Potatoes are chitted, green house is cleaned out and ready for action, raised beds are looking good. Water butts full. Tools at the ready.

Herbs are growing nicely. Raspberry bushes showing plenty of greenery.

So this weekend its mainly getting seeds ready for sowing and a general tidy up. I can’t wait for the first little shoots to appear and with some hard work, sitting and eating the fruits and veg of labour during the summer months.

Where’s everyone else up to.

All the ground is rotovated
Early spuds, onions, garlic & 1/2 a row of “chuck em in and hope” carrots are planted.

The first salad crops are just peeking through (sown under glass)

2nd earlies and a load of other stuff starts to go in next week

Tomatoes, chillies and sweet potatoes are on the conservatory windowsill. planted a few pumpkins & butternut squash from last years saved seed in a pot on the windowsill to check germination as well.

trying something a bit different, the manuka and flax seeds from my trip to NZ have germinated. trying to get my Strelizia to set seed and my lemon tree got hit by the cold and lost its leaves but is now regrowing, so hopefully will be fine. Trying some tomatoes and chilies, will be sowing pumpkins, courgettes, peas soon.

I left mama supersaiyan alone in my garden for an hour and she has sorted me right out: salads, radishes, swiss chard, peas, sunflowers, beetroot, spuds and those funky black french beans all in. Nothing from my thai basil on the window sill yet. Can anyone suggest something for a shady raised bed? It’s the only one she didn’t fill!

I did all the hard prep work about 6 weeks ago. Raddish, beetroot, salads and spinach planted straight into the beds about a month ago have started to peek through. Garlic planted last year is going great guns too.

Pea seedlings are about 5″ tall now and will probably be planted out this weekend along with the slighly smaller broad beans. A few other types of beans won’t be far behind either but the chard and leeks are a way off yet. All of our tomato seeds have germinated and will need transplanting to bigger pots soon.

Blackcurrant and Worcesterberry plants are only about 1′ tall and are getting leafy and we’ve got about 12 sunflower seedlings but I don’t know where I’m going to plant them all!

Chillis haven’t done much yet but they were only planted a few weeks ago and I have high hopes!

This weekend is going to be building the supports for the beans and peas. It’s going to be great in few months when I can pop into the garden instead of to the shop!

Can anyone suggest something for a shady raised bed? It’s the only one she didn’t fill!

Spinach did quite well in our shady spot and didn’t bolt too early.

Nice one. Will give that a go.

Two rows of spuds in, 3rd in about 30 minutes time.

First time growing this year so we are having a go at courgetttes, butternut squash, peas, leaf beet , spring onions, some herbs. Cleared an area in the garden for it and dug in some good cow muck about 3 weeks ago. Going chit the peas and courgettes this weekend I think. Looking forward to having a bit of life in the garden given the amount of nasty stuff the previous tenants left at the house…radiator, toilet cistern, bottles, aerosols, loads of plastic and loads of unburnt rubbish. I’d wring their necks if I got the chance.

Up at the father in laws I’m trying to rejuvenate a few gooseberry bushes and a dwarf apple tree, fingers crossed.

Working on a ploytunnel this weekend. Got some broad beans, elephant garlic and a few other bits and bobs in… lots to do though 🙂

I’ve cut back on growing space thios year due to lack of time and because we’re selling the house – but noticed yesterday my garlic and onions are starting to peep up.

Will finish preparing the beds and sowing this weekend. Just going with onions, garlic, beetroot, carrot and courgettes this year I think.

Still waiting for my tomatoes to ripen down here. Have some lovely big black russians on the vine, but they’re still bloody green & it’s getting late in the year.
Capsicums & chillies were ok.
Eggplants were very good.
Zucchini & cucumbers unstoppable.
Rocket & herbs were more than adequate.
Next time I’m not going to bother growing the tomatoes from seed.

I am Mrs Steelfreak.

We steelies have 1/2 an allotment. It is a hundread yards from our house, It is a hobby for all of the family.

