Kitchen Garden Forum

Strawberries, garlic, or nothing yet.

Oh boy am I glad I quadruple rotovated that darker area yesterday, hacked open then deepened with the Merry Tiller, then broken up, followed by a final walk alongside to leave no hoof prints with my new Aache RTT3, just in time for the overnight rain to percolate in evenly.

It all looks very smart but very empty, I've only got about 2 square yards unplanted up on my Northern hill.

I've only part of one small bed left empty too. I hope your crops grow quickly down there Peter.

It only reached 12° yesterday so it is surprising that things are growing as quickly as they are.

We're at 560 ft above sea level here at the foot of the Pennines, what altitude is your garden Geoff?

PLUMPUDDING wrote:
what altitude is your garden Geoff?

A quick glance and I read that as "what attitude",

I was going to say mine had a very sluggish attitude up until recently, growth was slow then it all burst into life

Altitude of plot 112ft

Got very behind last year and playing catch up.

Our site is a frost pocket and wind channel, plus I'm BIG on squashes which will cover all the black sheeting.
Potatoes, 4 x 30' are being shy.
French beans should be big enough to go put in a week.
The darker soil only came out from under the plastic this weekend and, thanks to the rain, I hope to be sowing loads of stuff in it shortly.

My altitude is 600 feet and my attitude is mainly sceptical.

Altitude unknown. But the planes come past pretty close attitude... Grumpy

Still looks bare, but the two foot at the font is full of little diagonal sowings of salad stuff, herbs and wild flowers.
Three 30' rows of onions next then;: carrots, beetroot, spring onions, swede, chard, dwarf french beans and some replanted garlic that missed being harvested.

Good job I had extra packets of stuff as many packets are not sized for the allotment, took three packets of beetroot for one row.

Loads of stuff in the greenhouse to pot on or wait for a bit more growth.

Look forward to seeing your next set of photos Peter, it sounds great. I've constructed posts with cross pieces to support and hold nets for my relocated raspberries. Unfortunately, from the house it looks rather like a scene from the crucifixion

Ive just been to the allotment after being in Alaska for three weeks (which was an utterly amazing place). Not sure what the weathers been doing but I can't believe the weeds, length of grass and size of potato plants.

Mixed feelings about how it fared while I was away - all shallots appear dead, garlic not looking great at all (they looking great before I went), lettuce ready to pick, runners germinated, carrots germinated, French beans haven't done a lot, sprouts eaten by pigeons, tiny courgettes on the plants, sweetcorn survived.

Going away at the end of May was always going to be risky so I can't complain.

Also returned to find my (along with all the neighbours) cars have been keyed - welcome home!

I've never been good at growing radishes .... Apparently they're one of the easiest thing.... But this year success!

A couple of years ago (can't remember where) I had the most amazing pickled radishes (possibly Switzerland?). Does anyone have ang good recipes that'll preserve them for a while and keeps them crisp? The recipes I have all only keep well for a month in the fridge.

I'm glad you've enjoyed your holiday Pawty. It is always a shock seeing the jungle in the garden when you get back. Everything has put on masses of growth in the past few weeks since the weather at last warmed up. Your garlic and shallots should be ok if you have a look, their tops will have died down by now as they ripen in July.

Everyone has had a very mixed year with slug attacks and cold weather holding everything back, poor germination etc. I've found that everything is very late, but now it is all ready at once.

Nice crop of radishes, but not tried pickling them or chutney. Good idea though as they usually go over before I've used them up - yes I know - successional sowings, but who can remember

Pawty nice crop of radishes (I originally typed nice radishes but my wife said it sounded wrong lol)
And I approve of the pen knife

Most of my radish are full of holes they look similar to carrot root fly

Ditto Robo!

Holes in them or slug/snail dried up big holes on the outside or wrong texture! Pickling sounds a great idea actually, the heat with the sour/ sweet. Just got to master growing them now!

Westi