Lambs lettuce/ Mache
Posted by: Veggie - 23-09-2020, 08:49 PM - Replies (13)

Lamb's Lettuce - known by several other names including Corn Salad, Mache, Rapunzel, Valerianella locusta.
Its one of those seeds that I acquire because they sound interesting but never get around to sowing. 
Its time to sow it apparently and its quick to mature. 
Anyone grown it? Is it worth giving GH space to?

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  Confused apple
Posted by: Jimny14 - 22-09-2020, 11:24 AM - Replies (2)

   

So this will be interesting, saw this yesterday, one of my apple trees which was harvested a few weeks ago has decided to produce some flowers.

Anyone else had this happen? I thought I'd just leave it to it as I'm not sure they'll get through winter.

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  The jobs I INTEND to do TODAY ;)
Posted by: JJB - 21-09-2020, 02:54 PM - Replies (18)

As October approaches and the frantic summer season calms down, I begin to start tidying  up a bit.  I've spent  the  mor nng cutting down the old fruited rasperry canes, and weeding the fruit cage.  I noticed some raspberries growing up in the area of the blackcurrant, too near the net edges, even outside the cage.  I told myself, that's  a job for later, to dig up the errant canes and plant in the gaps.  The excuses for not doing then were myriad, but were probably only procrastination.   I also remembered I told myself the same thing last year, and probably the year before that.

My list of jobs that should be done, but somehow never get done could be endless, but here's a start.  You never know it might spur me to get up off my.....  and actually do some of them.

Tidy the upper shelves of the garden shed.
Throw away pots that haven't been used for several years. - this also applies to wardrobe and clothes Smile
Scrub labels
Move perennials to a more suitable position in the flower bed.
Prune out dead bits from the apple trees before they bud next season.
Replace dying privet in hedge with cutting I took 2 years ago.

What jobs do you never get done?

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  Raspberries
Posted by: JJB - 21-09-2020, 02:40 PM - Replies (2)

Although my query is about poorly raspberries with possible spur/cane blight, I thought to name the thread just raspberries so that it could cover a multitude of sins.

Right!  I have poorly raspberries.   The web indicates it could be a blight of some sort for which there is no home treatment.   The leaves start with brown/black spots which then get bigger until the whole leaf dies and drops off.  The upper fruit cage raspberries, although a little healthier, also have dark brown splodges on the new growing canes.  Ultimately the web recommends dig up diseases canes and  to desist growing raspberries in that soil, which is rather difficult  as the fruit cages are permanent and the non raspberry areas are filled with other soft fruit.  All that said, the raspberries produced more than sufficient for two of us, with plenty to freeze.  I'm tempted to feed, mulch and cosset the canes in the hope they might continue to produce, notwithstanding the disease, which is basically what I've done for the past couple of years.  Any thoughts anyone?

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  Potatoes attacked
Posted by: Can the Man - 20-09-2020, 07:46 PM - Replies (4)

I have had my entire winter new potatoes crop destroyed by aphids (I’m assuming they are called aphids)   All my Pentland javelins and Roosters were growing great they were all at least 2 foot high, when these tiny white flies attacked them. I have been spraying with bug clear (which stinks the tunnel) but to no avail, there are some on my chillies, cucumbers and DFB’s but don’t seem to have been affected the cucumbers at the end of its life so I’ll be pulling them up. 
Any suggestions for what to do in the tunnel ?
What about composting the damaged plants can I ?

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  Feed the Family & Veg Survival Kit
Posted by: Veggie - 19-09-2020, 07:02 PM - Replies (26)

Real Seeds and Franchi sell Seed collections that aim to keep you family fed year round - and to be easy to grow with seeds you can save for the future. 
Since I'm easily tempted I've bought both - the Real Seeds "Feed the Family Collection" bought last February and the Franchi "Vegetable Growing Survival Kit" which is the same as the Brexit seed kit. 

