veg
After a bad early spring , the conditions has been more conducive over the last couple of calendar week , and here in my corner of the UK we are almost past the last Robert Frost escort . This year I am attempting to be more organised with my veggie plot of ground , normally a bit of an afterthought for me . I just have three 8’X4′ raise beds so am trying to get the most out of that ground .
The weather has not made this easy . For object lesson , three sowings of carrots , slews of seed , have produced one carrot flora . I think it was just too moth-eaten for them , even under the cloche . I am not convinced they will germinate now so I will sow more in the same soil . The patch plan for the first half of the grow plan looks like this now . The mid - blue areas are plant out , everything else is still to come .
permit ’s take a warm spin around the plot .
seeded , not yet planted out .
Borlotti beans – patchy germination , but those that have are pushing on through .
Runner noodle – these are growing on powerfully , like runner dome do , although not all have germinated .
crack peas ‘ capital of Kenya ’ – the first mint did not germinate well , I just get two or three plants . I sowed again , this wad seem to be doing well . My next job is where to put them as their allocated plot blank has been taken by spare dwarf french edible bean . I will probably dot them in and around .
Courgette – I ’ve just sown four courgette seeds with the design of planting out just two . I planted four last year , only two plants really did anything and raise more than enough zucchini . Really , more than enough ! The two strongest looking plants will go out .
Squash ‘ honey gravy holder ’ . I ’ve sown eight with the intention of planting four or five , the substantial will go in the footing .
Squash ‘ uchiki kuri ’ – An early sowing from the second half of the time of year , not yet germinated . I am intending to grow these up the same canes as the sweet pea . The sweet peas well get a move on …
I will presently set forth to harden off all these squash and bean seedlings , ready to plant out in a week or two .
Leeks ‘ musselburgh ’ – last time round I opined about the leeks which look jolly pitiful . In the ending I kept them , repotted them in deep flowerpot and bequeath them to it . I had intended to have these as sister leek and sow a second batch for maincrop . give their slow starting time I shall decamp the baby leek leg and just plant these out when they are pencil stocky .
multiplier onion ‘ zebrune ’ . An impulse sowing , they are still in their module tray looking a little unhappy . I am hope a bit of sunshine will buck them up . I do n’t want to imbed them out just yet .
Out on the plot
Peas ‘ blauschokker ’ – I did two batch of these , both are romping away up their canes now that the weather has better . I ’m look forward to these flowering and pod up , I gather they are quite a passel , regal in both slip . The left hand cane are the first batch , much magniloquent , second batch on the right .
Carrots , three varieties . As mentioned at the top , the carrots are almost entirely a bout so far . I sowed three batches over a number of workweek , outside under cloche protective covering . Just one has bourgeon and survived into plant - toughie . The balance , nada . Not a dickey - bird . It ’s improbable to be the seeded player that ’s the job as I sowed a few different multifariousness . The most likely culprit is the weather – even with a cloche the land credibly just was n’t affectionate enough . I also retrieve that I did n’t water enough under the cloche . I ’m going to inseminate again this weekend , which will likely result in a glut of carrots as my heedful succession sowing plan have gone out the window now . Me and carrots have account – I am determined to grow a cultivated carrot desirable of the name , something with more than amusement note value .
parsnip ‘ sensitive and true ’ and ‘ prizefighter ’ . Nuffink , again I suspect the cold . I ’m choke to try pre - germinating some seeds indoors .
onion , from ejaculate . These are a disappointment . I had big architectural plan for these onions . Of the 9 or 10 modules I planted , only three or four clumps look like they might do something worthwhile . Again I blame the inadequate weather condition .
Onions , from lot . Less dissatisfactory than their seedy cousins , but I ’m not whole convinced . When I planted them out I was apprehensive that the sets were very boggy as the drain in the module was pitiable . Still , they endure , the top look healthy enough . We shall see .
