Breakthru
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders
If any of you guys are going to Groundswell tmrw then I will give you a free sample of foliar feed plus instructions to deal with or deter your slugs
Growing your own veg
- Thread starter No Worries
- Start date
Netherfield
Member
- Location
- West Yorkshire
Too far to travel for the bit that I grow in the garden.
Breakthru
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders
Send me your details to [email protected] and I will post you enough for 500m2.
Netherfield
Member
- Location
- West Yorkshire
email sent
KMA
Member
- Location
- Dumfriesshire
Beer traps are generally working OK with the slugs. Gave up with the forks etc., for cats and just got lightweight fruit cages to keep them and the butterflies off, have had to put a close-meshed wind net round a bigger cage to keep flies off my brassicas -some of my cabbages took a bit hammering.
Just did a little burrowing and lifted enough 1st earlies for tonight's dinner hopefully the little ones will keep growing. On the subject of little'uns I had one of my grandsons with me today, got him a little propagator to take home and we planted some radish (Scarlet Globe) a couple of lettuce (Cos type) and 5 beetroot (Kestrel) the lettuce will need planted out in 3 weeks or so but the rest should be fine in the propagator.
Just did a little burrowing and lifted enough 1st earlies for tonight's dinner hopefully the little ones will keep growing. On the subject of little'uns I had one of my grandsons with me today, got him a little propagator to take home and we planted some radish (Scarlet Globe) a couple of lettuce (Cos type) and 5 beetroot (Kestrel) the lettuce will need planted out in 3 weeks or so but the rest should be fine in the propagator.
Netherfield
Member
- Location
- West Yorkshire
Snap, a few Sharpes Express today,planted 2nd April, bit on the small side though, I think I'll give them another week before picking anymore.
Netherfield
Member
- Location
- West Yorkshire
KMA
Member
- Location
- Dumfriesshire
Just emptied my tubs of 1st earlies this morning, Sharps Express decent yield nice clean skins. 1st couple of tubs of Record are a bit scabby.
Starting to make a list of varieties for next year
so far
Tatties
1st early - Express
Carrots - Nantes and possibly Autumn King
Radish - Scarlet Globe
Beetroot - Kestrel
Lettuce - Sweetheart &/or Little Gem
Tomatoes
Large - Moneymaker
planning on growing the cherry/plum type as well next year but in tubs instead of grow-bags which are leaving me a bit underwhelmed
Made a few mistakes with brassicas this year which won't be repeated and growing a lot of stuff for the first time this year so steep learning curve. Desperately need to get hold of some more empty mineral tubs.
Starting to make a list of varieties for next year
so far
Tatties
1st early - Express
Carrots - Nantes and possibly Autumn King
Radish - Scarlet Globe
Beetroot - Kestrel
Lettuce - Sweetheart &/or Little Gem
Tomatoes
Large - Moneymaker
planning on growing the cherry/plum type as well next year but in tubs instead of grow-bags which are leaving me a bit underwhelmed
Made a few mistakes with brassicas this year which won't be repeated and growing a lot of stuff for the first time this year so steep learning curve. Desperately need to get hold of some more empty mineral tubs.
- Location
- Near Beeston Castle
I find tomatoes do a lot better in the soil than in pots, bags etc.
Breakthru
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders
Spanish Slugs, anybody got a problem with them? Have had limited successful trials against them and am looking for more to try out on.
KMA
Member
- Location
- Dumfriesshire
Think I saw my first one the other day but it ended up in a beer trap along with a hell of a lot of normal ones and the odd snail.
Chasingmytail
Member
- Location
- Newport, SE Wales
All my toms are green - bit gutted as havent a tommy in the fridge. Have reverted to the banana skin remedy wish I did this a few weeks ago. My Passandra cucumbers are prolific. Chillies good. Aubergines are just flowering. Just found rust on my kidney beans so pulled away all the lower leaves. Peas are just coming now. Picked a few brocolli and cauli. Resowed seeds for carrots, spinach, rocket & Beetroot. Managed to get a couple of nice ones but I think planting direct into soil end of April was a disaster as 1. the tmp dropped 2. It rained alot and 3. think some seeds too deep.
I used the Nemaslug in May and impressed, however after that wet weather they came out in full force and nearly decimated everything and the moth made loads of holes next year under a net. Had to make the decision to use organic approved slug pellets as the battle was being lost. Used Nemasys now to ensure most other pests are kept at bay. I think worth it. In the Poly I have gone for biological control for the aphids and whitefly.
