Mrs Tea's Allotment

Discussion in 'Allotments Discussion' started by MrsTea, Jan 28, 2016.

  1. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    Not a bad idea to have a second batch - I always start brassicas in trays/pots in the greenhouse mainly because direct sown doesn't work very well in my soil, it dries out in an instance. I think a bit of molly coddling to begin with gets them off to a good start. Just need to harden them off before planting outdoors after that, they need to be a reasonable size to fend for themselves so I guess 5 leaves would be good. You must protect them against birds and cabbage white though, so netting is essential.
     
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    • BeeHappy

      BeeHappy Total Gardener

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      @MrsTea your doing great from what im reading ...i can only cope with flowers ...i do try my hand at easy veggies and herbs , but nowt complicated :phew:...... You'll always get friendly n great advice on GC so keepnup the good work :yes:
      :scratch: you're on another forum …:whistle:
      arent we enough for you :heehee:
       
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      • MrsTea

        MrsTea Khazâd Ai-Mênu

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        Thank you John, I will give it a try and start them in the greenhouse around the end of May, and I mustn't forget to get protection for them. The birds around here eat everything that isn't nailed to the ground.. :snorky:
         
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        • JWK

          JWK Gardener Staff Member

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          Well if they are saying that "too much light is making cucumber seedlings go leggy" it's the exact opposite of the truth - that's not just bad advice it is completely wrong! If they get the basics wrong then you can't trust anything else they say.

          Generally plants can be miss-treated in different ways and they will grow happily, that's why you get so many conflicting ideas, we all have our own ways of doing things and if they work then that's great so keep doing it. I know a lot of things I could do better but working full-time prevents me doing some jobs when I want, so some things are done too early/late compared to the ideal., but most plants are forgiving and will give you something back for your efforts.

          Some plants are less forgiving and cucumbers are probably the worst, last year I sowed double the amount I needed and for once they all survived. I couldn't bring myself to throw away healthy plants, but they would probably have done better if I hadn't over-crowded them in hindsight.
           
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          • MrsTea

            MrsTea Khazâd Ai-Mênu

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            @BeeHappy : Thank you! :) My husband is the flower-gardener and I think he is not doing a bad job at all. I love them, but they don't seem to like me very much :scratch:.

            Yes, I am on another forum. I registered there before I found GC and kept my account. But the more time I spend on GC, the more I realise that the really nice and helpful people are here! :yay:
             
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            • MrsTea

              MrsTea Khazâd Ai-Mênu

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              You are right John, the same thought occurred to me yesterday after they told me that I basically ruined my chances to get any brussels. Then I looked up some advice on RHS and it told me exactly the opposite of what they had told me on the other forum. :noidea:

              Seems to me they're more bothered about what their gardens actually look like than about the produce of said gardens. Just as an example: my idea to put the plastic greenhouse into my old glass greenhouse (do you remember?) was put down with the words: yeah but that'd look rubbish... :wallbanging:

              My husband said to me yesterday: "before the time of internet and forums people would sow and grow. Some plants worked out, others failed and at the end of the day you have to get a feel for plants and the earth and seasons first. And learning all this will lead to both success and failure". And I think he is quite right. I am just such a perfectionist and I want it all to work our perfectly first time. I know this is unrealistic and I am working on being less of a perfectionist and on being more patient.

              And as for the time people have to spend in their gardens: if I could I'd spend all day down there and probably had a lovely less wild garden in no time. But I also work full time, so does my husband, and time is limited. But we do whatever we can.

              I think cucumbers might not have been the best choice for a beginner gardener :whistle: .. I realise that now haha! :heehee:
               
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              • BeeHappy

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                1. [QUOTE="MrsTea,:):scratch:

                Yes, I am on another forum. I registered there before I found GC and kept my account. But the more time I spend on GC, the more I realise that the really nice and helpful people are here! :yay:[/QUOTE]

                Hum mm mm!!!! Well there are some scallywags on GC ;).......... but far be it for me to say who they are Mrs T :whistle:
                :heehee:
                 
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                • MrsTea

                  MrsTea Khazâd Ai-Mênu

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                  I hope I'll never find out :heehee::whistle: .
                   
