Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Digeroo on October 01, 2013, 08:31:10
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The seed catalogues have arrived. No wonder the seeds are expensive. I am quite happy looking through on line.
I like to try something new. So this year Squash Gem Rollet and Crown Prince are on my list.
What are other people going to try next year?.
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I've gone a bit bonkers on chillies and squashes. Next year will be the year of spicy pumpkin soup....:)
Marina di chioggia and black futsu are the ones I am most looking forward to. And I'm still tempted by the Whangaparoa Crown and Jarrahdale Pumpkin - mostly because of the names though!
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Crown Prince are great... I haven't decided yet... :wave:
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Only thinking the same thing the other day :happy7:
These are the ones I quite fancy so far;
Squash Buffy Ball F1, Fictor F1 and Walnut F1 Butternut,
Climbing bean Marga
Sweet pea Purple Pimpernel
Tomato Green Envy, Sweet Aperitif and Rosella
Carrot Jeanette F1
Sweet corn Medzi
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Still trying to figure out a new strawberry to try. Ours are tasteless.
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@sparrow
Jarrahdale pumpkin is eaten in Australia and it is delicious. Highly recommended.
Not sure what I would like to try next year. I actually managed to grow carrots this year so I am tempted to give them a go again!! I would also like to try New Zealand spinach and black radishes which are popular here in France;
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I never have enough peas because they take up so much room so next year I'm going to expand....upwards.
I'm going to try Champion of England pea seed that grow to over eight feet and are not F1 hybrids so I should be able to save the seed and grow the same the following year.
Also going to try an alternative to Lima beans which I really like but you can't grow them in the UK so the alternative is Gigantes which is a runner bean but you eat the seed and not the pod.
Also going to try Wizard field beans as I just like the idea of having a wizard in the garden and they sound tasty as well.
All available from
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/broadbeanseed.html
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I never have enough peas because they take up so much room so next year I'm going to expand....upwards.
I'm going to try Champion of England pea seed that grow to over eight feet and are not F1 hybrids so I should be able to save the seed and grow the same the following year.
Also going to try an alternative to Lima beans which I really like but you can't grow them in the UK so the alternative is Gigantes which is a runner bean but you eat the seed and not the pod.
Also going to try Wizard field beans as I just like the idea of having a wizard in the garden and they sound tasty as well.
All available from
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/broadbeanseed.html
I had Champion peas and Wizard beans ths year. Successful but the Champions grew out of reach and then collapsed under the weight of plant and crop. 3metre peas sticks soon to be cut!
The Wizards wwere overlooked at their peak and I now have considerable quantities of seed. Some spares from this years packet planted 03/08 , now flowering(a chance of a late crop maybe) and sowing some of this years seed next week to overwinter I find ALL of the Realseed is ultra reiable or should that be viable.
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I never have enough peas because they take up so much room so next year I'm going to expand....upwards.
I'm going to try Champion of England pea seed that grow to over eight feet and are not F1 hybrids so I should be able to save the seed and grow the same the following year.
Also going to try an alternative to Lima beans which I really like but you can't grow them in the UK so the alternative is Gigantes which is a runner bean but you eat the seed and not the pod.
Also going to try Wizard field beans as I just like the idea of having a wizard in the garden and they sound tasty as well.
All available from
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/broadbeanseed.html
I had Champion peas and Wizard beans ths year. Successful but the Champions grew out of reach and then collapsed under the weight of plant and crop. 3metre peas sticks soon to be cut!
The Wizards wwere overlooked at their peak and I now have considerable quantities of seed. Some spares from this years packet planted 03/08 , now flowering(a chance of a late crop maybe) and sowing some of this years seed next week to overwinter I find ALL of the Realseed is ultra reiable or should that be viable.
Thanks for that feedback. I am in the process of making a Munty frame for the peas so I can reach them when they grow horizontally. As they grow to about 10ft the weight when they start their horizontal journey will need a sturdy frame.
Did the Wizard beans taste like broad beans?
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"Did the Wizard beans taste like broad beans?"
Yes, First picking was of immature pods to get the "early taste".Then the main broad beans came onstream and theWizards got overlooked and quickly went past , hence a high seed production.
The Realseed mantra of "Dont buy from us, save your own" is an curious business model but at least one can.
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I am going for bush not vining winter squash with small size fruit , several types. Cousa, Lebanese summer squash instead of courgette and I am growing a Lebanese marrow. I might grow 1 unusual and very large winter squash just for fun. More peas and beans, in fact my assorted runners fence will be done next year with a full range of different colored blossoms. it should look veru prettyy and as I am not saving the seeds next year I am going for an attractive display, some good indoor tomatoes in my spanking new greenhouse and a small selection of chillies. Going to have a good go at Okra too. More potatoes, but the plan this next year is not to grow too much and nothing fancy or odd as I want an easy season.
