The "Grow Your Own" Thread

[lemonjelly]

I've got my greenhouse all full up now. Extra seeds planted & are in the garage away from slugs. A fair few tomatoes popping up now, so all good.
One courgette plant looks dead now. That said I need to re-pot the leeks I planted first.

I still need to get around to posting some pics...

 

[machin05]

So here's the corner I seeded and subsequently patched up. Forms part of the '50 Shades of Green' theme I've got going on.

Just had its first hair cut:

 

[Wolf Hunting]

I started a thread asking the same.
Apparently they'll wreck ya garden WH!

All that's going on in that corner Mr Lemon is a big fuscia bush and some weeds with a bit of grass.
If I get 12 or 15 eggs a week I'll swop that.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

So here's the corner I seeded and subsequently patched up. Forms part of the '50 Shades of Green' theme I've got going on.

Just had its first hair cut:

Looking really good Will.

 

[lemonjelly]

Top quality work there Machin!
I moved a load of turf last year. It's taken ok, but is all uneven. I'm trying to level it out, but it's a gradual process!

 

[lemonjelly]

I've repotted the thyme this week. About 4 plants came through.
Potted 5 leeks into deep tubs.
Repotted a very small number of tomatoes. Owing to slug-gate, I planted a few more which are coming along ace, and will be repotted in the next 7 days.
4 red sprouts have been planted out.
Another load of lettuce seed went in.
I gave in & bought another pack of beans, & have planted those. Fingers crossed these work!

 

[lemonjelly]

Further update, as in the high winds, the small greenhouse blew over.

Into the ground I've sown:
Purple carrots - think I might get 2/3/4 purple carrots - darned snails
Normal carrots - not too bad a crop. If time allows, I may plant some more.
Onions - going really well. Have planted some more, as I bought a bag of sets, & if I didn't plant them they'd dry out and/or go to seed & be wasted. I'll give them away to someone.
Spring onions - given up. did plant some more, but nothing!

Into pots I've planted:
leek - I transplanted 5 into tubs. 4 are going strong. I planted a few more seeds as when the wind took the greenhouse the tray they were in was trashed.
Thyme - Also trashed in the wind. Planted more seeds. Think there are signs of growth.
Basil - 2 plants on the go. Seems to be growing very slowly.
Cucumbers - 5-6 plants now transplanted out into the soil. 3 plants where I dunno where I'm going to put them. 2 plants given to mum & dad.
Beans - planted some new ones & loads have sprouted! Might plant these out tonight.
Tomatoes - I now have a lot of small toms & stripey tom plants. Looking good!
Lettuce - Several batches on the go. First batch will be harvested next week I reckon. Need to plant some more
Rainbow Swiss Chard - Has calmed down. I think I should have thinned it out a while ago.
Tiger Tomatoes (supposed to be stripey?) - see above
Yellow Courgettes. - 2 plants bit the dust. One stalk snapped in high wind. I thing birds pecked the other to death. The 1 remaining survivor has been planted in the ground now.

red Brussels sprouts - 9 plants now in the ground and doing well

The blackcurrant & blueberry plants are doing well. All have signs of new growth. Might be a bit too early for fruit this year.

Generic "will add photo's soon" comment...

 

[Paul]

Does anyone else think that each year there seems to be more and more slugs and snails ? I'm going to have to buy a hedgehog !

 

[lemonjelly]

Get yourself a pond with a couple of frogs mate. They eat em.
Or a fair few bird feeders. Again, they'll eat em.

In fairness, this year I seem to have a lot less slugs. Snails are still a problem, but pellets seem to be working there.

 

[Paul]

We have to be careful with pellets as we have a six month old puppy that has the same appetite as a goat !

 

[lemonjelly]

Visited an old friend the other day, who gave me 4 gherkin plants. Have now planted these out.

Been promising pics for too long now, so here we go:
Here are the 2 greenhouses in situ. As you can see, they're the cheap pvc ones
The 2 big tubs at the front have 5 leeks growing in them.

