So what’s everyone’s gardening plan for this year?
What’s on your grow list? Anything new ?
Doing anything different?

This year my plan is to only have 2 raised beds in action & 2 tunnels (1 of them not full). 
I’m growing 

Runner beans
Dwarf french bean
Scarlets mystery climbing bean mix
Kale 
Red cabbage 
Broccoli 
Courgette 
Tromboncino 
Vegetable spaghetti 
4 tomatoes 
30 Chillies ( varieties, not plants )
4 sweet pepper 
Aubergine Kermit 
Cucumber 
Lettuce 
Salad mixes 
Plus my perennials ( asparagus, rhubarb, fruit & herbs )

A couple of tomatoes, sweet peppers, chillies & Kermit are new to me this year. 

I’m hoping to store a lot more this year, freeze or dried.

(19-12-2020, 09:59 PM)Veggie Wrote: Remember this? Flowers you're growing or intend to grow with names beginning with E. 

Following on from Admin's You Tube channel thread (which appears to have died a death?) I have decided I need to drag myself, kicking and screaming into the 21st Century.

With the ability to upload to You Tube I need to look at purchasing a budget video-cam.

How much am I looking at price-wise? What do I need to be looking for to video a 5 to 10 minute video? Is it a case of pressing a button (don't want anything too complicated).
I like the idea of the little screen at the side of the vid cam to see what you are videoing.

Do all cams have sound enabled so people can here my dulcet tones while I am filming?

That's enough questions to begin with, any comments and recommendations would be appreciated.

Ta muchly.

This is part autobiography (a very small part) and part history of historical orchard trees as he discusses the 2500 trees he has planted in his new orchard at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Great Milton, Oxfordshire. The book was of interest to me partly because I used to be a cook and have eaten at Le Manoir, and partly because I used to live in the area. He discusses the merits of the fruit for eating and cooking and how easy they are to grow. The trees are mostly historic British trees, with some French varieties that have special meaning to Raymond Blanc and his childhood.
Most of the book is taken up with a history of the specific varieties planted and unless you're a real apple tree buff (and it is mostly apples) it can be quite heavy going, but still fascinating for all that! 
The book also made me realise that my garden has loads more space for carefully trained trees, so I'll be looking to plant some of the very local varities we have down here in Bigorre.

I've taken nine photos of alliums and lookalikes in the garden today.

Can you identify them?
Please post your answers and lets see who would eat what and whether they would be wise to do so.

No prizes so don't even ask.

Ok, I know Veggie does this...and I obviously do occasionally but on other social media I'm seeing people start climbing French beans, squash and all sorts. I have got some bush Tom's going, o just had to start a couple of flowers. Really worried that I've wasted my salvia seeds as stuff grown too early and left inside can often lead to leggy weak seedlings.

I know it's only the cost of a few seeds - but I don't like wasting them if I have to buy them as the postage hikes up the costs. I've given up sowing lots more than I need as compost is precious to me at the moment too. I ran out of pots last year - I'm not going to garden centres. I'm also on a water meter - I've felt it's a waste to use all these resources on growing too many and wasting stuff on chancing my luck and then it going in the compost at the end.

I get that if you don't experiment you never learn - but climbing French beans now is madness or is it?

What early sowings have worked for you? How soon is too soon?

I was going through Dropbox looking for some photos and I came across these from my trip to Oz in 2014. They were taken on the Adelaide river in the NT near Darwin.

                   

First of all, for the younger readers I apologise for using imperial measurement as even though I can work in both imperial and metric I THINK in imperial.

.From what I can gather the generally accepted norm in bed size is 4 foot wide and a 2 foot path in between. This is because the average person can reach 2 foot to the centre of the beds for planting so there is no need to walk on the beds. Taller people might manage with wider beds.
The problem with this is that we need to walk along both sides of the bed to plant it up or stretch to the full width (not good for the back)
I reckon I would manage better with 3 foot beds and cut down the path size to 18 inches. 18 inches is enough to walk along and get a wheelbarrow along if necessary. 3 foot beds COULD if need be, be managed from one side cutting down on the walking (and the back injuries)

Just thinking out loud here but even a  row of 2 foot beds with a 1 foot paths would be even more manageable? As potatoes or brassicas could be planted in a single row of this width it makes a bit of sense to me.

If possible I want to get my bed sizes right the first time as I am nearing the end of my life and probably won't have the energy to change them again

Your ideas pleas?

The recipe I followed this week needed fresh Cumin seeds and my culinary ones were 5 years old and, maybe, a little past their flavoursome best. Its time to grow some!
I have some seeds and you can sow it indoors or underglass all year round. 

That'll be tomorrow's sowing.

Anyone grown cumin before?

Hi all,

Long time lurker...

I'm now self-isolating due to proximity - Mrs Balders is about to order me to do vacuuming around the house! My only chance to avoid is to have a series of 'important' gardening related tasks to accomplish.
So - suggestions for websites for seeds, compost, greenhouses, weird gardening gadgets/tools much appreciated.