recoveringbuilder Posted July 8, 2020 Author Share Posted July 8, 2020 Rabbits! I put a fence round the raised beds as we are plagued with rabbits here but the little blighters found a way in! I cropped all the broccoli and carrots at the weekend and froze them . Beautiful big cucumber in the poly tunnel, tomatoes not ready yet but I agree with you on the weather, we had to move all our flower tubs into the garage on Saturday night to protect them from the wind , it’s more like autumn than summer! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 4 minutes ago, Christine Walker said: Rabbits! I put a fence round the raised beds as we are plagued with rabbits here but the little blighters found a way in! I could have picked you one up with myxomatosis this morning and posted it to spread the love. We've got it locally as happens periodically. Not pleasant to see the poor little sods all blind and emaciated. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 2 hours ago, daiking said: This weather, FML. It’s wrecking my courgettes, they’re just dying on the stems with rotten flowers ?. Not sure I’ll ever see a duke either. And nothing else is growing apart from a few leaves in the cold. Roll on next week. I must be at least several weeks behind that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnb Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 I lost a load of apples over the last week or so from high winds. It was the first year the orchard has been even vaguely accessible in a long time. Should still get a good crop come September. The dog roses seem to be doing well. Shame they're so close to the new house and will be in the way of some of the drains. The bramble patch is looking good too, so lots of blackberry and apple crumbles this autumn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpd Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 7 hours ago, dnb said: The dog roses seem to be doing well. I think that is a cultivated rambling rose of some sort, the dog roses I know have a much more simple petal formation, either way it’s doing great and look fab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnb Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 I'm no gardener so I assumed because it was small and there are loads of the same in the hedgerows here. It certainly rambles well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daiking Posted August 13, 2020 Share Posted August 13, 2020 (edited) ffs, I now have (expletive deleted)ing cats emptying a large pot everywhere on the lawn and shitting in the compost as well as other things being dug into, potentially squirrels or the some (expletive deleted)'s ignorant cat again. Edited August 13, 2020 by daiking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted August 13, 2020 Share Posted August 13, 2020 I just bought an air rifle, cheap from Hungary but according to reviews better than most out there, happy hunting!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted August 13, 2020 Share Posted August 13, 2020 2 hours ago, daiking said: ffs, I now have (expletive deleted)ing cats emptying a large pot everywhere on the lawn and shitting in the compost as well as other things being dug into, potentially squirrels or the some (expletive deleted)'s ignorant cat again. I had that problem. I cured it by putting sharp spikes in my flower pots. Made them from old slates. Works a treat, they shit in the neighbours garden now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrerahill Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 On 16/06/2020 at 07:54, joe90 said: I am finding our “garden “daunting”, just got rid of 53 tons of clay and slowly levelling the plot and trying to get topsoil roughly level with the JCB. The plot (including the meadow) is an acre. Problem with the “meadow “is stones, millions of them and the only route is to hand pick them up ?. Still it’s getting there and I am really looking forward to growing plants and veg next year, I bought loads of scaffold boards fir the build and they are earmarked fir raised beds over clay fir the veg behind the workshop A local farmer may have a trommel. Does your JCB have a PTO? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrerahill Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 On 16/06/2020 at 09:42, Cpd said: I am cropping, bok choy lettuce spring onions rainbow chard purple sprouting broccoli kale texal greens radish suger snap peas garlic strawberries all in abundance and having to give stuff away ! It’s amazing what you can do in a small area. I will be getting my polly tunnel up within six months ready for next year as I feel I have outgrown my fish box garden. This is what I want next year - I note you are in Scotland too - good, I have a chance of success! Where about in Scotland - not being noisy, just roughly for climate reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrerahill Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 On 13/08/2020 at 09:47, daiking said: ffs, I now have (expletive deleted)ing cats emptying a large pot everywhere on the lawn and shitting in the compost as well as other things being dug into, potentially squirrels or the some (expletive deleted)'s ignorant cat again. I believe coffee grounds are meant to deter them and also act as a soil filler. I open my kitchen window and chuck the grounds from our machine onto a flower bed in the planning stage - no cat poop or interference yet - yet they do poop on other areas of turned over soil. I had only prepped an area for turf 12 hours and there was cat poo on it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 52 minutes ago, Carrerahill said: A local farmer may have a trommel. Does your JCB have a PTO? Not heard of those, just had to look it up?. No the jcb does not but the furgy does. A local friendly farmer says the stones are not a real problem (now I have spent weeks picking them up!!) and when it’s drier he is going to come over with a power Harrow to get the ground ready for grass seed. Latest update........ just dug a wildlife pond, for once the clay we have has helped, visiting granddaughter loved helping puddle the clay (and falling over in it!). Been 48hrs and it appears to be holding water, just need to grade the banks . 