Early Winter bits & bobs?

[Shallot Man]

Went to a garden centre some weeks ago to self select Garlic bulbs. Had a small notice on the bins, until you are ready to plant, keep garlic in the fridge. Never seen this before, but makes sense.

[Johnboy]

Hi Shallot Man,
Contrary to popular belief Garlic for culinary use should be stored at room temperature. Garlic needs a cold period before breaking into shoot and people wonder why Garlic sprouts when stored in the fridge but fail to make the connection.
JB.

[Geoff]

My wife read about warm storage some years ago. We hang the plaited Garlic strings on the chimney breast by the Aga and they last until the next lot is ready.

[alan refail]

Another of those days which make you realise why Wales, wet and wellingtons all begin with W Persistent rain all day and never light at all

[oldherbaceous]

A glorious sunny morning here, with wall to wall sunshine, but a little cloud this afternoon.

[peter]

Daren't set foot on my plot, every footprint in the soil turns into a waterproof unfired clay bowl, that will hold water for days and still be there in the spring.

[oldherbaceous]

That will teach me, it's chucking it down out there now, and there was so much i wanted to get done today.

[vegpatchmum]

Lovely, bright, crisp day today Went into the garden at 10am and so far have potted up 60 strawberry runners and cut back the old foliage on 50% of the mature strawberry plants

VPM
x

UPDATE: 72 runners now potted up and snug in the greenhouse . No idea where I'm going to put them all next year

[Monika]

Lovely two days this weekend - got the 2013 carrot bed dug. It was covered with lush green manure (mainly winter grazing rye), so I dug that in and then covered the bed with black plastic so that the worms can do their bit all nicely snug and warm.

Also harvested some carrots, leeks, a parsnip, beetroot, some kale and a cabbage. The latter was supposed to be "spring cabbage" but it's certainly ready for eating now. Can anybody suggest I real "spring cabbage" which is green rather than having a yellow/white heart? I used to grow 'Mastergreen' but it doesn't seem to be available any more.

[Johnboy]

Hi Monika,
It would appear that Moles Seeds have Mastergreen in stock but the only problem is the minimum quantity is 10 grams but at the price if you are set on them you could try and sell a few or even give them away.
Brassica seeds are quite long lived around five years.
I feel sure that Moles will not be the only supplier so have a good search of the web.
JB.

[Ricard with an H]

I'm grumpy.

I don't feel good, I can't catch up with all my 'outside chores' because I haven't got a decent days work in me and the few dry days we get are filled-in by downpours.

I trod in some dog-poo because I hadn't collected it, I hadn't collected it because the grass is long, it's too wet to cut grass.

I have slugs in my cold frame, doesn't matter how many precautions, you still get the blighters.

I'll feel better tomorrow, hopefully I won't be so grumpy. Right now i'm not answering the phone because I accused of being grumpy. It's because i'm grumpy. I'm not angry at anyone, just grumpy.

[Monika]

Hello, grumpy Ricard with an H. If you could pop up to Yorkshire on Thursday evening, you could join my OH at his "grumpy old men's club" in the village pub - they do nothing but grumble grumble, grumble .......

When, very occasionally, I join them, I like to get them really worked up and then just sit back and listen.

Thanks, Johnboy, for the tip about Mastergreen being available at Moles Seeds. As I got my carrots from them last year (and very good they were, too), I shall make use of that. Can't find them on any other website.

[donedigging]

I'm so happy
Thank you Johnboy, this year was the first time I heeded your advice re pre-germination
100% perfect parsnips, all nearly a foot long
Enjoyed by all
Thank you

[Shallot Man]

I'm so happy
Thank you Johnboy, this year was the first time I heeded your advice re pre-germination
100% perfect parsnips, all nearly a foot long
Enjoyed by all
Thank you

To my eternal shame I must have missed that. As I tend to have trouble with parsnip seed. Can you please repeat.

[vegpatchmum]

Ohhhhhh I'm so glad you owned up to that first Shallotman so I didn't have too xx