Fruit and veg growers of 2023
Discussion
droopsnoot said:
glow worm said:
.
I notice your onions still have a lot of leaf length on them - the instructions on my onion sets said to leave them until the leaves had died off, then dig up and leave to dry out. I've had quite poor results - very small onions - is that something to do with it? I can't see how leaving them too long would make them smaller, maybe it's just the types that were in the mixed pack.
My 2nd Early Wiljas spuds need to come up too, but it's never stopped raining in the North west for 2 weeks.. Slugs,Wireworms and Blight will get them if I don't get them up soon. The Desirees can stand an another week, everything is so early !!! Main crop peas are ready too.
I over wintered my onions, they are strung up now ... I bend the tops over deliberately to stop them going to seed, good sized white onions , reds weren't as good.
Edited by glow worm on Monday 17th July 09:59
CharlesdeGaulle said:
Any one had any joy with garlic? Mine has been very disappointing, with really small bulbs and the plants are going to seed. Not sure I'll bother again unless I can crack the code.
Best year yet with my Garlic and I didn't buy any bulbs. I took the biggest Garlic from last year and planted it's cloves . It must like my soil, so I'll do the same this year. I think they are Rhapsody Wight Softneck , because last year the Hardneck were very small.glow worm said:
CharlesdeGaulle said:
Any one had any joy with garlic? Mine has been very disappointing, with really small bulbs and the plants are going to seed. Not sure I'll bother again unless I can crack the code.
Best year yet with my Garlic and I didn't buy any bulbs. I took the biggest Garlic from last year and planted it's cloves . It must like my soil, so I'll do the same this year. I think they are Rhapsody Wight Softneck , because last year the Hardneck were very small.I've had mediocre success this summer, but I am growing at my parents while I wait for my house to complete so I'm extremely limited on indoor growing space.
Dusk Chilli
Lovely dark purple fruit, medium heat:
The flowers are pretty too:
They've taken to our climate very well, seed planted in February, kept indoors until the end of May. They have been very happy outdoors.
Dawn Chilli
Like the Dusk Chilli, medium heat with plenty of light yellow fruit. Has also dealt very well with our not too hot summer.
Fairylights Chilli
Unlike the Dawn and Dusk, this plant did not enjoy being outside at the end of May, it dropped a lot of leaves, but does seem to have recovered well. Plenty of flowers now, with some fruit starting to appear.
NuMex Twilight Chilli
I've grown this a number of times, it's always been a bushy plant. The cool temperatures in May disagreed with it and it dropped a lot of leaves. It has recovered, but decided to go straight up this time. Fruit is just appearing too.
Cherry Tomatoes
A favourite of mine as they're pretty self-sufficient and tend to produce heaps of fruit. I had great success, so much so I ended up giving away 5 plants, leaving me with 6. The fruit has been steadily turning red over the past month, we tend to pick them as and when they're needed.
Strawberries
Nothing to see here, really. All of the fruit has come and gone, but the 6 plants in this pot have been a huge success, for the second year running. Another one that requires minimal maintenance.
Dusk Chilli
Lovely dark purple fruit, medium heat:
The flowers are pretty too:
They've taken to our climate very well, seed planted in February, kept indoors until the end of May. They have been very happy outdoors.
Dawn Chilli
Like the Dusk Chilli, medium heat with plenty of light yellow fruit. Has also dealt very well with our not too hot summer.
Fairylights Chilli
Unlike the Dawn and Dusk, this plant did not enjoy being outside at the end of May, it dropped a lot of leaves, but does seem to have recovered well. Plenty of flowers now, with some fruit starting to appear.
NuMex Twilight Chilli
I've grown this a number of times, it's always been a bushy plant. The cool temperatures in May disagreed with it and it dropped a lot of leaves. It has recovered, but decided to go straight up this time. Fruit is just appearing too.
Cherry Tomatoes
A favourite of mine as they're pretty self-sufficient and tend to produce heaps of fruit. I had great success, so much so I ended up giving away 5 plants, leaving me with 6. The fruit has been steadily turning red over the past month, we tend to pick them as and when they're needed.
Strawberries
Nothing to see here, really. All of the fruit has come and gone, but the 6 plants in this pot have been a huge success, for the second year running. Another one that requires minimal maintenance.
Storm Gerrit Gorr'it
Survived over 20 years.
Been out this afternoon after the wind dropped, rescued tools and pots, lost a lot of cuttings I've nurtured for over a year (Box mainly).
We've had stronger winds than this but it managed to throw 6' x 4" x 4" fence posts over the top, buckle one end frame and snap the other end at ground level.
Had to go next door for the sheeting off the shed roof, they've lost a brand new fence.
Survived over 20 years.
Been out this afternoon after the wind dropped, rescued tools and pots, lost a lot of cuttings I've nurtured for over a year (Box mainly).
We've had stronger winds than this but it managed to throw 6' x 4" x 4" fence posts over the top, buckle one end frame and snap the other end at ground level.
Had to go next door for the sheeting off the shed roof, they've lost a brand new fence.
Skyedriver said:
Storm Gerrit Gorr'it
Survived over 20 years.
Been out this afternoon after the wind dropped, rescued tools and pots, lost a lot of cuttings I've nurtured for over a year (Box mainly).
We've had stronger winds than this but it managed to throw 6' x 4" x 4" fence posts over the top, buckle one end frame and snap the other end at ground level.
Had to go next door for the sheeting off the shed roof, they've lost a brand new fence.
