http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blog.php en Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:13:58 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blog.php http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/thyme/451-yesterday-8-july-2008.html Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:49:00 GMT How is it I asked myself that I have got soaked in the rain several times this week; yet the soil on my allotment is so dry that it is a struggle to dig up my new potoatoes when I want them? I keep a little diary/note book journal of what I have planted and harvested from the allotment, and try to work out future planting plans. I also keep a tally of the weight of the potatoes I have harvested so far and try to work out how much the veggies that I bring home would have cost if I purchased them in the supermarket. It started as a way of proving that I was not wasting my time at the allotment and now I look forward to writing it up and keeping a record of what is happening so that I can compare next year and hopefully select the seeds that are best suited for my allotment. I also take photos so that if I feel disheartened I can see that I am making progress. The pak choi was interesting to grow but I need to find out how to give it the correct conditions next year. It bolted this year the rocket and perpetual beet did this too. Could be the dry weather,maybe not harveting it soon enough or not watering not sure we did get some from each but I was suprised how quickly they went to seed. I stayed at the allotment for two-three hours and earthed up the main crop potatoes. I chopped back some more brambles and managed to dig up some of my new potatoes and pick peas and lettuce. I got soaked in the rain on the way home but it did not seem to matter. How is it I asked myself that I have got soaked in the rain several times this week; yet the soil on my allotment is so dry that it is a struggle to dig up my new potoatoes when I want them?

I keep a little diary/note book journal of what I have planted and harvested from the allotment, and try to work out future planting plans. I also keep a tally of the weight of the potatoes I have harvested so far and try to work out how much the veggies that I bring home would have cost if I purchased them in the supermarket. It started as a way of proving that I was not wasting my time at the allotment and now I look forward to writing it up and keeping a record of what is happening so that I can compare next year and hopefully select the seeds that are best suited for my allotment. I also take photos so that if I feel disheartened I can see that I am making progress.

The pak choi was interesting to grow but I need to find out how to give it the correct conditions next year. It bolted this year the rocket and perpetual beet did this too. Could be the dry weather,maybe not harveting it soon enough or not watering not sure we did get some from each but I was suprised how quickly they went to seed.

I stayed at the allotment for two-three hours and earthed up the main crop potatoes.
I chopped back some more brambles and managed to dig up some of my new potatoes and pick peas and lettuce. I got soaked in the rain on the way home but it did not seem to matter. ]]> thyme http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/thyme/451-yesterday-8-july-2008.html http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/happybunny/449-new-update.html Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:26:29 GMT Hi everyone! :D Planted up some herbs today with my friend, managed to convince her to grow her own veg! YAY! :) Just a quick one today stacey :rolleyes: x Hi everyone! :D

Planted up some herbs today with my friend, managed to convince her to grow her own veg! YAY! :)

Just a quick one today

stacey :rolleyes: x ]]> happybunny http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/happybunny/449-new-update.html http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/new_bud/448-bloomin-marvellous.html Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:44:02 GMT My tomato plant survived and has now got several mini toms growing where the flowers dropped :)

Coriander is dying though, with just one seedling still living due to the horrible weather :(

Carrots, Peas and Pumpkin are doing great, I also have 3 home grown pepper plants (2 green one yellow) as seedlings thriving (and a sweet red pepper plant I rescued from the garden centre) yey.

Planted three broad bean seeds about 8 days ago, one has got a shoot. Yeahyer! everything seems to be thriving, especially the carrots in my mini-allotment box, they're everywhere!

Finally, I really didnt know you got potato shoots from just planting a potato in the ground, i thought u only got them from seeds! How wrong was I I now have 16 potato shoots that have come through! WOOP

