Small spuds

[Antipodes]

Some things are remarkably different and better tasting .. sweetcorn straight from the plot into the pot far exeeds anythng you can buy. Broad beans - again fresh from the plot have an amazing taste compared to the ones that have sat in the supermarket for days. Runners that yuou pick when they are still young and have not achieved the leathery, stringy state that seems obligatory for ones sold in shops. Cucumbers grown in well fertilised soil. Parsnips - end of - so different. All soft fruit. Tomatoes.

There are other things that don't seem to much improved in home grown varieties ... swede - indeed, most root crops except parsnips, courgettes (although I grow them for their quantity - although after the first six weeks we usually run out of recipes to cope with the continuing glut and they are devoid of taste anyway !).

Some things I just can't grow - peas - something eats the shoots, carrots - hate the clay soil, most greens and cabbage related crops (insect and snail damage).

I think there is a feel good factor in eating what you have grown, knowing where it has come from and that it is organically grown - sometimes being able to share your good fortune in a glut with friends and family - little goes to waste from my allotment.

One thing I can't grow here are passionfruit. High value at $1 each, but after 4 attempts I give up. I got one to grow really well, but it only ever produced a couple of fruits so I cut it down because it sent out suckers everywhere from the root stock. Still producing them 6 years later!!. Others in Tasmania grow them really well and I remember the one as a child with a stem like a great anaconda.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Some things are remarkably different and better tasting ..
Tomatoes.

courgettes (although I grow them for their quantity - although after the first six weeks we usually run out of recipes to cope with the continuing glut and they are devoid of taste anyway !).

Some things I just can't grow - peas -

I grow Tomatoes, courgettes, peppers, aubergines, garlic and onions so that I can stuff half a freezer with roasted mediterranean veg. It just about lasts us till the next crop and is a wonderful base for so many dishes.
I grow my peas split into an early crop in the poly tunnel and a later one outside. They seem to cope with the clay.

 

[Goran]

Beside veggies we grow also a lot of various fruit trees, a lot more than we can eat.. We share to people a lot, but lot rot also ( to sell it, it is worthless and people won't buy it).. We start with strawberries ( not tree, but..), continue with cherries, sour cherries, blackberries, raspberries, plums, apricots, pears, apples, vineyard peaches, aronia, medlar, sorb, quince, grapes, walnuts, hazelnuts, and some..

 

[beekeepershens]

fresh vegs straight from the garden are far better than the local shop despite their regular deliveries, I struggle with oranges and bananas tho choice can be very limited, .... but the flowers on the fruit and vegs are needed for the bees ............... am I on the wrong forum? I thought this was the bee one ...

 

[pargyle]

I grow my peas split into an early crop in the poly tunnel and a later one outside. They seem to cope with the clay.

Peas on our allotment site all seem to be attacked by some sort of tiny beetle .. we all have the same problem..it decimates the foliage and the vines don't develop sufficiently to give a crop ...I don't use sprays and my usual standby - diluted washing up liquid - has no effect. I love fresh garden peas but ... no hope - tried for years and failed. Its only the peas they go for...

 

[pargyle]

............. am I on the wrong forum? I thought this was the bee one ... View attachment 23578

Bees ? ... no you are in the wrong forum.... this is the forum for mostly confused ageing bigoted beekeepers who like a good argument ... you've slipped into the void !

 

[Apple]

Bees ? ... no you are in the wrong forum.... this is the forum for mostly confused ageing bigoted beekeepers who like a good argument ... you've slipped into the void !

Speak for yerself sweetie... I REFUSE to grow up !!!!

Nadelik Lowen

 

[Erichalfbee]

Bees ? ... no you are in the wrong forum.... this is the forum for mostly confused ageing bigoted beekeepers who like a good argument ... you've slipped into the void !

Well, we can’t talk about bees ALL the time.

 

[pargyle]

Well, we can’t talk about bees ALL the time.

Oh ... I don't know, I think I can ... fastest way I know to get rid of guests ovestaying their welcome .. veer the conversation towards your bees and beekeeping !

 

[Murox]

Speak for yerself sweetie... I REFUSE to grow up !!!!

Nadelik Lowen

Does that mean you're a moody irascible teenager or a petulant child

 

[Apple]

Does that mean you're a moody irascible teenager or a petulant child

SWMBO's cry is... your worse than the kids!

Surfs up !

Nadelik Lowen

 

[Murox]

SWMBO's cry is... your worse than the kids!

Surfs up !

Nadelik Lowen

Surf is always up -

 

[Apple]

Surf is always up -

Two to three meters and clean today at Newquay!

