2017 GROWING THREAD

8th April 2017 - Most of the radishes made it over the winter period.





OK, about two months remaining before I plant my main summer crops of tomatoes and potatoes.

I needed to sow another catch crop otherwise the plot would look a bit underused in a valuable growing space. What did I go for?


22nd May 2017 - Yes, it's cress!


About halfway through harvesting, I came to the conclusion that I needed a machine to do the job.


Plenty to share around.



Two days after this, the summer crops were planted.

 

Redstar, you dont really want them to flower this year anyway.....or next year either! If they flower too soon they can become monocarpic
Patience is the key I think

 

Picked the first of the autumn sown broad beans today. Reasonably early this year, my first picking usually varies between late May and mid June, depending on the spring weather.

 

Some pictures veg plot this evening.

Runner beans at the back, peas in the middle (second sowing and still no germination). I reused some of my sons old goal posts for the support and broad beans at the front, radish I between the rows.

Spuds in bags, looking really good at the moment. I have 4 of these.


Spuds at the back, I had 3 left over so threw them in there. Lettuce, beetroot and the bare ground at the front is where I have sown carrots, they were showing signs of germination, have disappeared (slugs?).

Corn to go in when spuds and lettuce are harvested.

Cabbage, a stray lettuce and chard.

Caulis to go in in front of cabbage, I will harvest lettuce and probably remove a row of chard.

Courgettes, I need to get some big pots for these. I have no space for them.


I have cucumbers in greenhouse, tons to go in along with chillies.

Need to sow some cut and come again leaves and spring onions

Rusty

 

And I thought I'd sown these too early, smell great.

 

Might be eating the first strawberries of the year later..


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Had me garlic out before it flys south for the winter

 

Pulled the first of the carrots today.

To avoid the ravages of carrot fly, I grow them in large 10 litre pots in the greenhouse, making successive sowings about 3 or 4 weeks apart, using the variety 'Early Nantes'.

Sown at the beginning of March, the first pot is now ready - they were small, but very tasty.

 

Loving all the pics, missing my allotment like mad! Plot neighbour did say she's freezing the first strawberries for me though

 

Rhubarb was looking very sad so I gave it a barrow load of compost before I left for Shineyland.



Picking up nicely now

This is the one I need to come on in August for the Melplash show.

Other clumpage is doing well, but this has usually gone over by August, guessing its an early one.

 

Cucumber are coming along nicely.





Rusty

 

3 days later and it's really getting away now, just shows what a feed can do

Melons are getting away too

 

Rhubarb going nuclear now


Not sure if the peas or the frame are doing better

Got a corge coming

Decimator has decimated

 

Bridgwater beans are flowering too

 

There's some big Spring Tides on the mornings of the 23 & 24th, and at reasonable times, so if the weather's been settled and the mackies are about I might be there for the show.