Planting 2012

[jansman]

jim,pests are a problem. I find you have to operate a pre-emptive strike. 'napalm' the little gits with slug pellets,and keep a permanent trap for mice. Always assume they are there.

As fir the spuds,they do great in pots. Been doing them that way for yrs. they are good for first earlies and second. Maincrop are good in black bags full of home made compost. I feed them every week with liquid Comfrey. This way of growing saves loads of valuable ground. Regarding the vandalism,I can only think you should inform the law. Not much else you can do really.

[maddriver]

jim,pests are a problem. I find you have to operate a pre-emptive strike. 'napalm' the little gits

For a minute there I thought you were talking about the youths.

I've been growing potatoes in the planter bags the last 2 or 3 years, although this year I may nab some pallets from work to build planters for them. I've been tempted to try these for a while too http://www.victoriananursery.co.uk/vege ... opper_kit/

[preppingsu]

Spending a day in the garden, in the lovely sunshine and it's starting to look OK. I have French beans coming up, little tomatoes on plants, potatoes are looking good. But no carrots, parsnips, swede, etc so replanting seeds. Have got some Brussel sprouts starting to show which the family moaned about.

My only concern is that if I was relying on early carrots, spring cabbage etc to feed my family we would be very hungry. I am planting now as much as I can and will preserve as much as I can just in case we have a poor spring next year.

[jansman]

Spending a day in the garden, in the lovely sunshine and it's starting to look OK. I have French beans coming up, little tomatoes on plants, potatoes are looking good. But no carrots, parsnips, swede, etc so replanting seeds. Have got some Brussel sprouts starting to show which the family moaned about.

My only concern is that if I was relying on early carrots, spring cabbage etc to feed my family we would be very hungry. I am planting now as much as I can and will preserve as much as I can just in case we have a poor spring next year.

So true. Of course these next 3 months used to be known as "The Hungry Gap".
This ties in nicely with Diamond Lil's thread about dried veg.

[diamond lil]

I've got a book about how people ate 200 years ago (in Scotland anyway) and it says in the hungry gap they used nettles, sorrel and chickweed to supplement the oatmeal and prevent scurvy. But this year even the nettles havent started to grow yet.

[jansman]

I've got a book about how people ate 200 years ago (in Scotland anyway) and it says in the hungry gap they used nettles, sorrel and chickweed to supplement the oatmeal and prevent scurvy. But this year even the nettles havent started to grow yet.

It makes you realise what a wide range of foods we have available today. Chickeeed was also hawked around London by Costermongers at this time of year. Actually it is quite a pleasant ,crunchy and sweet vegetable.

[maxilaura]

quick question regarding all the planting advice and timetable - can you plant out of the timetable? eg. it says plant in April - can I plant at the end of May?

[Chef]

Planting timetables are just general guides planting varies quite a bit by region for one, in Surrey you're on a parallel with me in Kent pretty much and we get a longer growing season than say North Wales or Scotland.

[maxilaura]

thanks Chef for the advice

[jansman]

quick question regarding all the planting advice and timetable - can you plant out of the timetable? eg. it says plant in April - can I plant at the end of May?

Given the way rhe climate has changed in the last 20 yrs I think you can push those dates by 3 weeks now.