How much snow did you get?

[Curly green fingers]

In a previous life had 4 acres of tomatoes ,started under artifical lighting would pick tomatoes end january,looking back costs horrendous

You must of made some money out of it though! Out of season toms must of sold at a premium price .

 

[Curly green fingers]

Five days ago, plus melons and cucumber. Tomato seedlings just started to shoot, melons already 1 inch tall and cucumbers yet to show.
Lettuce also an inch high.
88 strawberry plants of various breeds just starting to put out new growth.

I'm a bit gel really, im a bit late this year I usually plant toms on the first of the month ( Jan)
Last year I grew 2000 tomato plants 5 varieties, they were sold in 9 cm pots for a £1 each to a local shop along with other veg plants . I'm concentrating on more soft fruit this year . strawberries I love do you extend your crop by growing day neutral plants, or pinching the flowers out to give you a longer fruiting season?

 

[Hivemaker.]

strawberries I love do you extend your crop by growing day neutral plants, or pinching the flowers out to give you a longer fruiting season?

Yes, ever bearing, plus growing a few of a climbing variety called skyline, never grown them before so don't know how good or bad they will be.
Over 30 years ago I used to grow absolutely masses of fruit and veg, my wife said it was enough to feed the whole village and nearest town, much of it got wasted, so trying to grow stuff in moderation now, see how long that lasts..lol.

 

[betterbee]

yes before we all joined the eu ,canary island toms had a tarriff imposed on them,12lb box in march 16 pounds ,12 lbs box in june 4 pounds,supermarkets made the money verry high200%mark up,

 

[Millet]

I've grown up to eighty before, but come to realize that ten is plenty.

Acres or plants lol..

 

[Curly green fingers]

Yes, ever bearing, plus growing a few of a climbing variety called skyline, never grown them before so don't know how good or bad they will be.
Over 30 years ago I used to grow absolutely masses of fruit and veg, my wife said it was enough to feed the whole village and nearest town, much of it got wasted, so trying to grow stuff in moderation now, see how long that lasts..lol.

Ill look in to that variety my self . its infectious growing things that's the problem my children love it . I plan to expand one day with there help hopefully.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Acres or plants lol..

Plants, that was too many.

 

[Curly green fingers]

yes before we all joined the eu ,canary island toms had a tarriff imposed on them,12lb box in march 16 pounds ,12 lbs box in june 4 pounds,supermarkets made the money verry high200%mark up,

I'm hoping that leaving the EU, is going to help small growers like me. It seems to me that more and more people are buying from markets/ car boots ect. More than ever which has got to be a good thing . I've been trying over the last 2 years to make my own compost so I'm not buying in so much peat based composts. I was thinking of turning a silage pit into a big compost bin to help my cause I don't think my farther likes the idea :-(

Its snowing again here ( back on thread) ....

 

[madasafish]

]I'm hoping that leaving the EU, is going to help small growers like m[/B]e. It seems to me that more and more people are buying from markets/ car boots ect. More than ever which has got to be a good thing . I've been trying over the last 2 years to make my own compost so I'm not buying in so much peat based composts. I was thinking of turning a silage pit into a big compost bin to help my cause I don't think my farther likes the idea :-(

Its snowing again here ( back on thread) ....

With free access to EU markets, there will be free access from EU to UK. So little change. (And likely little change of EU regs)


OFF TOPIC.. ignore if you don't want a row...
You might wonder why we bother leaving when negotiations finish...in my view.

 

[Curly green fingers]

With free access to EU markets, there will be free access from EU to UK. So little change. (And likely little change of EU regs)


OFF TOPIC.. ignore if you don't want a row...
You might wonder why we bother leaving when negotiations finish...in my view.

I think Everyone will still be arguing about this subject decades after its all sorted ! A bit like most things.

 

[bontbee]

Not even a flake since the thread started...

 

[Hivemaker.]

strawberries I love do you extend your crop by growing day neutral plants, or pinching the flowers out to give you a longer fruiting season?

Some of the strawberries are just starting to flower here, melons are about eight inches high as are the peppers and cucumbers.

 

[SDM]

Some of the strawberries are just starting to flower here, melons are about eight inches high as are the peppers and cucumbers.

Yep, I was amazed to see strawberries growing.in my sister's greenhouse yesterday. Especially as there's more broken panes than intact ones.

 

[madasafish]

Yep, I was amazed to see strawberries growing.in my sister's greenhouse yesterday. Especially as there's more broken panes than intact ones.

Well we've had snow and ice and lots of rain.. typical February. Less mild than 2016 but much milder than 2011/2012.

As for strawberries in the greenhouse, I only start heating it - for frost protection - in March. Any earlier is a total waste of time and money...

Great weather for stratifying manuka and Himalayan poppy seeds..

 

[SDM]

Heating greenhouses ? Frost is a rarity here maybe 3 or 4 mornings this winter. You only have to cross the bridge and head a mile inland and frost and snow are far more common.
Anglesey is probably 3 or 4 degrees warmer in winter and 1-3 cooler in summer than the mainland.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Heating greenhouses ?

Only had a couple of light frosts here, but hydroponic greenhouse is still heated, also extra heat provided by HID and T5 grow lights, plus water heater in nutrient tank.

 

[madasafish]

Only had a couple of light frosts here, but hydroponic greenhouse is still heated, also extra heat provided by HID and T5 grow lights, plus water heater in nutrient tank.

No point here in heating a greenhouse in Feb just to melt snow on roof.. as in prior years..Been there, wasted my money in past. Learn from my mistakes..

 

[Hivemaker.]

No point here in heating a greenhouse in Feb just to melt snow on roof.

I agree, if your not growing anything in it, but just heating it to melt snow on the roof it would be rather pointless.

 

[Millet]

I agree, if your not growing anything in it, but just heating it to melt snow on the roof it would be rather pointless.

 

[MartinL]

No point here in heating a greenhouse in Feb just to melt snow on roof.. as in prior years..Been there, wasted my money in past. Learn from my mistakes..

1/2 way through insulating mine. I'm behind again

It's going to be March next week!