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Gardening resources and tips, etc.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Sat Aug 22, 2020 12:15 pm

I have just spent 40 mintues trying to right the 8 tomato plants that fell over on the blacony. I was more optimistic about it all than was warranted (unusual for me?!?) The plants have totally dried out, including roots (which might just kill them. They have wilted horribly.) Stems are broken and it's pretty much impossible to prop the plants up again. It goes without saying lots of immature and unripe fruit on teh ground, some crushed. A bowl of more or less ripe windfalls too.
I am upset but not devestated, as we are coming to the end of the season I suppose (although I think it could have been extended on the balcony what with only one side being exposed to the elements) and annoyed with myself as this was my fault, by and large. If I had not let the tanks dry out they would almost certainly not have toppled over. :evil:

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Earthmaiden » Sat Aug 22, 2020 1:34 pm

I should think that they'll be fine if you give them a good watering now as its late in the season. Do the tomatoes need to grow more or just ripen? They'll do that anywhere.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Sat Aug 22, 2020 1:39 pm

Bit of both. We have more 42mph gusts forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday :) i do hope it doesn't happen again. HOpefully filling the tanks and watering from thetop wil help.

Lots of things knocked over down the garden.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby halfateabag » Sat Aug 22, 2020 7:32 pm

Annoying isn't it Herb. All your efforts..... My gladdies did not like the wind and the hollyhock suffered. Thankfully my tommys are in the GH and are ripening up nicely. Some being used in the tomato tart for guests tomorrow.

Lots of branches on the cherry tree are down but only little ones. Yes, keep an eye out for the next wind Tue/Wed.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Sat Aug 22, 2020 9:58 pm

I can't complain too much about the tomatoes. I am currently roasting 4 baking trays' worth and have another big bowl to do tomorrow, and even if the plants die I should still get quite a lot more. I am going to have to have an emergency freezer cull/eat up to accommodate them.
I think normally by the first week of September they are over?
My beautiful gladioli (an amazing colour) is in a pot so I have put it in the lean to, along with a gorgeous dahlia, a Mexican butterfly flower and a red lobelia. Other dahlias are braving it and so far ok, but I couldn't bare the thought of losing these. That said, the wind is set to continue for a few days, so they may be over by the time I can put them outside again.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby halfateabag » Sun Aug 23, 2020 6:47 pm

Beautiful flowers herb ! I took a leaf out of your book today and roasted tomatos - the oven was on.....

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Uschi » Mon Aug 24, 2020 11:40 am

My "little" tomatoes (sown a little late in the year) are almost taller than I. They have been flowering for a while now, but failed to produce any fruit ... or so we thought. They stealthily put on a few small tomatoes ... yayyyy!!!

It will be a while until harvest yet, but hey, they were not out of a packet, but simply from nice tomatoes. It looks as if they will be true to type, they are green yet, but already longish in shape.

They should be pale yellow plum tomatoes with thin skins, plump and sweet.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Suffs » Mon Aug 24, 2020 11:53 am

IMG_1917.JPG


OH spent time at the weekend making a 'cage' to keep the insects and woodpigeons off my purple sprouting broccoli .... now I don't have to keep potting them on and keeping them in the netted coldframe ... I shall go out there and plant them ................now

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby PatsyMFagan » Mon Aug 24, 2020 11:58 am

Do you hire him out Suffs ? I have plenty of little jobs where I need a willing helper .. :roll:

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby slimpersoninside » Mon Aug 24, 2020 12:01 pm

Looks good Suffs.

If we decide to stay put and sort our garden out I feel inspired to have hubby build something similar to house my blueberry and possible future strawberry plants set up. He is totally unaware of this and, should it come to pass, he will not thank you :lol: .

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Pampy » Mon Aug 24, 2020 12:05 pm

Think OH could make you a lot of money, Suffs!
Has anyone bought herb plants online? If so, where from and what did you think about the quality? I've just had a new raised bed made and want to put in some reasonably well established herbs. Because I have problems with walking, it's really difficult to trail round garden centres so it would be much easier to buy online.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Mon Aug 24, 2020 12:12 pm

I have a pop up cage for my brassicas, but obvs not as tall or elegant as yours, Suffs.

I did buy a fruit cage for the dwarf cherries, but didn't put it up in the end as it was very windy at the critical time. My blueberries (which I really must harvest) or in another pop up cage.

Yes I have bought herb plants online. Hetty's Herbs have been good (ordered twice from them), but limited stock now, I think. I had some French tarragon and parsley delivered the other week though. They did come delivered upside down though. Not Hetty's fault, but were quite well packaged so ok.

I also had some from Norfolk herbs earlyish in lockdown. Great service but pricey (very fast) delivery.

Can anyone offer advice on borlotti beans? I have goaogled but still not sure when to harvest them.
Last edited by herbidacious on Mon Aug 24, 2020 12:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Mon Aug 24, 2020 12:14 pm

Oh also the Victorian Nursery company for more unusual things - this is where I got my summer savory for companion planting from.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Suffs » Mon Aug 24, 2020 1:45 pm

I leave borlottis on the vine until the pods begin to dry then I pick them and dry them, in the pod, in a warm dry place like a conservatory ... as in the third post down on this site

https://chat.allotment-garden.org/index ... ic=98112.0

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby karadekoolaid » Mon Aug 24, 2020 1:58 pm

I´ve only grown Borlotti beans once or twice, but as soon as the pods have that deep, purplish streaking on them, they´re ready to eat in my opinion. I pod them then freeze them.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Mon Aug 24, 2020 3:58 pm

So there (at least) two different stages depending on whether you want to have them fresh or dried...

I suppose it's a matter of how fat they feel in the pod if you want them fresh? I seem to be not terrible good at gauging this!

They are very pretty...

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Wed Aug 26, 2020 11:07 am

Rooky (parsley) question: I bought quite a lot of parsley plants this year. Given that they are biennials, will they be of any use next year? Should I use them up?

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Earthmaiden » Wed Aug 26, 2020 11:28 am

I find that my potted parsley usually lasts a mild winter if covered with a cloche in a sheltered spot but rarely otherwise.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby Suffs » Wed Aug 26, 2020 12:20 pm

I leave my parsley in the ground over winter and find that it keeps going until the next year's sowing has grown enough to be useful ... then it becomes quite tough as it bolts. I no longer leave it to self-seed as that doesn't seem to work in this garden, although it has done in some earlier veg patches.

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Re: Gardening resources and tips, etc.

Postby herbidacious » Wed Aug 26, 2020 5:21 pm

I could pop it in my cold frame. It's all in pots.

Thanks!

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