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This week in your Kitchen Garden.

It's still a little bit early to be planting much yet Strumpet.
I'm itching to get going again with the garden, but I suffered from premature germination last year so I'm holding myself back for the moment.
 
tarannau said:
That's bleeding impressive sir - hugely encouraging for overwintering. Was that one much pruned back and where's it getting so much light and heat from? If you don't mind me asking of course, but I'm a little in awe.

A couple of the saplings have damped off here (probably not enough air), but it's generally encouraging for what was a test batch more than anything. Will see what ones are the least leggy and pot them on soon I reckon. Will look to get a load more seeds in this weekend - I've gone a bit crazy with the number of types, but thankfully we share an allotment with a kind friend and it's got a greenhouse that looks ripe for chilli colonisation. If you've any space remaining, I'd be happy to donate some seeds for someone with such a record of success. If I get a batch of decent wiri seedlings going, I'd love it you could act as guardian on one and try your luck

Really hoping for another warm year and thoroughly looking forward to the growing season. It's the most prepared I've ever been, for better or worse.
Click to expand...

It spent the summer outside, in a really sheltered, but very sunny, south-facing spot. Was probably neglected a bit in terms of watering and feeding, but still gave me a bumper crop.

Come November, I cut off all the leaves and stems, just leaving a few tangled branches, then left it on a first floor, NW facing windowsill. Watered maybe once a fortnight, if that. God knows what I'm doing right, tbh. This plant is now in its third year, mind, so if it's survived this long in my care, it may take nukes to kill it off.

Because I'm such a terrible chilli bore, I might even take a pic or two to show off all the buds :cool:

Last year, I promised you some of the chilli plants I grew from these tiny berry peppers my flatmate bought back from Peru, but they didn't do very well in the end. If you can overlook that, I'd love some seeds, or a seedling if you can spare one - cheers.
 
Im fuming. Im having some masonry work done to the house. Ive just discovered that the builder swept up the rubble, walked round the side of the house past a main bin and a recycling bin to chuck the rubble in two large wooden planters.

Just WTF? If he had left the rubble where it fell I would not have been as pissed as I am now. Ive just spent half an hour digging it all out while trying not to further damage all the bulbs and vines which have been crushed to fuck.
---

Has anyone's garlic come up yet?
 
Builders - in my experience they don't give a shit and you actually have to watch them physically and be there to prevent them from doing disrespectful things to the garden.

Garlic - mine began coming up last September as soon as I planted them. And I have a lot of cloves (I mean alot) which I left in the previous patch which are coming up and really need to be transplanted somewhere else. I already have 50 bulbs on the go - I think maybe I will plant some of the rogue cloves by the roses in the front garden.
 
Sounds garlictastic IP. Had a minor setback with my propagation experiment, allowing the coir pellets to go more than a little dry. Who'd have thunk that they could drink so much water on a heated base? Not me, clearly
:facepalm:

Still, this is why I put on a test batch - live and learn I guess. And on the plus side it explains why early growth stagnated so much. Will now water regularly - a fairly hefty amount every few days according to the internet experts. Plus some naga and orange habanero seeds have sprouted over the last couple of days.

Have saved a few choice wiri, serrano, jalapeno and black pearl seedlings and have consolidated to one chamber - some must be getting close to their first set of true leaves. And I've spent the morning cleaning, readying and planting the next batch - more wiris from various sources in one chamber, then Super Chile/Rocoto Orange/Bolivian Rainbow, Cheeky/Trinidad Hot Cherry/Trinity, Jalapeno/Serrano/Aji Limon. Have also started to get some coriander and bush basil going for the early season
 
Tarannau, how much space is this all taking up? Is it an indoor operation, or have you stuck stuff out on the balcony already?


Only a single solitary chilli pant survived over wintering. Despite assurances, they werent watered often enough while I was away and so Ive lost the chillies, the aubergines and the Caribbean lemon succulent herb I was given last year.
 
That batch is all in an indoor windowsill propagator - a 7 chamber number like this Nothing flash, but it raises the soil temperature by a few degrees, aiding speedier and more consistent germination. I'm using Jiffy coir pellets (35mm) as a fairly hassle free growing medium - you just rehydrate a flat disc of coir with warm water, add the seed onto the top, then cover with vermiculite and stick in the propagator. Expect about 1-3 weeks for germination, then I'll let them grow for another month or so before potting on.

I've got some generous windowsills and a little balcony for these plants, but it's not ideal. That said I had a big balcony fairly overfilling with the things last year, so it's more than possible. And we sharing an allotment with a friend, and I've got dibs on the greenhouse for extra growing space. I want to put a few big plants in there (ajis, rocotos, various culinary chillis), but the windowsills at home will be raising a few more compact, ornamental and striking varieties - purple flash, bolivian rainbows, black pearl etc. It's a bit of a balancing act, but these things should act as attractive houseplants as well as feeding my obsession for all things hot and chilli-like
 
I like the look of that propagator! Im well impressed by your organisation of all this, seriously.

Im not methodical enough to ensure everything would be well looked after. I tend to water and feed stuff only when I remember. You're growing so much so early in the season is a real commitment. Consider yourself saluted.

Im properly filthy after a day carrying bricks and patio slabs up and down the garden.
Also- spotted some parsnips, potatoes and carrots I'd been growing for Christmas dinner. Never had it so, they are still in the ground- what would they be like if I dug them up now? Should I just leave them in?
 
