A couple of weeks ago I dug out a deep trench and lined it with some well-rotted horse manure. A wire was run between two posts and twenty two 8' canes were attached to this 10" apart using special clips that made the job a very easy one.
It is at this point that my Scottish friends will now be pissing themselves with laughter. 'Linda, will yae ken what that wee saxon eejit is trying to dae noo!'
Yes I know....only 22 plants when you're growing 120, and only 10" apart when Ian Simpson recommends 18" to stop pods getting damaged. I may have lofty ambitions but I never said I wasn't stupid, and for now I only have room for this one row. But as I managed to win the Midlands with only 14 tomato plants so I shall give this one small row all the tender loving care it's possible for a man to give! I'm hoping they'll respond to the extra cossetting they're going to get and that I'll be able to keep on top of such a small number and give myself maximum chance come August. Besides, if mildew attacks it will be easier to spray a few rather than many. It will also be easier to pull them all up if the experiment fails!
I sowed 15 peas yesterday and will sow another 15 in 4 days time, planting out the best 11 from each batch. Come on my babies!
I hate to say it but I'm getting really concerned about my tomatoes. The yellowing foliage on the bottom leaves doesn't seem to be getting better despite a couple of sprays with epsom salts and a watering with calcium. I noticed the problem a couple of weeks ago but wasn't too concerned at first as it was confined to the bottom set of leaves only. Now it has advanced to the next two sets of leaves up and something is patently not right. Tomatoes can be funny things and take a while to get themselves balanced out so I'm hoping all will be well eventually.
And at last my long beet is now all through, although the ones that germinated a few weeks ago will be way ahead of those that have only just germinated, so getting a matching set may well be a tall order.
Thanks to regular sprayings with Decis there are no caterpillars on my brassicas as yet and these Brigadier and red cabbages 'Rodeo' are about the best i've ever had at this stage. I put the black membrane beneath them to keep the lower leaves off the soil. It allows water through but keeps weeds down.
9 comments:
Will you be entering peas and/or beetroot in Westminster this year?
Beetroot hopefully.
Impossible to get peas benched that late in the year.
those cabbages look wonderful! I can never keep the slugs off!
Cherry Picker booked for mid August then ?
Looks like Tomatoes have been starved of water at some time,I have had some mould on some of my leaves which have been removed and burnt havent a clue what it was but seems to be cured now. Good luck with your 22 Peas.
Matron...i put pellets down to keep slugs away. I also gave some cabbages to my neighbours and I can see them over the garden fence. So far they're hole free too so it will be good to see if Decis really does keep the cabbage whites etc at bay
Dan.....are you suggesting I is a short-arse.
Paul.....i always advocate watering after planting and then leaving them until they beg for water. Perhaps I overdid it this year. On Dave T's advice I've given them a top dress of ammonia sulphate and things appear to be greening up.
Simon
I've grown long beetroot for the first time this year and I sowed them about the 7th April as I had no idea how long they take to mature? What is the time scale for them, I must admit they have plenty foliage but no idea whats happening under ground. Unfortunatly shows start up here on the 30th July but was really aiming for 3rd August or 13th August so was wondering if the beets would be ready for that.
John
In theory globe beet take 15 weeks. In reality they can take 8 to 20 I find!
You need to do several rows to cover your shows. When doing a matching set I find i'm picking matching roots from rows sown several werks apart.
I find Pablo can be all sizes from one sowing.
I've got a couple of different sowing dates for my globe beetroots and I've gone for Red Ace and Crimson King. The variety I've got going for the Long Beets is Cheltenham Green Top.. I guess I wont know what I've got until I pull them. Only got 15 in so he ho.
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