It would appear, other than potatoes, that I am growing rabbit food 
That's it, the gun's coming out!
That's it, the gun's coming out!
What are you growing?
- Thread starter punkrockcaveman
- Start date
I'm having a bit of bother with a couple of flying rats! Having to net as they sit on the fence so I can't use the air gun. My neighbour wouldn't be happy if I missed and hit his brand new French windows.. neither would the bank!
Deep fried Sage leaf strips are the only thing that has ever made pumpkin soup edible, amazing just chucked all over the top like crispy seaweed.
If flying rats is big fat pigeons, then those buggers took out my cabbages. I’m left with puny skeletons. I reckon it’s them that’s had my chard and beetroot seedlings too.
Deep fried sage leaves are very tasty.
Yes it's the pigeons that are a problem.I have offcuts of chicken wire that I make a tunnel with to pop over my seedlings as they come through. It works very well as I can move them about as needed and don't need supports like netting does. I have netted my fruit bushes too or they'd have it all before it got ripe! Little blanks!
I lost all my blackcurrants to them last year, and a good part of my redcurrants too.
I'm determined to win this year.
Blackbirds are rather partial to fruit too I've noticed.
Yes it's the pigeons that are a problem.I have offcuts of chicken wire that I make a tunnel with to pop over my seedlings as they come through. It works very well as I can move them about as needed and don't need supports like netting does. I have netted my fruit bushes too or they'd have it all before it got ripe! Little blanks!
I lost all my blackcurrants to them last year, and a good part of my redcurrants too.
I'm determined to win this year.
Blackbirds are rather partial to fruit too I've noticed.
A little update on the veggies. The strawbs are maturing quick, I've had a handful off of it so far but there's loads coming through! Looking forward to strawberries and cream! The courgette is taking off, somehow the leeks have suppressed it and kept it small (which I don't mind at all. Must be a root thing?) the sweetcorn is going very slow, but the potatoes have gone mental. I've ran out of material to cover them with so I'm going to try grass cuttings.
Attachments
I've already feasted on radishes and rocket, wild strawberrys, lettuce and some tayberries.
Today I picked Gooseberries and redcurrants and also my first 3 baby courgettes.
The peas are looking good with lots of pods and the runner beans are an amazing splash of red in the garden.
The broad beans are not doing well. Mind you they are an unknown variety from a cheap packet of seeds grabbed before lockdown.
The carrot thinning have produced some flavoursome baby carrots delicious in a salad.
Shallots are doing OK, and more peas have been planted.. this time sugarsnaps.
Tomatoes are in flower and some are beginning to form though they didn't like the cold wet weather we had and the leaves have all curled up.
Sweetcorn is also slow to put on height and is still only about a foot tall. But I think they will be fine. They started to grow again with the wet weather. Maybe they were not getting enough water.
I've started to feed the plants now that they are in flower so I'm hoping for some decent crops.
Today I picked Gooseberries and redcurrants and also my first 3 baby courgettes.
The peas are looking good with lots of pods and the runner beans are an amazing splash of red in the garden.
The broad beans are not doing well. Mind you they are an unknown variety from a cheap packet of seeds grabbed before lockdown.
The carrot thinning have produced some flavoursome baby carrots delicious in a salad.
Shallots are doing OK, and more peas have been planted.. this time sugarsnaps.
Tomatoes are in flower and some are beginning to form though they didn't like the cold wet weather we had and the leaves have all curled up.
Sweetcorn is also slow to put on height and is still only about a foot tall. But I think they will be fine. They started to grow again with the wet weather. Maybe they were not getting enough water.
I've started to feed the plants now that they are in flower so I'm hoping for some decent crops.
I’ve given up with radishes, decided I’m not all that keen on them, though I like the big mouli type, they’re much milder.
I’m keeping the rest of the chard and beetroot seeds for next year and have chucked in a few easy plants. 3 courgettes, 6 runner beans, a couple of celeriac and a row of leeks. The globe artichokes haven’t done well at all, I thought they’d go mad like thistles, but they’re still tiny and the slugs love them. I’m never using growbags again either, apart for a source of cheap compost. Pretty much everything has fared badly. I’ve lost all my tomatoes to overwatering, well lack of drainage. Despite me getting busy with a knife and making plenty of holes, a couple of them got swampy and bred fungus gnats by the thousands.
Just potted up 3 Ailsa Craig and a couple of other toms so hopefully will get something.
Spuds in rubble sacks have gone crazy, just beginning to flower.
I’m keeping the rest of the chard and beetroot seeds for next year and have chucked in a few easy plants. 3 courgettes, 6 runner beans, a couple of celeriac and a row of leeks. The globe artichokes haven’t done well at all, I thought they’d go mad like thistles, but they’re still tiny and the slugs love them. I’m never using growbags again either, apart for a source of cheap compost. Pretty much everything has fared badly. I’ve lost all my tomatoes to overwatering, well lack of drainage. Despite me getting busy with a knife and making plenty of holes, a couple of them got swampy and bred fungus gnats by the thousands.
