|
Post by Stuart@AmericaLane on Jan 24, 2016 10:34:04 GMT
Another wet and miserable weekend. Digging on hold yet again. The green manure is ready I think to cut down and then dig in. The advice is to cut it down, leave it for a week or so and then dig the soil over. Given digging could do more harm than good at the moment with the rain I am trying to put it off as long as possible. The rhubarb I dug up is still sitting on the surface. I think the hard frosts should have done it good? I read somewhere that it did. Don't know if anybody else has any experience to share on that one. Once I can get it planted I will be taking a couple of decent looking slices and putting it back in a 1x2m bed this time. The 2x4m bed that it was in was far too much rhubarb than we could ever use. So I am reclaiming that bed for spuds this year. Fortunately that is the one bed I did get dug over before the frosts. Still taking Kale from the spring sowings. I have left it uncovered and I notice the pigeons are working on it now. But that's fine I have the autumn sown batch ready to take over. Still getting a feed out of it though.
and finally a picture of Bailey for no reason other than I thought it might cheer somebody up
That's all for now.
|
|
|
Post by murrayc on Jan 24, 2016 11:04:02 GMT
Thanks Stuart for the pic of Bailey - at least someone looks happy through all the rain and dourness! We came back to the plot yesterday for the first time since Christmas and it was good to see that not all of the broad beans we planted had been washed away. We'll be hoping to take advantage of what is predicted to be a dry day tomorrow to return to the muckspreading, and perhaps harvest some of our kale and broccoli.
|
|
|
Post by Stuart@AmericaLane on Jan 25, 2016 19:13:40 GMT
I actually pulled up all my broad beans that I planted in the autumn. They had already started to flower and looked spindly and pretty unhealthy. I though I would cut my loses and just do another sowing in the spring. Broad beans are ok with me I can take them or leave them but it won't break my heart too much if I have to wait a bit longer for the first crop this year. The garlic, shallots and onions are a different matter. I dont want them to fail. They are looking borderline at the moment. It better dry up soon or I think they will just rot away.
|
|
|
Post by murrayc on Feb 3, 2016 8:22:10 GMT
I actually pulled up all my broad beans that I planted in the autumn. They had already started to flower and looked spindly and pretty unhealthy. I though I would cut my loses and just do another sowing in the spring. Broad beans are ok with me I can take them or leave them but it won't break my heart too much if I have to wait a bit longer for the first crop this year. The garlic, shallots and onions are a different matter. I dont want them to fail. They are looking borderline at the moment. It better dry up soon or I think they will just rot away. Here are my broad beans, planted right at the end of November. And a slightly closer view
|
|
|
Post by wilbarra on Feb 3, 2016 10:32:10 GMT
I SOW A VARIETY CALLED HANGDOWN GREEN FROM TAMARR ORGANICS. ITS LOVELY TASTING GREEN BEAN BUT LIKE ALL GREEN BROAD BEANS IS NOT SO HARDY AS ITS WHITE COUNTERPART. SO I SOW THEM SINGLY IN THREE INCH POTS AND REAR THEM IN A COLD GREENHOUSE AND PLANT THEM OUT AT ROUND ABOUT THE END OF FEBRAURY, BEGINNING OF MARCH. A BIT MORE WORK I KNOW BUT WELL WORTH THE EXTRA EFFORT. AN ADDED BONUS DOING IT THIS WAY IS THAT THE CROP IS OVER AND DONE WITH EARLIER THAN NORMAL WITH THE RESULT THAT THE GROUND CAN BE USED FOR ANOTHER CROP OF WHATEVER YOU WANT TO PLANT OR SOW.
|
|
|
Post by Stuart@AmericaLane on Feb 4, 2016 13:24:10 GMT
Murray's BB's look good. I think I just went too early with the autumn sowings. I'm going to do some more like Wilbarra does. In my mini plastic greenhouse and then plant them out. I went and got some called Danko, No reason other than the picture looked nice. I have a few The Sutton seeds left from last year that I will sow as well.
|
|
|
Post by murrayc on Mar 13, 2016 13:14:47 GMT
Stuart I have come to your aid by taking one of your rhubarb crowns . Thank you for this and I will let you know how it gets on in its new home.
|
|
|
Post by wilbarra on Mar 13, 2016 17:31:03 GMT
ALWAYS USED TO DIG UP A COUPLE OF CROWNS OF RHUBARB EVERY YEAR AND LEAVE THEM ON THE GROUND FOR THE FROST TO HAVE A GO AT THEM THEN STICK THEM ON THE GREENHOUSE BED AND COVER THEM WITH A PIECE OF SACKING. GOT A LOT OF VERY EARLY, VERY TASTY,RHUBARB THAT WAY. AFTER THEY WERE FINISHED WE PLANTED THEM OUTSIDE DID NOT PULL THE FIRST YEAR AND THEY WERE BACK TO THEIR BEST THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
|
|
|
Post by Stuart@AmericaLane on Mar 13, 2016 17:43:20 GMT
I wish I had more space for the Rhubarb but right now I needed to scale back to two plants. So no forced for me this year. Murray glad to hear it has gone to a good home. Looks like a few more went too.
|
|
|
Post by david1966 on Mar 17, 2016 21:55:48 GMT
Hi Stuart - thank you for the rhubarb crown. It's the first thing we have planted on 4b, now joined by a gooseberry bush. Hopefully weather will be better this weekend! Hope to meet you.
David
|
|
|
Post by Stuart@AmericaLane on Mar 18, 2016 14:28:43 GMT
Once you have the rhubarb in you have a working allotment. I'm glad it found a good home.
|
|