This week in your Kitchen Garden.

[WhyLikeThis]

“Variety: P4” cannae find a P4 variety with a lazy web search. So, you’ve got a mendelian genetic experiment on the go. Which phenotypes will show their faces? Exciting!

 

[Boudicca]

“Variety: P4” cannae find a P4 variety with a lazy web search. So, you’ve got a mendelian genetic experiment on the go. Which phenotypes will show their faces? Exciting!

This is just some of last years crop from one Waitrose tomato. I gave loads away and even got a message a couple of months later saying how flavoursome they were.

(Goes off to goole mendelian and phenotype..)

 

[spellbinder]

Wasn't sure if the Waitrose tomatoes would sprout as the back window in my new house isn;t as sunny as the old one but they have started to come up. Tagging spellbinder as they asked about the process on the shortages thread. Not sure it's really a process though!

This was two weeks ago:

Add a thin layer of compost over the top.

And they started sprouting yesterday:

Thank you for replying to my query Boudicca i'll definitely give this ago

 

[dessiato]

My wife's tomatoes earlier today.

 

[RubyToogood]

The grow table is coming along well. I should probably do some thinning but will probably thin the salad (front) straight onto a plate. Carrots at the back. Might leave them a bit longer in case of slug decimation but no sign yet

 

[cesare]

The grow table is coming along well. I should probably do some thinning but will probably thin the salad (front) straight onto a plate. Carrots at the back. Might leave them a bit longer in case of slug decimation but no sign yet
View attachment 371070

That looks fantastic!

 

[iona]

Not a bad haul from a semi derelict polytunnel in the far grim north

 

[dessiato]

Potatoes are coming along nicely, carrots are in, beans and peas in the ground now, onions sprouting nicely, but garlic not doing so well.

I'm going to sort out the greenhouse. Not sure what I'll put in it yet but it'll get a good tidying up and I'll hopefully get the door opening and closing properly.

 

[iona]

Didn't you plant the garlic really late though dessiato? Or was it already growing in containers before and that was just you planting out?

I'm just planting out tomatoes in the polytunnel now, feels like it might be a bit early up here but they don't have a max/min thermometer and I'm not in charge so

Want to try and get the potatoes in this week too

 

[dessiato]

Didn't you plant the garlic really late though dessiato? Or was it already growing in containers before and that was just you planting out?

I'm just planting out tomatoes in the polytunnel now, feels like it might be a bit early up here but they don't have a max/min thermometer and I'm not in charge so

Want to try and get the potatoes in this week too

I put the garlic in about two weeks ago but it was already sprouting. We put the tomato seeds in at the beginning of the year. They're doing really well. They're in a pot on a South facing window. We're thinking about getting some more on the go but not sure what type yet.

eta this is our first proper garden so it's all learning. Next time we might put seeds in propagators before planting out.

 

[iona]

I put the garlic in about two weeks ago but it was already sprouting. We put the tomato seeds in at the beginning of the year. They're doing really well. They're in a pot on a South facing window. We're thinking about getting some more on the go but not sure what type yet.

eta this is our first proper garden so it's all learning. Next time we might put seeds in propagators before planting out.

Some late planting varieties of garlic might still do ok for you but generally I'd want to get it either in the ground - or up here probably in containers somewhere a bit sheltered but where it'll still get enough cold hours - Nov to Feb, mid March latest depending on variety...

Different seeds will want different sowing conditions, I and plenty of other people on here will be happy to advise if you ever need it

 

[The39thStep]

I bought a couple of pots of window sill celery in February and separated and replanted them . Trying to blanch the stems a bit first I used cardboard tied up but milk/ juice cartons with the ends cut off are easier .

Courgettes in pots are doing well as are some savoy type cabbages

 

[iona]

Real Seeds are doing some cheap veg seed packs for low/unwaged gardeners this year in case anyone's interested.

The Low-Waged/Unwaged Gardeners Seed Pack
A selection that are both high-yielding and easy to grow, all chosen for growing without the use of a greenhouse or propogator, so you don't need any expensive kit to succeed. These are some of our best varieties, & exactly the same seeds we have on sale elsewhere on the site, not smaller packs or older seed.

Ideal for beginners and experienced gardeners alike - this should give you lots of food from a small space - and we hope a large amount of gardening pleasure growing them!

