Kitchen Garden Forum

I use approx 8 foot lengths of 3/4" pipe - sorry I'm using an old tape measure.

It is just some old pipe that was in my son's garage left by a previous owner and I' ve been using the same pieces for at least ten years and it is still fine. If you can find some metal rods it is easier to push them into the ground and you can adjust the height of the hoops on these, garden canes tend to break with the tension on the bent hoops. I just find that 8 foot length gives enough clearance over the plants in a 3 ft bed, or is high enough to clear the tops of the red currants bushes when hooped over.

I'll try and take a photo if it stops raining.

Came back from a few days holiday. Found a row of self-sown potato's. Was certain I had removed all last years crop. As they are in advance of this years sowing. Have earthed them up. Might get some earlies out of them.

The Runner Bean plants that i planted out the other week, seem to have survived the high winds we have had for the last couple of days. Just a few cold nights to get through now.

Tomatoes all planted in the polytunnel yesterday. Now just need to make some space for the rest of the things to be planted soon. Winter crops are hanging on late this year.

Radeo Peas now up at home here.

Just been riddling up compost for Tomatoes....it's going to be a multi purpose and home brew blend this year...

I think the short sharp shower has now passed and I can head out again.

Clive.

Radeo peas up here too, Clive, and looking strong. got to try and keep the moles from getting under them this year.

I think we are just about to get a long sharp shower here, but have just cut the main central path and all the side paths over the allotment, and i have to say it does look nice over there. so don't mind if we do have a shower now.

At work I see that the first of the Runner Beans, sown direct to ground, are popping through.

Tomatoes at home are planted, in 20L pots set into the old boiler ash of the greenhouse floor that dates from 1969 and Dads first "whale hide" ring culture growing method.

Rain from 3pm-ish.

Clive.

Rather damp, breezy and cool here today but just the right weather to plant the first brassicas on the allotment: cauliflower, summer sprouting broccoli, calabrese, cabbage and kohlrabi. The next lot (sprouts and lots of kales) are still in the greenhouse as very small seedlings.

Put in some late shallot sets - I was being patient hoping the over wintering ones would sprout, but dug up them up & while they were firmly in the ground they were rotted around the base - felt lucky to still find some to buy though. Peas & onions are being nipped by birds so cutting up plastic carrier bags to make flags to scare them off. Earthed up spuds, tied in raspberry & blackberry canes, cleared shed - mice have had fun over winter - but where did those peanuts come from

Then it rained....

Westi

Westi, I was interested to read about your rotted overwintering shallots. Some of my shallots have done the same but, most surprisingly, none of the overwintering onions (Radar, usually so winter-reliable) have survived the winter! They were covered with wire netting, so not pulled up by birds, but have just rotted ... The best survivors have been two lots of garlic (Solent Wight and Bella Italiana) and most of the Jermor shallots, though not all.

My garlic is looking fab - just hope it bulbs up! (Got it from IOW stall at New Forest Show). My shallots were Jermor as well - going back to Garden Centre to try to get some more (not Jemor) - might be expensive but shallots give you back so much more than an onion so cost is easily offset.

Westi

I got my Early Onward Peas sticked last night. Posts and galvanised net on the East side of the row and Ash sticks on the West side.

Short of Ash sticks and they are a few years old and brittle so had to take extra care pushing them into the ground. They will be ok but it looks a bit of a poor show.

The Peas look well themselves though.


Clive.

Planted out my Sprouts today. Anybody grown Cronus? They were strong plants but seemed paler green than other Sprouts, wondered if that was normal.

A strong grass frost here this morning, don't think my runner beans liked it very much, especially as i didn't protect them. Well. these things happen.

oldherbaceous wrote:A strong grass frost here this morning, don't think my runner beans liked it very much, especially as i didn't protect them. Well. these things happen.

My runners aren't looking too happy either. Never mind. Will sow some more today in the propagators to ensure a successful crop (I hope).

VPM
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