Welcome along Mandie. If you're superstitious like me, then Easter, but if they're going for it then get them in the ground now, especially the first earlies. The important thing with spuds is to keep earthing them up so the frost doesn't get them.
hailunlikely - We can make all our mistakes together then. I realised my first one the other day. A friend of mine pointed out that I should have planted the cloves of garlic, not the full bulb like I did!! (the mouldy bulbs were dug up and replaced with cloves straight away! )
Parsnips need to be thickly sown and are notoriously slow to germinate. To save hoeing them up, once you've sown them but before you cover them, sprinkle radish seeds (lightly, Haile!) along the top. Your radishes will have grown and been harvested before the parsnips will be through and the neat row of seedling will show you where not to hoe.
We've had a total of about 20 carrots in 8 years from our allotment. Bliddy carrot fly!! The plots were riddled with them even before they were renovated, looks like the little b*ggers have passed the knowledge down the generations.
Cheers Nicko. I used to keep a log of what varieties we grew, when we planted them and what the crop was like, but I've not bothered for the last few years.
to stop carrot fly and similar frigging problem insects, cover the plants with some horticultural fleece during the problem period - it will allow light and water in but keep the little critters out and stop them laying their eggs......
Purple Sprouting brocoli- thinking of trying to grow this but is it prone to pigeon and caterpillar damage like brassicas (is it a brassica?) My sprout plants last year were demolished and it was very depressing.
Sorry Blisters no idea really but I think it's Spring time and they are attracted by disturbance such as thinning releasing the smell. Sure I read somthing about growing plants near to mask the smell such as spring onions....
Brassica dammage: typically by cabbage white larvae (lge & sml), gooseberries get annihilated by sawfly. Pick 'em off if you are sad and addicted, but spray if you want to be effective. Of course there are preventive measures such as netting. (Or global DDT). I tried feeding the caterpillars to the pond fish but they weren't fussed and I wouldn't be surprised if the little bstds crawled out again. No, not the fish.
purple sprouting is lovely and the caterpillllars eat the leaves rather than the broccoli bit. you have to wash and check it VERY well though.
vulnerable to pigeon damage but you can net it if that starts happening. Just be vigilant and respond quick to whatever is attacking and you should be ok. It is such an expensive veg it is well worth growing your own! good luck
Mine end up covered with whitefly every year, anyone got any suggestions apart from pesticides that sound so horrible on the instructions they may as well just write "do not use"?
Spuds chitting nicely - think I might plant some tomorrow. Also got a load of onion sets in a Jiffy bag through the post from my mum, so they can go in soon. Should really get on with the broad beans - I seem sooooo behind!
Don't think I'm going to do any brassicas this year. Brussels sprouts were more or less a complete disaster last year (although actually the tops from the plants were delicious!) - just too much effort for me really. Although I do love purple sprouting...
Have got loads of interesting-sounding heirloom varieties of various vegetables that I got from a seed catalogue - for most of these I don't have to worry about doing anything until April. Roll on the Easter hols - far too much work for me right now to get out there!
Lady P- not doing anything until the Easter week, too cold to be bothered, and I need to be around to scare the cats off what they think is a new and oversized poo tray, otherwise it will all get dug up. Must nip out a get some onion sets though.....................byeee
Mine end up covered with whitefly every year, anyone got any suggestions apart from pesticides that sound so horrible on the instructions they may as well just write "do not use"?
Planting Nasturtiums in the greenhouse will prevent whitefly infestation.
Comments
Welcome along Mandie. If you're superstitious like me, then Easter, but if they're going for it then get them in the ground now, especially the first earlies. The important thing with spuds is to keep earthing them up so the frost doesn't get them.
Thanks everyone.
hailunlikely - We can make all our mistakes together then. I realised my first one the other day. A friend of mine pointed out that I should have planted the cloves of garlic, not the full bulb like I did!! (the mouldy bulbs were dug up and replaced with cloves straight away! )
i love radishes
can you post them??
or
come down to brum for a visit when they are ready - you can come and see me and he who must not be named
Today's tip:
Parsnips need to be thickly sown and are notoriously slow to germinate. To save hoeing them up, once you've sown them but before you cover them, sprinkle radish seeds (lightly, Haile!) along the top. Your radishes will have grown and been harvested before the parsnips will be through and the neat row of seedling will show you where not to hoe.
Oh I don't like all this talk of bugs and flies.....
I've promised my mum I'm providing the veg on Xmas Day and she'll not be happy if I don't deliver!!!
LOL!
Thats plan b sorted!
Cheers Nicko. I used to keep a log of what varieties we grew, when we planted them and what the crop was like, but I've not bothered for the last few years.
Wonder if there's a gardening version of Fetch?
Purple Sprouting brocoli- thinking of trying to grow this but is it prone to pigeon and caterpillar damage like brassicas (is it a brassica?) My sprout plants last year were demolished and it was very depressing.
Sorry Blisters no idea really but I think it's Spring time and they are attracted by disturbance such as thinning releasing the smell. Sure I read somthing about growing plants near to mask the smell such as spring onions....
Brassica dammage: typically by cabbage white larvae (lge & sml), gooseberries get annihilated by sawfly. Pick 'em off if you are sad and addicted, but spray if you want to be effective. Of course there are preventive measures such as netting. (Or global DDT). I tried feeding the caterpillars to the pond fish but they weren't fussed and I wouldn't be surprised if the little bstds crawled out again. No, not the fish.
Foxy Lady
purple sprouting is lovely and the caterpillllars eat the leaves rather than the broccoli bit. you have to wash and check it VERY well though.
vulnerable to pigeon damage but you can net it if that starts happening. Just be vigilant and respond quick to whatever is attacking and you should be ok. It is such an expensive veg it is well worth growing your own! good luck
Tomato plants on the go and spuds chitting - will plant some out today I think - the spuds, that is.
The Rhubarb That Died appears to have been resurrected. Hallelujah!
Afternoon all!
Sh1te weather we've been having up here!
Spuds chitting nicely - think I might plant some tomorrow. Also got a load of onion sets in a Jiffy bag through the post from my mum, so they can go in soon. Should really get on with the broad beans - I seem sooooo behind!
Don't think I'm going to do any brassicas this year. Brussels sprouts were more or less a complete disaster last year (although actually the tops from the plants were delicious!) - just too much effort for me really. Although I do love purple sprouting...
Have got loads of interesting-sounding heirloom varieties of various vegetables that I got from a seed catalogue - for most of these I don't have to worry about doing anything until April. Roll on the Easter hols - far too much work for me right now to get out there!
Somehow I never imagined Johnny B as being the gardening type, can't think why.
Is that not what rhubarb does? Do you have proper rhubarb pots to force it along?
No idea about the whitefly but will ask my organic veg delivery peeps.
Peas in pots in greenhouse
Money maker toms indoors in warm to sprout.
Will pop some lettuce in raised bed tomorrow.
Bliddy cat has sussed out my potato drills make good poo trays
Planting Nasturtiums in the greenhouse will prevent whitefly infestation.
Found this on Dr Greenfingers site