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April Sowing
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Message 1.Â
Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Tuesday, 6th April 2010
I have now sown potatoes, onion (seed) for sept, early nantes carrot,spring onions and radhishes.
Well I hope something grows, this is my first year at growing anything other than tomatoes. -
Message 2
Posted by cotswolddream (U13798653) on Tuesday, 6th April 2010
Hi Mike
It was my 1st year last year and although I had a few failures, most things were fine and it was very rewarding. Nothing better than digging up your 1st potatoes or picking your own French Beans. Good luck with your crops this year. -
Message 3
Posted by ricoshay (U2081553) on Wednesday, 7th April 2010
Good luck! Digging up your own spuds is like finding gold nuggets in the soil - I get excites every year by it (sad, I know). Keep us posted!!!!
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Message 4
Posted by annaw1 (U14287763) on Wednesday, 7th April 2010
Hi Mike. This is my first proper year of growing veg too. I've sown garlic in the garden and garlic, onions and shallots on the allotment. This weekend I'm hoping to plant potatoes and maybe sow some carrots and spring onions.
Good luck to us both.
Anna -
Message 5
Posted by MCOL (U14413567) on Wednesday, 7th April 2010
Easter Monday was a great day for me! I started growing my veggies last year and couldn't wait for this Easter to start again. I sowed Onion sets,garlic cloves, radish, spring onions,early carrots, peas and beetroot (covered with fleece, for a while). Indoors I've sown sweetcorn, dwarf beans and brocolli. I had great success last year with these and found the Gardener's World website valuable. Can't wait for May. But to top it all, 3 chickens have joined my family, and even more sad, ricoshay, I'm now a subscriber to Practical Poultry. lol !!!
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Message 6
Posted by pat (U14413785) on Wednesday, 7th April 2010
Hi there, I am in my 2nd year as an allotmenteer, would love 2 chickens in the garden ,(dont think they would be safe from foxes in the allotment) have just watched Alyce Fowler on TV who has introduced 2 chickens to her garden. My garden is small, is it ok to keep them in a pen and if so how big does it need to be? good luck with your crops, theres nothing more rewarding.
Pat -
Message 7
Posted by PurpleLuv (U5258511) on Thursday, 8th April 2010
Hi Pat
I have chickens & they can live in a very small space preferably with grass very happy.
Have a look at the Omlett web site
Expensive to start with but excellent & easy to maintain. -
Message 8
Posted by ricoshay (U2081553) on Monday, 12th April 2010
I am soooooo tempted to get chickens - but not so sure my 2 big German Shepherds would agree
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Message 9
Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Wednesday, 14th April 2010
Well I did the sowing last week. But where is the growing? Nothing has come out of the ground yet. Or am i being too impatient?
I will wait to see what happens, otherwise I will just sow again in about a months time
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Message 10
Posted by allotmentangel (U14129635) on Wednesday, 14th April 2010
Keep watching and waiting. Its a bit early yet - think your radishes will come through first. Am just into my second year and last year was really successful with mixed leaf lettuce and dwarf french beans, radish and beetroot and totally unsuccessful with carrots, cabbages and broccoli.
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Message 11
Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Friday, 16th April 2010
Yay, my potatoes have just started to poke through the ground. Thats a good site to see.
Still waiting for the others to come up. I should proabbly water them as I havent yet, I was counting on nature to do it (i'm a bit lazy). -
Message 12
Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Monday, 24th May 2010
Just to keep you posted, and to create a little diary for next year.
Its now end of May and my potatoes have grown to 2 foot tall, radishes are doing well, I dug one up and still has more growing to do. The radish I left in the kitchen yesterday and its now gone soft and shivelled. Maybe should of cut leaf off and put in fridge?
Carrots have come up, and spring onion. I think they need to get bigger.
I sowed some parsnip, lettuce, cabbage, brussle sprouts, more radish and leek at end of april. They have all come up with tiny shoots.
I have been growing in doors and today I planted the plants in ground. Tomatoes (gardeners delight and money maker), cucumbers, french beans, courgettes, chillis and peppers.
The other day my starwberrys were looking off that I bought 6 of. 2 in ground are fine with a flower. The other 4 in pots look dying. I spoke with friend of neighbour and got another 4 strawberry plants for free and put them in ground.
I bought a lavender plant and is doing well in a pot. -
Message 13
Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Monday, 24th May 2010
In the next few days, I am planting out my Sage, Thyme, chives, coriander, basil, rosemary, oregano and mint in front garden together. (Mint will be in pot in the ground).
Then i just wait and hope to harvest over summer. See how long they take to produce fuit. Will keep you posted. -
Message 14
Posted by treechange (U14126469) on Monday, 24th May 2010
Good to hear things going so well in your garden!