Oh and I will grow my Rose de Roscoff onions as I need to keep them going for seed.
ZZ Jeannine
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"Did the Wizard beans taste like broad beans?"
Yes, First picking was of immature pods to get the "early taste".Then the main broad beans came onstream and theWizards got overlooked and quickly went past , hence a high seed production.
The Realseed mantra of "Dont buy from us, save your own" is an curious business model but at least one can.
You could save your Wizard bean seed for next year but as you have also grown another variety of broad bean any cross pollination would not keep you Wizards pure, so I'm told. They would probably turn out OZ like the following season so you'll be back to Real Seeds for another purchase!
Will you grow Wizards again next year, i.e. is it worth it?
Talking of business strategies Fothergills sent me some free 'Blue Belle' seed potatoes last year and they have been the most productive main crop spuds I've ever had the pleasure to grow. From about 20 seeds I got three wheel barrows full of the most beautiful large clean shiny spuds with a nice flavour. Shiny spuds are always free from disease. They look a bit like a bloke's bald head. So I'll be growing them again next year but this time I'll have to pay for them, crafty Fothergills eh?
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Not so much seeds, but saying that I'm always on the look out for something new and exciting to grow. My new thing this year is growing espalier apples and plums and hops for beer!!!!!
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I'm trying hard neck garlic this year after a couple of years of poor soft neck crops..
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Thanks for the Jarrahdale recommendation Antipodes. That's another packet of seed on its way to me...now to think of how to crowbar it into the seedbox!
And capers. I want to grow capers this year, very much! :)
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I never have enough peas because they take up so much room so next year I'm going to expand....upwards.
I'm going to try Champion of England pea seed that grow to over eight feet and are not F1 hybrids so I should be able to save the seed and grow the same the following year.
Also going to try an alternative to Lima beans which I really like but you can't grow them in the UK so the alternative is Gigantes which is a runner bean but you eat the seed and not the pod.
Also going to try Wizard field beans as I just like the idea of having a wizard in the garden and they sound tasty as well.
All available from
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/broadbeanseed.html
Great set of choices! I grew champion, wizard and gigandes this year and they all did superbly well for me.
Gigandes were a revelation, quick to get going, strong vigorous growth (they were miles ahead of my runners!) Decent cropping and very easy self-drying pods that are still hanging on the plant to finish off.
Wizard - I've done these for a couple of years - and what you lose in pod length and bean size - you make up easily in sheer numbers of densely packed pods. They worked as an overwintered variety for me the year before last but didn't quite make it through the freeze this time. The small beans are sweet, just like broad beans - but seem to stay young and sweet tasting for longer than with all the broad beans I've ever grown. They seem to shake off blackfly a little better than some varieties.
Cheers
Squeezy
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This year was avery good year for pumpkin and squash, with the black futsu being the best ever yet.
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"Did the Wizard beans taste like broad beans?"
Yes, First picking was of immature pods to get the "early taste".Then the main broad beans came onstream and theWizards got overlooked and quickly went past , hence a high seed production.
The Realseed mantra of "Dont buy from us, save your own" is an curious business model but at least one can.
You could save your Wizard bean seed for next year but as you have also grown another variety of broad bean any cross pollination would not keep you Wizards pure, so I'm told. They would probably turn out OZ like the following season so you'll be back to Real Seeds for another purchase!
Will you grow Wizards again next year, i.e. is it worth it?
Talking of business strategies Fothergills sent me some free 'Blue Belle' seed potatoes last year and they have been the most productive main crop spuds I've ever had the pleasure to grow. From about 20 seeds I got three wheel barrows full of the most beautiful large clean shiny spuds with a nice flavour. Shiny spuds are always free from disease. They look a bit like a bloke's bald head. So I'll be growing them again next year but this time I'll have to pay for them, crafty Fothergills eh?
More than likely, but have also considered sowing them as a green manure, for nitrogen fixing and then dig them in the cauliflower patch but not sure whether the nitro- fixing happens before or after flowering? Any help on that?
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I never have enough peas because they take up so much room so next year I'm going to expand....upwards.
I'm going to try Champion of England pea seed that grow to over eight feet and are not F1 hybrids so I should be able to save the seed and grow the same the following year.
Also going to try an alternative to Lima beans which I really like but you can't grow them in the UK so the alternative is Gigantes which is a runner bean but you eat the seed and not the pod.
Also going to try Wizard field beans as I just like the idea of having a wizard in the garden and they sound tasty as well.
All available from
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/broadbeanseed.html
Great set of choices! I grew champion, wizard and gigandes this year and they all did superbly well for me.