Here is the veg patch looking towards the greenhouses. At this end of the veg patch there are blackcurrant bushes planted this year. They're starting to develop more branches. At the front/path side, there are 4 rows of onions, followed by the red brussels sprouts I mentioned. Behind the sprouts is the 1 remaining courgette. At the back, where there is a trellis I've planted 6-7 cucumber plants. The canes are for beans. Since the pic was taken I've planted out a few beetroot plants, and the gherkins given by my friend, which are in front of the cucumbers. At the back row is carrots & onions.

Close up of the sprouts & courgette.

Close up of the onions & carrots. Lost about 50% of the carrots to snails. However am really pleased with the onions. Getting the sun is doing them good. Previously, the ones I've planted haven't grown like these. They've stayed pretty much the same size as the sets.

From the other end, with the beans in the foreground and the cucumbers on the trellis

 

[lemonjelly]

The greenhouse. Apologies these are sideways. On the right hand side, I've lots (too many) of tomatoes. A tray of lettuce in the middle.

On the left are the tiger tomatoes. At the top are 2 trays of beetroot, some of which are starting to shoot. I'll repot them soon.

The blueberry plant. Did get slugged a bit, but is recovering now.

I'm also trying to grow some lillies. Not doing too bad...

The veg patch looking the other way

 

[Paul]

View attachment 993

I like the irony that whilst you're tending your leeks someone in the widow behind is taking a leak

ps. what's happened to that fork ??

 

[lemonjelly]

I like the irony that whilst you're tending your leeks someone in the widow behind is taking a leak

ps. what's happened to that fork ??

I'm not sure that is a toilet. Next door is a dentists, which is great, as there ain't no-one there at night.
The fork I damaged trying to dig up the roots of a bush that was where the trellis is. What annoyed me hugely, was a mate who came round, watched me struggle for 25 minutes (after me telling him I'd been trying to dig them up for over an hour) then when I pretty much collapsed, said "sure my pick axe would have that up in no time..."

fucking :argh:

 

[lemonjelly]

edit - fuck it

 

[Paul]

LJ That is almost in the PPB vein of statements that demand someone to ask 'what's up mate'

So, go on I'll bite

What's up mate ??

 

[lemonjelly]

LJ That is almost in the PPB vein of statements that demand someone to ask 'what's up mate'

So, go on I'll bite

What's up mate ??

Must've tried about 6 times to post an update with some pics. Kept failing & I lost my rag. Tried last night & today.

A verbal pic-less update - harvested the biggest cucumber I've ever grown (fnarr!). Harvested a series of yellow courgettes. They're lovely to eat!
Beans coming on a treat. Loads of flowers. A few bugs on the plant though.
Lots of tomato plants. Had to give 11 plants away owing to lack of space. Plenty of flowers, and a fair few fruits forming of "normal" and stripey tomatoes.
Leeks and beetroot have come along well. Sprouts starting to be eaten by caterpillars. I need some nets.

It also appears that the blackcurrant plants I was given are actually thornless blackberry plants.

 

[lemonjelly]

Well, no pics but:
first tom is going red.
Had a few raspberries.
Had the biggest fucking cucumber I have ever seen (fnarr). Cucumber crop has been immense.
Have pickled some gherkins, & picked a significant amount of beans. Courgettes have done great too.

Need to harvest carrots & onions this week.

The basil & thyme has been moved indoors now.

 

[Jolemai]

So... my tomatoes are still green and the leaves are starting to turn on the plants. Do I stick it out for a bit longer or try to ripen them? If so, any ideas? Or should I just resort to green tomato recipes?

 

[lemonjelly]

Nah, they'll be fine. My first few tomatoes are only just turning.
I'd suggest putting them where they'll get the most sunlight, & if you haven't, prune excess branches off, as all nutrients will then go to the fruit.

If you really want to ripen them, just pop them on a tray on the windowsill that gets the most sunlight. If you're very keen, put a banana on the tray with them.
I've had tomatoes stay all the way up to christmas. I usually don't cut the plants down til there are regular frosts & have masses of green toms gradually ripening on windowsills. They don't go off in a day like shop bought rubbish!