Just potted up 3 Ailsa Craig and a couple of other toms so hopefully will get something.
Spuds in rubble sacks have gone crazy, just beginning to flower.
After such a rotten cold winter here (50% or more frost kill of my grape vines), I could sit and nibble strawberries all day long.
Herbs in big pots, yes. Chives, Ginger, both flat-leaf and crinkle parsleys, sage, basil, oregano.
I buy all the rest from an organic garden farm down the road which delivers to my door from a weekly list.
They have herbs like dill weed and other things like rhubarb and green tomatoes.
Herbs in big pots, yes. Chives, Ginger, both flat-leaf and crinkle parsleys, sage, basil, oregano.
I buy all the rest from an organic garden farm down the road which delivers to my door from a weekly list.
They have herbs like dill weed and other things like rhubarb and green tomatoes.
A few pictures from one of our poly tunnels whilst watering yesterday. In here is:
chard
lettuce
tomatoes
corn
cucumber
beans
Spring onion
radish
peas
beetroot
courgette
butternut squash
mange tout
spinach
patty pans
broccoli
nasturtium
Outside:
Potatoes
runner beans
onions
chard
lettuce
tomatoes
corn
cucumber
beans
Spring onion
radish
peas
beetroot
courgette
butternut squash
mange tout
spinach
patty pans
broccoli
nasturtium
Outside:
Potatoes
runner beans
onions
Nicely kept. If I walked you round my patch you’d see how well my bindweed crop was doing, not to mention my dandelion beds and rosebay willow herb.
I needed some mulch for my potatoes desperately and stumbled upon a stash of thatch from scarrifying the lawn earlier in the year, winner! I had already broken down a bit too and had just enough to cover all the pots. It was destined for the tip so I'm chuffed about that.
first proper crop of strawbs! Plenty more to come.
Pheasant got all my propper strawberries though I've had a lot of my wild ones and they are delicious had on my cornflakes for breakfast.
Luckily all my gooseberrys are safe and I picked and frozen them today. It was a marathon effort with two full bushes worth.
Started to pick and freeze the redcurrants too. But my back still suffering slightly from a trapped nerve gave out so I've only managed about half a bush. I'll pick the rest tomorrow and make some redcurrant jelly.
though I've had a lot of my wild ones and they are delicious had on my cornflakes for breakfast.Luckily all my gooseberrys are safe and I picked and frozen them today. It was a marathon effort with two full bushes worth.
Started to pick and freeze the redcurrants too. But my back still suffering slightly from a trapped nerve gave out so I've only managed about half a bush. I'll pick the rest tomorrow and make some redcurrant jelly.
So pheasants like strawberries as well as my tayberries. It's my fault as I've taken pity on one who's been rather savagely beaten by the dominant male and I've nursed him back to health.
As for spuds, the lawn thatch looks ideal, I use grass clippings from tall grass - it's more straw like so it covers the tubers without going slimy.
I could do without the windy weather though.
As for spuds, the lawn thatch looks ideal, I use grass clippings from tall grass - it's more straw like so it covers the tubers without going slimy.
I could do without the windy weather though.
I just let mine die right down then turn the pot out onto a plastic sack. Fish out all the potatoes.. even the teeny ones.
The spent compost goes onto the sweetcorn beds, and the potatoes into the kitchen for a wash and then dried.
If you want to store them they need a day or so in the sun to dry the skin out a bit but mine from this pot are for use straight away.
It's not a vast amount but then it was never meant to be a huge crop in that little pot. Still reasonable from two rather sad and sprouting shop bought ones I found at the bottom of the salad drawer.
Waste not.. want not.
Cheers woody girl. I've planted quite a few pots so I'll deffo need to store some, I'll give that a go thanks
My tomatos are also grown from a forgotten supermarket tomato from the bottom of the salad drawer. They have been very successful so far.
I also had a few shallots left over from last year's harvest. They have not done quite so well as they were not stored with replanting in mind.
I will get enough for a jar or two of pickled onions with luck.
I also tried planting a few small shop bought onions which went almost straight to flower.
I pulled most up but left one to progress and hopefully produce some seed for next year.
I didn't have my usual ability to buy fresh seeds for some crops so I had to be a bit inventive.
I have some butternut squash comming on nicely from a supermarket bought one aswell.
I'm also trying to regrow celery from an end stump I would have normaly thrown away.
I can only say there are leaves at the moment. Time will tell if it will work well enough.
I also had a few shallots left over from last year's harvest. They have not done quite so well as they were not stored with replanting in mind.
I will get enough for a jar or two of pickled onions with luck.
I also tried planting a few small shop bought onions which went almost straight to flower.
I pulled most up but left one to progress and hopefully produce some seed for next year.
I didn't have my usual ability to buy fresh seeds for some crops so I had to be a bit inventive.
I have some butternut squash comming on nicely from a supermarket bought one aswell.
I'm also trying to regrow celery from an end stump I would have normaly thrown away.
I can only say there are leaves at the moment. Time will tell if it will work well enough.
Similar threads
