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

[forest of dean redneck 11,189]

We had hail today and yesterday ,they had dusting of snow up in the forest ,been out in the greenhouse my toms and runners are starting to appear, don't know if temps dropped to much at night for my chillies to germinate.

[LaraCroft 863]

Spuds, onions and beans are doing ok, various green stuff has been doing well - especially the chard. The deep beds are ready for the carrots/parsnips, and I am trying sprouts this year for the first time. Had to clear snow off the polytunnel again today - the outside beds are still not doing much with the weather being so variable. Getting the beans/peas beds ready, and then bringing a new raised bed into use over the summer for salad greens, as I get a bit better at growing seeds. A particularly bug/slug-loving chicken spends a few hours in the polytunnel to get rid of any intruders, and is then kicked out before she gets bored of meat, and turns her eyes to the veg. My neighbour grows strawberries in gutter pipes hung from the bars of the polytunnel - they don't yield much given the space, but they don't get birds or bugs taking any, so apart from watering, seem a good idea. I'll see how they do this year before leaping in to do the same.

A badly timed decision to go inside for a coffee, combined with a goose who seems to know when I have left plants on the floor and the poly open, meant that the 25 mixed herb plants that were just going out from the greenhouse to the tunnel got snaffled by a greedy bird. Shame they have already pretty much finished laying eggs, as they would have tasted fantastic ! 4 goose eggs being sat on - day 20 now - we will see what happens. She has been a good Mum so far, but both her and Dad are only just over a year, and this is the first eggs they have produced, and she is the only girl to have sat. Just got 6 lambs for growing to put into the freezer for the winter - so far resisting the temptation to name them. First time for this too, so I may end up with an empty freezer and several elderly expensive lawn ornaments rather than some lovely meals, but I shall give it a go !

[terryd 8,040]

how many acres do you need for 6 lambs lara out of curiosity ?

[terryd 8,040]

First ton bag full of weeds,soil, veg peelings and layered with horse dung. Quite a lot of perennial weeds in but the dam things got to go some where

 

 

will lob some soil on the top let it settle and whack in a few squash or maybe a pumpkin. Will rig up a 5 gallon drum with a rag coming out and into the soil for some sort of wicking self watering. Be interesting to see how the soil composts down by this time next year

Or it might just turn into a big green mass

Edited April 27, 2016 by terryd

[terryd 8,040]

wish I had earthed the spuds up last night now but not to worry worse things happen at sea

[LaraCroft 863]

how many acres do you need for 6 lambs lara out of curiosity ?

 

For now they are in a fenced off bit I normally use for geese, so only about 1/4 acre, but they can take the rougher stuff from there for a few weeks, to give the new grass space to come through better which will be nice for the geese. After that, they will be going into about 5 acres of quite rough grazing which hasn't been used for a year, so should be more than enough to feed the sheep, and not be left trashed at the end of it. I've been told anything from 1 sheep per acre, to 10, depending on the quality of the grazing, and whether it is for lambs for the freezer before the end of the year, or breeding ewes. My neighbour keeps 4 on 1 acre which just about copes with that but does need a good few months rest afterwards.

[jok 3,035]

170 Kelsie plants in today. I'm quietly confident this year as the ground is prepared to the extent that I can't do any more. Even though we had 2 nights of frost I've left it long enough that nothing has been smashed. Some little shits are pulling up my peas however. Now that I'm not chuffed about.

[Tiercel 6,986]

I found that, if I waited till a wet spell to plant seedling plants out even a couple of days of wet weather would do the trick. No chance of frost, and the rain puddles the plants in well. They would take off better than planting out in high pressure. Even with the runner beans in June I would rather plant out early on a low pressure than later on a high.

 

TC

[terryd 8,040]

Thank you Lara for the info

Very frustrating that jok and sod all you can do really. If its kids and you show any signs of it getting to you there will never be any peace. We had trouble one year but worse they did was tip me water drums over. So now I leave that bit neck deep in stingers and brambles that keep the sods at bay.

I found that too Allan my mate on the plot advised me to plant out just before rain rather than during a sunny spell and they take off much better

[terryd 8,040]

Well despite the weather not being right for planting out I had to get some brassica in out the way. Planted a few grey hound cabbage. Dug a hole and filled with mole hill soil collected from a sheep field up the road. See how that fares with the club root. Also planted a few Cauliflower 'Clapton' and Cabbage Kilaton both club root resisant apparently. Just a little test really the seed is a little bit pricey but just curious as too how they fare.

 

 

turned a bit more ground. This patch was manured last year and covered in weed fabric. Looks nice so be good to see how things grow.

 

Edited May 4, 2016 by terryd

[jok 3,035]

Blinking Eck kid, that looks like tough ground for growing. I would smash that with a roti if I were you. Good luck.

[terryd 8,040]

Blinking Eck kid, that looks like tough ground for growing. I would smash that with a roti if I were you. Good luck.

 

thats the plan jok dig over and pick weeds out then blast with the rotavator comes up nice then

[LaraCroft 863]

terryd, is that blue water pipe, or something specific for the hoops ?

 

I now have 5 cucumber babies growing on a plant - left it in the conservatory from Feb, now gone out ( carefully ! it is about 5 foot, and a bit wobbly ) to the poly with a bigger pot and rod. This was an all female plant - first I have tried, so hopefully better than the slightly bitter ones before. Toms are looking nice too. Got some greens that are being great for outer leaves for salads, and still growing nicely. The spuds are doing ok despite the late frost, but put in some late ones just in case. Spring flowering bulbs are coming up nicely, and I just hope I have enough wind breaks in place to stop the wind trashing them.

[jok 3,035]

You have it son. Smash the mother with the roti after , hopefully, getting the roots out. Good amount of muck and you are away. I'll post some nice pics of mine when things start moving. Good luck with slugs and snails. You neighbour needs a talking to.lol.

[terryd 8,040]

Yes lara water pipe very cheap or free and lasts for ever and handy.

Lol jok I like it can see old tit marsh on tv saying smash the mother with the roti folks

Next on the agenda think about sweet corn in the cold frame and tackle the old compost piles neck deep in stingers