Gigandes were a revelation, quick to get going, strong vigorous growth (they were miles ahead of my runners!) Decent cropping and very easy self-drying pods that are still hanging on the plant to finish off.
Wizard - I've done these for a couple of years - and what you lose in pod length and bean size - you make up easily in sheer numbers of densely packed pods. They worked as an overwintered variety for me the year before last but didn't quite make it through the freeze this time. The small beans are sweet, just like broad beans - but seem to stay young and sweet tasting for longer than with all the broad beans I've ever grown. They seem to shake off blackfly a little better than some varieties.
Cheers
Squeezy
Good to hear that, thanks.
How do you preserve your beans for eating out of interest?
The Gigantes have probably crossed with the other runner beans you grew unless they flowered at different times? So will you save the seed for next year?
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I have some seeds left from the packet this year's grew from - but the gigandes flowered a lot earlier and the bottom ones set beans before the first runner flower was even in bud ... I marked the pods that had formed then and I was thinking of using those ones as seeds.
I suppose there may have been other runners on the allotment site flowering that early though ... apparently it's quite hard to save 100% true seed without tripping the flowers manually and bagging the ones you want to save in gauze bags.
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"Did the Wizard beans taste like broad beans?"
Yes, First picking was of immature pods to get the "early taste".Then the main broad beans came onstream and theWizards got overlooked and quickly went past , hence a high seed production.
The Realseed mantra of "Dont buy from us, save your own" is an curious business model but at least one can.
You could save your Wizard bean seed for next year but as you have also grown another variety of broad bean any cross pollination would not keep you Wizards pure, so I'm told. They would probably turn out OZ like the following season so you'll be back to Real Seeds for another purchase!
Will you grow Wizards again next year, i.e. is it worth it?
Talking of business strategies Fothergills sent me some free 'Blue Belle' seed potatoes last year and they have been the most productive main crop spuds I've ever had the pleasure to grow. From about 20 seeds I got three wheel barrows full of the most beautiful large clean shiny spuds with a nice flavour. Shiny spuds are always free from disease. They look a bit like a bloke's bald head. So I'll be growing them again next year but this time I'll have to pay for them, crafty Fothergills eh?
More than likely, but have also considered sowing them as a green manure, for nitrogen fixing and then dig them in the cauliflower patch but not sure whether the nitro- fixing happens before or after flowering? Any help on that?
Sorry no idea on that. I never bother with digging in the nitrogen as I read somewhere that it's a myth that they make the nitrogen available to later crops. I'd rather rely on digging in manure and just compost the pea and bean remains. If they contain nitrogen then it's going to be in the compost.
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I have some seeds left from the packet this year's grew from - but the gigandes flowered a lot earlier and the bottom ones set beans before the first runner flower was even in bud ... I marked the pods that had formed then and I was thinking of using those ones as seeds.
I suppose there may have been other runners on the allotment site flowering that early though ... apparently it's quite hard to save 100% true seed without tripping the flowers manually and bagging the ones you want to save in gauze bags.
I never thought of doing that so thanks for the tip. I'll definitely try it.
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The nitrogen fixing happens even when plants are very young. When you sow broadbeans in modules to start them off early and then transplant, you can see whitish tiny nodules around the roots. They look a bit like slug eggs, but they are nitrogen nodules.
You can also see them quite clearly when you pull up plants at the end of the season. This is why the books suggest cutting broadbeans at ground level and not pulling the roots.
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The nitrogen fixing happens even when plants are very young. When you sow broadbeans in modules to start them off early and then transplant, you can see whitish tiny nodules around the roots. They look a bit like slug eggs, but they are nitrogen nodules.
You can also see them quite clearly when you pull up plants at the end of the season. This is why the books suggest cutting broadbeans at ground level and not pulling the roots.
That's how it's generally understood. Most people crop their peas and beans and expect the nitrogen in the root system to be available in the soil for the next crop, and there's the myth.
The way I understand it is that the nitrogen is only beneficial to the soil if the plant is dug in while it's still growing so unless you specifically grow the crops to dig in while they are young it's pretty pointless just leaving the roots in the ground after you have harvested them. As I never grow peas and beans just for a green manure I don't bother with leaving the roots in the ground as there is no point.
http://www.tropicalpermaculture.com/nitrogen-fixing-bacteria.html
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Very interesting Floyds! Are you saying that farmers who use field beans as a nitrogen enriching 'rest crop' for the next year of wheat growing have got it wrong? They certainly grow their field beans to full maturity and harvest them around now, all black, and plough the rest back into the fields.
Ditto the 3 sisters approach from the USA? The beans are said to give nitrogen to all 3 crops and especially to the nitrogen greedy squash, the squash leaves give shade and prevent soil drying out and the corn provides bean sticks and of course corn cobs.
