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Caz
  • Caz
  • Advanced Member
25 August 2021 19:05:32


 


I think it's really great that there's wider benefit from your growing skills. Runners have caused us grief for some years, mostly due to blackfly and drought, but this year they are doing well. But we too have had the issue of nearly-none, then too many, then none again. But I'm hoping the crop will spread across the season this year.


 


Fingers crossed!


Originally Posted by: Bertwhistle 

Try French climbers for a change.  The variety I bought are Cobra and they produce lots of long tender beans quite quickly. I thought I’d left them too long as they were so big but I got a thumbs up from the neighbours. They freeze well too.  


Good luck with the runners. 


Market Warsop, North Nottinghamshire.
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Bertwhistle
26 August 2021 12:30:04


Try French climbers for a change.  The variety I bought are Cobra and they produce lots of long tender beans quite quickly. I thought I’d left them too long as they were so big but I got a thumbs up from the neighbours. They freeze well too.  


Good luck with the runners. 


Originally Posted by: Caz 


Thanks Caz. Actually I'm so excited to see clean green beans this year I'm harvesting them and cooking them straight away, but it is good to know the French beans freeze well, as I've wasted bumper crops in the past.


Bertie, Itchen Valley.
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ARTzeman
26 August 2021 15:00:06

5 packs of Runner Beans sliced and parboiled. Cooled, then placed in Freezer.  Scarlet Runner has now been taken down.






Some people walk in the rain.
Others just get wet.
I Just Blow my horn or trumpet
ARTzeman
01 September 2021 14:06:26

Tomatoes are being harvested this week before the wind blows them from the plants.






Some people walk in the rain.
Others just get wet.
I Just Blow my horn or trumpet
Jiries
01 September 2021 18:39:39


Tomatoes are being harvested this week before the wind blows them from the plants.


Originally Posted by: ARTzeman 


Are they growing well inside the green house I assumed?  Tomatoes hate cold and wet weather which I want to grow some when i get a green house.

Caz
  • Caz
  • Advanced Member
10 September 2021 19:03:20


 


Are they growing well inside the green house I assumed?  Tomatoes hate cold and wet weather which I want to grow some when i get a green house.


Originally Posted by: Jiries 

I grow them every year outside in a sheltered, sunny border, plus tumbling toms in a hanging basket.  They don’t crop as heavily as they would in a greenhouse but three or four plants are enough to keep us going.


Market Warsop, North Nottinghamshire.
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NMA
  • NMA
  • Advanced Member
27 September 2021 06:40:55

Autumn's arrived because the Bishop of Llandaff's been toppled after last nights strong winds.


 


Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
DEW
  • DEW
  • Advanced Member
25 November 2021 20:33:30

Glad I got the nasturtiums cleared before tonight's frost - they go really unpleasantly slimy


War does not determine who is right, only who is left - Bertrand Russell

Chichester 12m asl
Bertwhistle
10 December 2021 22:04:55

Well, all the walnut leaves have made Earth and most are bagged/ have been whisked off; couldn't resist a few handfuls in the brazier for atmosphere. Surprising number of flowers blooming.


Bertie, Itchen Valley.
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Roger Parsons
28 December 2021 12:12:20


Well, all the walnut leaves have made Earth and most are bagged/ have been whisked off; couldn't resist a few handfuls in the brazier for atmosphere. Surprising number of flowers blooming.


Originally Posted by: Bertwhistle 


Looking at the garden today, Bertie. The grass appears to be growing still! Not surprising, given the rain and surprisingly high temperatures. Happily it is too wet to be tempted to mow.


Roger


RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
Gandalf The White
28 December 2021 12:37:28


 


Looking at the garden today, Bertie. The grass appears to be growing still! Not surprising, given the rain and surprisingly high temperatures. Happily it is too wet to be tempted to mow.


Roger


Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons 


Yes, our grass is growing slowly but it’s going to need a cut in February if it stays mild. But it’s also like a swamp in places again after the copious amounts of rain recently.


On walnut leaves, I cleared the last of them earlier this month. If I don’t then they just blow all over the place.


 


Location: South Cambridgeshire
130 metres ASL
52.0N 0.1E


Bertwhistle
28 December 2021 19:43:07


 


Looking at the garden today, Bertie. The grass appears to be growing still! Not surprising, given the rain and surprisingly high temperatures. Happily it is too wet to be tempted to mow.


Roger


Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons 


Evening Roger. Quite right about the growing season extension- and the next few days look to promise max temps around 15C and minima between 10 and 14- akin to early May; quite remarkable but a sign of the times I suppose. Goodness knows what poor roots will be triggered into shooting!


As for the lawn, ours is a sorry sight (ref to Gandalf's post- a bog in places), not helped by the frantic scurrying of the daschund trying to get out, deliver and get in before he gets wet!


Bertie, Itchen Valley.
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DEW
  • DEW
  • Advanced Member
29 January 2022 17:16:09

Snowdrops in bloom now, daffodils in yellow bud


War does not determine who is right, only who is left - Bertrand Russell

Chichester 12m asl
Roger Parsons
29 January 2022 17:19:56


Snowdrops in bloom now, daffodils in yellow bud


Originally Posted by: DEW 


Snowdrops noted in the village churchyard today! There have been a few earlier ones in local gardens.