I love it! I think I'm going to make this a vocation. ]]> New_Bud http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/new_bud/448-bloomin-marvellous.html http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/forget-me-not/447-its-pouring-storms-forecast-afternoon.html Tue, 08 Jul 2008 06:52:26 GMT Planning to grab my garlic when I let the chooks out this morning. It's truly pouring. New spinache and radishes doing well. Have got two new mini plastic greenhouses, one is a grow bag cover one, I've two healthy large tomatoes in there Organic Tigerella and a..... hot, forgotton name chilli pepper. Also got a little one with more toms, some beans and cabages. Have thinned out foxglove seddlings into a cell tray. they've recovered the move and are doing well. A neighbour gave me some small foxgloves which are in the bed edging the lawn but I want to get loads more foxgloves and return the favour. Had put some..Lavatura, (forgotton spelling) and others in the wild flower patch, not sure what coming up, lots of sunflowers and some new thistles at the moment. The chick weed is thriving on the rain but the peas and squashes seem to like it too. My mother is visiting today and yesterday so no gardening but I've finally got a jam pan, so I'll start on the rhubarb later this week. I suppose that means it's ironing today while she visits the kids. Itching to go to Fyvie castle and to see the garden there though. ]]> Forget-me-Not http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/forget-me-not/447-its-pouring-storms-forecast-afternoon.html http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/sewer-rat/446-need-more-wet-stuff.html Mon, 07 Jul 2008 20:55:09 GMT Well, it's nearly there - This weeks boxes will contain almost all my own veggies - new potatoes, cukes, lettuce, courgettes, chard & spinach. Still having to use bought in organic carrots and onions though.
My broad beans are starting to grow and fill out as are my pea pods so I hope to be in full "open for business" mode real soon - god knows I need it sooner rather than later to keep my bank manager off the phone - think he's sick of hearing "just another week or so" :D.
So this week is a kind of get ready and tidy up sort of week - strimmer wil be on overtime, shed will be cleaned top to bottom, as will the polytunnel. all my advertising posters will be going ouit on Friday to various shops and self catering establishments.
I mentioned in a thread on the Vine about growing microgreens and I have ordered the seeds for this venture, and transferred my hotbox propogator into the tunnel for it, as it holds 12 standard seed trays and is ideal for this purpose. I also ordered my seed for Spring greens - 10,000 seeds (direct sowing - not even gonna try growing them for transplanting !) and being me, couldn't resist ordering more seeds so I have also ordered 500 Kohl Rabi F1 Quickstar for the tunnel.
I have been persuaded to enter my cukes in the veg section of the local county show so need to get that side of things sorted too, and find out what makes a good exhibition cuke.
. Spent this evening strimming the jungle that used to be a beautiful garden - since I started growing veg for a living in Feb last year I have cut the grass about twice and as for the beds and borders, they have just been left, but Maggie has issued orders (and you just don't argue with a Belfast Girl, even if your a 6'2" and a part time door steward from Glasgow :D). So I have been given until Friday when her pal arrives from Sheffield to try and lick the garden into some sort of shape - I'll try but I ain't no miracle worker.
Anyway folks that's about it for now, Later................ ]]> sewer rat http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/sewer-rat/446-need-more-wet-stuff.html http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/jennyj/445-help-identifying-broccoli.html Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:52:09 GMT Could someone help me with the identification of broccoli - I am new to growing veg have started for the first time this year. My sweetcorn and cucumbers seem to be going well but i also planted some broccoli and have no idea what it is supposed to look like. I have plants coming up where it was planted but think that they look more like potato plants. I know I must sound like a real novice (which I am) but need some help! Could someone help me with the identification of broccoli - I am new to growing veg have started for the first time this year. My sweetcorn and cucumbers seem to be going well but i also planted some broccoli and have no idea what it is supposed to look like. I have plants coming up where it was planted but think that they look more like potato plants. I know I must sound like a real novice (which I am) but need some help! ]]> jennyj http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/jennyj/445-help-identifying-broccoli.html http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/happybunny/444-startin-blog.html Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:15:09 GMT So Hi again, a few people 'ave said I should start a blog so here I am! Let's do it to it :D

Went to B&Q today, YAY! , got some compost, pots and seed trays. Also went to Au Naturale, got some packs of seeds, 19p each, pretty good. Huh? :) Got 11 packs of flowers seeds, also got a mixed radish pack from B&Q for 38p.

Got herbs/seeds from Zazen so planting them up on Wednesday. Hope its nice.

Enjoy your days everyone!
Stacey :rolleyes: x ]]> happybunny http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/happybunny/444-startin-blog.html http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/sue-and-grahame/443-borlotti-beans.html Sun, 06 Jul 2008 14:28:02 GMT I'm still quite new to this obsession, growing veg on an allotment, and therefore experimenting. I decided to have a go at borolltie beans. The french beans, Blue Lake are growing well up the canes but the Borlotti beans are needing to be tied in, not what I had expected, is this what you would normally expect to happen? I was going to eat some of the Borlotti beans fresh & dry some to use during winter. Do you have to soak them from dried as with shop bought beans before you can use them? First blog, hope it makes sense to some of you out in allotment land. Sue from North Yorkshire. ]]> http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/sue-and-grahame/443-borlotti-beans.html http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/cutecumber/442-veggies-everything.html Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:01:42 GMT It's been a great week - I've been able to harvest us enough veg for all our meals this week and given away a few bits and bobs, too.