For either system to work well, the beans must be providing far more nitrogen than the bean plants need themselves. But the article quoted says that the beans only provide nitrogen for themselves and leave none. I think we would need to see actual measured data (not provided in the article which is on tropical permaculture), before we dispense with 'traditional wisdom'.
Composting plants (green mulches once they have gone dry and started to decompose) actually take a certain amount of nitrogen out of the soil for their composting. How does that affect the nitrogen balance? Very interesting subject - hope to read more on that for 2014.
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I forgot, I have a few new tomatoes that grow biggies. Brutus Magnus,Leadbeaters Lunker, some different strain of Delicious and | Belmonte.
XX Jeannine
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That is quite an interesting link. But it clearly states that in Europe we have the correct bacteria for the job hence what you are saying is for the USA where they need to inoculate the beans.
Is there a need to quote huge parts of the thread which we have just read?
Do keep your suggestions going? I am interested in the Jarrahdale pumpkin where are you sourcing your seeds?
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That is quite an interesting link. But it clearly states that in Europe we have the correct bacteria for the job hence what you are saying is for the USA where they need to inoculate the beans.
Is there a need to quote huge parts of the thread which we have just read?
Do keep your suggestions going? I am interested in the Jarrahdale pumpkin where are you sourcing your seeds?
I don't think you have read the link correctly. And I'm sorry for quoting, I know reading is hard work.
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Very interesting Floyds! Are you saying that farmers who use field beans as a nitrogen enriching 'rest crop' for the next year of wheat growing have got it wrong? They certainly grow their field beans to full maturity and harvest them around now, all black, and plough the rest back into the fields.
Ditto the 3 sisters approach from the USA? The beans are said to give nitrogen to all 3 crops and especially to the nitrogen greedy squash, the squash leaves give shade and prevent soil drying out and the corn provides bean sticks and of course corn cobs.
For either system to work well, the beans must be providing far more nitrogen than the bean plants need themselves. But the article quoted says that the beans only provide nitrogen for themselves and leave none. I think we would need to see actual measured data (not provided in the article which is on tropical permaculture), before we dispense with 'traditional wisdom'.
Composting plants (green mulches once they have gone dry and started to decompose) actually take a certain amount of nitrogen out of the soil for their composting. How does that affect the nitrogen balance? Very interesting subject - hope to read more on that for 2014.
Of course farmers will plough back the remains of the last crop, that's just standard practice.
By all means be sceptical if that's the way you feel but I've yet to read an article refuting the information. Perhaps you could find one? And preferably one that doesn't just repeat the traditional mantra.
After all if you are sceptical about the measured data it would be good to have a measured data justification of the practice don't you think?
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I'm trying "Carbon"- the blackest of the black tomatoes. We already like Black Krim the best of all of our toms though it isn't nearly as productive as some others.
Trying also a golden beet: "Touchstone"
And ordering from a new (to me) seed company called Swallowtail which sells smaller quantities (and cheaper) packets than Burpee. I've been burned before ordering from a new company but this one was rated well by other gardeners on "Dave's Garden" where people post complaints.
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I find Wizard excellent; good tasting, prolific, and more productive than longpods, which don't like my plot for some reason.
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This is the year I would grow my lima beans and I am trying to track down a new to me one, I love to grow them and like the challenge here , the same in the UK.
I also am growing a gold coloured beet Grannie Annie, I found an old recipe online that uses them in a cake.
XX Jeannine
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I am doing a new growing experiment for 2014, based on snippets I read. First one said that you can cut off the top two thirds of an onion and replant the bottom it will regrow. The second one said that the lovely big red Florence onions are really a shallot. So 'just for grins' I have planted a few to see what happens. If it works, how thrifty would that be! Cutting the top shows that there are 3-4 green rings inside, ie if it did grow again it would probably split into 3 or 4 'shallots'. We have yet to see whether these onion stumps make it through the winter at all without rotting and then grow to something meaningful in 2014. Not much lost if it doesn't work out since we ate most of these lovely onions on our tomato salads.
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I would like to try Wizard field beans this autumn but Real Seeds has sold out of them. Tuckers Seeds still have them - does anyone know if they are the same?
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Galina ... I have tried the same this year - but with spring onions ... and it works for me - even better than planting from seeds!
When you chop the root section of the spring onion off to prepare them for eating - put the root ends in a glass of water to freshen up - even if they've been trimmed off by the shops. And simply plant them out the next day. They grow new roots and sprout a whole new spring onion in about a month!
I didn't pull mine up after that ... simply snipped them off with a pair of scissors at ground level and the magic spring onion trick starts all over again!
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Tried a lot of new things to me this year. Notable successes are tomatillos, bread seed poppy, mangel-wurzel (a revelation! :happy7:), elephant garlic and bulb fennel(not new but new better variety)
Will try all these again next year. New for next year are Shimonita and Ishikura bunching onions along with long black radish. I usually grow the round black radish and they are great in the winter but shall also try the long ones to compare. Will also try buck wheat.