Real seeds : 14 varieties

  • Sanguina beetroot
  • Petrowski turnip
  • Wizard field bean
  • Sutherland kale
  • Leaf Beet chard
  • D' Eyesines fat carrot
  • Bleu de Solaise leek
  • Mortons Secret Mixed lettuce
  • Jessy dwarf sugar snap pea
  • Joan swede
  • Czar runner bean
  • Stupice tomato
  • Verde di Italia courgette
  • Abundance french bean
Order MC46 - £35.90 (although I bought it when there was a discount offer for £26.92)


Franchi Seeds "Vegetable Growing Survival Kit" is £21.99 for 12 varieties but I bought the "Magazine Offer" at £24.99 with 3 mystery packets of seeds extra. They're a bit vague about the varieties of seed in the survival kit but the types (with variety received in brackets) are :-
Short carrot (Paris market)
Lambs Lettuce/Corn salad (as it says!)
Spinach (America)
Broad beans (Aquadulce Supersimona)
Bush tomato (Roma VF)
Cut and come again lettuce (Misticanza- mixed lettuce)

Kale (Cavolo Nero)
Pea (Piccolo Provencale)
Dwarf Borlotto bean (this was actually a Climbing Borlotto Lamon)
Dwarf French bean (N/K yet as they sent Basil by mistake. DFB to come next week with Paolo's apologies. Top marks for customer service) EDIT DFB Boby bianco recived and I can keep the basil. Smile
Pumpkin (Marina di chioggia)
Broccoletti (Spigariello)

For interest, the 3 mystery packets were:-
Gherkin - Piccolo parigi
Lettuce - Barba dei frati
Carrot - Rubrovitamina

In theory, I have enough seeds to Feed my notional family and Survive. All the packets are very generous so I could probably feed the street if I grew the lot!

I think the collections are interesting not only for what's included, but for what is omitted.
There's no cabbage, sprouts or cauli - but kale and Broccoletti.
No cucumbers (as you can't count the freebie gherkins).
No radish or onions - but turnips, swede and leeks.

Would you add anything to these lists or do you think they're sufficient?

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  Storing Beets?
Posted by: Broadway - 19-09-2020, 11:15 AM - Replies (14)

Morning Folks

Can I store lifted beets in spent compost?

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  The I-SPY alphabet spin-off
Posted by: Veggie - 18-09-2020, 11:32 PM - Replies (3)

I want to be ready for when we run the I-SPY in the garden game again next year Wink - by sowing more seeds for each letter of the alphabet.

First up for the As are Aquilegia, Antirrhinum and Aquadulce Broad beans.

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  Kitchen design apps??
Posted by: Scarlet - 18-09-2020, 08:42 AM - Replies (72)

Sorry, I know it's well off topic.....but I'm finally getting a kitchen!!! A big one Smile OMG - I have waited 20 years for this.
I think my husband has been fed up with the "if anyone needs a new kitchen it has to be Scarlet" comments.

My plans ran out but they are alive again - just waiting on the builders quotes. We've decided on a smaller build due to costs but I'm still happy.

I've been trying to draw mine out on paper, but this isn't working. I've a couple of vulnerable peeps at home so I don't want to go trawling the shops looking for inspiration. But this is my one and only chance of getting the kitchen that I want - my OH is already saying "you can add those cabinets later" that will never happen. I want it done as one project. 
I finally get a kitchen that has a big fridge!! I have spent the last 20 years going outside to the fridge in the shed to get stuff while cooking- no fun in the rain.

Anyway - any free apps out there where I can just plot in the measurements and move boxes around?

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  A rather intriguing website and seed catalogue.
Posted by: Mamzie - 16-09-2020, 08:20 PM - Replies (12)

I was innocently browsing the internet when I must have stumbled across a time warp page. As a result I have just lost 2 hours, reading the wonderfully worded pages of this website. Along with being fascinated by some of the rather unusual seeds on offer from them, Tiger nut, Sea beet, Nodding Onion....


"A catalogue of seeds of the different sorts of esculent plants that are raised for use in the kitchen" www.thomasetty.co.uk/seeds/index.html

Continue reading..

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