What are you growing this year ?

[Zosherooney]

I planted 12 yellow flat beans, only 2 made it through the earth, the others rotted, so I have planted another 12 and NOT put them in the propagator this time, who knows what may happen.

I have also planted 6 red climbing beans, seem to be grown mainly for the colourful beans inside the pods.

I have 13 Black Russian tomatoes through and about the same in numbers of Tom Thumb ones, I also had a beef tomato that we were eating a fortnight ago so removed the gluey stuff around the seed and planted that, 2 of them are through. I just love experimenting.

Yesterday morning, I sewed a pack of stripey violas, really pretty, hope they succeed. The testing time will come when they spend an overnight in the greenhouse, that is when the slugs and other nasties come out

At the moment they spend good sunny days in the GH and overnight in the house.

[aero280]

I think I will be doing the usual. Plant nothing. Watch OH cut the grass from time to time, and I will try and keep on top of the weeds and ivy.

[scullion]

so far i have two types of tomatoes potted on and also gigantes beans, some in pots and some are about 4" or more tall, growing directly in a raised bed (covered with glass at the moment. i have yet to sow some squash and pumpkin, asparagus peas, rainbow chard, multicoloured carrots, courgettes, and a heap of other packets that are sat in the bag from my seed order, - and plant three different loads of onion sets. i may dive in and out to the garden between the f1 practices, tomorrow, to plant stuff up. i also have my nemaslug to water in.
this evening i was potting on gardener's delight toms and basil plants, and sowing two different types of leek and some peas up at the community garden.
i bought a packet of the herb 'shake and rake' mix, at aldi yesterday. i think i'll do a few big pots rather than raking it into the garden.

[Zosherooney]

I know what you mean Aero, the weeds grow faster than the planted stuff !

Scull, you have your work cut out. It should all look very colourful.

I have some digging to do but keep putting if off as I know how much I will hurt afterwards.....

[suffolk]

Three lots of tomatoes have been sown and are up.

I'll also be sowing pattypan squash, sweetcorn, runner beans, Swiss chard, lettuce, borlotto beans and maybe some other stuff from my stash of seed packets on top of the bookcase.

And then of course there are the flower seeds ..........

For the first time ever we're taking a holiday at the beginning of June - tender plants will be in the studio will some sort of capillary action watering system rigged up ............ fingers will be crossed.

[scullion]

let me know if you want anything i may be growing or can pick up at the victorian fair (late may bank holiday) for when you come down.

[MrsWWoof]

Nothing yet due to our planned house move and by the time we're settled we may be too late. For the first year, we're going to keep a diary of what's already there, when it comes up, flower colour etc.

Steve is in agreement with me though that he will build me some raised vegetable boxes

[suffolk]

[Zosherooney]

That was it, Barlotti beans, I am growing those too.

Suff, are you holidaying somewhere in the West Country ??? Going down the A303 ???

[slimpersoninside]

Zosh, where did you get your Tom Thumb tomato seeds please? I want to grow some very small tomato plants but can't find where to get the seeds.

Thanks.

[scullion]

if you want very small toms google "heritage currant tomatoes" - they are tiny and tasty.

[Zosherooney]

If my memory serves me right I got them from a B&Q. Have you tried growing them from an existing small tomato, I am having a go at growing seeds from a large beef tomato that was lurking in the fridge, just make sure you get the gluey stuff off each seed before planting - gods way of protection but unfortunately they won't grow if it surrounds the seed. I currently have 3 seedlings done this way.

Last year I cut open a tomato and the seed had already sprouted in the fruit !!!

I know I seem to have contradicted myself above but all tomato seed collectors tell me that you have to get rid of the 'glue'...

[slimpersoninside]

Cheers Zosh.

I shall call in at B&Q next time I'm in the vicinity.

I haven't got any toms with a small growing habit at the moment but once I have got myself some from either seed or a bought plant I will give it a go from a tomato itself.

ETA, Scullion thanks very much for the suggestion. They are so cute, it's appears I may be growing more toms than originally planned.

[suffolk]

Zosh - have a look at the tomato (and other) seeds here http://www.realseeds.co.uk/

Highly recommended

[Zosherooney]

Great website Suff, I only got as far as tomatoes and onions (top setting ones, just like babbington leeks). Will re-visit again very soon when I am not so tired. Many thanks for the link.

[scullion]

this afternoon i have planted a tray of 'living salad' lettuces and a large, black flower pot (the type that shrubs come in) full of onion sets after lightly digging/loosening the top of the soil and taking out a few stray weeds (bramble and couch grass) that dared to come up over winter. i have a couple more bags of onion sets to plant but they'll have to wait for a couple of days - until tomorrow's rain has passed.
i think i may run out of space.

[karadekoolaid]

I`ve got some neat little courgette plants that look nice and healthy. I also planted a Passion Fruit "tree" but forgot to attach the "runners" to a pole. The tortoises ate all the leaves
Zebra tomatoes are coming along nicely; a few parsnips are rearing their heads and I`ve got some radishes, rocket and salad leaves growing in the kitchen garden.

