Kevin's Watch

Stonemaybe wrote: Nice! Wish we had the climate for tomato plants to grow wild!

And on that subject, does anyone know of any tasty foodstuffs that
grow (and are fun to grow) in a climate like the UK, that prefer shade
rather than direct sunlight?

Mushrooms, truffles, and other fungi?

I did them in black pots so they got some extra warmth from the sunlight. I do my peppers that way, too. Maybe I should try your technique next summer if my allergies can take it!

Menolly, I foresee trouble and possible arrest if i start to hone fungal horticultural skills!

BROCCOLI, however! What an idea! Thanks, Shaun

Menolly wrote: Mushrooms, truffles, and other fungi?

Menolly, Stonemaybe maybe too much of a pussy to go fungal but you've inspired me to give it a go! I've never grown mushies before. And if I wind up in prison, I'll ask for my one phone call to be one post and hope there's a cashed-up Watchy to bail me out

Ananda wrote:I did them in black pots so they got some extra warmth from the sunlight. I do my peppers that way, too. Maybe I should try your technique next summer if my allergies can take it!

I read you suffered allergies from your peppers and your cats, sad face to both these, but why would the in-ground-compost method set off allergies? Or do you just mean sticking with the peppers at all?

Stonemaybe wrote:BROCCOLI, however! What an idea! Thanks, Shaun Very Happy

Welcome you are. I'm assuming most of you know this terrible kiddies joke: What's the difference between snot and broccoli. Kids won't eat broccoli.
And on that lovely note, I'm off to cook dinner!

Shaun das Schaf wrote:I read you suffered allergies from your peppers and your cats, sad face to both these, but why would the in-ground-compost method set off allergies? Or do you just mean sticking with the peppers at all?

Because I have to start everything in the house and keep it there till May. It is too cold outside till then to put the peppers (and I assume peppers) outside since it still will hit freezing overnights sometimes. And, inside, they get the little flowers and the sneezing ensues, unfortunately.

Oh, that makes sense. 'Scuse my Southern Hemisphere ignorance!

Wonder if you could do what some gardeners suggest doing when you're being bugged (by vegetable thieves, not secret police): put snap-lock bags over the flowers/fruit and close 'em up, cut a corner in the bottom for any drainage and make a few holes for easy breathing. There would still be some odour but it would cut it down substantially.

Of course, I don't suggest trying this with the cats

Shaun das Schaf wrote:Oh, that makes sense. 'Scuse my Southern Hemisphere ignorance!

Wonder if you could do what some gardeners suggest doing when you're being bugged (by vegetable thieves, not secret police): put snap-lock bags over the flowers/fruit and close 'em up, cut a corner in the bottom for any drainage and make a few holes for easy breathing. There would still be some odour but it would cut it down substantially.

Of course, I don't suggest trying this with the cats

Yeah, I could try that. I hope that, when we get a new house, we can find one with a garden shed thingie so I can grow the plants there in the spring before putting them outside, but the plastic bags idea is worth trying if I don't have a shed. Good idea! Thanks!

The cats talked it over and agreed that putting bags on them was not a good idea.

Stonemaybe wrote: And on that subject, does anyone know of any tasty foodstuffs that
grow (and are fun to grow) in a climate like the UK, that prefer shade
rather than direct sunlight?

This site suggested some good things, including several types of berries, roots, and beans. I would also imagine that lettuce would grow well there, as they are not overly fond of full sun.


Also British Columbia's Garden Forums are exceptionally user friendly with regards to folks from all over who are interested in gardening. They are a wonderful resource for questions like this.

You may wish to look at the Royal Horticulture Society pages as well for ideas. And, I have seen successful growing indoors of Pineapples in England, though they take some careful starting they are not hard and if done correctly make you look like a pro...

Doc

today I have been sowing seeds

About 50 or so chilis - a mix of jalapeno, cayenne, and seeds I took from last year's cayenne, 20ish tomatoes, same tomatillos (decided to be optimistic), 12 dill. I intend doing a lot more courgette than last year, but not til next month.

Stonemaybe wrote: today I have been sowing seeds

About 50 or so chilis - a mix of jalapeno, cayenne, and seeds I took from last year's cayenne, 20ish tomatoes, same tomatillos (decided to be optimistic), 12 dill. I intend doing a lot more courgette than last year, but not til next month.

