houndzrus Posted May 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2012 That's a shame Mags, pity you're not over here, I have some spares. Cucumbers have suicidal tendancies, a couple of years ago I lost six of them. It's still ok to plant courgette seeds, they will catch up now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted May 26, 2012 Report Share Posted May 26, 2012 I lost all my cucumber plants a few years ago in the same way Mags. I think it's related to sudden changes in temperature. How do I know when my potatoes are ready? The instructions said 10 weeks and it's 10 weeks tomorrow. Do I just tip them out and see what's grown or is there another way of telling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houndzrus Posted May 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2012 I lost all my cucumber plants a few years ago in the same way Mags. I think it's related to sudden changes in temperature. How do I know when my potatoes are ready? The instructions said 10 weeks and it's 10 weeks tomorrow. Do I just tip them out and see what's grown or is there another way of telling? Are they in bags? You could have a "furtle" (have a feel) down the side of it, or feel for any bumps round the outside of the bag. Pehaps roll the bag down a bit and rollit back up. Has the foliage died off, or flopped over? When that happens on the lottie, it's usually about another couple of weeks before we know to start harvesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted May 26, 2012 Report Share Posted May 26, 2012 Yes they are in a bag so I will go and have a furtle when it cools down a bit! Thank you. The foliage is very green and healthly looking still. The flowers came out a couple of days ago if that is a clue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houndzrus Posted May 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2012 probably not ready yet if the flowers are just out, but you will know more once you have had a quick peep. I have one bag on the go, I think it's Charlottes and they're still green and bushy. They haven't been in long enough yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mags Posted May 26, 2012 Report Share Posted May 26, 2012 I bought four tomato plants today. I'll get more in another couple of days. They didn't have any other plants. Small little garden centre where I get chicken food. I planted some more seeds today - courgette, cucumber and peppers. Nothing to lose only some more seeds lol Nothing like your own spuds Karen. We didn't plant any this year 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanrossscot Posted May 26, 2012 Report Share Posted May 26, 2012 My tress are coming on now from this.. to this... before after 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houndzrus Posted May 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2012 Wow, what a difference! when will you get fruit? I've had to wait two years with my blueberries. This year is IT Lidl have some plants on offer from Thursday 31 st May http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_uk/hs.xsl/index_31631.htm Plentu of other plants too, fruit bushes and flowers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mags Posted June 1, 2012 Report Share Posted June 1, 2012 Some of my new courgette and cucumber seeds have started growing. Hopefully they will keep growing this time and not die on me 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houndzrus Posted June 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2012 Fingers crossed for your plants Mags. I'm glad I spent a couple of hours at the lotty last night, planting out. It was wet and muddy there this morning, but we managed to cover a large area of weeds with cardboard and tarpaulin, then plant out squashes and courgettes and cover with weed suppressant. It got so slippy! Had to call it a day before all our planned jobs were done, but it's good weather for plants, they like the rain. The new covered area, hopefully stopping weeds growing. Lots of things growing now (Though the cabbages have something eating them ) Courgettes . By the time they trail, the potatoes will be harvested, so more space will become available Spaghetti and butterbush squash 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mags Posted June 2, 2012 Report Share Posted June 2, 2012 Very impressive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 Wow the allotment is looking fabulous! I don't think my potatoes are ready, the the foliage is looking less lush so I'll give them another week or two. I planted out my tomato, cucumber, courgette and squash plants yesterday. Overnight it has rained and it seems like there is any army of slugs and snails on the move. They'd better keep away from my precious plants! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houndzrus Posted June 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 I find it quite nerve racking to put the plants out to fend for themselves, even though I like getting my space back i do throw a light sprinkle of slug pellets around though, but then the dogs don't go on the planted area in the allotment. I put my bag of potatoes outside today and now the foliage has drooped. Will give it a couple of weeks and see if they,re ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houndzrus Posted June 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 Well, what a month! Couldn't get to the lotty much because of the heavy rain, so when we did eventually go, the weeds had taken over and lots of the cabbages etc had been waterlogged. It was very disheartening, as i still had plants to go in that were weeks behind, on top of which, something had eaten the tops off my shallots and french beans! Turns out to be rabbits, pesky varmints. Oh, nearly forgot that something had been munching away at my cabbages too. The peas I sowed direct didn't show, so probably the mice had them. Anyway, I have done a bit here and there, and Keith helped a little yesterday, so many bags of weeds later, it is looking a bit better. There's still a lot to be done though, and I am worried about the ground getting waterlogged in places. I have now planted out all the beetroot, and some spare broccolli and cabbage. I actually saw the rabbit today! It ran like the wind, straight through a tiny gap in the fence to the next plot which is overgrown and piled high with rubbish. At home, a cucumber has committed suicide, so I now have three left. Everything else doing ok for now. How's everyone else? Fingers crossed my plants stay safe, but I doubt it. Time will tell. Here's a pic from today, the view from my seat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 We've got a pest problem too and it's not rabbits, they are all safely shut in their houses! The slugs have murdered two of my cucumber plants. The plants were growing pretty well considering how cold it is and even had little cucumbers on them. The horrid slugs have slimed their way round the stem on each plant and the plants are now wilting where they can't draw up water. Grrr. My tomato plants look cold and hard done by but are growing in height and do have flowers. The courgettes and squash also have flowers but no fruit yet. My lovely victoria plum tree has been split in half by the careless people felling my neighbours sycamore. They've damaged two apple trees and snapped the hawthorn in half too which is just a bit annoying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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