So, Tell Us, What Are Ye All At In The Veg Garden?

[forest of dean redneck 11,594]

Thought it was going to dry out here, but started to rain just now only thing I did was take about 10 bags of 5month old chicken manure down there, managed this morning to degreen patio concrete and nearly finish putting slabs down on what was half my chicken pen to make space for youngest kids to have sandpit/water table in rear garden.

[jok 3,254]

Strange that. I rotovated as said and TBH the ground was like talcum powder. I swear you can walk on it in your slippers and not get mucky. We must be quite lucky in that respect. Downside is clearly that in the warmer times we need to be watering more than you guys. Anyway, have all my brassicas coming on , my leeks have sprouted, hot chilli are through, and best of all the onion plants look fantastic. Tony Glover, who has the Guinness Book of Records heaviest onion, has sorted me a tray full. They look amazing. My garlic, 4 different types ,bought from Isle of Wight also look the business. All in all not a bad start. Hope you all have a good year. Jok.

[vfr400boy 3,378]

Got both my plots rotavated after covering them in 4 year old cow muck , going to plant parsnips this weekend

[shepp 2,285]

I got a plot last year and dug and weeded 3/4 of it, the 1/4 I covered in plastic sheet and grew squashes through some holes, had a good crop.

When I layed the sheeting down it was basically a field of couch grass, after a year under cover, everything is dead and rotted to the roots.

It was easy to dig too.

So I ridged it up last weekend ready for potatoes, I think I'll plant them some time over the next two weeks.

This morning I planted my tomato and cucumber seeds, put trays in my propagator.

I have Chadwick and Sungold, plan to get some Black Pineapple tomatoes too.

[shepp 2,285]

Anybody else grow rapini also known as rapa or broccoli raab.

I love the stuff, it's actually related to the turnip and not a brassica.

You fry it very slowly in olive oil, chopped garlic, salt and if you like some chilli flakes.

It is strong and nutty and goes really well on thick toasted bread topped with tomato sauce (not ketchup)

It grows well when it's cool, usually ready to harvest in 60 days.

[terryd 8,414]

Not tried it shep. I just had a google and looks like some i need to get lol

Me rhubarb is well well away now down the plot

 

 

 

giving this a corner a good thrashing before it takes off and swamps every thing like it does each year

 

 

gave the strawberry bed a tidy and yes this is the after picture

 

 

 

shoved a few currant prunings in the ground and they seem to be budding so hopefully turn into nice little bushes

 

 

too wet to do any digging at the moment but managed an hour or two during the week

 

 

the wife wanted some flowers so popped some bulbs in at christmas time

 

 

 

was kindly gifted a polycarbonate greenhouse so that has given me a few more options and hopefully i can get some nice ripe toms this year

 

 

[jok 3,254]

Nice one Terry. I think I am at about the same stage. Garlic are looking same as yours, as I said 1 st earlies in, tomatoes plants going well, and all the other early stuff going strong. I remember last year though. That frost caught us out a treat so keeping everything back a fortnight. Doris ripped the polythene off my new tunnel but I think next week will be repair time. Just a quickie. Do you pre soak your sweet corn in the same way as peas? Never grown it before. Just read as well that it is a good time to transplant chilli plants (2 leaves formed) into 3" pots ready for late April planting out. Jok.

[terryd 8,414]

Nice one Terry. I think I am at about the same stage. Garlic are looking same as yours, as I said 1 st earlies in, tomatoes plants going well, and all the other early stuff going strong. I remember last year though. That frost caught us out a treat so keeping everything back a fortnight. Doris ripped the polythene off my new tunnel but I think next week will be repair time. Just a quickie. Do you pre soak your sweet corn in the same way as peas? Never grown it before. Just read as well that it is a good time to transplant chilli plants (2 leaves formed) into 3" pots ready for late April planting out. Jok.

 

I don't soak jok but I do start off in the toilet rolls to get them off to a good start and apparently they don't like being disturbed so that helps with that as well

 

[terryd 8,414]

Well been digging for victory the last few days. Got plot number two pretty much done as that where the spuds need to go. Heavy clay but got a couple of rows of earlies in.

 

 

covered the old strawberry bed until we are on top of every thing then that can be dug over

 

 

 

made a start on plot no 1 tonight. Soil is much lighter and turns over a treat so we can rattle along nice.

 

 

this fella is a real asset the lazy bugger

 

 

though he did tell me there was a mouse in the compost

 

 

surplus veg heading for the compost though some of the leeks may head for a soup

 

 

the wife is loving the window sill decor

 

 

 

 

 

[vfr400boy 3,378]

Swapped 6 eggs for hand full of artichokes to day never grown them before planted them in a 6ft square, my spinach is about 2inch now and looking promising

[terryd 8,414]

Swapped 6 eggs for hand full of artichokes to day never grown them before planted them in a 6ft square, my spinach is about 2inch now and looking promising

 

Often thought about artichokes be interesting to see some pictures as they grow. I planted some horse radish this year not really sure why as I am the only one that likes it

[darbo 4,774]

Swapped 6 eggs for hand full of artichokes to day never grown them before planted them in a 6ft square, my spinach is about 2inch now and looking promising

ive grew globe artichokes before easy to grow.

[jok 3,254]

Terry you have made a big mistake. Take the horse radish out of your garden before it's too late. The FCKG stuff grows worse than mint and you will have nowt but problems getting rid. Stick it in the hedgerow where you can dig the roots at will. Better still, just dig it where it is already established. I love the stuff but it is a pain in the arse. Jok.

[terryd 8,414]

Terry you have made a big mistake. Take the horse radish out of your garden before it's too late. The FCKG stuff grows worse than mint and you will have nowt but problems getting rid. Stick it in the hedgerow where you can dig the roots at will. Better still, just dig it where it is already established. I love the stuff but it is a pain in the arse. Jok.

 

lol jok yea I bit of an old compost corner gets full of stingers its gone in there so good luck to it

[vfr400boy 3,378]

I will get some pics up as they grow