What you get:

• Vespa Field Bean
• Quick Heading Broccoli
• Fordhook Giant Chard
• Long Lisse de Meaux Quick-growing Carrot
• Kelvedon Wonder Dwarf Pea
• Dior Yellow Bush Bean
• Red Ruffled Kale
• Trieste Courgette
• Curly-Leaved Parsley
• plus a packet of Autumn Beauty Mixed Sunflower for the kids

Value is £23 but we are providing this pack for less than half-price: £9.00 ; with the low-waged/unwaged postage option it comes to a tenner delivered.

LOW-WAGED / UNWAGED SEED PACK £ 9.00
(Limit 1 per person, 1000 subsidised packs being made this year in total, 150 released each month)

It's up to you to decide if you qualify for this. We are supplying these for individuals who are low-waged/unwaged and struggling financially.

 

[andysays]

Real Seeds are doing some cheap veg seed packs for low/unwaged gardeners this year in case anyone's interested.

That looks like a great offer.

Although I've already bought all my seeds for this year, I may have a look at Real Seeds for the future. My usual supplier, the Organic Gardening Catalogue, was taken over a few years ago by Dobies and I've been meaning to look for an alternative for a while.

 

[iona]

That looks like a great offer.

Although I've already bought all my seeds for this year, I may have a look at Real Seeds for the future. My usual supplier, the Organic Gardening Catalogue, was taken over a few years ago by Dobies and I've been meaning to look for an alternative for a while.

I've been enjoying online window shopping with other people's money this morning for the farm. Real Seeds are great for interesting varieties you don't see elsewhere and I do the heritage seed library thing every year too. For more common varieties and bigger, cheaper packs Premier Seeds Direct are my go-to.

 

[andysays]

I've been enjoying online window shopping with other people's money this morning for the farm. Real Seeds are great for interesting varieties you don't see elsewhere and I do the heritage seed library thing every year too. For more common varieties and bigger, cheaper packs Premier Seeds Direct are my go-to.

Thanks for the tip

 

[pinkmonkey]

My seedlings are so behind and some are frozen in time, I'm learning the difference between growing in London and Yorkshire. What was easy down South is not up here! Tomato seedlings have sort of stopped. Googled it and the poor loves are too cold in Yorksihre, even though they're indoors in a south facing window.

 

[iona]

My seedlings are so behind and some are frozen in time, I'm learning the difference between growing in London and Yorkshire. What was easy down South is not up here! Tomato seedlings have sort of stopped. Googled it and the poor loves are too cold in Yorksihre, even though they're indoors in a south facing window.

I'm having the same experience at the moment, only I have a massive polytunnel now so some things are less late than others. Totally baffling

 

[andysays]

If it's any consolation, things are mostly later in London this year as well - we've definitely had a colder March and April than last year.

 

[newme]

Right I did some ordering things, I have a raised beds, also leek, 5 types of tomato, unusual carrots, peas, spring onion seeds, various lettuce, basil, chives and some other bits I forgot along with probably 12 others. Can I plant any of this in a new raised bed or am I waiting a year til its settled and doing it then? I have crap loads of rotted leaves, leaves that turned to soil, topsoil washed off a farmers ag field, sticks upto giant logs etc. Got one raised bed so far and its well, I wanted 5 since its raised and 2m long but they went out of stock, alu walls with a poly cover (rats in farmers field as expected).

Is any of this worth planting anyway? I have way too many seeds, starter pots, mid pots but not much except 3 tomato plants that are not seeds. Can I plant anything that is not a brassica?

 

[iona]

Right I did some ordering things, I have a raised beds, also leek, 5 types of tomato, unusual carrots, peas, spring onion seeds, various lettuce, basil, chives and some other bits I forgot along with probably 12 others. Can I plant any of this in a new raised bed or am I waiting a year til its settled and doing it then? I have crap loads of rotted leaves, leaves that turned to soil, topsoil washed off a farmers ag field, sticks upto giant logs etc. Got one raised bed so far and its well, I wanted 5 since its raised and 2m long but they went out of stock, alu walls with a poly cover (rats in farmers field as expected).

Is any of this worth planting anyway? I have way too many seeds, starter pots, mid pots but not much except 3 tomato plants that are not seeds. Can I plant anything that is not a brassica?