[scullion]

i sowed courgette seeds the day before yesterday - and aldi's herb mix.
today i have sown, in planting modules, half a packet of asparagus pea seeds.
the lettuce plants have not been attacked by slugs yet.

[scullion]

sowed more pumpkin seeds (grrrr), spaghetti squash, rainbow chard and basil. i will have to buy courgette plants (grrr again).

[Zosherooney]

Quick update.... I have a small ping pong sized russian tommy in the green house - very exciting as it is very mal formed but there again they all are anyway. I have a broad bean sized tom thumb cherry tommy in the hanging baskets outside. I have one 4" yellow flat bean formed and some tiny french beans that need sun and warmth. Courgettes are happy outside but need more sun and warmth too. Rhubarb has again gone ballistic !!! My pak choy bolted before it even got going so we are just eating the leaves in salad. Babbington leeks are settling in fine, shallots (grown in between the leeks) have nearly all got green tops now.

Suff, do you have a friendly neighbour who is looking after your stock while you are away ???

[scullion]

i have flowers on my currant tomatoes (all of my tomatoes are outdoors). my chard has bolted earlyish (planted last spring), my onions are swelling and i've flowers on some of my gigantes beans. i also have rampant rust on the garlic which is, thankfully, quite a way away and downwind of the onions and the purple sprouting broccoli is finished.

[Zosherooney]

Scull, do you find your outdoor tommy ripen ?

[scullion]

yup, very much so. i had an amazing crop, all summer, the year before last.
last year was so awful that they all succumbed to mould (maybe blight but i'm not sure).
they ripen slower than indoor tomatoes but that suits us fine as we can control ripening for when we need them rather than have a glut. as long as they're in a sunny spot and reasonably sheltered they're fine - my dad used to grow them outside up in north hertfordshire with no ripening problem, too.

[Suelle]

Nothing in the ground is growing here.

I put in some runner beans, tomatoes, peppers and courgettes as plants, about three weeks ago. They are alive, but not growing. I planted up a whole wigwam of climbing green beans straight into the ground - none have germinated.

My fruit trees and bushes have all set fruit, but the apple blossom was so late that I can't tell yet how good the harvest will be. Only the plum seems to be doing really well.

[scullion]

were the green beans new or saved seed? did you overwater the ground you planted them in? they don't like to sit in soggy soil. i tend to start things off in pots and transplant them to their final place when they're big enough or when i think the slugs won't bite all the new shoots off.
you've had some pretty cold weather, i gather , for the last couple of weeks whereas we've had heat and sunshine - and no rain. now you've got a bit of sun i would imagine the other plants will get their bums in gear. put some more beans in a glass of water for a few hours (not overnight) and plant them either in pots or where you planted the last lot. they should catch up quite quickly. i planted some more climbing wax beans (un-soaked) a couple of days ago (Cherokee trail of tears variety - very prolific cropper which goes on 'til october).

[Suelle]

Thanks scullion - it was the cold and wet that did for the beans, I think. There was no way to know how thing would turn out when I planted them! I have a new batch germinating in the cold frame. We're away next week, and although I've arranged for daughter to water the garden, if necessary, she can only do it once while we're away so the pots in the cold frame will have to come out and face the elements, rather than be cooked if there's good weather here.

[scullion]

how about filling up plastic lemonade type bottles with water, making a small hole in the lid and half burying it, upside down, near the plants to be watered. if you get the hole the right size it should do a slow drip. if the weather is very hot it should push out more water as the air in it expands and decrease if the temperature drops. if you bury it near the roots less will evaporate from the surface.
then your watering fairy can refill them, too.
worth a try‽

[Zosherooney]

Very smugly..... we ate our first two yellow flat beans last night - wonderful ! How can you get excited about that !!!! During the last 10 days they have shot up and most have set.

Scull, that lemonade bottle trick is what I have done with my courgettes so the stem does not rot. I can see flower buds today, the plants are going to go ballistic while we are away, lovely neighbour is garden and greenhouse sitting.

We lost our beautiful lilac a few weeks back Mr Z chopped up the trunk for fires later in the year. I snaffled a few twiggy bits to support 3 peas found sprouting in the fridge............ One of the lilac twigs is budding up !!!! I can't believe it From a sad episode, new life comes.....

[scullion]

[Zosherooney]

Ain't nature Wonderful !!!

[suffolk]

Our first pattypan squash of the season

[suffolk]

There, that looks better ...

[suffolk]

Whoops that wasn't meant to be on this thread, but it is garden related

[StokeySue]

Looks as if it is growing quite nicely Suffolk

[Chinchilla_lady]

Very smart, matches your kaftan. Is the shed going to be the same colour?

[suffolk]

Yes - the shed will be the same colours as that bench - the other bench which is usually in the shady area near the pond will be a softer blue-green, the same as the fence, but again with off white touches.