Been out for a nice afternoon walk in tge woods today near Edinburgh. A few big puddles on the road but nothing like your devestation. Survived over 20 years.
Been out this afternoon after the wind dropped, rescued tools and pots, lost a lot of cuttings I've nurtured for over a year (Box mainly).
We've had stronger winds than this but it managed to throw 6' x 4" x 4" fence posts over the top, buckle one end frame and snap the other end at ground level.
Had to go next door for the sheeting off the shed roof, they've lost a brand new fence.
I harvested potatoes on the 23rd for christmas day. Made some glorious roasties and dauphinoise.
We bought a new greenhouse.
I got some (rather late) peas, broad beans, and sweet peas going, which are doing pretty well. I also sowed a couple of trays of winter salads (one mixed leaves, one Winter Density lettuce) and germinated them indoors to get them going, and the other day I sowed another couple of trays and left them in the greenhouse to germinate more slowly.
They're all doing well - these photos are from about three weeks ago, before I planted the salad and put the winter bedding plants we bought out.
In fact I'm slightly worried that the broad beans are doing too well, I didn't really expect them to grow very quickly through the winter. When I've done it in the past they've only been about 8 inches tall by the spring, but these are now romping away.
I got some (rather late) peas, broad beans, and sweet peas going, which are doing pretty well. I also sowed a couple of trays of winter salads (one mixed leaves, one Winter Density lettuce) and germinated them indoors to get them going, and the other day I sowed another couple of trays and left them in the greenhouse to germinate more slowly.
They're all doing well - these photos are from about three weeks ago, before I planted the salad and put the winter bedding plants we bought out.
In fact I'm slightly worried that the broad beans are doing too well, I didn't really expect them to grow very quickly through the winter. When I've done it in the past they've only been about 8 inches tall by the spring, but these are now romping away.
otolith
Like the greenhouse with the solid end for storage
We're trying to decide our next move, try and rescue part of the polytunnel or just buy a shed to store like. not sure a greenhouse would survive up here.
The old polytunnel was a haven for slugs, snails, caterpillars etc., was permanently damp underfoot (the gravel paths seemed to be getting wetter year on year. I was getting to the stage where I was fed up with planting stuff, then finding it half eaten when I came to harvest it.
Like the greenhouse with the solid end for storage
We're trying to decide our next move, try and rescue part of the polytunnel or just buy a shed to store like. not sure a greenhouse would survive up here.
The old polytunnel was a haven for slugs, snails, caterpillars etc., was permanently damp underfoot (the gravel paths seemed to be getting wetter year on year. I was getting to the stage where I was fed up with planting stuff, then finding it half eaten when I came to harvest it.
Road2Ruin said:
Some beauties there. Really fancy a nice new greenhouse myself. Can I ask how much?
Rather more than strictly necessary, tbh!https://www.greenhousestores.co.uk/Swallow-Raven-8...
I considered cheaper options, but the reviews complained about how poorly made they were, stuff not fitting, etc. This feels like a quality product, and I didn’t have to assemble it myself.
otolith said:
Road2Ruin said:
Some beauties there. Really fancy a nice new greenhouse myself. Can I ask how much?
Rather more than strictly necessary, tbh!https://www.greenhousestores.co.uk/Swallow-Raven-8...
I considered cheaper options, but the reviews complained about how poorly made they were, stuff not fitting, etc. This feels like a quality product, and I didn’t have to assemble it myself.
otolith said:
We bought a new greenhouse.
I got some (rather late) peas, broad beans, and sweet peas going, which are doing pretty well.
I planted broads beans, onions and garlic in November , they've survived the harsh frosts (fleece cloches) . Everything is very wet, lots of mulching , including asparagus bed. Only Parsnips and Leeks to harvest , but used in the Turkey O'Leekie soup today.I got some (rather late) peas, broad beans, and sweet peas going, which are doing pretty well.
Greenhouses only being used for storage and the citrus planters on wheels (oranges,limes,lemons,grapefruits).
Rest of the garden looks pretty sad and empty
Edited by glow worm on Sunday 31st December 14:40
Got the chillies, aubergines, sweet peppers, and tomatoes planted in the heated propagator. Planted:
Bhut jolokia chilli 6
Habanero chilli 3
Bangalore whippet chilli 6
Aji limon chilli 3
Guajillo chilli 3
Kung pao chilli 3
Apricot habanero chilli 3
Kashmiri chilli 6
Sri Lanka chilli 3
Black Knight sweet pepper 8
Sweet aperitif tomato 4
Suncherry tomato 4
Divinity tomato 4
Romello tomato 4
Handsel aubergine 5
Pinstripe aubergine 7
Sod’s law says they’ll all germinate and I’ll struggle for space, but planning to cram the new greenhouse either way. Also just ordered some hyacinth beans, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, snake gourd - there’s a youtube channel growing all of these in London, so thought I would give them a try.
Bhut jolokia chilli 6
Habanero chilli 3
Bangalore whippet chilli 6
Aji limon chilli 3
Guajillo chilli 3
Kung pao chilli 3
Apricot habanero chilli 3
Kashmiri chilli 6
Sri Lanka chilli 3
Black Knight sweet pepper 8
Sweet aperitif tomato 4
Suncherry tomato 4
Divinity tomato 4
Romello tomato 4
Handsel aubergine 5
Pinstripe aubergine 7
Sod’s law says they’ll all germinate and I’ll struggle for space, but planning to cram the new greenhouse either way. Also just ordered some hyacinth beans, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, snake gourd - there’s a youtube channel growing all of these in London, so thought I would give them a try.
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