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Lady P - had that happen to me last year. Twice.
This year I have buried the base of the greenhouse in the garden. Literally. Put some weed fabric over the base, slung soil over the top of it and plonked some large stones in the corners for extra measure.
It hasn't budged this year
I live in Sheffield, Happychap.
Which apparently has its own microclimate because of the hills or summat...
My problem is we're at the top of one of those hills - our garden is a real suntrap, but it's very exposed. We're in a mid-terrace, and I think the wind just blows the entire length of the street, without much to stop it as there isn't really much room for many hedges etc...
There are many things that are good about my garden - the soil's fab, it gets a lot of sun - but shelter isn't one of them.
Where as I am in Manchester and dream about a day I could put clothes out to dry
In fact, the recent rain has led to a garden explosion - hope to claw back some time this weekend to give my plot a well-needed weed and trim. First lettuce crop are looking ready and I think I may plant a second crop of spinach and reduce the current crop down to single row; there is only so much spinach we can eat, I'm not Popeye
we're in the parched SEast and desperately need rain - the fields are going yellow and farmers are starting to struggle feeding cattle for milk as there is not enough green grass. I'm watering every day and just waiting for the hosepipe ban......
The north-south divide is alive and well.
We haven't had rain here for months. The dreaded 'water shortage crisis' was dragged out by the media again the other day and it can only be a matter of time before we're all lugging watering cans around the allotment.
BOTF
Manchester is far rainier than Sheffield - I have good accounts of this from several people I know who live in one but commute to the other.
Drying days aren't great at the moment here either, though - we aren't getting loads of heavy rain, just frequent spitty bits.
I stick with things now that I know will produce in reasonable volumes, without too much effort, and taste better and cost less than shops.
just wait till we move and I have 1/2 an acre to play with though....
Wow. Didn't realise the heavy showers we've been having (Midlands) haven't been repeated elsewhere!
I had dreams last night about eating homegrown strawberriesI try growing melons each year. In ~ 4 years I've had one that got to tennis ball size, but I'm still trying. it sits in the other end of the growbag that the cucumbers are in, so it'd just be a wasted space otherwise.
Anyway, numpty question - growing cut & come again lettuce for the first time. Do I need to cut, or will pulling leaves off work as well for me & plant? Another thing I've not tried before, but they seem to be quite happy in the greenhouse and I'm planning on first harvest for lunch. I've grown head lettuces before, but they all arrived together, then bolted before I could eat them!
<lurks awaiting answer to Helen Liz question>
Bad luck on the greenhouse LP
My friend was showing me some great polythene ones in a brochure..... available at Aldi! Won't last 5 mins in our windswept garden, but the looked really good and cheap as chips.
We've had the odd shower here in Worcestershire, but nothing to write home about. Everywhere is still dry and I'm watering every couple of days.
Now.... numpty question..... I've just planted my sprout plants this morning. They're only diddy, about 5-6 inches tall. Do I need to worry about netting them yet?
FB my garlic is doing really well and last years crop was good too. Does that mean I'm a 'specialist'
I planted some onion seeds but nothing has come up. What did I do wrong?
It's still grim here, and threatening a load of rain overnight.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some sun tomorrow afternoon as that is my time to sort out some of my mess/weed issues
Yeah, how come the bliddy weeds are thriving when everything else is wilting?
re: onion seeds - you get a better crop if you use onion sets rather than seeds which can be fickle to germinate..
we're off to Chelsea this afternoon - haven't been for many a long year so looking forward to it although I suspect it will be way too crowded for my liking
Eyup all!
Courgettes and climbing french beans planted out - I managed to kill all my dwarf bean plants by forgetting all about them until they'd shrivelled beyond repair, but the climbers revived as soon as they got into the soil. Courgettes are looking rather yellow, to say the least, but I'm hoping they'll revive - there is, at least, new growth coming...
I have radishes the size of gobstoppers, and an absolute abundance of salad, and a mammouth plot of mizuna.
Spuds are coming along well.
I'm a little impatient about my raspberries and strawberries and their slowness to ripen, but given I live in a windy part of the north, I guess I can't expect as early a harvest as some of you folks further down south...
I too wish the weeds weren't doing so well, though!
outdoor toms and chillies (some) are about to flower and the plants are looking strong and healthy. shame my chard is so poor - maybe old seed - need to get some more seed in.
just wish we had some rain - you lot elsewhere are complaining about rain but those of us in the South East have had very little. All the lawns are parched and farmers are struggling to get any fresh grass for cattle. and doesn't look like any forecast this week and it's getting warmer (not that I don't mind the last bit!)
just waiting for the hosepipe bans to kick in....