Honeybees working Mahonia flowers in sunny spells.


Is winter over and done with?


Roger


RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
Bertwhistle
29 January 2022 18:00:53


 


Snowdrops noted in the village churchyard today! There have been a few earlier ones in local gardens.


Honeybees working Mahonia flowers in sunny spells.


Is winter over and done with?


Roger


Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons 


Regardless, what lovely pictures that creates, Roger and DEW; I am just about at the point where garden depression is shifting!


Although the local fire station daffs are blooming as in all years, the snowdrops are just candling and there is a solitary purple crocus next the veg beds. We have failed this year to clear the woodland bank and front garden of dead debris. Looks grim. I just hope the new growth does what the Met might do to the Gray report- a bit of 'political scrubbing!'


Sorry - this thread should remain free of this stuff!


Bertie, Itchen Valley.
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DEW
  • DEW
  • Advanced Member
30 January 2022 23:12:31

And the first lesser celandine aka pilewort out today


War does not determine who is right, only who is left - Bertrand Russell

Chichester 12m asl
Roger Parsons
31 January 2022 07:28:58


Regardless, what lovely pictures that creates, Roger and DEW; I am just about at the point where garden depression is shifting!


Although the local fire station daffs are blooming as in all years, the snowdrops are just candling and there is a solitary purple crocus next the veg beds. We have failed this year to clear the woodland bank and front garden of dead debris. Looks grim. I just hope the new growth does what the Met might do to the Gray report- a bit of 'political scrubbing!'


Sorry - this thread should remain free of this stuff!


Originally Posted by: Bertwhistle 


We're in the betwixt and between stage, Bertie. Storm Malik redistributed a lot of old sycamore leaves  from somewhere. I can't imagine where, but they are here now!  We had a good rattling last night - so I'm hoping Storm Corrie will have moved them on to save me a job.


Roger


RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
MRazzell
31 January 2022 08:29:13

Hi All!


I hope the northern contingent didn't suffer too much damage at the weekend!


Definite activity in the garden now which has prompted me to focus my attention on planting strategy for this season - Always such an optimistic time of year if you can catch a calm sunny day like we had here IMBY on saturday (we even managed to enjoy a bottle of wine in the sun, albeit in full winter garb!)


Its curious that the bulbs seem a bit later this year as its not been particularly cold. Daffs are emergent spears here but nothing more. In certain years i've noticed them as early as late Nov!


Lesser celendine leaves are out now which is always a welcome sight. I must remember to spread them about a bit more this year...


Honeybees noted by a colleague swarming around a food source at the weekend which was a curious thing to be told (vacant hive - perhaps they'll move in?!)


I'm optimistic for my Echium Pininana which have been riding it out in giant pots in my greenhouse. They've been a challenge in recent years but i'm hopeful for big things this season if the spring starts out on a warm note.


All eyes on the Robin box i constructed last year after the local mog destroyed their low level nest site.


 


 


 


 


Matt.
Bertwhistle
31 January 2022 22:06:34


Hi All!


I hope the northern contingent didn't suffer too much damage at the weekend!


Definite activity in the garden now which has prompted me to focus my attention on planting strategy for this season - Always such an optimistic time of year if you can catch a calm sunny day like we had here IMBY on saturday (we even managed to enjoy a bottle of wine in the sun, albeit in full winter garb!)


Its curious that the bulbs seem a bit later this year as its not been particularly cold. Daffs are emergent spears here but nothing more. In certain years i've noticed them as early as late Nov!


Lesser celendine leaves are out now which is always a welcome sight. I must remember to spread them about a bit more this year...


Honeybees noted by a colleague swarming around a food source at the weekend which was a curious thing to be told (vacant hive - perhaps they'll move in?!)


I'm optimistic for my Echium Pininana which have been riding it out in giant pots in my greenhouse. They've been a challenge in recent years but i'm hopeful for big things this season if the spring starts out on a warm note.


All eyes on the Robin box i constructed last year after the local mog destroyed their low level nest site.


Originally Posted by: MRazzell 


Greetings MRazzell and welcome to the gardening thread. Sounds like you have a busy, busy gardening life already!


Does seem early for lots of honeybees now- although my knowledge is very limited. Roger P is the one to ask about that!


Well done for looking after your robins- good luck with that. 


Clearing the winter 'fluff' from our beds revealed one little shiny celandine flower on sunny Saturday. What a day that was- gave me loan of my pulse for the day!


Bertie, Itchen Valley.
Retire while you can still press the 'retire now' button.
MRazzell
01 February 2022 08:22:43


 


Greetings MRazzell and welcome to the gardening thread. Sounds like you have a busy, busy gardening life already!


Does seem early for lots of honeybees now- although my knowledge is very limited. Roger P is the one to ask about that!


Well done for looking after your robins- good luck with that. 


Clearing the winter 'fluff' from our beds revealed one little shiny celandine flower on sunny Saturday. What a day that was- gave me loan of my pulse for the day!