Steelfreak – digging, heavy work.
steelie kids – seed planting, planting, watering and harvesting
Mrs steel freak – weeding, organising, making picknics for (allotment breakfasts and dinners)

Steelfreak has kindly dug, collected and spread muck over the last few months. He is rotivating tomorrow. He knows that I have had a massive baking session and that there are lots of lovely treats in the freezer.

The kids planted, garlic, onions, leeks and cabbages in September. These will be ready in a couple of months. We are currently eating purple sprouting broccoli, yummy. our triffid (globe artichoke)is getting bigger.

cabbages, cauliflower, yellow, purple and green french beans, carrots, beetroots (choggia), melon, cucumber, butternut squash, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers.

There is rather too much to list.

I like to grow unusual things that cost a lot in the shops we have lots of raspberries.

Last year we grew lettuces in grow bags, which were so proliffic as i picked leaves as needed, thet the little steelies were very happy when they bolted.

We love having an allotment, but from my point of view, they are a big comittment in the growing season, but the rewards for our family are countless.

just grow something, anything, and enjoy eating it.

all the normal stuff and

Pattypans lots of squashes and numerous different beans and funky coloured veg (carrots,courgettes and beetroot) and stuff that comands top dollar in supermarket when in season and a hive of bees

Spring onions, tom’s, cucumbers, lettuce, carrots and chilli’s all sprouting in the greenhouse. Bring on the home made chilli sauce later on in the year!

I like to grow unusual things that cost a lot in the shops we have lots of raspberries.

That’s such a top tip and one I’m practising this year.

Got building work going on this year so just some spuds in the ground, plums and blueberries from the trees/bushes and maybe some lettuce if I can be bothered.

Spent the afternoon building my greenhouse base, haven’t had one before so super excited.

Will be having a veg patch when my sons huge trampoline finally dies.

Spuds in, carrots in- all under plastic in the raised bed. Broad beans peppers and courgettes germinating on the window sill. Getting hungry just thinking about it…

i want some blueberry and raspberry in my garden, whats the best way to do this?
infact i’m gona build some planters and bung in some veg, but not sure whats relativley straight forward to grow. I like the idea of growing stuff thats expensive in the shops

i want some blueberry and raspberry in my garden, whats the best way to do this?

Raspberries are easy, however, you really need to pop the ‘canes’ in the ground around November time. Harvest the fruits around summer, although there are autumn fruiting varieties, then cut them right back around February.

Not sure about blueberries, I’ve never tried those.

BTW I am no expert and still learning after growing stuff for 10 years.

thanks, i’ll do a little research but sounds like im trying to do that at the wrong time of year

the problem you may have with blueberries is that they are not alkaline loving plants, really will matter what soil you have, unless you grow them in pots, and then you may have issues with tap water.

I’ve inherited a garden at my new place and from what I can tell there are immature raspberries, brambles, rhubarb and fig plants.
There’s also a raised bed which I fancy growing some simple things in – any ideas (complete novice)? I’m thinking herbs and salady things.

Sad news, after 4 great years of renting an allotment, the last night shed visitor has made me call it a day! Also the cost were creaping up, so decided to focus on my garden at home, yay, got a garden at last!

So my spuds have been in two weeks and are doing very well in tubs, the three new fruit trees are budding up well and seem to be happy with their move.

The Vine cuttings, taken from my allotment before I left (only got two now!) are budding up well.

All my potted fruits, blueberrys,strawberrys and raspberrys survived the winter and are budding up well.

Very late doing my seeds this year, mostly down to not having a polly anymore and trying to work out what I want to grow, anyway seeded up peppers, salads, beets, 3x different toms,2x different peas, and 4 F1 female cucumber seeds, splashed out on them again this year.

Just a thought, anyone want to do some postal seed swaps?

Looking for a couple of squash seeds (had an empty packet) if anyone has some spare, have loads of seeds I could trade?

brakes – for a beginner, runner beans are always really easy to grow and don’t need much tending. You will need some canes though for support.

When I was starting out, I bought some books and borrowed a few from my brother.