Cauliflower, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumber, courgettes, cabbage, spring onions, garlic, peas, carrots, lettuce, beetroot.

The strawberries in pots have finished at last and I can move them out of the way.

The shallots that I sowed from seed in February are nearly ready to harvest - the skins are beginning to dry a little and the leaves are fading a bit. They are huge, and I'm delighted that they've filled all the space I gave them. ]]> Cutecumber http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/cutecumber/442-veggies-everything.html http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/thyme/441-july-2nd-2008.html Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:52:55 GMT Today I have been cutting back brambles ready to dig them out and clear the next patch. Also sowed some sunflower seeds in a couple of bare patches of earth in the hope that they will hold back the emerging weeds, and if they do not then at least I can recognise the sunflower seedlings from the weeds when I weed that patch, in some places I sown them in rows so that I can use the hoe there and in other areas I just scattered the seeds. They will hopefully act as a makeshift green manure until I decided which seeds to order for that job.

Pleased that I had a reply on here about the potatoes and the slimey bit is just where the seed potato was, nice to know.

I went to the allotment early, thinking about my dad; the allotment helps but it cannot work miracles and neither could I. So, I tackled the brambles with a vengence because I do not want my plot to turn into the tangle that the unoccupied plot next door is. I cannot take that plot over as the battle to rescue my allotment may take years rather than months at the rate I am progressing.

I have n't a clue :confused: what to do with the dried cut up brambles and dried grass that I have raked up while clearing. I cannot burn it as I have dried grass and brambles on three sides of my plot; and I do not have one of the metal dustbin things people use as burners. Think although I try not to contribute to the landfill problem we may have to take it to the tip at some point. ]]> thyme http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/thyme/441-july-2nd-2008.html http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/thyme/439-beautiful-potatoes-confusing-pea-pods.html Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:15:47 GMT For some reason talking to the blackbird that visits my allotment does not seem too crazy, but now that I've started speaking to the potatoes, plums and peas I am a bit concerned. Because of the overgrown nature of the uncleared/un-nurtured part of my plot I cannot always see if people are walking past it on the path ( I cleared the middle section first and planted that area up). :o Not only must I appear crazy to take on this tangled jungle of brambles and weeds now they can hear me talking to myself or worse to the vegetables.

The thing that sparks these one way conversations is when I arrive at my plot and I am assesing what needs to be done and I spot a cluster of peas that have appeared since my last visit. Or when I am digging my hands into the earth around my first early potatoes and I unearth a splendid example of a Pentalnd Javelin. I will definitely grow this one again they are my idea of what potatoes used to be like; and if I manage to dig them out without damage they are almost beautiful (if a potato can be). They hve a lovely smooth pale skin, usually blemish free, and a creamy white 'flesh' which does not turn floury when cooked. I have boiled them for salads and roasted them and they are equally good.

One thing I have learnt for the future is to label things when you plant them up on the allotment; as in do not mix varieties of peas on the same cane 'wigwam'. I am never sure which peas are sugar snap and need picking quickly and which are Kelvedon Wonder and Little Marvel and need to be left to plump up.