Re strawberries: may have been a bit too much water before they had a chance to make enough roots but don't give up on them just yet, on the other posting you said you've put them in a shadyish place - just leave them there a while and don't water for a while, they just might recover, they are tough plants. -
Message 15
Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Monday, 24th May 2010
I am going to do experiment and put one in full sun.
I spoke more about strawberry son other thread, but on the hwole not bad for my first year. But still early days. I wont water for a few days, see if they go dry.
The lavender needs water, its bone dry, just waiting for sun to go down -
Message 16
Posted by pastmemories (U2437829) on Monday, 24th May 2010
Why wait for the sun to go down, it might be dead by then.
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Message 17
Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Sunday, 6th June 2010
I got 3 strawberry plants from a friend and they have flowered and have small green strawberrys on. The original 6 I bought, 2 are alive, one in ground and one in pot. The others are dead or look dieing.
My cucumbers have all died, not enough water maybe. Have just sown another 8 in doors. I broke off one the french beans growing stem as I moved it and it wrapped round the roses, will it recover? Sweetcorn has dissappered, carrots have half dissapeared, one chilli pulled out by bird or something and dead, some parsnips gone. I will resow these to fill the gaps.
Been de-weeding my car park space which has gravel on. Probably needs more gravel but lack of funds. Been clearing the shed and starting to oragnise it. Put two new fence panels up and cemented 3 posts.
Sowed more chives to have two batches as we are eating it Been digging up and eating the radishes too. Everything else is doing fine, just need to wait. I been cutting the thyme, sage and rosemary to dry for cooking.
For the ealier thread about watering, I thought watering plants in direct sunlight was a bad idea. I have now started to water in direct sunlight, but prefer evenings if possible. -
Message 18
Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Wednesday, 7th July 2010
Again to keep my diary upto date to let people know of my experiences. I have been harvesting a few of my strawberrys and they are nice and juicy. They are a little bitter compared to some I pulled off my new 3 strawberry plants (2nd batch of free strawberrys), which were nice and sweet but small. I have a couple more growing and have turned red, but will resist picking as I want them sweeter.
Everything is growing and doing well despite things being in the shade. I have been harvesting my radishes, 1 or 2 a day as they dont keep out of soil for 24 hours. I could put in the fridge but might as well leave in ground until i want to eat.Lettuce out doors has pretty much died, too dry, the ones in doors (2 per pot)i am eating. I planted another pot up in doors to keep supply. Ran out of soil, need double the lettuce i have got as we eat lots of salad and other half likes to buy more lettuce, as not to run out, grrrr
I also harvested a few potatoes which wer very nice, happened to have lots from supermarket at the moment cos of reduced price.
I had a probelm with my parsnips, cabbage, sweetcorn, big carotts as most got eaten by birds and wildlife, but since the netting and replanted a couple of times, i got 1 or 2 of these each scattered, but doing well, would of liked more.
My big onions never germinated in the ground dispite planting twice in same place.
Compost is doing well, been diggin mud like stuff out of bottom and putting on top.
Herb garden bit is doing very well, likes hot dry soil in front garden. Have been watering from time to time.
Roses are doing well, pink climbers and finished maybe till next year? Yellow smelly ones in front still going strong.
Most of garden is overcrowed with tree,hedge, bushes, rose bush all need cutting back at end of summer. -
Message 19
Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Saturday, 9th October 2010
I am now harvesting my tomatoes, most are still green, but I bring a few of the orange/green tomatoes to ripen next to a banana.
During the summer we had a few carrots, little baby ones, french beans about 10 so far and 2 courgettes. Potatoes did the best of all my crops so far and we eat all of them.
Currently I have peppers, sweet corn, cabbage, parnsips, corgettes, tomatoes, french bean, leek and one cumcumber still growing. Not sure if they will survive winter but they dont have any or much produce on them, so i might as well wait for them to die or produce.
Parsnips, cabbage, leek I can leave in the ground as they should survive and harvest later.
Not bad for my tiny garden and its only my first year. I have just sown some garlic which might be ready next spring.
All my herbs are doing nicely and I have been harvesting so I can crush and put into pots for winter use.
Compost heap looks good, been cutting back rose bushes and shrubs, needs plenty more work. Need to repair my shed as some of it is rotting.
Not sure if i mentioned it before but now i have a solar light for night time, solar pond for sunny days and am hoping to setup an irrigation system from rain water and some type of small guttering system. -
Message 20
Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Sunday, 24th October 2010
I bought bumper packs of black current, red current and rasberry bushes. Three in pack for £2.50 each at lidl, bargin.
I planted 6 bushes in the front garden to create a type of hedge between the pavement and my front garden. Took lots of work as I had gravel there which I moved and used two sacks of compost and some home made compost and still not enough.
