I love cooking, eating and growing aubergines and know I'm lucky to be able to grow them outoors. I seem to grow a few more plants each year!

On the list this year - 

Italian Long Purple
Rotunda Bianca Sfumata di Rosa
Violettea di Firenze
Thai Green pea - didn't get a harvest last year as they took over two months to germinate, but have over-wintered three plants.
Tsakoniki
Turkish Orange

Afternoon All

I am contemplating whether or not, to launch a Garden and Gossip You Tube channel.

It would allow us to upload videos about our plots, gardens or advice.  As it will be branded as Garden and Gossip, and inline with our original promise of you being party to any decision we make, would do you think?

Now the seed swap is in I'm deciding what varieties to grow.  Some are easy, I will grow these each year willy nilly, it's the new ones I can spend agonising over.

I'm trying to choose between Brandywine or Cherokee Purple.  Any experience  anyone?  One factor that might make my decision is that I have some brandywine and will have to buy Cherokee purple.

Send in your photographs of flowers in bloom this spring. The winner will receive a £15 e-voucher of their choice.

Closing date for entries 15 March 2021

Congratulations TMTT

As you probably know, I have a weakness for Kale - growing it, not necessarily eating it!
So many different colours and leaf shapes, curly and flat. Some large, some small, some annual, others perennial. 

I have a vague plan to sow a few varieties a week until I've worked my way through my Kale Collection (including some other brassicas that resemble kales - like Tree cabbage). 

This week its the A kales:-
Asparagus
Afro
Altmarker Braunkohl
Asturian Tree Cabbage.

ROSE PRUNING!

Don't leave it to late - these are best pruned January or February.

Established Shrub roses - cut down all stems to half the average height of the shrub. Don't worry about slanted cuts or cutting to a bud. Make sur all foliage is removed and cut stems disposed of - put in your green bin. 

Established Climbers. Cut all side shoots on each main stem to around 2 to 3 inches. Ensure all foliage is removed.  Tie in new stems. 

Easy.....it was my job today but it was so cold I've got 2 more climbers to do!

Scarlet has had a clear out of saved tomato seeds - some interesting varieties - and we're looking for volunteers to grow them on with a view to saving seeds for the next swap. 

Everyone in the current seed swap will be receiving them but there are spares that need homes. 
I also have flowers, chillies, beans............all sorts!!

We'd rather they were grown than sit around in a cupboard, unloved. 
No rules, no length of membership requirements, just add your name here, with what you're interested in growing and I'll sort something out for you. 

Thanks.

Saw this on twitter today, a weird thing our brains do. This stuff fascinates me. Hopefully links to twitter allowed apologies if not.

https://twitter.com/OwenJones84/status/1...67951?s=19

Anything that I have read about asparagus crowns tells you to wait till the second or third year after planting before harvesting your crop, but is this absolutely necessary, what would happen to my plants if I harvested my plants on the first year

https://wire.farmradio.fm/farmer-stories...T5jOK8Pc4A

Thought I'd put this here with a view to trying it next winter. I always keep wood ash for the garden/chooks but I'll sift some ready for this experiment.