So, Tell Us, What Are Ye All At In The Veg Garden?

[terryd 8,050]

Ok make sense to cover then, do you cover every patch of soil?

 

 

I wouldn't have enough plastic/weed fabric to cover every thing so I only worry about any patches that I know are prone to run wild with weeds. Or have all ready run wild

Edited September 21, 2015 by terryd

[MR TEA POT 1,287]

Ok thanks terry

[whatdog72 287]

A few bits and pieces from down the plot today

A lot of the tomatoes were split, what is this down to

[lurchers 2,598]

Nice going mate,I think the tomatoes splitting is down to lack of water but don't quote me on that.some of mine have done it to mate.

[Tiercel 6,986]

Tomatoes and potatoes splitting is caused by lack of water at first, then too much water. When a plant gets stressed for lack of water the skin sets, then when it gets a lot of water it starts growing again, but because the skin has set it then has to split to allow the potato or tomato to grow.

 

TC

[forest of dean redneck 11,191]

My toms went black and rotten at the bottom of the fruit ,me mum said that was overwatering?

had carrier bag of runners an a marrow today ,

Last week put 5 short rows of spuds in and some turnips and kale seedlings.

[terryd 8,050]

Some great stuff there whatdog very nice. My outdoor toms went from green to rotton mostly blight

[terryd 8,050]

Few pickings today

 

 

 

pulled up the sweet corn and dug over. Still got one more small patch of corn that was planted a bit later.

 

Does any one know what the flowers are in this picture ? I have read about this companion planting lark but never tried it yet. But this person has a plot full of these flower and a few rows of brassicas that are not netted or protected in any way and they are in perfect condition.

 

 

Edited September 26, 2015 by terryd

[darbo 4,774]

Few pickings today

 

 

 

pulled up the sweet corn and dug over. Still got one more small patch of corn that was planted a bit later.

 

Does any one know what the flowers are in this picture ? I have read about this companion planting lark but never tried it yet. But this person has a plot full of these flower and a few rows of brassicas that are not netted or protected in any way and they are in perfect condition.

 

 

Nasturtiums terry they are also edible.

[darbo 4,774]

NASTURTIUMS: Nasturtium is an excellent companion for many plants. It is a companion to radishes, cabbage family plants (cabbage, collards, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, broccoli and mustards), deterring aphids, squash bugs, and striped pumpkin beetles, and improving growth and flavor. Plant as a barrier around tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, and under fruit trees. Deters wooly aphids, whiteflies, cucumber beetles and other pests of the cucurbit family. Great trap crop for aphids (in particular the black aphids) which it does attract, especially the yellow flowering varieties. It likes poor soil with low moisture and no fertilizer. Keeping that in mind there is no reason not to set potted nasturtiums among your garden beds. It has been the practice of some fruit growers that planting nasturtiums every year in the root zone of fruit trees allow the trees to take up the pungent odor of the plants and repel bugs. Studies say it is among the best at attracting predatory insects. It has no taste effect on the fruit. A nice variety to grow is Alaska which has attractive green and white variegated leaves. The leaves, flowers and seeds of nasturtiums are all edible and wonderful in salads!
Try our recipe for: Nasturtium Salad

[terryd 8,050]

Cheers John well they definitely work

[darbo 4,774]

Cheers John well they definitely work

Do you not get a problem with pigeons terry if you dont net on ours the cabbage etc gets hammered.

[terryd 8,050]

 

Cheers John well they definitely work

Do you not get a problem with pigeons terry if you dont net on ours the cabbage etc gets hammered.

 

 

 

Yes there is a lot of pigeons there and if I have not netted some thing they soon strip it. But they seem to have skipped that plot for some reason. I will have an experiment next season

[darbo 4,774]

My toms went black and rotten at the bottom of the fruit ,me mum said that was overwatering?

had carrier bag of runners an a marrow today ,

Last week put 5 short rows of spuds in and some turnips and kale seedlings.

When tomatoes, peppers, melons, and eggplant develop a sunken, rotten spot on the end of the fruit, the cause came long before you found the problem. It’s called blossom end rot, and here is why it happens.

Vegetables need calcium for healthy development. When tomatoes, peppers, melons, and eggplant can’t get enough from the soil, the tissues on the blossom end of the fruit break down. The calcium shortage may be because the soil lacks calcium, or calcium is present but is tied up in the soil chemistry because the pH is too low. Also, drought stress or moisture fluctuations can reduce its uptake into the plant. Another reason is that too much fertilizer causes the plant to grow so fast that the calcium can’t move into the plant quickly enough.

The best way to get around all this:

Unripe tomatoes can develop blossom-end rot, too.

Start now by testing the soil. Although most vegetables do well with a soil pH of 6.2 to 6.8, for those with blossom-end the pH should be 6.5 to 6.8 to free more calcium in the soil chemistry. Test results will indicate the amount of lime to add. Even better, lime also contains calcium. Work the lime into the top 12 inches of soil. Use a lime labeled “fast-acting,” which is better than ground limestone unless you have weeks to wait for the lime to react in the soil. If the pH is already correct, the soil test will recommend a different calcium source, such as gypsum. Also, add crumbled egg shells to your compost or bury them in your garden over time to help maintain the calcium levels.

Don’t over-fertilize. Too much nitrogen during early fruiting, especially with nitrogen made from ammonia, ties up calcium in the soil chemistry.

Avoid moisture stress. Use mulch to keep the soil evenly moist. Vegetables need about 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water a week while fruiting. The best way to water tomatoes planted in the ground is with a soaker hose. In hot climates it is especially tricky to keep big tomato plants in pots watered well during the summer. Make sure to water them daily or set them up on a drip system with a timer.

As a stop-gap measure, spray tomato plants with a calcium solution made for blossom-end rot. Follow label directions. Apply two to three times a week, beginning when the first blooms appear. This is not a long-term fix, but it may salvage your crop until you can take the steps mentioned above. The spray seems to work better on tomatoes than other vegetables.

[forest of dean redneck 11,191]

I planted row of them down bottom of my allotment, where the access path/track is ,as we were wary of putting in fruit for someone to lean over fence and pinch ,wife was going to put them in salads never happened but they look pretty and spread so it was less to weed on stony soil.

 

A picture popped up on my facebook newsfeed other day and it was a pallet filled with soil and plants growing in the holes was good idea as saved weeding and easy to get straight rows,lol