Grow 2021-24

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V-M
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by V-M »

Does anyone else on here have an unhealthy obsession with lawns?
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by The Terminator »

V-M wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 8:57 pm Does anyone else on here have an unhealthy obsession with lawns?
Yeah I do, I'm obsessed with it looking immaculate!
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by Up the Junction »

V-M wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 8:57 pm Does anyone else on here have an unhealthy obsession with lawns?
I like a nice stripe, but that's as far as any obsession it goes!
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by prophet:marginal »

Lawns: presently following the suggestion that, if you don't mow it in May, a large number of flowering plants shoot up, which attract insects and other small wildlife, with many benefits even to the grass growing alongside them

Rocket: am I right to be nipping off the small flower buds that have arrived on the plants that have been growing so far? This is to stop them going to seed and to make the plants concentrate on more leaves? I think this is right, but just want to check.
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by vietnammer »

V-M wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 8:57 pm Does anyone else on here have an unhealthy obsession with lawns?
Yes, I obsessively say "I'll do it tomorrow" then sing the praises of 'wild gardens' and how it helps the bees and stuff.

Speaking of occasional gardening, actually put the nets up today for the Virginia Creepers I bought a month ago and planted them and wove what had grown into the nets. They're hardy as f*** I'm told and easy to grow. The previous owners had put up a corrugated iron security fence which resembles the Israel/Palestine border and I wanted something to cover it which would look pretty come the autumn.
Whilst doing this, I found a single Peony bloom hiding in some weeds. You couldn't see it from the house. However, the football's only an hour away and I've opened the first San Miguel.
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by WHU Independent »

RE lawns's. I'm obsessed with the weeds growing on mine. I am at war with them and will defeat them. They are alien invaders trying to take over my lawn. They won't, they don't knon the depth of my resolve/

As an aside, the bloke down the road was selling some semi grown plants insmall pots for a donationto charity. I am now the proud owner of curly Kale. Broccoli, and brussel plants now! They are in the greenhouse and will be repotted next week as they are quite substantial.
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by Up the Junction »

Tough day out there for the seedlings. Had to postpone the sweetcorn planting due to heavy winds.
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by Toulouse_Iron »

I have a peach tree in a pot on my balcony that started off with maybe 12 little peaches but now there is only one left, about the size of a plum. This is the one and only edible thing growing on my property and I hope to be able to eat it in the next couple of weeks.
I'm basically self-sufficient.
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by sendô »

V-M wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 8:57 pm Does anyone else on here have an unhealthy obsession with lawns?
No, the kids have completely ruined mine playing football on it. There's a huge dirt patch right in the middle that constantly floods when it rains that I've dubbed Lake Sendo.
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by Up the Junction »

sendô wrote: Thu May 26, 2022 1:37 pmNo, the kids have completely ruined mine playing football on it.
For kids, read chickens. I note they're also digging up my courgettes as we speak, so I better end this post quickly.
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by Chicken Run Supreme »

sendô wrote: Thu May 26, 2022 1:37 pm No, the kids have completely ruined mine playing football on it. There's a huge dirt patch right in the middle that constantly floods when it rains that I've dubbed Lake Sendo.
Sounds like Upton Park in the 70’s
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by Up the Junction »

Anyone ever grown a herb garden? Any tips/advice?
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by prophet:marginal »

Up the Junction wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 2:04 pm Anyone ever grown a herb garden? Any tips/advice?
I haven't got a dedicated herb garden, but

1. You have to be brutal with herbs, such as coriander, or others that flower, because as soon as they start doing that they 'bolt' or go to seed, in that the plant concentrates all its work in the flowering/seeding procedure and slows down its leaf-growing. If you nip away the flowers, you get an increased leaf yield.

2. Some are best in pots on windowsills, if you're keen on repeatedly using a small handful of leaves - basil is definitely one I think needs at least greenhousing.

3. Chives taste twice as good if you buy a pot of it and then plant it; the tips of each frond of it can be snipped all summer afterwards - have just made a wonderfully tasteful chive butter, to go with the broccoli leaves and turnip tops we're going to have for dinner

4. We experimented off the back of an article in the paper recently and am pleased to confirm that both fenugreek and caraway have germinated, simply by being scattered into a few pots and left outside in sun/rain (not that there's normally much of the latter, but we did have a great couple of storms over the last week)
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by Up the Junction »

prophet:marginal wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 3:39 pm Some are best in pots on windowsills, if you're keen on repeatedly using a small handful of leaves - basil is definitely one I think needs at least greenhousing.
Thanks, proph. I'm thinking of doing two of each - one set in the kitchen and another outside in a dedicated bed. Got 12 varieties or so in either seed or seedling format currently.
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by FreeWheeling »

tom plants are doing great
Chilly plants appear not to give a **** and have given up
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by jevs »

Up the Junction wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 2:04 pm Anyone ever grown a herb garden? Any tips/advice?
Most herbs are from the med area so think hot, dry, full sun, poor soil, good drainage.
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by Up the Junction »

Favourite YouTube channels - what are yours? I've always found these three on the ball for UK-specific, veg-related info.

https://www.youtube.com/c/CharlesDowding1nodig

https://www.youtube.com/c/Growveg-Garden-Planning-Apps

https://www.youtube.com/c/HuwRichards
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by WHU Independent »

Good news: Chilli's, Peppers, Tom's, my 1 asparagus plant, my rocket plants, Broccoli and brussels in the greenhouse are all doing well. Outside onions and potatoes are growing rapidly. I've repotted my chilli's to bigger pots and my single curly kale plant has ben planted on the allotment and seems fine.

Bad news: The other 23 aspsargus have not sprouted in the greenhouse. Outside, none of my planted brussel seeds or carrot seeds have sprouted at all. I think I buried them too deep and overwatered them when I planted them. Nevermind - always next year.

Things to do: Uncover and weed allotment no 2. Going with the "No dig method" I'm going to pour loads of compost on it, cover it in hay then recover it with carpet to essure no weed growth and wait till next season and start from scratch. Weed a section of the garden that I have notice needs weeding badly. Sew some sweetcorn.
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by jevs »

Got this week off work so will be spending time on the allotment (busman's holiday!) inbetween trips to Kew and Wisley

Loads to plant...i've grown most things indoors or bought ready grown seedlings this year.

To plant.....Courgettes, sweetcorn, cucumbers, tomatoes, runner beans, carrots, parsnips and i have to gap up the pigeon and slug eaten sprouts and caulis. Also have sweetpeas to plant.

In other news....spuds (Charlotte, pink fir apple, King Edwards and red Duke of York) are romping away and looking superb. Golden beetroot looking good, perpetual spinach finally growing, strawberries and raspberries are flowering and full of potential, onions, garlic and leeks all looking good.

Will sow lots more when I get back to work on the 6th.

Happy growing
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Re: Grow 2021/2

Post by jevs »

V-M wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 8:57 pm Does anyone else on here have an unhealthy obsession with lawns?
A decent lawn makes so much of a difference to an ornamental garden. When mowed properly, fed and watered, weeded and all the edges of the flower beds are trimmed and neat, you're 90% towards a superb garden.

There are times when i've mown, edged up the beds and just titivated the beds when I can sit back and think "yeah, now that looks perfect"....only for it all to start again the following week :crylol:
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