Always rain water, imo you can never have too many water butts.

Ski – sorry to hear about your loss 🙁

thanks, but not a fan of runner beans and not sure the bed is deep enough to support canes.

brakes – To get started its all about the quality of soil, compost and manure, without this things won’t grow, it’s like decorating, preparation is everything.

funny you say that, I’m half way through the decorating after being in for two weeks.
the previous owners have used the raised bed before and have left the soil in – there are also a couple of composters I can raid. just need some manure…

Good Friday spent putting in 180ft of spuds and broad beans, harvesting the last of the leeks, the first of the cauliflowers(a first for me :D), great day, sunshine, hard graft and a bit of solitude.
The ‘clincher’ had to be the Hobby that took a Blackbird of a fence post not more that 20 feet in front of me at full tilt! Made a hell of a racket and startled the bejeesus outta me, the falcon then hopped about with the squawking Blackbird momentarily before flying off with it over the hedge.

An amazing sight to have witnessed, but i wish it had taken one of the damn pidgeons!

When is the best time to plant a small fruit tree, I was thinking may be a Victoria plum or an apple?

Also does anyone know of a good nursery in the Northwest that sells fruit trees, I really don’t want to go to the ‘supermarket styleee’ garden centre?

Thanks.

Bunnyhop – Member

When is the best time to plant a small fruit tree, I was thinking may be a Victoria plum or an apple?

Also does anyone know of a good nursery in the Northwest that sells fruit trees, I really don’t want to go to the ‘supermarket styleee’ garden centre?

Thanks.

Best time is before they bud up, Oct. is a good time as the soil is still moist and workable, so bit late now, even though I have moved young apple trees before this time of year 😉

http://www.ashridgetrees.co.uk/

They are based down south, I have bought from them mail order and the quality has always been very good.

Have you thought about getting a family apple tree?

Our veggie patch is ready, carrots, onions, beetroot, leaks, spring onions, lettuce & spinach.

Plus for first time growing we are trying aubergines and squashes. I also want to grow some herbs too.

Started sowing today and looking forward to another bumper crop!

Also having to re-think water due to the hose pipe ban;

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/water-shortage-veggie-gardens

Have you thought about getting a family apple tree?

Sounds interesting tell me more please.

so, in my aforementioned raised bed I found a tennis-ball-sized lump of what looks and smells like rotten cheese.
anyone know what could this be? could it be a hangover from last year’s patch and something has (re)grown and then gone bad?
if it’s not something obvious then I suspect that my friend’s son buried a lump of cheese in there when he was playing in the garden last week.

Family trees are quite good if you want a selection of fruit from one tree, often you get 3 different types of apples grafted onto one root stock, avoid varieties that grow strongly like bramley as they will take over, I am still trying to find a decent family plumb for my garden 😉

Sounds interesting.
There’s a place near Pickering in North Yorkshire, which sounds worth a visit for the fruit trees.

Would a good nurseryman know a tree from the actual apple, or would more info. be needed? There’s an apple tree in my parents garden, however I don’t know the variety, so hope to take along some apples to someone in the know and hope a tasting session could reveal the type.

How is everyone getting along with this crazy weather?

Spuds are showing a little. Purple sprouting broccoli is still in pots, runner beans had all their leaves blown off in the strong winds a couple of weeks ago and show little sign of recovering.

Need to transfer the tomato plants soon and get the cucumbers in.

Raspberries have plenty of buds on, here’s hoping the bullfinch doesn’t get to them first.

Put spuds in and its rained ever since, i expect they will all rot. Onions and garlic doing alright. Rhubarb is nice.

First year gardeners here, so everything is a wonder when it sprouts up.

Various lettuces going strong. Spring onions, carrots, peas and chard just starting to look like ‘proper’ plants. Rhubarb struggling. Peppers and Tomatoes not looking good but radishes ready to plant out. Rocket and Dill monstering but Marjoram struggling.

Mint obviously looking triffid-like.

slainte 🙂 rob