Manure Warning
Be very careful where you get your manure from. If manure comes from farms where DowAgroscience's hormone-based herbicide aminopyralid has been sprayed on fields, your crops will not grow well and you are advised not to eat your produce. Apparently this is a widespread problem in the UK.
 
invisibleplanet said:
Manure Warning
Be very careful where you get your manure from. If manure comes from farms where DowAgroscience's hormone-based herbicide aminopyralid has been sprayed on fields, your crops will not grow well and you are advised not to eat your produce. Apparently this is a widespread problem in the UK.
Click to expand...

I'd like to read more about this. Do you have a citation, please?
 
Melinda said:
I like the look of that propagator! Im well impressed by your organisation of all this, seriously.

Im not methodical enough to ensure everything would be well looked after. I tend to water and feed stuff only when I remember. You're growing so much so early in the season is a real commitment. Consider yourself saluted.

Im properly filthy after a day carrying bricks and patio slabs up and down the garden.
Also- spotted some parsnips, potatoes and carrots I'd been growing for Christmas dinner. Never had it so, they are still in the ground- what would they be like if I dug them up now? Should I just leave them in?
Click to expand...

If the frost hasn't made them like mush they will be ok apart form some slug damage
 
The frost should've been beneficial to the parsnips (breaks down the sugars in them and makes them sweeter)... unless it was really severe and destroyed them.

As for contaminated manure, it was a couple of years ago when it first appeared (2009 i think), so by now all suppliers should be aware of it. I heard of a few alotments round here being affected in 2009, but nothing last year irrc
 
Am starting to prepare the beds. New house (we moved in in October 2010) and the garden is full of stones, so am spending my evenings sieving out the largest of them. Only problem is the local cats who view the nice fresh soil as their personal toilet, bah!

Have planted 120 flower seeds in propagators in our conservatory (10 different types, some for containers/hanging baskets, some for the beds). Will start off some of the veg end of Feb the same way and plant out when we can be sure we've had the last of the frosts, though am gonna invest in some bell cloches just in case ;).

Really looking forward to this years endeavors, we have a lovely garden now with much more light than the last one. Pics when it all starts happening.
 
Oh wow tendril! What a lot of work!

Your Garden is going to look amazing- what flower seeds did you sow? Were they all annuals?

If frosts are still about in May, you are going to have a MASSIVE amount of work to do with all the veg as well!

----
Thanks for the good news about the root veg 39thstep and Steev! I'll report back when Ive dug them up!
 
A brand new garden Tendril, very excitiing - look forward to some pics.

I've planed some jalapeno chillis seeds today. They are in a mini propagator on a south facing windowsill so hopefully I'll see some action soon.
I also managed to get out into the garden at the weekend and forked over the veg patch - it's looking good, the soil structure has improved since last year so our hard work seems to be paying off.

I think my next job will be to get some first early potatoes and chit them - I'm not doinng this too early am I?
 
Melinda said:
Oh wow tendril! What a lot of work!

Your Garden is going to look amazing- what flower seeds did you sow? Were they all annuals?

If frosts are still about in May, you are going to have a MASSIVE amount of work to do with all the veg as well!

----
Thanks for the good news about the root veg 39thstep and Steev! I'll report back when Ive dug them up!
Click to expand...

Cleome (tall, for the back of borders)
Himilayan Blue poppy (perennial)
Schizanthus (to dot around the garden)
Sweet pea (for container/hanging baskets)
Marigold (good for amongst the veg)
Nasturtium (for the hanging baskets)
Rudbeckia (again, tall, for back of the veg plot)
Petunia (hanging baskets)
Coleus (for colourful foliage)
Lobelia (for containers/hanging baskets)

I've also got a sunflower selection pack with some interesting varieties, including one that looks like a pompom (no black middle and very fine petals), and a great looking red variety

I have a packet of 'gardener's gamble' from the garden museum which is a mixture of tall, short, annuals and perennials, suck it and see for the front garden.

Veg I'm hoping to get in this year: Cucumbers, runner beans, courgettes, chillis, tomatoes, beetroot, chantenay carrots and I'm gonna try some potatoes for the first time this year, plus some lettuces, rocket, basil, coriander and some spinach if I can fit it in.

I intend to plant mixed beds of flowers and vegetables to keep it pretty. Pics before and during will be forthcoming.

:)
 
pennimania said:
Just had a lovely day spring cleaning my polytunnel! :)
Click to expand...
There's an abandoned plot with a 15m tunnel lacking it's poly where I go riding. I've been meaning to ask if it's possible to rent it - it's in dire need of some TLC and looks as though it's been left for at least 3 years, judging by the vegetation on it.
 
I bought raspberry, redcurrant and blackcurrant plants today in Aldi for £2.50 :cool: Going to grow them in pots though. Will one of each work for pollination and stuff? Or should I go back and get another set?
 
geminisnake said:
I bought raspberry, redcurrant and blackcurrant plants today in Aldi for £2.50 :cool: Going to grow them in pots though. Will one of each work for pollination and stuff? Or should I go back and get another set?
Click to expand...

They're self polinating so they should be fine.
Beware of birds when the fruit starts to ripen and have some fleece handy or build a cage around them else they'll have the lot very quickly ime!
 
mr steev said:
Beware of birds when the fruit starts to ripen and have some fleece handy or build a cage around them else they'll have the lot very quickly ime!
Click to expand...

I've got loads of alpine strawberries and brambles and they don't seem to disappear so should be ok. My cherries disappear though :mad:
 
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