I also have a different brussels sprout variety and spring hero cabbage. :happy7:
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I also am growing a gold coloured beet Grannie Annie, I found an old recipe online that uses them in a cake.
Let us know how the cake tastes! But I shouldn't be looking for yet another reason to eat cake :BangHead:
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That's how it's generally understood. Most people crop their peas and beans and expect the nitrogen in the root system to be available in the soil for the next crop, and there's the myth.
I don't think it is a complete myth. It is true that the majority of nitrogen that is fixed goes to seed production but there is a large caveat.
During the growing process amounts of N are leaked from the roots into the soil which is then available for subsequent crops..
See here (http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=4b50acd7-fb26-49a9-a31c-829f38598d7e) for some info - I don't have much time at present to find more up to date data but you can clearly see in figure 4 that cereal crops that follow grain legumes require less N fertilizer..
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That's how it's generally understood. Most people crop their peas and beans and expect the nitrogen in the root system to be available in the soil for the next crop, and there's the myth.
I don't think it is a complete myth. It is true that the majority of nitrogen that is fixed goes to seed production but there is a large caveat.
During the growing process amounts of N are leaked from the roots into the soil which is then available for subsequent crops..
See here (http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=4b50acd7-fb26-49a9-a31c-829f38598d7e) for some info - I don't have much time at present to find more up to date data but you can clearly see in figure 4 that cereal crops that follow grain legumes require less N fertilizer..
Thanks for the link, much appreciated. However all the information just substantiates that it is pointless digging in legume roots (or leaving them in the ground) expecting the nitrogen that was in the plant to be available for the next crop. It isn't, or rather some of it is already there.
The article states that the nitrogen leaks into the soil while the plant is growing so by the time you have harvested your peas or beans the nitrogen is either in the crop or some has leached into the soil leaving the roots pretty dead and useless. So the myth of digging in pea and bean roots for the next crop is just that.
In other words a farmer could grow legumes to supply nitrogen for his following crop, harvest the legumes plough the land and remove all the roots and still have the same result as leaving the roots in. Alternatively he could grow legumes as a green manure plough the nitrogen in and sacrifice the crop, that way he'd get more nitrogen. That is ancellsfarmer's plan but what he was asking is at what stage the nitrogen is available in the plant for digging in and on that I don't have a clue. But hey what a read! And reading is hard work!
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Not really - it does say most, but not all, of the nitrogen is taken up with seed production. A plant can only use so much nitrogen. It doesn't say there is none - it doesn't say dead and useless. Also leaving the roots and digging them in means you are not removing valuable organic matter from the soil and really, who would go to the trouble to dig the roots out and dispose of them - much better left in the soil.
Anyway I think these look interesting for next year (http://www.thompson-morgan.com/vegetables/vegetable-seeds/pumpkin-squash-and-courgette-seeds/squash-winter-buffy-ball/tm38812TM)- 2.69 for 6 seeds is ok if it produces 25 fruit a plant but they look good for a roast dinner.
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Not really - it does say most, but not all, of the nitrogen is taken up with seed production. A plant can only use so much nitrogen. It doesn't say there is none - it doesn't say dead and useless. Also leaving the roots and digging them in means you are not removing valuable organic matter from the soil and really, who would go to the trouble to dig the roots out and dispose of them - much better left in the soil.
Anyway I think these look interesting for next year (http://www.thompson-morgan.com/vegetables/vegetable-seeds/pumpkin-squash-and-courgette-seeds/squash-winter-buffy-ball/tm38812TM)- 2.69 for 6 seeds is ok if it produces 25 fruit a plant but they look good for a roast dinner.
I would. In order to decompose they are going to use up any nitrogen they might have leached into the soil. Much better to leave that nitrogen where it is and compost the roots and recycle them that way in my experience. But apart from that I think we have both interpreted the research correctly, well nearly.
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I would. In order to decompose they are going to use up any nitrogen they might have leached into the soil.
It is possible but I doubt it - do you have any data to back that up.
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Enough already, we are losing this thread to bits of nitrogen,come on guys it is about new for next year.. Tut Tut. Moan over.
BarriedaleNick. I love the idea of that winter squash but you know I have never quite trusted T&M as I know they give their own names to things. It is interesting that so far it has not shown up with US or Canadian T&M, this is typical of their renamed stuff. Winter squash Buffy is here at 100 seeds for $5.95(not T&M) it is also a mini squash, same shape, same Buff colour but there is no mention of the number of fruit per plant, I don't think it is the same variety though as it seems to be a little bigger than a tennis ball at 1lb plus. Buffy is described as a vining plant bit I don't think there was any mention of that with the Buffy Ball. Very interesting. I have not kept up with my squash data over the last two or three years so I am a bit out of date but I will try and find out a bit more if I can. I would like to think it is a bush but I think that would be in big letters if it was as T&M never miss a marketing idea so matter how vague they choose to be with some things. Are you going to grow it?
