First cucumber

[enrico]

Eat my first two cucumbers....scrummy.
Tomatoes set on the plants.
Fed up of moving things in and out of the greenhouse with these cold nights. Caught all my dahlias and tips of potato plants.
Looking warm for next week though
E

 

[Erichalfbee]

Our tomatoes, aubergines and peppers in the poly tunnel have been fleeced for the last five night. So have the spuds in buckets outside but they got nipped.
We had some early fruit on our cucumber in the greenhouse but Stan drowned it so I’ve had to start again.

 

[Buzz Bee Babe]

I’ve had a couple of mini munch cucumbers, really nice with lettuce. My courgettes took a bit of a whack from Jack Frost but I think they will bounce back next week. Have a grand season guys

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

SWMBO's courgettes have taken a hammering (that's what you get from listening to Monty Don) apart from that, things look OK

 

[pargyle]

Oh my ... you are all so far ahead ... my cucumber plants are only just poking up out of the compost ... my squash plants are only about an inch high and as for my swede and turnips ... I can just see the head of the seed germinating in the plug pots ...

Have you all migrated to the tropics or do you have heated greenhouses ?

 

[E&MBees]

Oh my ... you are all so far ahead ... my cucumber plants are only just poking up out of the compost ... my squash plants are only about an inch high and as for my swede and turnips ... I can just see the head of the seed germinating in the plug pots ...

Have you all migrated to the tropics or do you have heated greenhouses ?

That was my thought!

My cucumbers and tomatoes are slightly larger at 10cm tall, but it won’t be until the summer that I get any produce.

 

[Pugmitch]

Ne’er cast a clout before May is out is the saying hereabouts. There’s always a chance of a frost before the first week in June here in Herefordshire. It’s why the garden centres make a fortune selling bedding plants and soft veg from March onwards!
The farmers here have been known to pull their trousers down and sit on the ground to tell whether to sow or not......not me mind you!
All my bedding and courgettes etc still warm and cosy in the cool greenhouse; ever after -3 this week. Planting out begins 1 June!

 

[enrico]

We start plants really early using grow lights and heated trays. I hate it when salad crops are just coming into their own in autumn! We then continually pot on until it is safe to plant outside. We take risks with the weather even here in the south but we can cover most crops. It is stopping wet frost on the leaves that is most important so a big blue builders sheet over the whole bed seems to work well on a cold night. I have to confess I have had to heat my greenhouse between 0100 and 0500 this week just enough to keep the frost off but I have a cold greenhouse too with no heat and tomatoes in there have survived ok
You just have to take a few risks and keep sowing in succession in case the first ones don't make it. You can always sell or give away unwanted plants!
E

 

[Erichalfbee]

Early start for me too. We’ve had to fleece the plants in the tunnel for the last four nights. Never had to do that before

 

[pargyle]

Mind you ... down here on the Costa del Fareham we will still be sunbathing in November when you are tucked up in front of the woodburner ....and shovelling the snow off the porch ~ so at least I have time on my side !!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Ne’er cast a clout before May is out is the saying hereabouts. There’s always a chance of a frost before the first week in June here in Herefordshire. It’s why the garden centres make a fortune selling bedding plants and soft veg from March onwards!
The farmers here have been known to pull their trousers down and sit on the ground to tell whether to sow or not......not me mind you!
All my bedding and courgettes etc still warm and cosy in the cool greenhouse; ever after -3 this week. Planting out begins 1 June!

yes - SWMBO has just found out the difference between listening to local experience handed down for well over two centuries and listening to Monty Don and waking up in the morning to a plot full of dead courgette and pumpkin plants

 

[pargyle]

yes - SWMBO has just found out the difference between listening to local experience handed down for well over two centuries and listening to Monty Don and waking up in the morning to a plot full of dead courgette and pumpkin plants

In fairness, Monty was issuing caution about putting tender plants out and even admitted that he's lost some to frost. Local conditions in gardening are just as critical as in beekeeping .. even then you can get caught out !

 

[Curly green finger's]

I've not grown cucumbers this year but we've been eating spring onions, radish, lettuce, spring cabbage, my broad beans have set raspberries are fruiting and will be ready in June. strawberries are about the size of a 50p again ready at the start of June.
My runner beans are 5ft tall.
Kale, red onions will also be ready in early June.
These are all in tunnels.
My beans that I grow out side have been fleeced all week and have had a hammering from the weather but still alive ' just'.

 

[enrico]

Broad beans and strawberries already being eaten here

 

[Curly green finger's]

Broad beans and strawberries already being eaten here

You bugger Eric, I think I'm living in the wrong area!! you never no I might move one day down near to exeter where my uncle lives just outside Exmouth/Dawlish.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

In fairness, Monty was issuing caution about putting tender plants out and even admitted that he's lost some to frost. Local conditions in gardening are just as critical as in beekeeping .. even then you can get caught out !

I don't think he's giving quite the same information on his facebook (or whatever) page, but who am I to argue, she is determined to plough her own furrow (well, not quite, it's muggins that still has to do the digging and heavy work) so I'll leaver her to it - to the point that even 'I told you so' will not be uttered

 

[pargyle]

so I'll leaver her to it - to the point that even 'I told you so' will not be uttered

Wise move - 'er indoors is a rabid follower of Monty on Gardeners World but mainly flowers ... more than my life is worth to suggest what she's doing is wrong ... and suggesting Monty is wrong is probably grounds for divorce !

I need a polytunnel and cheap electricity next year I think ... and a move to sunny Someset !