Nadelik Lowen

 

[Bryang]

I have problems with whitefly in the tunnel if I’m not careful but this stuff from The Green Gardener sorts it.
I did try Encarsia but not convinced

View attachment 23572

I used Encarsia Formosa in my old greenhouse some years ago. I dismantled it and rebuilt it as a lean to greenhouse up my allotment.. The whitefly in the old greenhouse was decimated, and the immunity was trasferred to the new location... For those not familiar with Encarsia Formosa, it is a minute parasitic wasp that lays its eggs into the larva of whitefly, which is a moth. Encarsia can overwinter in the greenhouse , I was advised not to use any pesticides and to provide a "nesting" place for them to overwinter in. They prefer to overwinter in wood crevices. It usually takes 2/3 doses spaced out thru the year to take effect. I bought them in for 2 years and haven't needed to get any since

 

[Bryang]

Pargyle Do the leaves of the peas have notches in them?. If I plant pea seeds straight into the ground in my allotment most of them fail because of predation. I now plant the seeds in troughs made from 2 ft approx lengths of rainwater guttering, filled with garden compost, I use the stuff from B&Q. I keep them on trestles in the poly until they are a good size (2/4 Inches) and then plant them out. just slide them of the guttering into a small trough you have raked into the soil. Give the soil trough a scattering of chicken manure pellets before planting the peas.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I used Encarsia Formosa in my old greenhouse some years ago. I dismantled it and rebuilt it as a lean to greenhouse up my allotment.. The whitefly in the old greenhouse was decimated, and the immunity was trasferred to the new location... For those not familiar with Encarsia Formosa, it is a minute parasitic wasp that lays its eggs into the larva of whitefly, which is a moth. Encarsia can overwinter in the greenhouse , I was advised not to use any pesticides and to provide a "nesting" place for them to overwinter in. They prefer to overwinter in wood crevices. It usually takes 2/3 doses spaced out thru the year to take effect. I bought them in for 2 years and haven't needed to get any since

You’ve encouraged me to have another go. Thanks

 

[pargyle]

Pargyle Do the leaves of the peas have notches in them?. If I plant pea seeds straight into the ground in my allotment most of them fail because of predation. I now plant the seeds in troughs made from 2 ft approx lengths of rainwater guttering, filled with garden compost, I use the stuff from B&Q. I keep them on trestles in the poly until they are a good size (2/4 Inches) and then plant them out. just slide them of the guttering into a small trough you have raked into the soil. Give the soil trough a scattering of chicken manure pellets before planting the peas.

I've always planted them straight into the ground on the allotment ...and yes - they do get notched on the leaves and then rapidly the leaves disappear altogether and they rarely even get going beyond a few inches and then just die off. I have some spare guttering laying about (as you would expect !). I'll try that this year and see if I can get a crop. Thanks.

I gave up with the B&Q Verve compost a couple of years ago as it had more bits of stick and plastic in it than I thought was acceptable - I buy Westlands compost now which appears a bit better and as long as you buy it with the multibuy deals early in the year it's not that much more expensive than the B&Q stuff.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I gave up with the B&Q Verve compost a couple of years ago as it had more bits of stick and plastic in it than I thought was acceptable - I buy Westlands compost now which appears a bit better and as long as you buy it with the multibuy deals early in the year it's not that much more expensive than the B&Q stuff.

Can't remember what compost we buy now - Westland occasionally but we're lucky as Tanya (who rents our fields) has started her own animal feeds business and acquired some decent peat free compost this year at a price comparable to the cheap shops. Another advantage of having a 'tenant' with a stock feed business is, as well as selling our honey in the shop (which benefits her as much as me as people now come to the shop just for honey, but as they're there.....) she now takes deliveries for me and stores my jars etc. in her warehouse - and her forklift makes short work of unloading.
As for peas, to be honest I've never had a problem, I also don't faff around with individually planting each pea at the regulation distance apart, I just cut a shallow trench the width of the shovel then broadcast the peas in before covering (about half a kilo is ample for a 22ft row) Had good results every year.

 

[Bryang]

I've always planted them straight into the ground on the allotment ...and yes - they do get notched on the leaves and then rapidly the leaves disappear altogether and they rarely even get going beyond a few inches and then just die off. I have some spare guttering laying about (as you would expect !). I'll try that this year and see if I can get a crop. Thanks.

I gave up with the B&Q Verve compost a couple of years ago as it had more bits of stick and plastic in it than I thought was acceptable - I buy Westlands compost now which appears a bit better and as long as you buy it with the multibuy deals early in the year it's not that much more expensive than the B&Q stuff.

That is the same problem I had with the peas.. The culprit is a beetle, I call a flee beetle, don't know if that is the correct name. By planting the seeds earlier in troughs you are giving the plants a better chance to survive. The roots are much stronger. The beetles still have a go at them but because they have a good start they can grow away. Another tip is to give the compost in the trough a water with a weak solution of a high nitrogen fertilizer such as Miracle Grow. Like you I use only organic fertilizers in the allotment but I like to give the plants a good start. I give a lot of plants to a local (ish) allotment club, in return I get my fertilizers at cost.

 

[beekeepershens]

Pargyle Do the leaves of the peas have notches in them?. If I plant pea seeds straight into the ground in my allotment most of them fail because of predation. I now plant the seeds in troughs made from 2 ft approx lengths of rainwater guttering, filled with garden compost, I use the stuff from B&Q. I keep them on trestles in the poly until they are a good size (2/4 Inches) and then plant them out. just slide them of the guttering into a small trough you have raked into the soil. Give the soil trough a scattering of chicken manure pellets before planting the peas.

I tried everything (I thought) including troughs resting on the crop bars in the tunnel and still the mice/voles ate the lot