Nice. I am very jealous. Due to my allergies, I have decided to not grow them this year and see if it helps. I was looking at my packets of seeds very sadly today since it's that time.

Ananda wrote:

Stonemaybe wrote: today I have been sowing seeds

About 50 or so chilis - a mix of jalapeno, cayenne, and seeds I took from last year's cayenne, 20ish tomatoes, same tomatillos (decided to be optimistic), 12 dill. I intend doing a lot more courgette than last year, but not til next month.

Nice. I am very jealous. Due to my allergies, I have decided to not grow them this year and see if it helps. I was looking at my packets of seeds very sadly today since it's that time.

are you not going to plant anything else instead?

and slightly offtopic, does anyone know if chilis planted on St Patrciks Day stay greener longer?

I am attempting two raised bed gardens via the GIFT Garden program from Florida Organic Growers. Here are my beds, one month in to planting.


Summer/Warm weather bed. Contains tomatoes, basil, string beans, eggplant, sage, cucumbers, and bell peppers.


Winter/Cool weather bed (being February in Florida, we were pushing the envelop on these plants fully coming to harvest). Contaings sugar snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower, various lettuces, spinach, and a couple rows of sowed turnip seeds which were just planted a week or so ago.

I so do not have a green thumb. We'll see how well this succeeds.

starting to feel a bit overwhelmed - since 2 days ago i now have got 27 cayenne seedlings, 7 jalapenos, 5 tomatoes and 2 dill. And at least 3x that left to germinate. I swear they're growing as I watch. I only sewed the tomatoes and dill 7 days ago!

I love dill!

I already have sugar snap pea pods nearing harvesting time. hyperception will be home for a couple of days from visiting his dad on Monday. I think I'll gift him with a taste of my first harvest in a fresh salad Monday.

...although I'm jonesing to just have them all to myself. Not that there are many yet, maybe five to seven pods all told among the four plants. I was told I need to harvest to encourage the plants to produce more.

Menolly wrote:I love dill!

Hurray Dill!
Yummmmmm home done dilly beans [not to mention pickles].

Magickmaker just told me her store has some windowsill planters with herbs in 'em. I might have to get one so I can kill some more plants indoors. I swear that the only reason the chives have survived is that I forget to harvest 'em...

Get yer hands orf my dill! That'll be to attract the ladybirds (ladybugs in US parlance) when they go outside.

This morning we welcome our first tomatillo , several more tomato and jalapeno, and a couple more dill. I'm hoping the amazing weather we're having here at the moment isn't going to lead them all into unreasonable expectations for the future.

Very jealous! We didn't get a new house quickly enough, so no garden at all this year since I would have to grow them indoors in the kitchen till May.

Only a week later, but my beds seem to be thriving.


Travis of FOG (Florida Organic Growers, who gifted me with these raised beds and the seedlings/seeds, as well as guiding me through successfully growing them) added a make shift support to the "summer" bed for the green beans and cucumbers to climb on. A tendril from one of the green beans has found it already.


The "winter" bed seems to be thriving as well, although I lost two of the sugar snap peas plants and a couple of lettuces. Some of the other lettuces seem to be finding it too hot already, but we're doing what we can to coax them through harvest.

Next step, adding pine needles around the plants to mulch them. Not having a spigot in the back yard, or a long enough hose to go around the house from the front spigot, makes watering a tad of a chore with only two watering cans to do so with.

I think I may be addicted can't get my mind off plants. I was just about to turn on light in back garden and go out to sow some more. Had to persuade myself to leave some fun til tomorrow!

Since last posted I've put in some carrots, onions, sweet peppers, cucumber, courgettes (zucchini) both normal and di nazza(? the round ones). Tomorrow is broccholi, basil, spinach, and aubergine (eggplant) day. Oh, and I'm putting a blueberry bush in front garden (from last year - gooseberries are budding, plum tree is flowering )


11 out of 12 of the dill are up and thriving, 23 out of 28 tomatillo, 18-ish tomato, 14 out of 18 jalapeno, and an inundation of cayennes.