Kitchen Garden Forum

Would be nice to really get going but looking at the soil temperatures here I think I will still be working in the greenhouse for a while. Jan 27th outdoor soil temperature 44F, which is very good, but now, March 2nd, barely 40F.

Evening Colin, i was just wondering, i don't suppose you keep any records as i was interested what the soil temp was at this time last year.
A lot warmer i would have thought.

Did a little digging today and my soil is nowhere near ready for planting in. Looks like it will be at least a month before I can plant out.

I haven't planted any seeds at all yet. It's driving me nuts cos I love this time of year. I have this feeling that if I sow now i'll lose the lot to cold snaps. Maybe i'll wait for a while.

What do other people think?

You would love it in my greenhouse Lizzie, it's lovely and warm, and theres room for your chair, so you could sit there with your pointing stick, telling me what you would like doing next.

Lizzie, what were you thinking of planting? The only thing I'm going to put out are the shallots which I've been growing in pots. I'll not be putting anything else in for quite a while yet, even if it does warm up.

Funny you should say that Herby.......

I'm installing the wood burning stove in the greenhouse tomorrow, the chair's set up and I have my pointy stick thingy.....I can bring the whip in from home

Tommi the cat has one of her beds in the greenhouse so she'll be nice and snug. I cleaned the whole thing out today ready for the stove going in.

Will measure up for some staging and measure up for my lawn and flower borders. Then, if Grock and her husband are about we might get the barbie on...

All except one of the plots are now taken so it's great. The new fence seems to be keeping the peasants out. We've just got to spray the railings with some old chip fat, and put the last of the razor wire up and the place will be sorted.

Ooooohhhh, it's all exciting stuff

Chantal wrote:Lizzie, what were you thinking of planting? The only thing I'm going to put out are the shallots which I've been growing in pots. I'll not be putting anything else in for quite a while yet, even if it does warm up.

Hi Chantal

Long time no chat.... hope you and Tim and Rosie are all well.

I've usually got the brassicas on the go, tomatoes and a few flowers. My soil is heavy clay so there's no chance even with the onions cos they'll just rot off.

I'll just wait a month. Things have a habit of catching up. The only thing I could sow is the new lawn and mark out the flower borders. I have planted today my Tayberry that I got last year but the soil there is really good. I've put the raspberries into buckets temporarily until the border is ready.

Tomatoes? Outside? Am I missing something here? Surely you'd be growing these in the greenhouse and if so, it doesn't matter what the soil temperature is; does it

Tim and Rosie are well thank you and Rocky is so big I can hardly pick him up. Selsey is bald having gone into dramatic moult a month two months late.

Lizzie, don't use old chip fat.


It'll just attract the peasants.

Lizzie, ignore me, I've just worked out what you're saying. Doh!

peter wrote:Lizzie, don't use old chip fat.


It'll just attract the peasants.

The little darlings climb over the fences wearing their £250 designer trackies. It's just our little bit of fun. It's a bugger, trying to get chip grease out of the fabric that these trackies are made from

Plus, it'll be hysterical watching the daft sods sliding off the railings then having to go home stinking like a bad chippy

Chantal wrote:Lizzie, ignore me, I've just worked out what you're saying. Doh!

Don't worry, I haven't put it very well.

BTW, tomatoes do quite well outside here. I've used a variety called Arctic something and they were great.

Lizzie, you can get some special grease that the street lighting guys use to paint the tops of columns. It stops the little horrors climbing up and nicking the photocells. As I understand it, the grease is both slippy and also black which doesn't wash off. Do you want me to investigate further for you?

Chantal wrote:Lizzie, you can get some special grease that the street lighting guys use to paint the tops of columns. It stops the little horrors climbing up and nicking the photocells. As I understand it, the grease is both slippy and also black which doesn't wash off. Do you want me to investigate further for you?

It is called anti-climb paint and needs renewing every so often.

There is a variety the pta used at our primry school applied with a trowel.

For both the surface sets, but uderneath does not. Best described as custard paint.

That would be great if you could please Chantal. If there's a website or something, then I can give the info to the committee and we can take it from there. Thank you

We were thinking of installing a sub machine turret but someone complained....

Pfft, some people