Who is online?
In total there are 4 users online :: 0 Registered, 0 Hidden and 4 Guests None
Most users ever online was 112 on 8th October 2020, 7:09 am
Latest topics
» Hungry Birdsby Dirick55 7th December 2023, 6:04 am
» PRESENTATION
by Chilli-head 23rd November 2023, 2:55 pm
» New Kiva loan
by Chilli-head 21st July 2023, 12:35 pm
» A peat-free compost is top in UK Which? magazine trial
by Dandelion 25th April 2023, 9:42 pm
» New gardening year 2023
by Chilli-head 5th March 2023, 10:15 pm
» What have I done in the workshop today?
by Dandelion 2nd December 2022, 1:12 pm
» What are you harvesting today?
by Dandelion 2nd December 2022, 1:12 pm
» Wartime marrow casserole
by Dandelion 18th October 2022, 4:42 pm
» Late sowings in August ... beans ?
by Ploshkin 11th August 2022, 9:29 am
» Come August, come night in the garden
by Chilli-head 4th August 2022, 3:29 pm
» Welcome guest
by Ploshkin 31st July 2022, 9:16 am
» The Jolly July Garden
by Ploshkin 19th July 2022, 11:38 am
» More mead ...
by Chilli-head 13th July 2022, 12:52 pm
» The June garden thread
by Dandelion 25th June 2022, 9:55 pm
» Plastic bags
by Dandelion 5th June 2022, 7:28 pm
» The merry May garden
by Dandelion 31st May 2022, 10:04 pm
» Fooling around in the April garden
by freebird 1st May 2022, 8:33 am
» March into the garden
by Dandelion 1st April 2022, 7:26 pm
» Mow Suggestions
by freebird 29th March 2022, 5:48 pm
» Some thoughts on resilience
by Ploshkin 12th March 2022, 2:23 pm
Statistics
We have 269 registered usersThe newest registered user is Omerko123
Our users have posted a total of 48045 messages in 2416 subjects
Similar topics
The September Garden
5 posters
Page 1 of 1
The September Garden
Oh my, we never had an August garden. Well, it has rather been the story of 2020 - bit of a non-event !
We are in to September now, and lots of stuff is still doing well. I cleared a bed which had had a row of peas; there's always enough left which escaped detection to make next year's seed. The other side of the bed had the remains of the new potatoes that I've also dug before the slugs get to them too much. The clear patch can now do for overwintered onions and garlic. Won't be long to planting time.
Outdoor tomatoes are showing first signs of blight; rain drop shaped soft dark splodges on the fruit. Time to pick what I can. Lots of very hot chillies ripe too - must find time to make hot sauce.
We are in to September now, and lots of stuff is still doing well. I cleared a bed which had had a row of peas; there's always enough left which escaped detection to make next year's seed. The other side of the bed had the remains of the new potatoes that I've also dug before the slugs get to them too much. The clear patch can now do for overwintered onions and garlic. Won't be long to planting time.
Outdoor tomatoes are showing first signs of blight; rain drop shaped soft dark splodges on the fruit. Time to pick what I can. Lots of very hot chillies ripe too - must find time to make hot sauce.
Last edited by Chilli-head on 1st October 2020, 1:13 pm; edited 1 time in total
Chilli-head- Admin and Boss man
- Posts : 3305
Join date : 2010-02-23
Location : Bedfordshire
Re: The September Garden
I'm keeping my eye on the tomatoes for blight here - there's one plant in particular which is looking a bit suspect which I might dig up, but on the whole I haven't seen any signs. There is a tomato plant which seeded itself in one of the raised beds - I let it grow out of interest to see what the fruits are like, and it would be nice to be able to taste them before any blight gets them. I have been blight-free for a few years now which I'm thankful for - I don't know if it has anything to do with being in the foothills of the Malverns, so maybe fresher winds?
Dandelion- Admin
- Posts : 5416
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 67
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire
Re: The September Garden
My tomatoes are in a very sorry state. The current greenhouse is too shaded, and having nothing else, the tomatoes were planted in a growbag compost/garden soil mix. The growbag compost, where I have used it alone, has proved to be hopeless - doesn't drain at all. The garden soil is devoid of nutrients, stony and pretty acid (ph 5.5). Despite feeding the plants more than I have ever done, with tomato food, liquid seaweed and wormery liquid, they are all now almost dead - purple or yellowing leaves, and all are long and leggy from stretching up to the light. Yield per plant has been dismal. We have had sufficient, but only because I have so many plants.
What I have done is to pull off a couple of side shoots from each variety. They are currently in water, in the hope they will make roots. If they do, I will pot them up and try to keep them over the winter in the unheated conservatory. If they survive, I am expecting they will be too leggy to make successful plants, but will try for some more cuttings to start a few plants off really early in the season.
In the meantime, I am trying to make as much compost as possible, for next year's plants.
What I have done is to pull off a couple of side shoots from each variety. They are currently in water, in the hope they will make roots. If they do, I will pot them up and try to keep them over the winter in the unheated conservatory. If they survive, I am expecting they will be too leggy to make successful plants, but will try for some more cuttings to start a few plants off really early in the season.
In the meantime, I am trying to make as much compost as possible, for next year's plants.
freebird- Posts : 2244
Join date : 2011-10-19
Age : 67
Location : Powys
Re: The September Garden
It's a real learning curve, moving to another house and garden. But you don't sound dispirited...
Dandelion- Admin
- Posts : 5416
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 67
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire
Re: The September Garden
Thank you Dandelion - no, I'm not dispirited. I expected failures, and have had some wonderful unexpected successes - though they are from the allotment. My onions are huge - typically 1.25lb each! Masses of runner beans. Beautiful raspberries and strawberries from the fruit cage at home.
