Allotments 4 All

...for a new growing season!
It is boooooring and gloomy outside..so grey and damp..BUT...those who have grow lamps, they can start sowing some chillies soon!!!!!
AND...I usually sow some quick cropping herbs like coriander in same time to fill up the space while the chillies are still small seedlings..just to utilize all the light.

Once we get over this bloody Xmas stuff...then it is all go-go-go here in GL's  ..though this year I'm NOT getting too much ahead and start toms too early!
AND..the lights are going to be 'strapped' so that no accident happen again with falling hot light bulbs....like it did happen earlier this year..
Ohhh....I can already feel little tingle in my gardening fingers..sign of good things to come.....

..oh, and while I'm all excited, I'm going to share my stupidity so you don't do same mistake that I'm doing at the moment...

I've got lots of plants over wintering in house...they should be resting now...kept almost dry so they do not grow...WELLLLL...

I am watering them...cleaned all old and dead leaves off....and now seeing some new growth buds swelling and coming to life... Every day I put my nose close up to see how much change there is, if any, from yesterday.
I just cannot resist... ...and I KNOW in a month or so I'll be chopping the new stretched out growth off as it won't be any good for anything...
But I just NEEED to see fresh green growth....

The week leading up to the shortest day is the very worst as far as I'm concerned. After that the only way is up

Much of the winter pruning is done - the rest finished off tomorrow as well as oca digging day - to keep myself going I'm sprouting alfaffa in a jam jar simply to stop me from sowing things too early.

I have some flowering plants waiting to plant in the garden on fine days and greenhouse repotting.

My sowing season begins in early January so only three looooong weeks to go.

The first of my Kelsae onions are up.  I sowed them less than a week
ago in a heated propagator and didn't really expect to see anything quite so
soon.

I'll start on the chillies in January.

Just thinking this morning that it is only a few days now to the solstice and then it will be onwards and upwards.   

Seems to be very gloomy at the moment.   Last year winter did not really get going until March.   I am off on my summer holiday in January, so will not get stuck into gardening until I get back.  Since anything on the window sill might dry out.  Though I might start a few things like parsley which I got for 10p a packet so no tears if they die off.   

I am still in seed drooling mode. Thinking of the goodies for next year.

Perhaps if your fingers are becoming excited it is because you are sensing the full moon tomorrow coming tomorrow.   

Going to finish cutting down the autumn raspberries today. Did try yesterday but it rained. Next year will see us being a bit more choosy about what we grow as the old bones are not as strong as they were so we need to grow stuff that isn't so labour intensive.

Quote from: shirlton on December 17, 2013, 06:07:34

Next year will see us being a bit more choosy about what we grow as the old bones are not as strong as they were so we need to grow stuff that isn't so labour intensive.

Wait till next spring- the old bones may feel a bit younger, you'll be doing it all again!

Quote from: shirlton on December 17, 2013, 06:07:34
Going to finish cutting down the autumn raspberries today.

Is it a tad early- I understood that if they are cut down early they can become summer fruiting? is that right?

 

QuoteIs it a tad early- I understood that if they are cut down early they can become summer fruiting? is that right?

Umm...not quite... if autumn fruiting canes are not cut down..they will fruit early from the old canes (those canes don't die like summer fruiting ones do)....then comes up the new ones and those will fruit too but slightly later than 'normally'.

So...there is good news for the 'old bones'....you don't have to get it all cut down in one go 

In fact one garden where I worked, I used practice 'dual cropping' with autumn raspberries for some years.  Only thing is that one has to thin out the canes in autumn so there is plenty of room between each cane for the new growth growth as well...and as soon as the main crop as is picked those old canes have to come out or it gets too jungly for all the growth...and of course there is little extra feeding needed to keep all the 'performance' going on...but it is well worth it!
Autumn type raspberries picked in summer are much tastier for their have more sugar in them because of the warmer temperature they are ripening in

Yes, just a few more days and the days will start getting longer!
I admit that I am in such a tizz about christmas that the plot is being neglected. But I need to move my fruit bushes and irises as my plot is being halved soon and I have to move everything off the other half of the plot! I shall have to go down to pick my brussel sprouts for christmas anyway :-)
Good idea about getting some herbs going, this year I have loads of good sweet pepper plants but they were inhibited by the terrible spring and so I had very little fruit off them. Will try starting a wee bit earlier this year, I usually do them mid Feb.

Quote from: goodlife on December 17, 2013, 08:41:40

QuoteIs it a tad early- I understood that if they are cut down early they can become summer fruiting? is that right?

Umm...not quite... if autumn fruiting canes are not cut down..they will fruit early from the old canes (those canes don't die like summer fruiting ones do)....then comes up the new ones and those will fruit too but slightly later than 'normally'.

Thanks for explain GL, I remember hearing it but wasn't quite sure how it worked. I might cut a few down gradually as the buns love the leaves and the little stalks on top.

Still plenty to - I have just come back with a barrow load of produce!

Thanks for explain GL, I remember hearing it but wasn't quite sure how it worked. I might cut a few down gradually as the buns love the leaves and the little stalks on top.

Still plenty to - I have just come back with a barrow load of produce!
[/quote]

Have you ever tried raspberry leaves yourself? Commercially they add some in herbal 'tea' mixtures. Blackcurrant and raspberry leaf 'tea' is not bad at all!
Gosh...barrow load! ..hopefully not all just Brussels..

I'm going to start a few dwarf type tomatoes very soon  and some chilli peppers    I'm looking forward to having some soil to watch for seedlings 
I'll be doing some early early potatoes too.