It's getting towards that time of year again. What are you all planning on growing?

I have some seeds on the way from Russia, if they arrive safely my 8 greenhouse tomatoes will be (varieties with * are new for this year):

Cowboy - black beefsteak bred by Karen Olivier from Canada, named in memory of her father 
Daniel Burson - black beefsteak
Mat-Su Express - red beefsteak, early to ripen, love the flavour, didn't grow it last year and missed it
Pink Honeymoon F1 - pink beefsteak
Red Lithium* - red beefsteak with yellow stripes, a accidental cross of Lithium Sunset and an unknown variety, quite hard to find
Shake The Disease* - dark beefsteak with green, metallic stripes
Strangelove* - bicolour orange/red with anthocyanin shoulders
Suffer Well* -  dark beefsteak with green, metallic stripes

These will all be grafted onto Estamino F1 rootstock, since last year every tomato in the greenhouse soil did badly except the two grafted plants. This year I'm going to try side grafting, and I've ordered extra rootstock seeds to account for losses. 

If you're a fan of Depeche Mode you may have realised that the last three in the list are named after their songs. They were bred by Bill Yoder from Georgia, USA. He also has a family of tomatoes named after Prince songs. 

Not 100% sure what I'll be growing outside this year, except for 9 x Nagina F1 (Crimson Plum). Possibly Cherrola F1, Sakura F1 and Yellow Mimi F1 or Honey Delight F1 for vining cherries, and some blight resistant bushes e.g. Orangeto F1, Terenzo F1, Orangello F1, Romello F1.

Its raining so I've been exploring the back of the cupboard, looking for stuff that has lurked there for a while, usually food items that don't fit easily into my normal eating pattern (quick and easy). Things like dried beans that need to be soaked overnight or cooked for hours, unusual grains, flours, sauces and pickles. Or stuff I've been given that I wouldn't buy for myself but can't bear to throw away! So, I've decided to pick one (at least) item a day  and cook with it. 

Care to join me with your unexpected items?
Recipe ideas welcomed.

Today, its Spelt grains that came in a Hodmedod's mystery parcel (best before 31/3/21). They've been simmering for 45 minutes, after an initial soak for an hour. Not sure what I'll do with them next.

Hi all, just joined this forum and hope it will be a nice way to share some gardening ideas as the season begins. 

I've just moved to North Wales after living in London for 27 years and now have a quarter of an acre garden with lots of mature plants and lots of ideas being hatched to add to it. 

Strangely it doesn't have a veggie growing area so will be making a little start on a potager by digging some old turf out and trying to see what will grow.

Imagine that you have grown 6 perennial broccoli plants and you know that they grow into large plants. They are also vulnerable to attack by pigeons and cabbage white butterflies. 
You don't have an undercover, netted area in which to plant them. 

Would you plant them in a group or separately around the garden - or any other option that comes to mind? 

Asking for a friend.

How do you store your plant labels? I’m just interested. I sorted mine yesterday and changed how I store them.
Before yesterday I kept them in an old whiskey bottle gift tin. They were then split into categories and bundled together with elastic bands. 
Now they’re still in the same tin. I’ve sectioned the tin now so no more snapping elastic bands. And I’ve added a couple more categories to reduce the search time.       
Flower labels have their own container and so do new and cleaned for reuse labels.

So what do you do with yours? And do you have a huge amount? 
I was very surprised how many I’d actually got. I cleaned 117 for reuse yesterday   

I have been and still am creating a lot of rock dust. Today I suddenly wondered if I could use it? I know volcanic rock dust is used. Not sure if granite dust has any value/ properties worth adding to compost or garden? Anyone any idea?

Last year many of my cheapo (poundland) onion sets bolted. The seed sown ones, whilst smaller, didn't.  I'm planning on sowing some seed onions today to give them a bit longer growing period than last year.

I noticed D T Brown advertising heat treated sets at an eye-watering price compared to Poundland or Home Bargains.  What's the team think of heat treated onion sets and have you used them to advantage.  TBH no matter the advantage I can't see me forking out £9.70 for 160 ish sets plus p&p when I can get the equivalent for a couple of quid. Plus I don't need 160.

Any recommendations on heated propagators ?
 I really don’t think mine is doing well. To be fair it’s knocking on a bit and was one of the cheapest on the market. 
I wouldn’t mind upgrading to something with temperature control. If anyone can recommend anything. Or even point me in the right direction. 
Thank you 

Do you have a song which is meaningful for you? You can change the words as appropriate!

As I walked into Aldi this morning, my song popped into my mind and I can't get rid of it now!

"The minute you walked in the shop,
I could see you liked reductions
A real No Spender.
Scruffy looking, face so lined,
I'd kinda like to know what's going on in your mind

So let me get straight to the point
I don't open my purse
For every bargain I see
Hey No Spender, spend a little money on me.

What is your favourite vegetable? Is your favourite the same for growing & eating? Or do you have a different one for each? Does your favourite have to be a particular variety or are you happy to generalise? 

I’m finding this a very difficult one to answer myself. 

For growing it’s definitely cucurbit. Narrowed down to pumpkin/ squash/ courgette.  I’ll have to have a think, to see if I can narrow it down any further. As for eating tromb is definitely up there because it’s so versatile. But the same could be said for pumpkins, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions and spuds to name but a few     . Also needs some more thinking about.


Are you as indecisive as me or do you know your favourites?