Gardening 2009

[gemarriott]

Due to some unexpected time off my outdoor garden projects are on hold, but thanks to the lads buying me some seeds and kits I now have some greenhouse chores to do. One of the seed kits has some aubergine seeds in. I have had a look round the web and possibly I may be bit late for this year but i am going to give it a go. Seems a bit more of a faff than Toms, peppers or chilli's that I have grown in the past so any top tips for aubergines?

grow them exactly like tomatoes but I found when I grew them that if you use a smaller pot or grow 4 to a growbag instead of 3 they did better. The pot grown ones gave smaller but better shaped fruits than the growbag plants. It should be OK to set them off now if you keep them warm.

 

[Downsizer]

How do I know when to harvest rhubarb....

I've just taken over an allotment that has some growing on it....do I just cut it off at the base of the stem? And how do I know when it's ready?

Also does it come back the following year?

 

[Tin basher]

How do I know when to harvest rhubarb....I've just taken over an allotment that has some growing on it....do I just cut it off at the base of the stem? And how do I know when it's ready? Personal choice but as a guide when it's about as thick as broom handle and about 2ft 6" high take the stem off at ground level and enjoy. Stem should have a reddish appearance when ready though that may change by variety.

Also does it come back the following year? Yes it will return every year, for an earlier crop most people force the rhubarb. Easy to do. When it first shows itself above ground next spring put an upturned dustbin over it to block out the light check how it's doing then remove the bin when things are on the move upwards.

More gen here
http://www.nvsuk.org.uk/growing_show_vegetables_1/growing-rhubarb.php

 

[JAFAD666]

Mowers

Mowers

Seems like an appropriate place to ask ...

The faithful old Briggs and Stratton has finally given up in more than one way. Skirt rusted through and so on. Has anyone got any good recomendations for ... 25inch blade (ish/prefered) petrol, driven (long long garden) mower.
I`ve seen some and have been scared off by the prices on some sites like Honda. 1750 quid your having a laugh !

 

[vim_fuego]

Some utter utter utter b@stard kicked in the gate to my chicken pen, was thwarted by the chain but managed to pull the bottom corner out enough to steal two of them, incuding the one that I wanted to show...

Words can not describe how hugely angry I am...and how sad at the probable treatment these animals have received since...

It would seem that thefts from allotments all over are picking up as the lame and lazy run out of cash and go on the rob...some geezer down the way had his rotorvator nicked out of his substantially robust shed...

So take heed fellow allotmenteers...shore it up or all your efforts could go towards feeding a family of pikeys...DT_Xtremez_25:

 

[Downsizer]

Some utter utter utter b@stard kicked in the gate to my chicken pen, was thwarted by the chain but managed to pull the bottom corner out enough to steal two of them, incuding the one that I wanted to show...

Words can not describe how hugely angry I am...and how sad at the probable treatment these animals have received since...

It would seem that thefts from allotments all over are picking up as the lame and lazy run out of cash and go on the rob...some geezer down the way had his rotorvator nicked out of his substantially robust shed...

So take heed fellow allotmenteers...shore it up or all your efforts could go towards feeding a family of pikeys...DT_Xtremez_25:

Shocking state of affairs Vim...though sadly unsurprising..

As a recent allotmenteer, one of my first warnings from the headshed was about theft, both from pidgeons and humans...

 

[Tin basher]

Shocking state of affairs Vim...though sadly unsurprising.. As a recent allotmenteer, one of my first warnings from the headshed was about theft, both from pidgeons and humans...

Poor state of affairs when even your poultry and veg is under threat from the workshy idle pikey barstewards. Even worse you are only allowed to shoot the feathered thievesDT_Xtremez_25:.

 

[Tin basher]

Okay mid June what growing and what's not on your patch. For me at Tin basher towers the flowers and the pretty stuff Mrs TB likes are doing fine and the grass just won't stop growing. Different story on the veg front though. Spuds some growing really well, others just tiny little top growth despite lots of TLC. Beetroot no probs 1st lot ready soon then should have a crop ready for harvest every month from then on. Spring onions have been rubbish back to sets next year, seeds take to long. Carrots don't know yet 1st lot ready early August I reckon then a crop monthly from then on. Peppers both chilli and bell peppers not doing well due to greenfly problems so a non-organic method may be needed to control the beggers. Toms going well as are aubergines which are a first time crop for me. Beans on the move but surprisingly for beans they seem a bit slow. Peas are doing okay nothing special but not a complete waste of time. Raised beds have made a difference this year and I will use them from now on.