You can direct sow most of that, basil and tomato will want sowing indoors in pots with some warmth to get them started. Peas might be worth starting in pots if they're likely to get dug up and eaten. I like to start leeks and spring onions inside too because I'm impatient and I seem to get better germination rates that way but they don't actually need it.

If you mean the beds have hoop coverings like a mini polytunnel then those will probably need to be removed for tomatoes, depending on how high they are and what variety. Same for peas if you don't have dwarf varieties.

If you don't have enough soil, compost etc to fill the bed you could always do the hugelkultur thing inside a raised bed with the bigger logs etc dug in (to the ground underneath the raised bed if the beds themselves aren't very tall) and then the soil you removed heaped back on top.

 

[newme]

You can direct sow most of that, basil and tomato will want sowing indoors in pots with some warmth to get them started. Peas might be worth starting in pots if they're likely to get dug up and eaten. I like to start leeks and spring onions inside too because I'm impatient and I seem to get better germination rates that way but they don't actually need it.

If you mean the beds have hoop coverings like a mini polytunnel then those will probably need to be removed for tomatoes, depending on how high they are and what variety. Same for peas if you don't have dwarf varieties.

If you don't have enough soil, compost etc to fill the bed you could always do the hugelkultur thing inside a raised bed with the bigger logs etc dug in (to the ground underneath the raised bed if the beds themselves aren't very tall) and then the soil you removed heaped back on top.

Amazing thanks, I have already considered a hugelkultur which may be one reduced in height with the logs below ground to reduce drying out faster if not. I tried to search for soaking the logs prior to this to counter it to so they are lagged but found nothing. If tomatoes and peas need something different they can go in another bed. I have enough corrugated plastic to cover about 60ft around and 4ft(?) up anyway. Or turned the other way alternatively but not blocking the kitchen window was a priority. Got them for a bike cover but kids stopped caring about bikes and the shed they were supposed to attach to is falling down.

Bed height was 3ft then 5ft top of arch covering I think. Have loads of space anyway. Thus was to make use of an ignored bit of the garden with 5 of 2mx1m beds. Shame the sun rises where is does as the back of the hugelkultur could have protected beds from stray balls otherwise lol. Or be a longer term compost bed I guess, hmm. Been building my 40ft soil/ag run off/leaf/twig wall for five years so plenty of material and the mulch alone is about a dumpy bag.

 

[Oriole]

Not sure if the should be here or in the "what's this plant" thread but I thought, since I planted it in the veg bed it was as good a thread as any to start with. So I planted this, probably in late summer and I a moment of stupidity I threw away a bunch of empty packets of seeds and I can't remember what I planted. All the other stuff I recognised as it came up but this (which looks like it's about to bolt) eludes me. Any ideas?

 

[BoatieBird]

Is it spinach Oriole?

 

[Oriole]

Is it spinach Oriole?

Might be, I don't usually buy spinach seeds, just the perpetual spinach which is more like a beet leaf stuff because it's easy but I might have "for a change" - I guess it won't hurt to try eating it for confirmation

 

[andysays]

Looks like spinach to me (which reminds me, I must go and pick some myself...)

 

[Oriole]

Looks like spinach to me (which reminds me, I must go and pick some myself...)

My crew declared it tastier than the perpetual "fake" spinach/beet greens so I'll probably plant the real stuff again.

 

[RubyToogood]

Just recording here for my own benefit that the potatoes I've planted this year are Pentland Javelin. I think. Just getting them in now. Being ill has played havoc with my schedule and I'm behind with everything, but fortunately so has the weather been.

 

[seeformiles]

I’ve been making Thyme flower vinegar (a bit murky as it’s cider vinegar from the bottom of the bottle)

 

[iona]

Just recording here for my own benefit that the potatoes I've planted this year are Pentland Javelin. I think. Just getting them in now. Being ill has played havoc with my schedule and I'm behind with everything, but fortunately so has the weather been.

I grew Pentland Javelin a couple of years ago, they're really good!

None of the seed potatoes that were chitting in the polytunnel here had labels so they'll be a surprise when we dig them up. Think there's some Red Duke of York and Charlotte but it looked like at least two or three other varieties, plus there were already a few volunteers from last year growing in the same place. Hard to tell how much is playing catch-up and how much we're just doing things later here because of the climate, but finally starting to get things growing now.