[suffolk]

And now for something else we've grown
Although the plants came from Chinch

[Chinchilla_lady]

Looking Good Suffs

[earthmaiden]

The seat looks good! I've eaten all the gooseberries, the blueberries are coming to an end and the poor crop of tomatoes are in the process of being eaten - they ripened so early this year. After that there's only herbs .

[suffolk]

Not a bad harvest from our little four year old vine

2.26 kilos, give or take a grape

[Luca]

You'll be opening a vineyard next Suffs! They look delicious.

[Zosherooney]

You are doing well, My vine is 5+ years and more pip than grape so the Ckx. get ours and jolly nice they find them. Ronnie is becoming a jumping chicken. !!! (they are quite high up on the vine)

[Herbidacious]

I haven't decided exactly what I am growing this year, but so far I have sowed purple sprouting broccoli and peas (Lincoln). I have some unusual tomato plants on order and will be growing some rainbow chard and 'shooting star' courgettes in a pot, and some tromboncino - I need/want to devise some vertical support for these. I might do some beans. I have seeds for an old ('heritage'?) version. I'd like to have a cucumber plant or two as it was great fun seeing them increase in size overnight once they got going last year.

I have put a few new fruit bushes in - Ben Sarek blackcurrant, a couple of Glen Coe raspberries, a logan berry, a black raspberry, and something else, so although I don't necessarily expect them to fruit this year, it will be fun waiting to see what happens (although the glen coe raspberry, the jostaberries and blueberry I put in last year did.)
I also have some new strawberry plants.

I want to build up my herb garden a bit more - I am shifting its location.
I will probably end up being suckered into buying a few plants on garden centre trips too.

I shall not let myself grow peppers or aubergines as I really don't think it's worth it, and probably not broad beans. I don't have that much space and I am inclined to devote it to peas, mainly. Probably not going to do potatoes either. The leaves were decimated by slugs last year and the potatoes didn't taste that wonderful (even though they were a variety recommended by St. Monty Don )

Yep I am getting into garden bore mode.

[StokeySue]

Not having much space I am just updating my herb collection so I have plenty to cook with and it looks pretty
I have planted patio chillis, lemon basil, garlic chives, Genovese basil, Thai basil; yes I am making a basil collection, I'll probably get some plants of Greek / Provencal small leaved basil too
I wanted Savory, and have ordered some seeds from here


See how it goes, but I was impressed to be able to buy two packs of seeds I can't get locally for £3.45 including postage, and they seem very professional so far

[Badger's mate]

Have started sowing in earnest now, for the plot. Sowed a tray of tomatoes (Red Alert, Brandywine, Gardener's Delight) one of Chillies (Lemon Drop, Cayenne, Hot Mexican and some Serranos from Wahaca), and one of sweet peppers (Baby Bell, Padron). Tomatillos next, then all the squashes & corn. Bought a goosegog plant today, dessert type 'Leveller'.

Herbi - Re Tromboncino, these did well for me last year. I would be interested in hearing how the Glen Coe raspberries turn out, I think they're an unusual variety. James Wong recommends them, but I don't suppose there's much you can do about that.

Aubergines were a complete waste of time, effort, space and money last year, as they always have been whenever I've succumbed to the temptation to grow them. Sweet peppers were much less unsuccessful than usual however!

[scullion]

a few different varieties of tomatoes and chillies.
sweet peppers,
aubergines,
courgettes,
a few different varieties of squash,
pickling cucumbers,
melons,
sugar snap peas,
a couple of types of french beans,
gigantes beans.
these are the seeds that have been sown so far and most have been potted on.
there are sweet potato slips developing in the propagator.
there are more seeds to go in there over the next few days.
the fava beans planted a month or more ago are up and doing well.
these are the things planted so far for the community garden - and us (with a few plants to sell at the victorian fair).
a few early potatoes are in the poly tunnel as are radishes and a new crop of coriander, and outside, some more potatoes and the jerusalem artichokes have been replanted.
more things will go in as and when last years crops finish and when the time is right, such as leeks, beetroot, broccoli, kohl rabi, chard, spinach - well the list can go on and on.
i do have to start tidying the plots at home ready to put stuff in - although i'm loth to clear the rocket that's been going all winter. i also have some 'green in snow' to plant that was given to me on monday - and i'll also be sowing some glass gem sweetcorn - just for the look of them.

[Herbidacious]

What's wrong with James Wong?! I haven't actually seen him person/on the tv. Is he annoying? I am a fan of his Growing for Flavour book, and was guided by his tomato recommendations this year. I already have a Glen Coe - one of the ones I planted last spring that fruited in the summer, and they are really delicious. Very pretty too. They are dark but appear to be lightly dusted with icing sugar.

My sweet peppers tasted really odd last year. Maybe if I had a greenhouse...

[StokeySue]

[StokeySue]

OK
So JW has just dedicated all the profits from his latest book to UNICEF
Respect!

[Badger's mate]