XX Jeannine
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Fair Point Jeannine - deffo off topic ill shut up - apologies!
I am no fan of the evil empire either so I may check into your Buffy (if it is available). As there is just the two of us I was looking for a smaller variety that we could cook and eat in one session. This year some of my butternuts are over 7lbs and tasty as they are they sit around with my cutting bits out of them for a couple of weeks. They don't really even fit in the fridge!
Anyone got a good roasting smaller squash that they would recommend?
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Wow, I got a guy to shut up, I should try that again, I might even get good at it!!!
If you are looking for small fruit, it is kinda what I am doing this year too and I am trying to do it with just bush ones. Now I remember some years ago putting a post on about bush winter squash but when I don't know but I think there was quite a decent list.Of course there will be some new ones since then.
What about Gold Nugget, 10 to a plant 1-1 1/2 lbs and bush.
Butterbush a little butternut 4-5 per plant same size as above, bush
Honey Bear acorn.1 1/4 lbs 3-4 plant bush
Honeyboat delicata type 8 per plant 1 1/2 lb. bush
There are more but this is off the top of my head.
I might order some Buffy, the company that has them will ship to Canada with a sanitary certificate but I can have them shipped to my US address which is a drive away so try to do a few things at a time. I will let you know if and when I get them and share.. I definitely have Gold Nugget now and maybe a few Butterbush , not certain on that one, but you are welcome to some if I have.
I swore I would not buy seeds this year and here I go, giant tomatoes yesterday and squash coming up...
XX Jeannine
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Well Jeannine the thread was diverted after a discussion about me growing beans and peas next year so hardly off topic and this is a information forum.
I'll have the last word on the topic of nitrogen if you don't mind. So you haven't shut me up :tongue3:
BarriedaleNick it's a general known fact that plants use nitrogen to decompose I'm surprised you need evidence to corroborate it. Whether they would use up the nitrogen they produce I guess that it is highly likely, ecological equilibrium and all that. Anyway each to their own way of gardening, and with that I'll zip up.
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If you can't get Wizard, let me know, Artichoke. I have a few that I don't need. I haven't really thought about next year, apart form hoping my back's properly sorted in time for the new season!
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Many thanks for the info on the different cultivars Jeannine and thanks for the offer of seeds - Ill have a butchers at them and see what they are like. I must admit to being a bit lazy with squashes and tend to grow what I know so it will be a change next year.
I might even plant them where I had my peas last year where I am sure they will benefit!
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Robert, that is a very kind offer. What could I possibly send you in return? You don't want a carefully packed tiny date palmlet, I suppose.....
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I fancied Buffy's too along with Fictor F1 and Walnut F1 Butternut", trouble is I went on http://www.seemnemaailm.ee/ and spotted a couple more!!!!
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Br careful if thinking about Buffy,s there are three using that word which I presume denotes colour, Buffy Ball which started this discussion, Buffy and Buffy Gold which is a butternut
Barrie..... I am using my bean fence this year to grow just a couple of trailing ones.
Now can someone tell me about these Wizard peas, they sound a bit odd.
Jayb you are a very naughty girl, you know that don't you :blob7:
XX Jeannine
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I have figured out the Wizard pea..LOL a field bean XX Jeannine
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Wow, I'm going to try that onion trick, both of them. We did so much new stuff, oca, yacon, amaranth, ildi toms, and haven't even harvested loads that I can't even think of next year yet :toothy10:
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This year I have grown Butternut Napoli and some of them are huge, the biggest is 14.5 kg (32 lbs in old money), so yes it will be difficult to keep it once started so I am looking for something smaller for next year. I have just found another two, being dark they escape being seen.
Has anyone grown Autumn crown, a cross between a butternut and crown prince?
I have tried carrot Jeannine F1 they came from Lidl, they were a bit hit with the deer so presume it is a particularly good flavour. :BangHead: May try again with netting. It seems so odd to have to net carrots.
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Our sweet dumpling are looking really good. Don't know what they taste like yet but each one is enough for a meal :happy7:
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Manics I am sure you know this but the for the benefit of someone nit so familiar with squash don't eat them until they have been stored at least six weeks, folks often do and are disappointed at the flavour, but it needs that 6 weeks for them to develop their sweetness which they do in storage
XX Jeannine
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Thank you, Jeannine.
They are new to us so I didn't know :happy7:
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I have figured out the Wizard pea..LOL a field bean XX Jeannine
Wizard pea?