I used the Nemaslug in May and impressed, however after that wet weather they came out in full force and nearly decimated everything and the moth made loads of holes next year under a net. Had to make the decision to use organic approved slug pellets as the battle was being lost. Used Nemasys now to ensure most other pests are kept at bay. I think worth it. In the Poly I have gone for biological control for the aphids and whitefly.
Chasingmytail
Member
- Location
- Newport, SE Wales
Just a warning just popped out to lock up and there are zillions of slugs on the ground - small. little and large, snails all crunching and sliding under foot. Feel sick now worrying about the damage in the morning.
KMA
Member
- Location
- Dumfriesshire
Refreshed my beer traps last night (had to stop the spaniel drinking the stuff as quick as I poured it) haven't seen much damage this morning but quite a few corpses in the traps.
Planted an eating cherry seedling that Nell's dad sent up last year. Going to be transplanting some beetroot later today. made a smoothie with some of our strawbs, a bit of mint and some rasps which I mooched from the side of lane as I was walking back from dad's greenhouse, I've even left a glass in the fridge for Nell when she gets home from work.
Will sow more spring onions and radish tomorrow. Not sure whether to sow more lettuce or brassicas, still some to plant out as I lift the tatties and free up some tubs. Run out of suitable tubs for the leeks, parsnips and carrots
Planted an eating cherry seedling that Nell's dad sent up last year. Going to be transplanting some beetroot later today. made a smoothie with some of our strawbs, a bit of mint and some rasps which I mooched from the side of lane as I was walking back from dad's greenhouse, I've even left a glass in the fridge for Nell when she gets home from work.
Will sow more spring onions and radish tomorrow. Not sure whether to sow more lettuce or brassicas, still some to plant out as I lift the tatties and free up some tubs. Run out of suitable tubs for the leeks, parsnips and carrots
Chasingmytail
Member
- Location
- Newport, SE Wales
Spent a good hour after midnight running around like a mad woman stepping on every one I saw plus stabbing anything on the potatoes. Millions of the things very unsettling and unable to get to sleep until very late so didnt sleep well. Inspection this morning was good. The whole slug thing has me on edge. On the plus side my Comfrey fertilizer came in the post today so they will all be having a nice wholesome drink tonight.
Chasingmytail
Member
- Location
- Newport, SE Wales
Out of interest does anyone use 1. biochar compost (in part seedling) 2. rock dust. Big fan of Charles Dowding and went to a talk at the Landworkers Alliance.
KMA
Member
- Location
- Dumfriesshire
Lifted the last of my onions yesterday (golden globe) nice size. Garlic came up a couple of weeks ago.
Last of the lettuce and brassicas were transplanted last week and the slugs took 2 of the lettuce to the root so went slug hunting with cup of washing powder. I'd put down cow track so everything didn't sink into the swap and have something solid to walk on but the buggers are using it to hide in so that will be lifted once I've finished lifting the maincrop tatties.
Last of the lettuce and brassicas were transplanted last week and the slugs took 2 of the lettuce to the root so went slug hunting with cup of washing powder. I'd put down cow track so everything didn't sink into the swap and have something solid to walk on but the buggers are using it to hide in so that will be lifted once I've finished lifting the maincrop tatties.
Interesting reading here folks. Have dabbled reasonably successfully with a veg patch over the years, now toying with the idea of scaling up given larger family and bit of local interest. Rotation to include potatoes, sprouts, leeks etc.
Have an odd outlying 1ha piece of ground with nice loamy texture. At this scale I think some meaningful mechanisation will be needed - we are straightforward grassland and arable, have suitable general cultivation kit but no knowledge whatsoever of veg equipment. Would a ransomes faun type harvester be the right sort of thing for lifting a few spuds, will they also handle some other roots - have seen this suggested whilst on google etc?
Basically recommend me some useful veg kit to look out for that is in the hundreds of pounds bracket please!
Cheers
Have an odd outlying 1ha piece of ground with nice loamy texture. At this scale I think some meaningful mechanisation will be needed - we are straightforward grassland and arable, have suitable general cultivation kit but no knowledge whatsoever of veg equipment. Would a ransomes faun type harvester be the right sort of thing for lifting a few spuds, will they also handle some other roots - have seen this suggested whilst on google etc?
Basically recommend me some useful veg kit to look out for that is in the hundreds of pounds bracket please!
Cheers
KMA
Member
- Location
- Dumfriesshire
Just harvested my first horseradish that I planted earlier in the year, cut 3 of the straighter 6" sections to replant and made sauce with the rest. Didn't think that much to it when I was chopping it up and ran out of vinegar so added what I had and left it to sit while I went to get some more, came back and lifted the lid to add the rest, fumes nearly took my face off. No idea what it's going to taste like but it doesn't half clear your sinuses