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daiking Posted September 14, 2020 Share Posted September 14, 2020 The growing season has tended toward being a disaster. I have has some runner beans, lettuces, courgettes and cucumbers and a couple of chillies but most wasted. But the tomatoes and aubergines have got nowhere. My outside tomatoes are turning brown from the top. Lost half my courgettes to rotting from the end and even a couple of cucumbers have grown yellow - there green ones. After such a promising spring, the summer in the North West has been poor. too cold and wet for too long and then fried everything with one hot week and torrential rain. I was away for the late August storm which killed several plants including knocking over a very promising chilli plant. Snapped it clean off. Have filled the council green waste bin this week, will be doing again for a few weeks to get rid. Next year will need a bigger covered growing area if I want to expect much more. Need to think about anything that needs autumn planting for next year now. Maybe fruit or some patio shrubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 I just picked the entire tomato harvest in 45 seconds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recoveringbuilder Posted September 25, 2020 Author Share Posted September 25, 2020 1 hour ago, Ferdinand said: I just picked the entire tomato harvest in 45 seconds. I did the same last night as we have had frost last 2 nights, I have a large carrier bag full, it’s sad because it was one helluva crop but not going to ripen now, I am planning on making some chutney but don’t know if I will like it or not ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Christine Walker said: I did the same last night as we have had frost last 2 nights, I have a large carrier bag full, it’s sad because it was one helluva crop but not going to ripen now, I am planning on making some chutney but don’t know if I will like it or not ? Mine were just really late. Not out in the growhouse until July 31st. All now in a (small !) paper bag with a banana. Currently have a nice apple smell in the kitchen as I am doing dried apple rings in the warming drawer for the next 12 hours. First batch below was on a string for 4 days then an evening in a cool oven - far too much of a pfaff. Edited September 25, 2020 by Ferdinand 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 On 08/07/2020 at 21:04, Christine Walker said: Rabbits! I put a fence round the raised beds as we are plagued with rabbits here but the little blighters found a way in! I cropped all the broccoli and carrots at the weekend and froze them . Beautiful big cucumber in the poly tunnel, tomatoes not ready yet but I agree with you on the weather, we had to move all our flower tubs into the garage on Saturday night to protect them from the wind , it’s more like autumn than summer! Why not an air gun and eat the rabbits? (Have I missed something?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recoveringbuilder Posted September 25, 2020 Author Share Posted September 25, 2020 8 minutes ago, Ferdinand said: Why not an air gun and eat the rabbits? (Have I missed something?) Oh no! I couldn’t do that! I also lifted all my beetroot yesterday so have it to pickle as well . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A_L Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 (edited) 35 minutes ago, Christine Walker said: it’s sad because it was one helluva crop but not going to ripen now Leave the calyx on, store in a light cool place, no direct sunshine, with a ripe tomato. Once well dried you can move to a drawer. Do not refrigerate until at least orange in colour. Can ripen over six weeks or more. 13 minutes ago, Christine Walker said: I also lifted all my beetroot yesterday so have it to pickle as well . You can store beetroot in slightly damp (no suggestion even of liquid water on squeezing vigorously) used tomato bag soil until at least March in cold and dark but frost free conditions. Cut stems about 4cm above root (do not twist stems off), allow to dry a little before storing. Edited September 25, 2020 by A_L 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Christine Walker said: Oh no! I couldn’t do that! I also lifted all my beetroot yesterday so have it to pickle as well . Beetroot crisps? ie Thin slices of beetroot dried on wire cooling trays in the warming drawer. The apple, banana and figs seem to be working but I won’t know for sure until the morning. 3.15 9.15 Edited September 25, 2020 by Ferdinand 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daiking Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 3 hours ago, Ferdinand said: I just picked the entire tomato harvest in 45 seconds. ? glad it’s not just me. Terrible summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 (edited) 17 hours ago, Christine Walker said: Oh no! I couldn’t do that! I also lifted all my beetroot yesterday so have it to pickle as well . Do you have an air fryer? I would love to know how verithin slices of beetroot do in one of those. (Having just observed that a packet of Tyrells root vegetable crisps are £2.50 in Tesco, albeit for a 125g packet). Edited September 26, 2020 by Ferdinand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recoveringbuilder Posted September 26, 2020 Author Share Posted September 26, 2020 56 minutes ago, Ferdinand said: Do you have an air fryer? I would love to know how verithin slices of beetroot do in one of those. (Having just observed that a packet of Tyrells root vegetable crisps are £2.50 in Tesco, albeit for a 125g packet). No sir fryer here, my deep fat fryer gave up the ghost a few weeks ago and I considered buying an air fryer but wasn’t convinced my chips would taste the same so just replaced the deep fat fryer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Christine Walker said: No sir fryer here, my deep fat fryer gave up the ghost a few weeks ago and I considered buying an air fryer but wasn’t convinced my chips would taste the same so just replaced the deep fat fryer! Alas ! You will never have the chance to taste homemade fat free beetroot crisps. Or not yet. Edited September 26, 2020 by Ferdinand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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