Archive for the ‘vegetables’ Category

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Digging in the dirt

Thursday, June 11th, 2009
Potatoe Farm

Potatoe Farm

 

I lost my footing this evening and fell over in the potatoes, and couldn’t get up! Lindsey had to help me up, so some of the potatoes plants are crushed because I fell on them!

I harvested two bags of potatoes this evening, as I needed 500grams of new potatoes for a salad recipe.

First Early Harvest

First Early Harvest

After Lindsey had seen what I had dug she commented “new potato salad off the menu then”!

The smaller micro-potatoes we boiled-up all the same, and they were very tasty. But what I failed to understand, is why the larger potatoes were very green, these were not near the top, so I don’t think light had caused them to go green, as I had earthed up the potatoes, I’m now wondering if I’ve left them in the ground too long, or harvested them too early.

So we didn’t eat the green potatoes, as I’ve read green potatoes can be poisonous!

Oh well, there’s always the second earlies, salad and main crop to try, and then Xmas Potatoes!

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Potatoe Farm update – ready?

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009

An update on how the potatoes are growing. I’ve been reminded by the calendar it’s time to dig-up my First Earlies – Epicure, which should be ready for harvesting now.

Potatoe farm

Potatoe farm

 

 

First Earlies Epicure - ready for digging up?

First Earlies Epicure - ready for digging up?

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Automated Water Irrigation System

Sunday, May 31st, 2009

I had hoped to plant-out my tomatoe plants today, but I spent much of the hot afternoon installing my Hozelock automatic water irrigation system, now that the frosts have gone (fingers crossed), I don’t leave them out all year, and store them in the shed, after October to protect from frosts.

 

Hozelock AC4 and AC1+ Garden Water Timers

Hozelock AC4 and AC1+ Garden Water Timers

The Hozelock AC4 and AC1+ have since been discontinued, (probably available new and used from eBay.), but newer models are available which do the same thing. I have two different models which automatically water the plants at the top and bottom (greenhouse), early morning at 7am and late evening 8pm for an hour. It takes me a while to setup, because I have to drape the water dripper pipe around the base of the blue berry and goji berry bushes. I use two drippers per 18″ pot for my blueberry bushes, I’ve noticed that blueberry bushes “drink” alot, and it’s very important to keep the plants moist in this hot weather to avoid crop loss.

 

Hozelock 4mm pipe around the base of blueberry bush

Hozelock 4mm pipe around the base of blueberry bush

The new style Hozelock, quick water irrigation system is much easier to install with potted plants, I also have three of them. I’ll post some pictures, when I set them up, in the greenhouse.

 

Hozelock 4mm pipe around the base of blueberry bush

Hozelock 4mm pipe around the base of blueberry bush

You can see the drippers in this photograph.

 

Hozelock 4mm pipe around the base of tomatoe plants

Hozelock 4mm pipe around the base of tomatoe plants

I’ve used a John Guest on/off ball valve (yes, John Guest fittings work on this pipe as well!), to turn off the water if I need to. Oh I think these tomatoe plants have had it, I planted them out early under glass cloches, only problem is over the last two days, with the heat, I think it’s killed them!

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Cheap Multi-purpose compost

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

When you use as much compost as I do, (I’ve already used 500 litres of homemade from the compost heap and now it’s empty) it’s always nice to be able to find a cheap bulk supply of multi-purpose compost. I’ve been visting the local independant garden centres, chains and DIY stores, the best deal around seem to be 3 (three) 75 litres bags for £12, of one brand of the other. I then  notice this offer from Wickes, 4 (four) 75 litres bags for £11.74 (which makes me think, I think the garden centres are ripping us off, because the bags would have been marked up with £12 before the VAT cut to 15%!. So four bags were dumped into the back of the car. I thought it was a good deal anyway.

Wickes Multi-Purpose Compost

Wickes Multi-Purpose Compost

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BBC – Dig In – Grow your own grub with Dig In

Monday, May 18th, 2009

Have you got your seeds yet?

I think it might be too late to apply online,

But See when it’s visiting a town near you?

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Gravel Pit Allotments Association

Sunday, May 17th, 2009
Gravel Pit Allotments Association Home Page

Gravel Pit Allotments Association Home Page

I’ve been a bit busy recently with the development of a new website for the newly formed Allotment Association in my parish. The allotment association calls itself Gravel Pit Allotments Association because it’s hoped the site will be developed on a field called Gravel Pit field. You can read what we’ve all been up to here on the website Gravel Pit Allotments Association.

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Warning Frost Alert!!!

Saturday, May 9th, 2009

and because Jack Frost is coming to visit this evening (so says the weather forecast), I thought I better wrap up the potatoes, Blue-berry and goji-berry bushes. The problems with late frosts this time of year, is it damages the flowers on the Blue-berry bushes, and no flowers, no berries! It’s the moisture in the air around the plants that causes the problem when the temperature drops, and frost appears, so if you cover up the plants before darkness falls, this traps in the warm air – well that’s the theory!

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Potatoe Farm update – Earthing-up

Saturday, May 9th, 2009
My potatoe farm has been romping away, I’m surprised that all the 48 tubers from Unwins have sprouted, except one, despite them looking rubbish before they were planted. Time to earth them up again…(I’ve also heard on the weather forecast, we are getting a frost tonight, so want to protect the delicate chutes).

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Cheap Growbags

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009
I purchased ten Bulrush Growbags from Somerfields today, cheap at £1.29 each, well cheaper than my local garden centre. I was going to have them delivered and save my back and car, but free delivery was only available over £25, and I would have to have purchased another ten!
Ten Bulrush Growbags

Ten Bulrush Growbags

 I’ve never heard of Bulrush growbags, but these are for my tomatoes when I put them out at the end of the month.

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Compost frame (After)

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

(sorry folks got distracted, the Chairperson of the newly formed Allotment Association came to collect some of my Tomatoe plants!)

After some cutting with the jigsaw, hammering of nails, and stapling here we have the new lid.

Compost Lid

Compost Lid

 

it sits on top of the composter

Composter

Composter

 

I’ve recently dug out over 500 litres of organic compost, which has been used in the garden. Here’s a picture of compost corner.

 

Compost Corner

Compost Corner

Two plastic composters made from recycled plastic, and a 1m x 1m square wooden composter, the wood has started to rot, so this will need replacing in the next year or so.

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