Kitchen Garden Forum

I found a very long post online from the US & it seems they have indeed used up their space as they spread out & up as they get older. They can be dug & out, split & moved during dormancy with the only real change being you don't just dig a deep trench & mounds & fill, but top it up every week or so until filled to ground surface level, no extra on why but wondering if not to compact the new plants as they continue to grow over winter; I thought they went totally dormant. This is not too far away from the initial planting guides so I might do a trial over winter as have a gap, well it might not be a gap but part of one that has spread out, but pretty confident it isn't as this space has been vacant for years, probs where I ran out of bought crowns initially.

Well I will see in time, but have to go through the whole 3yrs wait again but just seeing a wee spear pop up even in yr 1 will show some success. Not sure I will do all of that bed just thin it out, but I have some 'potted plants' I bought that are doing very little after many years, so thinking I may sacrifice these & re-establish my favourites in that bed as their will be lots of crowns.

How did our friends do up North with all the rain & wind? I sincerely hope both you, your family, your plants & structures were safe & sound. From what I saw on TV it was pretty rough with one of the reporters being pushed along a prom by the wind with the camera crew in tow. I do wish they wouldn't do this & just let them sit inside somewhere safer filming out a window.

This far North we got off relatively lightly, only ½" rain and max gust 40mph. A few windfall Bramleys and a bronze fennel blown out of the ground.

Limited watering today, just for the precious plants as rain predicted tomorrow. Unfortunately that changed & now looks like no rain for a fortnight at least. I will wait for the usual water warnings & hose pipe bans even though we have had some good rain fall. I have filled all the butts but used the trug water today to water some pots but they won't take long to fill up & the hose will be used as long as able to.

Friday I will finish the tidying up in the wasp area so that will be the whole plots sorted but I have some re-sows to do. I tempted to wait & see as the usual outcome of re-sows is multi plants popping up together. Tunnel is getting all the attention next week, looks a bit rough & weedy currently but remaining productive as it has the soaker hose running through the beds. Mind progress might be delayed as I have been told In-Xcess has lots of bulbs & gardening accessories in so planning to go & have a mooch tomorrow!

Burlesque beefsteak to look forward to!

That’s a whopper, Geoff!

Holy Macaroni Batman!

Well tidying up the back area did not happen as instead of dodging wasps it was those awful little gits that bit me badly clearing the front. One got me & usual swelling & pain. Quickly evacuated that area & headed for the tunnel. I have found out what it is though, it is black fly obvs not the invasion on your plants type. It's got me in a catch 22 though as it is attracted by dried grass but no way you can get near that area to clear the grass. I was thinking maybe I need a beekeepers suit but these flies are so tiny I think they would get in the mesh head cover.

On the positive I had a very productive day & tidied up the tunnel, weeded, fed & did some re-sows. The main objective was sorting the toms but all done & re-secured. The big boy toms are not ripe yet but took loads of little ones, well Marmande has given 2 fair sized. Took some time as they had slid down their ties & just kept growing & all mixed up in a tangle but no casualties, just a reminder to me that the clips I used aren't up to the job so also changed them to soft ties. 3 melons found but the one I have my eye on & thought was close to ready wasn't when I lifted it to weed. The melons are showing nice brown coloured scars on the skin & but underneath are actually still green skin. Best be patient a bit longer then! No sign of any watermelons yet though but certainly lots of foliage & flowers.

I'm sure I may have said it before.. but today is the start of the gardening year...at least in my head it is...as I'm cutting out the old raspberry canes and tying in the new..

I found a few batteries for my old radio so able to listen Radio Caroline North...live from the MV Ross Revenge.. as I work.

The new raspberry canes are a bit mean, with the dry, but they've got a chance to extend a little more once we have some meaningful rain.

What's different too this year with this job is that I am having to use my glasses when doing the tying bit.....

A load of Moonlight beans featured with lunch followed by some very lovely stewed Reine Claude Doree gages from the tree at the bottom of the garden here..its loaded this year...tends to be a sparse fruiter most years..

..and for tea I suspect a very low air miles sweetcorn will feature.....

C.

You manage to make all your harvests, sound deliciously, delightful, Clive…

My sweetcorn is looking splendid but, after your comments on the taste of Bantam, i’m dreading bringing them home for Cook!

Yes,...after I posted about the sweetcorn I suddenly remembered that maybe I shouldn't have mentioned it

I can't remember which mine is....found the packets on the sideboard top in the hallway...so either Moonshine or Swift..

C.

If it’s really bad, Clive, I might tell Cook, you recommended it…..

A few outgrade Boltardy beet followed me home from this mornings picking... a call at the Co-op produced some large brown rolls...and thus 12.5 mins 700w watt microwave later and lunch is served with greengages to follow.

I also have a Queen cooking apple home to test..it lifted from the tree with no effort, it's really a September apple. Some Loch Ness blackberries are ready to accompany.

C.

A feast fit for the King of Lincolnshire…..
The apples here seem to be about 3 to4 weeks early too!

Very hot here today and with still no rain and getting even hotter as the week goes on, think some crops will be going over…

I was hoping for a Lancaster flypast today...checked the radar and there was the Lancaster heading for a display at Mablethorpe sea front...display complete headed south along the coast... turned inland but passed about five miles north of here...at least I heard it

Yes, very hot here too. I had a plan to cut out the loganberry old canes but so far haven't got that done..ran a bit later in the other garden than planned this morning.
..and thence straight into lunch time and some more radio Caroline North listening...

This afternoon had a few minutes checking out my new south border at home here...butterflies and bees also giving it a good check out

..and the Queen apple, whilst fully up to size and quite juicy was lacking sweetness so needs some more sunny days and some cool nights for the mechanisms within those on the tree to hopefully sort that...with the hope they stay on to achieve this as the test example came away extremely easily with only a lift, no twist...

C.