If you can cross a bean with a pea I'll have some.
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PM me your address, Artichoke, and I'll get you some in the post. They're in the allotment shed but I can soon get them back.
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Galina ... I have tried the same this year - but with spring onions ... and it works for me - even better than planting from seeds!
I didn't pull mine up after that ... simply snipped them off with a pair of scissors at ground level and the magic spring onion trick starts all over again!
SqueezyJohn, thank you for giving us your experience of this growing method.
We were away for a few days and already it seems that the stumps have rooted (just like you said, that they would root easily) and there is 4 inches of top growth. Looks like a wide-leafed chive growing out of the stump rather than a new onion, but we will see where that goes. Just wanted to let you know there is progress. Maybe this experiment is for 2013 and 14 rather than just for next year :happy7: I didn't expect anything to happen that fast, but was very hopeful after your post.
That's the sort of knowledge you don't get from books and not from the seed industry :wave:
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Very clever! I'll try it, too. Thank you!
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I didn't realise you could do it with bulb onions though ... my worry would be that they'd go to flower before setting bulbs as they'd already gone through one growing season ... but in any case you could still use them as spring/green onions fine and as I said they seem to be much easier to get to a big spring onion size than seeds.
Another trick I discovered this year which I reckon I will do again next year is that those pots of living Basil that they sell in the supermarkets for £1 are not 1 big plant but about 30 force-germinated seedlings in one pot. I got a reduced one for about 20p and planted out the 30 or so plants in my greenhouse and every single one made a huge basil plant which lasted the summer! If you snip of the tips when they're fairly small they all bush out nicely.
:icon_cheers:
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One thing that worked well for me this year has been planting onions out in twos or threes. chriscross1966 and John_Miller both recommended it and I planted out some Florence Red from modules into little clumps rather than all in a line and they did very well. I'll be doing it on a larger scale next year.
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That's interesting.
I inherited a firmly anchored stretch of Mypex with holes cut in it, in which I found very healthy onions in groups of two or three, when I got the plot several years ago.
I have been thinking this month of putting overwintering onions in these holes (which have not grown onions for several years since) and have been unable to decide whether to put one per hole or several. I think now I will try several, along with refreshed compost and fertiliser per hole.
Another thing a couple of people do here is make long thin mounds of earth and plant their onions on top. It seems to work well, but it looks like too much work for me.....
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Can you give us the size of the holes in the Mypex? Thanks
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About 4 inches square. Doesn't look big enough for 3 onions, but all I can say is they were lovely middle sized ones.
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I can't remember where but I've seen pictures of someone growing onions through weed membrane, they looked super. I think they recommended burning holes to prevent fraying. I'd like to try the one season stuff to help with weeds and watering, I think it is a bit too pricey though.
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I have found this site with pictures:
https://www.quickcrop.ie/blog/2013/02/sow-easy-grow/
I am not going to buy this, but it gives hole measurements for different crops, so I hope it is useful.
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Now this is interesting especially as I will need all the help I can get next year. \,y only problem is jusy exactly what it is made of. I am allowed to use weed block of my site, the spun stuff, but I am not allowed to use plastic, this looks like plastic yet the rain get through, I don't understand that.
XX Jeannine
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Now this is interesting especially as I will need all the help I can get next year. \,y only problem is jusy exactly what it is made of. I am allowed to use weed block of my site, the spun stuff, but I am not allowed to use plastic, this looks like plastic yet the rain get through, I don't understand that.
XX Jeannine
How about making some from cardboard? If you can get hold of some large sheets and cutting planting holes in them. Cardboard should last a season and it should save you from clearing them away..they just rot down naturally :icon_cheers:
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He makes it clear that this is "water permeable weed control fabric", and also names it as being mypex, plus he warns us against cutting our own holes because the woven fabric will fray - so you should be all right. I have to say I cut my own holes here and there and it does not fray very much. I have read that some people fold duck tape around the cut edges, though that sounds rather fiddly to me. Mypex is, of course, made of "plastic"; the important factor is that it is woven, not solid.....
I'm glad you think it is a good idea, and hope it helps you on your plot. I'm certainly going to make better use of the mypex someone put on one of my plots years ago. I don't think I have appreciated it enough.
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Ok I think I know what it is, if I am correct, the fibres are quite flat and thin and yes it would unravel, I might get away with that but I could use the idea and use the weed block too. I think the stuff you are talking about is used to make cheap tarps here.
XX Jeannine
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I have used a lot of cardboard over the years and got tired of its messy appearance, and all the plastic parcel tape that comes with it and blows around. Another problem I found one year when I made paths with cardboard over newspaper was that first it became very slippery (I have a sloping plot), and secondly badgers and/or foxes dug it up repeatedly looking for worms (I suppose). In some areas, the paths were more thoroughly cultivated than the beds.....