 

[gemarriott]

I've had a revamp in the garden so not reallly growing much. That said the tomatoes are doing really well in the greenhouse and the first cucumber will be ready at the weekend. Celery seems to be doing well and the lettuces are ready. Shallots are brilliant this year abit of sun in the next week or so will ripen them up fine. Spuds in barrels look fine. The blots o the landscape are he courgettes which are crap and the French beans which are so retarded they must be Welsh or female!

 

[scaleywife]

My balcony garden is moving on apace... I have been harvesting cucumbers and 'cut and come again' lettuce for over a month, the tomatoes are coming on apace, especially the plum ones. Beetroot seems ok, radishes are nearly finished now and the spring onions will be ready in a couple of weeks. The peppers have taken ages but within the last two weeks I have about half a dozen fruits growing like mad!

The chilli plants are looking very small still but I hope, as the peppers finish, they will take over, same with the cherry toms.

I think I can say that the great pot experiment is working and I may even branch out further next year.... by which time I may have worked out how to host photos!!

 

[monobrow]

question to the green fingered types....

The missus found some bargain bucket bulbs at 10p per pack of 40. Trouble is that on the pack it says to plant between Jan and May. Is it worth planting them???

 

[stingray888]

Depends what they are. If they are hardy they'll come up next year.

 

[Tin basher]

Mono plant them it's only mid June whats a few weeks to a bulb? Mother nature doesn't follow the calender that rigidly there's every chance they will be fine. What's to lose by planting them?

 

[grumpyoldb]

Some bulbs need a touch of frost to ping them into life. One trick is to pop the bag into the freezer for a couple of hours before planting out. "I jest not".DT_Xtremez_14:

 

[scaleywife]

OK... so now I have my balcony salad garden sorted.... anyone know anything about Viniculture?

I have a Philipino Maid (Yeah, yeah... get it over with on another page..LOL!) and she kindly chopped down a wild/previous owner planted vine I was training to grow up the veranda wall, cue much ranting from me.
Subsequently, at my birthday party, a kindly neighbour, having unbeknownst to me heard my previous expletive laden rant, gave me another two vines as a gift.... coupled with the challenge, he had bought himself two, to be the first to press the grapes...
I have sucessfully started training the white grape variety in a tub up said veranda wall, it is in full sun for only part of the day (early morning til around 1130 to be precise) and the red variety is growing, also in a pot, in full sun up a 6 foot fence. Both are growing healthily and seem fine.... so why no grapes?????

 

[Tin basher]

Scaleywife have a look here.

http://www.botany.com/vitis.html

Some good gen on grape vines in there, it's an american site but don't let that put you off. They reckon 3 to 4 years for a crop.

 

[tommo9999]

Any tips for "dealing" with a couple of cats that keep coming into my garden and leaving pressies?

 

[Tin basher]

Any tips for "dealing" with a couple of cats that keep coming into my garden and leaving pressies?

Short of shooting the feckers not much you can do. Keep open ground to a minimum, cover new planting with mesh, buy a big dog etc. Most of the old wives tales don't work and the stuff you buy in garden centers is not much good and is even less effective after rain. Cats in the garden are a pest I know one "visits" most days.

 

[grumpyoldb]

Cat's don't normally make a mess in their own garden. Get a big fcuk-off tomcat.,
He will keep the other cats out.DT_Xtremez_14:

 

[tommo9999]

Cat's don't normally make a mess in their own garden. Get a big fcuk-off tomcat.,
He will keep the other cats out.DT_Xtremez_14:

I've got a cocker-spaniel that doesn't even chase the fcukers away. I'm thinking about using the kids' water pistol on the little b@stards. Only because I don't possess an air rifle.