too hot, over watered, temperamental? any ideas? |
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Busy afternoon on the allotment.
Harvested gooseberries, raspberries, redcurrants and a few loganberries. Still plenty more ripening on the plants. Didn't even bother netting them, the birds have been a bit slack this year. Lots of hoeing to keep the weeds down after the recent rain and sowed more carrot seeds for succession (early Nantes). Birds were in full song and very active and saw a couple of swifts swooping around only 10 to 15 feet of the ground. |
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funnily Foinavon, I havent got a raspberry yet this year [first time so] as the birds have been over active!
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The birds on the allotment usually go for the gooseberries and currants first. Raspberries are often a target for a non-feathered type of two-legged pest grazing as they pass on the pathway.
I'm sure you are right, the birds have their fill of raspberries too, but the plants are prolific so there's plenty left for me. One of my neighbours has an impressive walk-in fruit cage to protect all his but I can't be @rsed to go to all that trouble. |
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Forgot to mention the globe artichokes which are ready now. I collected a carrier bag full for a friend who loves them, just kept back a couple for me.
I will let most of them flower as I love to see the bees crawling around the purple giants, drunk on nectar. I buy a few pots of honey from the beekeeper in October so I get some of it back. |
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Sorry Delta. Assuming you mean Zeina F1, I don't know what the problem might be. Mine germinated fine, unheated greenhouse, sown singly in big 12inch pots that sit in a soaked/flooded gravel tray. 5ft high as we speak with first fruits forming. I was late this year though which may have helped.
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cheers blackbarn.
were they in 'proper' seed compost? |
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No Delta. For Greenhouse cucumbers, we sow direct into multi-purpose compost (Bord na Mona) and they stay in that throughout. We do add a bit of BF+B to the mix initially and then feed with standard Tomato feed every two weeks once the plants are established. Hope this helps.
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Dug the first potatoes and had some for dinner with broad beans and chicken.
Second early variety called Saxon. Lovely clean round tubers the size of a cricket ball with no slug damage. The tops are still fresh and green so I can leave the remaining plants to bulk up for another few weeks yet although the yield is decent already. Gooseberries and redcurrants are perfect now and will have gooseberries later. Have given the redcurrants to a friend who converts them into wine in exchange for a couple of bottles later on. |
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dug some Pots here too Foinavon - because tops died off weeks ago
waste of time really - little ole things reason poor/small seed pots to start lack of rain [and I didnt water for fear of blight] 2 more varieties in the ground looking more promising did you know Foinavon, 'they' reckon you should cut tops off two weeks before lifting as it helps harden the skins for storing any views on Beetroot as a wine ingredient as they seem to have done extra well this year! |
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I don't think you need worry about blight until it happens, just water the soil if it dries out. Are you still growing them in the ground without earthing up? Sorry to hear that they didn't amount to much but we have had an unusually dry growing season so far.
Some of my neighbours cut the tops off as soon as they see blight, I just dig them up straightaway. The trouble with leaving them in the ground longer is slug attack. Beetroot contains loads of sugar so should ferment well. I turn all my excess roots into chutney. |
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yep - 3rd year no earthing up
been fine - plant later than most I guess so after frosts and have a lot less green ones exposed from falling ridges |
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How is everyone's stuff doing ? I have only had one real failure so far and that is my Radish
I even tried with 3 different varieties and still only got huge tops  I am not that impressed with the Sir Henry Cecil sweet pea, well there are plenty of good looking flowers but i can't really smell anything from them. Someone else in this thread said they were trying them this year, was it Delta ? What do you think of them ? |