But I do agree it is useful and free, and I still have some covering a bed. However, I have just had my 70th birthday, and I am jolly well going to treat myself to a roll of mypex and cut my own slits in it, and look forward to the neat, orderly, weed free plants I am imagining!
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Mmm, don't want to put anyone off but I have just spent half an hour checking to see if I can get it here and have read some real horror stories about what it can do to the soil. Worms don't like it and move away, after a while the soil beneath it seems to turn into a dead clay looking wet patch which holds too much water. Used and lifted it may not have the same problems but left down it apparently causes all sorts of trouble to the soil underneath after a while..maybe do a bit of reading to see if the problems might be one that relates to your usage. It is the reason we are not allowed to use plastic as mulch.
XX Jeannine
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That is worrying.
I inherited the very firmly fixed mypex on one of my plots (edges deeply buried in soil and fixed further with wooden poles and bricks) and it has been there for about 5 years or more. Recently I cut quite a large bed out of it and planted the space with wild flowers for pollinators. The soil was not too bad at all, though I did notice there were not as many worms as I expected. The plants have been there for about 6 weeks and seem happy enough.
One suggestion on the quickcrop website seems to be that the mypex is laid down only for the time the crops take to mature, then folded away for the next season. I can't do that with my current mypex, but I can imagine making new "planting mats" of a limited size, and putting them away after the crop to give the ground a chance to breathe and be mulched.... or is that more trouble than it's worth...... I do admit I HATE weeding onions - one always seems to clip a few.
Of course, worms love living under cardboard for some reason, which is why mine was attacked so much by animals.
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I found a couple of types to use which last about a growing season (no pre cut holes though). I'll have a look and see if I can find the links, I think there are some products available in America, not sure about Canada that do come in pre cut out lengths.
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I hate weeding PERIOD. Wouldn't mind it so much if they didn't grow faster than I can shove a hoe. Thanks Jeannine for the info. Was toying with idea of planting through the stuff for my strawbs and wondered about pros and cons. Back to pulling out couch etc then.
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I've started a thread for Crop Mulches http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,76738.msg780291/topicseen.html#new
I've popped in a couple of links for products there.
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Jay, I have the biodegradable stuff that is spun, it is OK here for organics, I buy it by the roll but it is not very heavy.
XX Jeannine
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Jay, I have the biodegradable stuff that is spun, it is OK here for organics, I buy it by the roll but it is not very heavy.
XX Jeannine
Enough about Mypex already. How about we get back on topic, sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander and all that :tongue3:
I'm going to try Norfolk Giant carrots next year as I don't like dealing with small carrots.
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http://turkeysong.wordpress.com/2010/03/25/leeks-size-does-matter-and-so-does-shape/
I am going to look for these.......(and maybe grow them in mypex.....)
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I am interested in the Jarrahdale pumpkin where are you sourcing your seeds?
Hi Digeroo,
Sorry, I didn't see your post - I got them from Uncle Bobby's seeds: http://www.bobby-seeds.com/en/Cucurbits-and-more/Squash-Seeds/Maxima-Seeds-all/Jarrahdale::90.html (http://www.bobby-seeds.com/en/Cucurbits-and-more/Squash-Seeds/Maxima-Seeds-all/Jarrahdale::90.html)
Am also keen on Whangaparoa Crown, but that's for another year, I've got 20 squash varieties already and only a half plot..
I'm really looking forward to trying the Kent Blue pea this year - I've only a few seeds, so hopefully I won't have a brown-thumbed moment!
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Goodness gracious what a site. You should not have shown me that. :tongue3:
I like the look of the Yualing F1 squash
Just when I thought my seedoholic tendencies were improving. :tongue3:
And they have my favourite carrot Juwarot.
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However, I have just had my 70th birthday, and I am jolly well going to treat myself to a roll of mypex and cut my own slits in it
I just went outside and tried searing the raw edges of the mypex with a butane lighter, the type used to start barbeques, since I don't own a blow torch. It very nicely shriveled the woven plastic so it shouldn't fray. However, I wouldn't want to melt 100 holes with it! For large scale maybe a branding iron and a campfire?
New crops: small strawberries: a white one called "Pineberry"; "Elan" (red) and "Purple Wonder." An "improved butternut" called Pilgrim.
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Hey Grannie Annie, you could throw a family camp out a, bring your own blow torch sort of thing, it could be great fun, BBQ,branding, maybe a bit of horse shoe tossing, you could have a great all time.
I am going to use it to make potato grow bags I think, this will be something new for 2014 for me as your holy fabric will be for you.
Has anyone else tried them, not pots, but the grow bags that we fill with soil etc, hold about 15 gallons.
XX Jeannine