Our company used to do work for a Young Offenders Institute nearby where they had a farm for rearing pigs, a dairy unit and grew vegetables for the other YOI's in the area. I was on site one day and the farm manager asked one of the lads to go down to the polytunnel and pick a couple of cucumbers - ...

Thanks Primrose and Beryl - i'll leave them a little loger then and use them as suggested.

Graham

I have a couple of rows of White Lisbon spring onions that were not picked when at the normal size. The result is 4 - 5cm diameter bulbs! They look very healthy and are showing no signs of going to seed - so i was wondering if it ok to leave them and if they can still be used if chopped up?

Graham

Alan, thanks - i'll leave well alone then!

Geoff, that is what i have done in the past resulting good crops but, like you, i don't know if it is right or not!

I have two cucumber plants in my greenhouse that are growing nicely up canes with lots of flowers and the first fruits nearly ready to pick. I have noticed that they plants have branched out from the main stem and these limbs also have flowers and fuits forming on them. My question is - should they ...

I am growing some celery that is 'self blanching' - does this mean that i just leave it to grow once planted and don't need to place collars around it?

Graham

Morning OH,

Many thanks, i'll give them a feed as suggested.

Graham

I planted Early Wight garlic at the end of November last year. The plants have done very well and are currently around 24" high with the stems being approx 2cms (3/4") in diameter. At the weekend in had a quick look at the base to see if there was a bulb forming but only found what looks l...

I planted some Sutton broad beans late last year. They have done very well and are now smothered in flowers and the bees have been busy on them. I noticed that the lower flowers have started to die off but there are no beans coming behind them, is this normal? - any suggestions?

Graham

Hi Steve

Are you at the garden every day? It looks like a full time job!

Belle De Fontenay for me

Graham

I have an apricot tree that is now about 4 years old that i have fan trained against a wall. Last year there was plentiful blossom and i got a really good crop off it. This year there appears to be very little blossom - am i right in thinking that apricot trees only crop every other year?

Geoff Do you know the trade name of the bedding? I breed worms for exactly the use you have mentioned i.e. getting rid of horse muck. I have a person who uses a similar bedding called Hemcore which is the stalks of the hemp plant. They are very successful running their system using it. I'm not sure ...

For Valentines I got my wife bag and a belt.

She was really pleased as the Hoover now works properly!