It is all a learning curve for me; hard work but I am enjoying the challenge and I look forward to my visits and always feel calm and happy with the birds singing and my plants growing. ]]> thyme http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/thyme/439-beautiful-potatoes-confusing-pea-pods.html http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/sewer-rat/438-wet-warm-just-how-i-like.html Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:17:26 GMT Well it's been a while so here's what's been happening.
Bad news first ! Think I may lose my french beans to Sclerotinia - this is doubly annoying as they were beginning to produce beans all over the place. I have also lost several hundred cabbages to the pigeons - that'll teach me to be too fussy about weed control - tried to make the place look pterry but all I did was let the pigeons see them more clearly !!
Cucumbers are going bananas (if that's possible) The largest of the rows is now at six ft plus with the other six rows varying between 3ft and 6ft depending on planting times. Every plant is dripping with cukes - so far have harvested 60 and you would't know I had touched them yet .
On my fifth crop of lettuces and am now sowing and planting 150 per week - 50 each of Charita, Amorina and Little Gem. Swiss Chard (Silver Chard) has been cropped once at 18" to 24" tall and is growing back strongly. First Spinach is nearly ready and runner beans are about to start flowing. Outside, my peas are still flowering their sox off, the broadies are just starting to drop their flowers and produce baby pods, the courgettes will be on-line any day now, the Lady Christl and Charlotte tatties are flowering, the Red Dukes are just beginning to think about flowering, the onions are going okay, the red onions are too though a number have bolted as a result of the long hot dry spell we have experienced recently, te shallots are dividing and beginning to swell, the carrots and spring onions have been slow for the same reasonas the red onions are bolting. Further sowings made this month include 150m Rocket, 450m Purple Top Milan turnips, 100m Silver Chard, 50m Coriander and 150m Hurst Greenshaft peas.
Later ............ ]]> sewer rat http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/sewer-rat/438-wet-warm-just-how-i-like.html http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/new_bud/437-okay-so-wasnt-corriander-shoot.html Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:19:37 GMT It looked more like a carrot shoot than anything, but the reason I know is definitely a good thing, since the Coriander shoots came through! They're similar but different, if that makes any sense. The leaves were thicker with reddish veins underneath (and two shoots to a seed – that’s value for money!)

I was right; my peas are like the Trojan army. Determinedly marching their way towards the sky, especially the pot noodle pea, which has a whole deep pot all to itself. The potted peas aren't so much Trojans, more like Trojan apprentices; a little weaker but with training and nurturing they will be true soldiers. Their first leaves are slightly dry where as the pot noodle peas' first leaves were strong and rubbery. I think they need more watering and a little feeding.

Carrots are everywhere in my box, I was sure I didn't plant that many! But there they are, and they look like carrot shoots so I don't think they're weeds.

I rescued a tomato plant from the greenhouse (it was the last one in the sale at 50p) I don't even know which variety it is. I think they're Alicante. The lower stem and leaves of the plant are purple (though it is fading) I don't know whether this is a phosphorous deficiency or transplant shock, even though I transplanted it a week ago. It has had two feedings and the purple is fading so I can't really tell. All I can do is leave it be and continue to feed every 3-5 days (as it has already grown its first truss)

I finally got my pepper seeds to germinate! I have potted two seeds, one had already formed its first two leaves whilst in the airing cupboard, so they were yellow before potting in the sun yesterday, the second has no leaves but is a good rooter. I have some yellow bell pepper seeds germinating the airing cupboard so I should have three full fledged pepper bushes to bear fruit next year, I am hopeful but not optimistic that I'll get fruit this year.

Finally the pumpkin: I have to say one thing for the pumpkin seeds they are elegant. The way the seed itself turns into the first two leaves of the plant is fascinating to me (even if it spreads and rampages like a disease once it's grown)

Here’s hoping everything continues as it is and the peas become a little stronger. I really hope the tomato plant is okay; I'll be very disappointed if it died, but the upper leaves are strong and plentiful. I may be a little too attached to plants, I germinated 9 or so pepper seeds but only used two and got quite sad when I had to throw the rest in the garbage, secretly hoping they all sprout somehow and grow despite disposal.
]]> New_Bud http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/new_bud/437-okay-so-wasnt-corriander-shoot.html http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/zazen999/436-moon-trial.html Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:12:09 GMT Last Lettuce are now out. Will be putting all Calabrese out on the next relevant days. These are going into the allotment as they are long term crops. Last Lettuce are now out.

Will be putting all Calabrese out on the next relevant days. These are going into the allotment as they are long term crops. ]]> zazen999 http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/zazen999/436-moon-trial.html http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/forget-me-not/435-still-no-eggs.html Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:44:10 GMT I've thinned out my potatoes, apparently they were too close. (First year at potatoes.) I've put in more rocket, radishes and bordeaux spinache. Lots of weeding, lots of chick weed!

I've put some toms plants (Tigerella and Olirose) under a mini poli tunnel on veg bed. They've ben on wondowsill with windows a little open for a while. A bit of a tester, not expecting too much. Will need to fix greenhouse roof, have a tidy up and put the rest in there.

More guineas. Thought Pumpkin female, (have i said this already) Flora got pregnant, three piglets and then Florence who was dating Dougal got pregnant too, four piglets also Pumpkin's. Six have homes to go to, one Dottie (if sexed right) will keep Flora company when Florence is back with Tiggy after they'e gone. ]]> Forget-me-Not http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/blogs/forget-me-not/435-still-no-eggs.html