My biggest potential disappointment is recently discovering that it is considered a waste of time trying to grow fruit trees at 800 feet +. We are at 798! Had I known that when we were viewing, it could have made the difference between buying the house or not. But they are in the ground now, so I will just have to give them the best protection (mainly from wind) that I can.
Never say never ....
My biggest potential disappointment is recently discovering that it is considered a waste of time trying to grow fruit trees at 800 feet +. We are at 798! Had I known that when we were viewing, it could have made the difference between buying the house or not. But they are in the ground now, so I will just have to give them the best protection (mainly from wind) that I can.
Never say never ....
freebird- Posts : 2244
Join date : 2011-10-19
Age : 67
Location : Powys
Re: The September Garden
Maybe if your fruit trees only grow 2' high, they'll be fine as they won't have exceeded 800 feet
FloBear- Posts : 868
Join date : 2015-02-10
Location : Forest of Dean
Dandelion and freebird like this post
Re: The September Garden
Actually, two of them are step-overs, Flo, so will be about 2 feet high. As we are surrounded by a 6 foot high hedge, I'm hoping those at least may be productive.
freebird- Posts : 2244
Join date : 2011-10-19
Age : 67
Location : Powys
FloBear likes this post
Re: The September Garden
My garden is about 650'. Fruit trees don't do well here but I put that down to excessive rain and lack of sun. Victoria plums do well in some years.
I moved an apple tree this year. The most fruit I have had in a year is 5 apples. Its gone higher than the garden (probably about 725') but gets much more sun.
My tomatoes in the polytunnel haven't done well this year Freebird, apart from Sungold. I think the early, very hot spell has confused some plants and made them behave oddly.
I've got a good crop of runner beans in the garden and the autumn raspberries are huge and very plentiful, the potatoes left in the ground are seriously slugged and the brassicas, which usually grow well here, are distinctly underwhelming.
The thing thats growing best is the weeds!
I moved an apple tree this year. The most fruit I have had in a year is 5 apples. Its gone higher than the garden (probably about 725') but gets much more sun.
My tomatoes in the polytunnel haven't done well this year Freebird, apart from Sungold. I think the early, very hot spell has confused some plants and made them behave oddly.
I've got a good crop of runner beans in the garden and the autumn raspberries are huge and very plentiful, the potatoes left in the ground are seriously slugged and the brassicas, which usually grow well here, are distinctly underwhelming.
The thing thats growing best is the weeds!
Ploshkin- Posts : 1779
Join date : 2013-07-18
Location : Mid Wales
Re: The September Garden
I have the opposite problem- it is getting so hot and dry that soft fruit isn't all that happy.
I doubt trees have an accurate enough altimeter to know they are 2' too high, so the use of shelter or ideally a south facing wall might put you in with a chance.
I doubt trees have an accurate enough altimeter to know they are 2' too high, so the use of shelter or ideally a south facing wall might put you in with a chance.
Chilli-head- Admin and Boss man
- Posts : 3305
Join date : 2010-02-23
Location : Bedfordshire
Re: The September Garden
Yes, quite, CH. Wind shelter is my only option. I do have a bit of a dilemma though. The pear tress are planted as high as I could get them, for maximum sun. However, the new greenhouse, and then the fruit cage block the prevailing winds to some extent, but the trees are exposed at the back to cold Easterlies/ North Easterlies. I could take them up and move them down the slope a bit, where they would benefit from the bungalow blocking the coldest winds (E/NE), but would no longer have protection from the prevailing S Westerlies.
Taken a pic to show you what I mean. The trees are upright cordons, just discernable against the hedge. I had intended to fill that area from the current trees down to the rhubarb with more fruit trees, but am rethinking that now. Might still do it, if I choose carefully.
Taken a pic to show you what I mean. The trees are upright cordons, just discernable against the hedge. I had intended to fill that area from the current trees down to the rhubarb with more fruit trees, but am rethinking that now. Might still do it, if I choose carefully.
freebird- Posts : 2244
Join date : 2011-10-19
Age : 67
Location : Powys
Re: The September Garden
It's always worth a nosey what neighbours have succeeded with.
I went with the theory of buying local varieties - Laxtons from Bedford and ones bred at Wrest Park where I work. The apl9les haven't yet been a roaring success, but it seems to have been the year for pears this year. Was at Dad's yesterday, and his trees are weighed down with pears. Not quite ready in Yorkshire though.
I went with the theory of buying local varieties - Laxtons from Bedford and ones bred at Wrest Park where I work. The apl9les haven't yet been a roaring success, but it seems to have been the year for pears this year. Was at Dad's yesterday, and his trees are weighed down with pears. Not quite ready in Yorkshire though.
Chilli-head- Admin and Boss man
- Posts : 3305
Join date : 2010-02-23
Location : Bedfordshire
Re: The September Garden
That's interesting about the pears being good this year - I actually had eight edible pears from my tiny tree this year, which is a massive increase from previous years!! I'm quite pleased that I did only have eight pears as they ripened all at once, and I'm the only one who likes them. Presumably people who have a heavy cropping pear tree either given them away or freeze them to cook with/make preserves?
Dandelion- Admin
- Posts : 5416
Join date : 2010-01-17
Age : 67
Location : Ledbury, Herefordshire
Similar topics
» The September garden
» Harvest season in the September garden
» Shades of autumn in the September garden
» Harvest season in the September garden
» Shades of autumn in the September garden
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
|
|