I planted the other 3 bushes in the back in pots. Just need to wait until next year to see if I get a berrys -
Message 21
Posted by madeleineR (U14451255) on Monday, 25th October 2010
Bargain! Well done with the ground preparation. Do you know what variety they are? i am trrying to find a late variety
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Message 22
Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Monday, 25th October 2010
I dont, it dident say specific the name of them, just a vague description such as "rasberry". I guess they are summer variety but I should find out in 1 years time I guess.
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Message 23
Posted by whatalottie (U9072847) on Tuesday, 26th October 2010
I like the thought of a berry bush.
Unfortuately I think my berries would last about five minutes, every bird for miles around would gather for the feast. If we want to eat any we have to cover ours from the first sign of fruit- while it's still green. I hope your birds aren't so greedy.
I have that feeling you're not going to be eating blackcurrant tart next year! Pity, it's a nice idea, I'm sure it would look good.
Lottie -
Message 24
Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Sunday, 28th November 2010
A couple of months ago I bought some english bluebells (from a sustanable source) and snow drops which I have planted under my tree for a spring show.
I dont normally buy flowers but thought it would be worth while with english bluebells as they are in decline. Besides it was buy 2 for £5
Now winter is here, my veg patch is looking a little bear. I have dug up some parnsips to try and were a little small. My cabbage is still growing, strawberrys are dormant for next year and still have a couple of carrots to dig up when needed.
My herbs are still being picked, but are not really growing. My thyme, rosemary, chives, mint, oregano and sage are waiting for me to pick them throughout the winter until they start to grow again next year. I still have a big basil bush indoors which is still being picked for my mince and pasta dishes.
I have repotted my lavender cuttings to try and grow new plants for next year. I have three and are all doing well.
Its been a good year as its my first year of growing, just finishing off my last tomatoes which I picked green a couple of months ago and are all red.
I have collected some seeds for next year too, so I only need to buy potatoes and possible courgette seeds next year.
P.S With reagrds to my berry bushes, i believe in the first year is the least harvest until the plant establishes itself. Since they can last upto 15 years, I should benefit from the produce in years to come. Besides it should create a natural barrier between the pavement and my small front garden. I'm sure other people will benefit from picking them too. -
Message 25
Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Sunday, 28th November 2010
Oh forgot to mention that I dug and moved one of my rose bushes. I moved it next to the fence that I put up earlier in the year as the last fence got destroyed by the wind. Hoipefully it will survive and grow over the fence to help create some type of barrier and flower show for the bees.
Also my garlic seems to be growing well, have about 10 plants. Dident manage to plant all my garlic cloves this year as I got a bit lazy. I'm hoping to have some garlic ready for next years eating, should save me a couple of quid -
Message 26
Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Sunday, 20th February 2011
To any one who is following my thread he is an update.
My Herbs are all doing well except for the rosemary. All the leaves fell off. I bought some more rosemary seed and planted in doors, they dont look like the rosemary seeds i had last year.
My garlic is still growing. The stems are about one quater thick. I think I just wait unti the top growth starts to die around April, as I planted them last October.
2 of the 6 fruit bushes are now showing signs of life. Hope the others survive.
I have one lavender plant outside where some of the leaves have died, but plant is still alive. I have another 3 lavender plants in doors waiting to plant in spring.
I planted some more cress today in doors to eat with salad. I also bought some camomile seeds which I can plant and use to make tea.
The rose in the front garden is budding. The one I moved next to the fence is still the same, just hoping it will start to grow.
Finally I bought the James Wrong book about how to grow your own drugs, so will be looking out for new herbal plants. -
Message 27
Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Sunday, 20th February 2011
My snowdrops have appeared, bluebells have leaf growth and I even have a crocas, not sure where it came from but it looks pretty.
I am still adding to my compost bin.
I will plant the rest of my Dig in seeds this year, as I only have a small patch of a garden. Do you think they will do dig in seeds again this year? I hope so. -
Message 28
Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Monday, 9th May 2011
3 months since my last blog entry. Most of my seeds have started in pots indoors for the last month or two. I have sown pea's and french bean, marigold, lavender and have planted in the garden with a makeshift wigwam. I have sown directly parnsips, early and main carrots and today potatoes.
I'm starting to run out of space in the garden, fit a few more, but will contine the rest indoors. I never had any indoors last year, but you can never have too many plants, some might probably die. I still have half of the bag of potatoes which I will plant after my first crop. These are 1st earlies? Maris Piper I bought, i heard they were good for salds
Herbs in the front and my rosemary in a pot look small. I guess they are slow growing to begin with when done by seed.
Its my 1st year anniversary from starting this diary/blog!!!
Feel free to post any comments or advice that you may be able to offer if you follow my little adventure
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