Kitchen Garden Forum

Sort of like when I prove bean seeds before potting, but some don't respond and need to be in compost.

Very interesting though, I could do with a neighbor like you and half a mile in the valley is a small farm for sale. I suppose it's a small holding. Farmhouse and agricultural outbuildings, everything is neglected somitsva project. Might go for £300.000.

Hi JB!

Totally agree with PP, you really should record your tips for the future. Yours is based on experience & observation, most of the books out there just repeat the same mantra, probably gathered off the internet. If the success rate of new growers could improve we'd have another new generation of growers as they wouldn't give up. Goes back to my peeve with seed packets not showing any adjustment to where you are in the UK. Might not be a great distance in the big scheme of things from top to bottom, but the climate is extremely different and sowing times should be different.

Looking forward to the results of your experiment.

Westi

Good try Richard, but methinks JB might be settled where he is. Seems a bit of a bargain though!

Westi

Hi Westi,
Methinks you are so right! When I leave here finally it will be feet first.
I have a mine of information tucked away but sadly most of it is out of date according to most of our members. The up and coming book reading gardeners of books written by those with too little experience behind them are supposed to be so wonderful but I think I might just qualify with only 73 years growing experience behind me. I fear that it is too late to even consider doing as you suggest.
My family farm is 40 miles from where I live and at present I am unable to drive but my two sons do the farming now so I let them get on with it.
Sincerely,
JB.

It's nice to dream about what you could do, but there's nowhere pleasanter than being in your own garden even if it is a challenge sometimes.

I agree about the lack of knowledge of quite a few of the newer gardening writers' books. I suppose they take the opportunity to cash in on winning something or being seen in the media. Cookery books are the same, I bought one that was in the limelight a few months ago and she was saying things which were totally inaccurate all the way through it, and said "awesome" on nearly every page. It's gone to the charity shop.

We've rather drifted off the garlic topic haven't we

Maybe KG could have a blog just for tips we have learn' t over the years.One of my favorites was from my late Father." The time to hoe boy, is when it don't need doing" .

Westi wrote:Good try Richard, but methinks JB might be settled where he is. Seems a bit of a bargain though!

Westi

Maybe it's for you then Westi, plenty of work within the NHS but not a lot of work generally and this keeps property prices down and the road traffic.

They used to do pigs, then turkeys and the land might grow garlic, why-not ?

Thinking of putting a bid in then Richard? Love it where I live - the tropical end of England is just perfect!

JB, I read your posts with interest - it is your years of knowledge that makes you creditable! Only 73?? There's a book left in you for sure! (Or some rough scribbled notes for your sons to take further)!

Westi

Hi Westi,
Do you realise that I started growing on my own account in 1943 as a skinny enegetic thirteen year old. That was in the dark days of WW2 when seeds were not easy to obtain. I was allotted a plot in the corner of my grandfathers orchard. He put a row of stakes at 66ft by 30ft. That was not enough for me so I kept moving the stakes and when I got to 100ft my grandfather said Whoa neddy!
Seeing young tomato plants growing in the local sewage farm I potted them up and growing them on and flogging them for 3d each and doing a roaring trade. I also swapped tomato plants for seed and allowed a savoy, purple sprouting Broccoli, A pointed cabbage and a Bedford Champion brussels sprout to go to seed. They were all in flower the next year at the same time and only god knows the amount of hybrids I had produced. However when grown the next year they all sort of resembled the plant they were supposed to be.
Sex had obviously not entered my life but for sure growing had and I, in my innocence, didn't know any better. I grew row after row of plants in a nursey plot and even flogged them on Hereford Market on Saturdays. On the proceeds I bought an old redundant "stop me and buy one" ice cream cycle to peddle my wares around the district. Life was so simple in those days with no ice cream.
There Westi my opening Chapter!
Sincerely,
JB.

That's brilliant Johnboy. Can I order the first copy I was born just after the war and my father grew and sold lots of produce, plants, and eggs to sell to neighbours to supplement his wages. He also showed me how to make up bunches of flowers which were very popular for people to take to the cemetery etc. His favourite plant always seemed to be tomatoes, usually Alicante, and he sold both plants and the fruit. From being tiny one of my jobs was to tap the canes to help fertilisation and to remove the dead flowers from the ends of the tomatoes. You've got me reminiscing now.

It's these memories together with some encouraging from Mo that got me started.

We were living on ration books and what my brother could grow in our garden, lots of people grew veg in those days.

Jb, I have a friend in the publishing industry, if you get something written I can certainly get it on the right (write?) desk

JB! That is great! Growing is truly your forte. Love the bit about the sewerage farm tomatoes - can you imagine Elf & Safety now days!

I wasn't born then, but my Nana's reminiscences of rationing was far away from the reality that everyone experienced in the UK, and she married a shearer & lamb was payment when there was no money, so they didn't suffer much at all. He always had work as the fleeces went for uniforms & exported to the UK. They were in the outback & had to provide most of what they needed before rationing so got off easier than those in the cities, & no one was bombing Australia!

Westi

Hi Westi.
One not so much of as a funny incedent.
In 1942 the farm got straffed by an enemy fighter escort aircraft. It was ironic that the only person to get the slightest injury was a German prisoner of war working on the farm. He was an ex Luftwaffe pilot and I love him because he was the kindest person I have ever known. I am still in touch with his granddaughter. Detrich sadly died in 1992 and the world became a poorer place that day.
It was he and my grandfather who encouraged me and taught me the basic fundementals of growing. This is something you never forget.
Sincerely,
JB.

Amazing life you've had JB! Great memories to look back on, not to mention the knowledge gained.

Westi