The sun was shining and I couldn't face going up into the loft to finish the sorting- I wanted to be outside. I emptied out the two remaining potato buckets, dealt with all the finished tomato plants, and tidied the raised bed. I dug up two miserable little beetroot, and a final handful of radishes. The kale and rocket had all been eaten [Bob didn't mind, he doesn't like kale] but I continue to crop spinach, chard and lettuce - the insects don't like them. And I cut the last of the rhubarb
The mini greenhouse is now empty apart from two pepper plants which belong to my SIL. They show no signs of bearing fruit, but they are green and leafy. I swept out the shelf, and washed all the glass so it was sparkling in the sunshine. I have harvested all my tomatoes and they are sorted and "ragged" so they can ripen on the kitchen windowsill.
Sutton have just sent me a 2024 seed catalogue. I must start planning.
Thank you ElizabethD for you encouragement regarding my mint plant. I thought it was dead, all dry brown woody stalks - but I trimmed them away carefully and there are lots of little fresh green leaves coming through. The plant has been thoroughly tidied up and repotted.
Questions for those of you who grow spuds... This year I grew earlies - Swift and Red Duke of York. It was pleasant to have new potatoes in the early summer. But they never grew that big - even the ones I left in their pots till now. And I didn't like the RDOY skins. So I'm in need of advice, please
- Do you think they were small because I put 3 in each pot, and they were crowded?
- I'm going to try one early and one or two main crop varieties next year - which would you recommend?
Also any suggestions for reliable varieties of mini cucumbers?
Finally - after months of looking like chives, my leeks are now small spring onions the thickness of my little finger. What am I doing wrong? They are well spaced out in the row.
The garden is looking much neater... Back to loft sorting!
I'm not sure about the leeks either. Mine were skinny wretched when I grew them too! The only successful ones have been the ones I regrew from ends or were self seeded.
ReplyDeleteI think your potatoes were definitely squashed if in pots though I'm not really sure about potato growing! Kx
Thanks K!
DeleteAng, did you use potato bags ? They are very spacious and I used to put 4 in each. It could have been the compost mix that didnt encourage them to grow maybe? I find that Nicola are a very reliable variety and used them every year. So glad your mint is still there, they are very persistent plants and will put out roots all over the place, which is why they are best confined in a pot. You have done well with your tomatoes!
ReplyDeleteI may try Nicola - I used large black plastic potato buckets [got them online] but I think I need to get better quality compost, add food, and only put 2 plants per bucket. Thanks again for the advice
DeleteYou've had a nice crop of tomatoes, even if they are mostly green, still. Maybe you can make some green tomato salsa or fried green tomatoes!
ReplyDeleteWe still have the sun ripening them on the windowsill - my curry with green tomatoes worked, and I might try frying some with my bacon and eggs
DeleteI asked someone at the recent flower show whether the serious level growers fed their veg to get them so sizeable and he gave a very firm 'yes they do indeed feed their plants'! So maybe that's the way to go. My leeks took ages to come on and I just pulled them when they were spring onion sized. Still tasty though. I think potatoes like a lot of room and water to come on successfully.
ReplyDeleteOK, feeding them is important. I shall give the leeks a while longer [and feed them with the remaining tomato feed, now the toms are finished]
DeleteYou have been very productive for what I think is only your second full growing season. Growing potatoes in containers compared to open ground needs compensating for feeding, as already pointed out, and watering, especially once flowering starts. Container size I doubt is the main issue unless they are really small. Earlies: Charlotte. Maincrop: try Picasso, its usually very reliable and not much affected by diseases. Leeks - did you sow and then transplant the young plants fairly deep?
ReplyDeleteThank you Philip - I must have missed the instructions about feeding them! So it sounds like Nicola and Picasso will be the happy couple to go for next year. I did sow and then transplant the seedlings, but maybe got the depth wrong (I cannot remember!)
DeleteWe're with Bob and don't like kale at all!
ReplyDeleteOur tomatoes were supposed to be Big Boys but they never got as big as they should have They a also split in a circular pattern that we found out later was due to over watering. I think we won't grow them again becaue DH doesn't like them I cannot eat many. .
Hugs!
My larger ones are San Marzano which are good for cooking. We both like tomatoes, so pleased they have grown well
DeleteIt took a while but I finally understood your RAG rating. I should have known immediately from action plans at work. Let's hope G soon turns R. Nicky K
ReplyDelete🍅🍅🍅😊
DeleteIt sounds like your veg garden has been quite successful, on the whole. Always a lot of work but there's nothing quite like home grown veg.
ReplyDeleteI'm utterly thrilled with the results 🍅
DeleteI was interested to find from your link this extra meaning of "ragged". You did a great cleanup job and I am with you on working outside when it is sunny, I've been doing the same. I have used chopped kale in a couple of spicy vegetarian recipes. It doesn't overwhelm in flavour or texture, but the nutrition is still present and the flecks of colour add a lot to the overall appearance of the dishes.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I'll attempt kale next year!
DeleteHave you got a dibber Angela? I used mine to make holes around 8 inches deep when transplanting my (44) leeks this afternoon. I forked over the soil which I had spread with homemade compost, raked it smooth and then made my holes and dropped my leeks in. I trim the roots too as the act of cutting the roots stimulates fresh root growth. Then very carefully using just the spout of my watering can I water each hole and that settles the displaced soil around each leek. My leeks will get no further attention now until I start harvesting them, probably from December onwards. Do give kale another go. I grow Cavolo di Toscana and it is so tasty and decorative (and bomb proof when it comes to slugs and pigeons) and looks beautiful growing alongside the leeks. I planted out CdiT and purple sprouting broccoli on 1 September and the kale is romping away while the PSB was set back by slug attack. It is recovering now protected at night by plastic flower pots. For container grown potatoes may I suggest you use homemade compost and give a weekly feed with homemade comfrey tea. Commercially produced compost is expensive and cannot match your free compost made from what has been growing organically in your garden. My favourite main crop potato is Pink Fir Apple which can be planted out as late as June for harvesting now and I also grow Charlotte - I plant her at Easter for harvesting midsummer onwards. Now is also a good time to plant garlic, if you have space. Good luck, for a new grower I think you are doing exceptionally well. I’ve been growing since 2001 when I started my allotment and it still feels like spinning plates! Sarah in Sussex
ReplyDeleteThank you for your very full answer. Yes I have a lovely dibber. Perhaps I should replant .my leeks into deeper holes. That's the 2nd vote for Charlotte as an early potato crop. We don't eat enough garlic to bother growing it. My compost has worked well. I really appreciate everybody's suggestions and encouragement!
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