*
Wot no more beans or no more gin? ;D
Wish I had your problem - I've only just got my _4th_sowing to grow!!! Hopefully I'll get some beans in September...
moonbells
Just send some to me, i could do with a drink!
Tuts! I had you down as a Tanqueray man!
Yes, dj - when I'm given it!
Usually Tesco's cheapest. This came by mistake - it's awful.
It always amazes me why some people plant too many plants. With better management and different varieties you don't get inundated with more than you need.
There are some plots on my site where people leave loads of crops and allow them to go to seed.
Chris
Quote from: chriszog on August 05, 2006, 07:12:21
It always amazes me why some people plant too many plants. With better management and different varieties you don't get inundated with more than you need.
There are some plots on my site where people leave loads of crops and allow them to go to seed.
Chris
Better management? Not with my slug population!
I plant too many of something when in previous seasons I've planted enough and they've died, been eaten, or otherwise failed to fruit. It's a compensation factor for that happening again, and while half the time it works and I get the right number, sometimes all of them grow to confound me and I get a glut.
Simple!
(and the neighbours don't complain)
moonbells
Have you considered Slug management Moonbells. perhaps encourage more wildlife onto your plot?
On the other hand, Chris -
1. Had Daughter not gone mental with her French this year, we would have nothing - given an almost complete failure of the Runners for the first time in living memory.
2. Had I not overdone the Aubs this year, we would be in trouble. Several have aborted most of their fruit.
3. Had I not tried to appease my Wife by putting in 3 times the amount of Brassica, again we would be in trouble. Despite the usual care, complete rows have been hit by the 'cats'.
4. Had I not doubled up on Garlic, same thing. 2/3rds of it hasn't cloved.
5. Had I relied on the routine sowings of Lettuce, we would be out by now with everything rushing to seed.
Yes - in a perfect world, we could save ourselves a deal of work!
Next year i'm making sure I sow extra as this year I haven't had very much really. Planted out 20 savoy cabbages have only 7 now. Mange tout didn't really do very well. Waiting on runners and french beans.
But isn't the rule that if you plant 6 you'll get none and if you plant 30 you'll get 30?
You have something there, dj!
But lucky neighbours?
Yes! It is not an exact science, there are too many variables. This year has been a strange year, with things that are usually difficult, thriving and other things that I usually have no trouble with a bit of a failure. With having a prolonged winter a lot of the insects didn't show until later, and then when things hotted up they seemed to increase. :-\ busy_lizzie
In a text book I've seen this about medieval peasants farming..
Four seeds in a row,
One for the mice,
One for the crow,
One to Rot,
and One to grow.....
They couldn't nip into Tesco/Sainsbury/enter supermarket of your choice...
;D
Forgot to say some of those Lotties may be saving their own seed... although we have one plot holder who digs out two beds, plants broad beans, keeps the grass strimmed and doesn't even pick the beans!!!!
???
Quote from: tim on August 05, 2006, 05:45:54
Usually Tesco's cheapest. This came by mistake - it's awful.
So quite a relief when you'd finally emptied the bottle, then, Tim? ;D
They're lovely beans, but didn't I read elsewhere that you, personally, didn't particularly like them?
This year I've tried to calculate how many of this'n'that I'll actually use during a year & I've got it all wrong. Cut down on the number of runner beans.....blackfly + anorexic ladybirds have meant a failed crop for the 1st time ever & I'd prepared a really splendid new bed for them too; no compensation with french beans for me, cos I also sowed less of these than usual; really good garlic + elephant garlic crop, but again, not enough; far too many chillies even for me & haven't used up last year's crop yet. I'd completely forgotten how many Apache one plant produces & I've got 4....and on and on.
Gin? It's really Pat who drinks it!
French? You're right. A useful foil - although some of ours have had flavour. Which I'm not keen on!
French beans, al dente, with a light dressing....my nightime TV snack!
If you grow too much treat the nieghbours or buy a bigger freezer ::)
I don't have too great an outlet for a glut, but someone mentioned advertising on Freecycle? Now that seems a good idea..
My friends & neighbours run for cover now when they see me coming laden down with cucumbers & tomatoes - but my courgettes failed miserably.
I have never grown chillies before, so I had no idea what to expect when I raised three long type plants & three bird's eye.
Does anyone have the number for Covent Garden?
JeremyB
The learning curve!!
Quote from: chriszog on August 05, 2006, 07:28:54
Have you considered Slug management Moonbells. perhaps encourage more wildlife onto your plot?
Slug management? I need about a million frogs right now. Already have pools of water, old wood piles and bird boxes in the apples. The other night going back after sunset, there was a 2" slug on the access road every 6" or so. Chris and I couldn't believe it. They were *everywhere*. Population explosion. But since it's an allotments, what I do is only part of the solution. What the neighbours do is probably more important as not all of them are organic.
moonbells (who actually likes gluts - better than none and as I said, more to give away!)