Kitchen Garden Forum

oldherbaceous wrote:Something is bound to go wrong....

OH

Oh ye harbinger of doom

Nothing wrong with that lot. I only removed my Kale two days ago, like you it seemed a shame as it was full of insects. The real surprise was an empty Blackbird's nest in the middle of one of them! You mentioned watering your hedging, it looks a serious task but really all shrubs and trees should be watered for their first year. Probably even more so with a season like this with not only little rain but constant drying wind. If it becomes a must do chore so the work seems greater than the pleasure it is the time to reduce but I think you are a long way from that. Posh greenhouses have gone a silly price, my decent one was funded by insurance, moved a wooden one from my parents' garden when I sold up which then blew down!

I tested the ground for moisture along the the hedging planting, bizarre, some areas are up to 9.9 (It goes 0 to 9.9 with wilt point for many plants being 2) and some are zero moisture.

I used this probe mostly as an indication of moisture in potted plants, I think it reads density and I think it's just relative rather than an accurate measure. It's been a help for me particularly for plants that don't like a lot of moisture and I did kill a lot of plants over four years.

Greenhouse ? It's got to be posh Geoff, if it looks good and an asset to the property we may come to an agreement though once again the fun fund has run out. My fun fund has run out, she is in Denmark buying bags and shoes (Smile)

No-really, it has to fit on the westerly wall of my cave. That way it will get a power source, not too much heat during summer and it will be in excess of £3000 if it ever happens.

Pa-Snip ?

Mr P, many years ago when I was a hippy I taught (On my soap box) my version of the future for us-all, I was full-on vegetarian at a time they were regarded as a bunch of weirdos rather than mainstream. I wore hand crafted underwear from organic cotton and walked barefoot if it was sensible.

One of my teachings was that we-are all safe with odd people, completely bonkers was to be preferred to "normal".

I was wrong about everything, don't trust anyone has been a more recent mantra.

Done Loads Richard!

It's really pretty when plants go to flower. I've still got one Mooli in flower and left it as so pretty, but will probably regret that when I have Mooli self sowing all over the place!

Awwww-thanks Westi. You are so kind. Fact is my work output is so little recently and I'm not good at "taking it easy".

If I had pulled the weeds when they were small I wouldn't need a fork to get the buggers out and have to beat the soil out of the roots. Ahh- well, it'll only take a couple of days and I'll have another healthy compost heap. I put the kale stalks to one side to let them dry then put them through the shredder.

Im happy to sow carrots late now I know they keep well in the soil through winter into spring and maybe I'll cut back on kale to four plants.

Ricard with an H wrote:Pa-Snip ?

Mr P, many years ago when I was a hippy I taught (On my soap box) my version of the future for us-all,.

OK Richard, don't explain to me but I am lost as to why your post is aimed at me.
My' Harbinger of Doom' comment was replying directly to Oldherbaceous whose comment prior to mine was addressed to Geoff.
Sorry but I don't understand where your being a hippy comes into anything.


Mind you having lived in the vicinity of 'King Of the Hippies' Sid Rawle for a while in the mid 60's I should be used to things not making sense.

The sweetcorn saga takes another, turn, after only having one germinate, I bought 9 plants at the farmers market on Sat'day, been out today to see the Flying Scotsman, get back to shut up the greenhouse for the night and there's sweetcorn plants growing and me been accusing the seed companies and compost makers. For a fisherman, I don't have a lot of patience lol. Now need to find out if my 2 types are compatible to grow side by side under cover.
The types are F1 swift and Earlibird, does anyone know if they will have problems if they cross pollinate each other?

It's your signature that made me smile Pa.

Ricard with an H wrote:It's your signature that made me smile Pa.

Now it makes sense.

You seem to have chosen quick maturing varieties, so they might cross pollinate if they flower at the same time, although the plants should have a head start on your seeds. It shouldn't cause a problem but you might get some crosses and some true to type. You'll have to let us know how they turn out.

I've grown some from my own saved seeds this year and they are almost ready to plant out. They are a non hybrid variety from Real Seeds and are nice and tender and sweet without being too sweet.

In the "View of my garden" photos you may notice what my neighbour calls, "Your goalposts". it's a cynical comment meant to illustrate our 1 acre plot is changing into a suburban garden because I'm growing things.

These gaol posts are my way of supporting sweet-pea or climbing beans and to date I have always used that plastic netting, I think most of you use canes. I always have to throw the netting away after a seasons use because in the case of sweet pea the tendrils are so intertwines it seems a waste of time to spend hours and hours to recycle this cheap netting though having admitted adding to landfill I'm embarrassed to say I often criticise the act of throwing stuff away.

Pea/bean netting or canes, or is it a moot-point ?

In this photo the system I used was the pea/bean netting, enviromesh to slow the wind down and the canes to stop the enviromesh being blown away. Belt and braces ? it worked.

That goal post has given me an idea, put up a wall off fleece between the sweetcorn varieties to slow down cross pollination, might work, it's got 2 chances.

Before I placed canes a south or north wind above 20 knots would blow the mesh free of the clamps or rip holes, in the case of that photo we had a northerly so I moved the canes from one side to the other. If you use fleece it won't let as much air through and you get a sail, or a kite. More canes then ?

Worth a try, good idea.

It's inside the greenhouse Richard, wind won't be a problem, even with the door and vents open, I give the plants a shake or two to aid the pollination by moving the pollen about, the plants are also close together