Garlic , several varieties . I am pleased with the garlic . It ’s the first time I ’ve grow it , really it could n’t be easy , just plonk them in the ground in mid - fall and allow them to it . The tops seem to be uprise on vigourously , thickening up nicely . I ’m not totally certain when to glean them , but not yet , I surmise . In a few weeks I ’ll arise one to see what ’s go on underground . The cloves I planted in sacks are also doing well . I have some that should store and last into the wintertime , and some that will need using sooner .
daikon – plant with the carrots and parsnip , these are doing ok . I should be able to harvest shortly .
Salad foliage – I have plant out all of my first and second batch of salad mental faculty . I still have infinite for more so will sow another tray at the weekend .
Beetroot ‘ boltardy ’ . The first batch are struggling , probably a combining of cold and premature planting . I retrieve I will compost them and replace with something more suitable . The 2d wad face much more likely to lead in genuine beetroots . I ’ve engraft them out in modules with several seedling in each . I might need to thin out a picayune , I am aiming for four or five per lump .
Broad bean plant ‘ crimson flower ’ , ‘ cherry gourmet ’ . The first slew were found back in March and are doing very well , blossom aside . I do n’t seem to be tolerate overly from black rainfly . I particularly wish the crimson - flowered motley , they are quite striking . I planted this batch at nine per square infantry , they do n’t seem to object . The proof will be in the harvest , of course . The 2nd batch went in mid - April , they are growing on OK , nothing to write home about thus far .
Sweet pea . It ’s been a long route . These were sow in October , spent the winter in the greenhouse or cold frame , then brood at the bottom of their cane for several weeks . A bit of sunlight seems to have perked them up and they are ultimately climbing skywards . I need to tie them in a act , they seem to be reluctant to get a grip on the string I helpfully provided .
Gallic beans ‘ velour ’ . A dwarf variety , these usurpers take the spot allocated to the snap peas . problematic fortune peas , got ta be in it to win it ! In my quest to maximise crops from the available earth , I do n’t want empty earth . Whilst I am not have a massive type slug trouble so far this year ( jinx ! ) something is having a tentative nybble at these beans .
pieplant – I clumsily picked a few stems , enough to make , well , nothing really . Stewed and with yoghurt , gone in a few gulping . I like rhubarb plant , if I had more space I would plant a whole layer and be make out with a oversupply about now . As it is , I have to consider whether one treetop is deserving have .
Potatoes , earlies . Well . Last time around I had just constitute up the pot . Since then I bought another purse of ejaculate tater that were on cut-rate sale . I have 12 pots each of ‘ Charlotte ’ and ‘ Lady Crystl ’ and 10 of ‘ Nicola ’ . The first two are all up and growing on stiff , ‘ Nicola ’ are the belated addition , no sign yet . 34 spud pots make for a second of an obstruction form around the game , but they seem to be doing very well . I ’m looking forward to a first harvest home of earlies in just a few weeks .
Potatoes , main . I had a dozen ‘ sarpo mira ’ , which were implant deep in large sacks , two per dismission , the sacks then fill up . I know they ’ll be okay as one is just poking through where I filled the pocket less deeply . In a bit of an experiment , I have implant some nanus beans in the summit of the sacks . I figure they ’ll grow on a routine before the spuds break through , then they can climb a bit up the uprise white potato leaf . More crop from the same outer space is the possibility – we ’ll see !
Tomatoes and chillies – I ’ll do a separate post on these soon , it has been hard buy the farm with these two but some progress has been made . I have a dozen or so decent sized tomato plant , and eight chilli plants , all still minuscule . They have not enjoyed the cold-blooded atmospheric condition AT ALL . More on this shortly .
I think that ’s everything . It ’s becoming a job to keep up with the planting out and watering , weed , all that stage business . But fun . How are you getting on with your veggie this year ?
I ’ll be back in June with another secret plan update .
If you like this post, please share!
Related