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                  • JWK

                    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                    Bet you'll get beginner's luck to prove me wrong :)
                     
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                    • MrsTea

                      MrsTea Khazâd Ai-Mênu

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                      The greenhouse is up and it's a lot sturdier than I expected it to be. Height-wise it fit right into the existing greenhouse which gives it a bit more support. And the seedlings have now been moved... strange to see the kitchen without all them in haha :D
                       
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                      • MrsTea

                        MrsTea Khazâd Ai-Mênu

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                        Yesterday we went to the garden centre and picked a few plants to spruce up the small pile of stones that has been left in the corner behind the rose bed.
                        • Sempervivum Rubin
                        • Phlox Bavaria
                        • Saxifrage Peter Pan
                        • Saxifrage White Star
                        • Armeria Armada Rose
                        • Senetti Magenta
                        We wanted to make a start today, but the weather is horrendous, so we will wait until it is a bit dryer. It was quite a challenge to get down to the garden earlier when I checked on the seedlings in the greenhouse. I should have taken a plastic bag to slide down... :heehee:.
                         
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                        • MrsTea

                          MrsTea Khazâd Ai-Mênu

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                          I checked on my kohlrabi this morning and they are huge. They have to go out, and I will plant them outside despite the possibility of frost in the early hours of the morning. If they fail, I will try and re-propagate some more.

                          Live and learn...
                           
                        • MrsTea

                          MrsTea Khazâd Ai-Mênu

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                          Kohlrabi is out now, tomatoes have been replanted into bigger homes and the grass has had its fourth cut (and looks great!).
                           
                        • MrsTea

                          MrsTea Khazâd Ai-Mênu

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                          The grass had its fourth cut already, as the better half would like to keep it really short this year to stop moss from growing. In the event of a scorching hot summer (haha!), we might have to water the lawn though.

                          The kohlrabi and the brussels have now been moved outside. I was a bit concerned about the possibility of frost but I risked it. I put them out last night, and as if I had asked for it, we had frost again this morning. But they little ones are doing just fine.

                          The roses are picking up as well, even the yellow one. When I replanted the yellow one, I noticed that it didn't have any roots at all. So I think it'll probably spend most of this year to grow roots rather than leaves and flowers. You know the old rule "roots - shoots - fruits". I know the rule normally applies to fruit trees but hey, I think it's probably similar for many other plants.

                          The flowers are growing nicely and my sister's rhubarb loves its new home!

                          I am very pleased that the raspberry has come back to life as well. I didn't think it would, as it looked so small and poorly last year hidden away so close to the hedge. But there she is! I am still unsure whether to remove the (possible) foxglove that's growing next to it. I might..

                          And finally, last but not least, three of the cucumbers have been re-homed into bigger pots and are currently residing in the greenhouse. So are the tomatoes which have now been repotted into half a bag of soil each. Saves on spending an awful lot of money on huge pots, too. The garlic and onions are outside now, too and seem to like it. The chilies love the warmth in the greenhouse, but I have to have a think about how to keep the humidity down. I am sure I will come up with something. Watch this space!

                          See you soon! x

                          (See images on my blog)
                           
                          Last edited: Apr 21, 2016
                        • MrsTea

                          MrsTea Khazâd Ai-Mênu

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                          Short update on the garden :)

                          Three cucumber plants are growing happily, and have a new neighbour: sweet peas.

                          My tomatoes are doing really well, so do most of the kohlrabi plants.
                          The brussel sprouts love their new home and grow very well, too!

                          My husband's chilis love their greenhouse position and grow slowly but steadily.

                          All in all, the garden is going well, and we finally have a new strimmer with additional attachments like a brush cutter and a chainsaw. Very handy indeed.

                          See you soon! x
                           
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