Originally Posted by: Bertwhistle 


 


Hi Bertie,


Yes, I try to keep busy outside whenever possible so this recent spell of settled weather in the south is most welcome (although no doubt we'll be bemoaning the lack of rain soon...but not quite yet).


My focus in the garden is very much on naturalisation of species (mostly native but some ornamental) and also habitat creation. Its not a big plot but i've seeded a perennial wildflower meadow in lieu of the front lawn and the majority of my borders are now being turned over to the organised chaos of self seeded natives and curios (e.g. the echiums and a few non-native verbascums - all bee magnets).


I'm a commercial landscaper by trade so its very much to opposite of what i do for a living, which is construct rather sterile, ornamental 'paint by numbers' gardens, usually on the rooftops of London.


My hope is that the Robins pay their due by keeping some of the pests at bay. The slugs last year were the most destructive i can remember - i even had to buy them a drink for their troubles, although the beer traps did keep the numbers down a little.


The celandine was a favourite of Wordsworth's apparenty...i've suddenly come over all poetic...


 


 


 


Matt.
Roger Parsons
01 February 2022 08:56:04


Greetings MRazzell and welcome to the gardening thread. Sounds like you have a busy, busy gardening life already!


Does seem early for lots of honeybees now- although my knowledge is very limited. Roger P is the one to ask about that!


Well done for looking after your robins- good luck with that. 


Clearing the winter 'fluff' from our beds revealed one little shiny celandine flower on sunny Saturday. What a day that was- gave me loan of my pulse for the day!


Originally Posted by: Bertwhistle 


Quite a few people have commented to me about bees they have seen working recently. It's not unusual  for honeybees to come out on mild winter days for what beekeepers delicately call "cleansing flights". Their sticky blobs of bee poo can sometimes be "spotted" on cars and windows and take some shifting! Honey bees, being proper colonial super-organisms, have a bit of a specialist life style. The workers will fly at temperatures above 13°C with real action starting at 19°C. You would not expect them to fly below 10°C. If you look at Feb temperatures over the next few weeks you will see it's unlikely to see them out much. Given that their purpose, after pooing, is to find a bit of food, you will appreciate that is not easy at this time of year. There are few sources of pollen or nectar, i.e. proteins and carbohydrates. You will find them working snowdrops on warm days. I frequently see them on Mahonia and we are considering adding one of these to our garden.


Here's  the London Beekeepers Association useful webpage of what's in flower month by month.


https://lbka.org.uk/flowers_month.html


Roger


 


 


RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
Roger Parsons
02 February 2022 05:51:26
Following on from that bee-centered comment, here's a phenolgical take on it:

Climate change: UK plants now flowering a month earlier
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-60220661 

Roger



RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
MRazzell
09 February 2022 11:51:26

Following on from that bee-centered comment, here's a phenolgical take on it:

Climate change: UK plants now flowering a month earlier
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-60220661

Roger


Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons 


 


Very interesting Roger, and the bee poo has been noted too! I've often wondered what that is (if i've identified it correctly) and now you mention it, I recall having seen them deposit droppings whilst they go about their business - funny the things you notice when staring out into the garden .


 


Noted one of my Camellia making a rather bold but pitiful attempt at flowering today. Also came across a milk thistle that has so far perserevered the mild winter!


Matt.
Saint Snow
09 February 2022 11:54:14

I'm hoping for a few days of hard frost to freeze the multiple dog poos that have accumulated on my [artificial] lawn over the 'winter'. Makes clearing them up far easier  



Martin
Home: St Helens (26m asl) Work: Manchester (75m asl)
A TWO addict since 14/12/01
"How can wealth persuade poverty to use its political freedom to keep wealth in power? Here lies the whole art of Conservative politics."
Aneurin Bevan
Bertwhistle
09 February 2022 18:34:04


 


 


Hi Bertie,


Yes, I try to keep busy outside whenever possible so this recent spell of settled weather in the south is most welcome (although no doubt we'll be bemoaning the lack of rain soon...but not quite yet).


My focus in the garden is very much on naturalisation of species (mostly native but some ornamental) and also habitat creation. Its not a big plot but i've seeded a perennial wildflower meadow in lieu of the front lawn and the majority of my borders are now being turned over to the organised chaos of self seeded natives and curios (e.g. the echiums and a few non-native verbascums - all bee magnets).


I'm a commercial landscaper by trade so its very much to opposite of what i do for a living, which is construct rather sterile, ornamental 'paint by numbers' gardens, usually on the rooftops of London.


My hope is that the Robins pay their due by keeping some of the pests at bay. The slugs last year were the most destructive i can remember - i even had to buy them a drink for their troubles, although the beer traps did keep the numbers down a little.


The celandine was a favourite of Wordsworth's apparenty...i've suddenly come over all poetic...


Originally Posted by: MRazzell 


And my favourite poet of all time, Edward Thomas.


http://ww1lit.nsms.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/items/show/3730


He's part of what I call the 'Selborne trio', along with Gilbert White and Richard Jefferies (another one to ask Roger about!!)


Bertie, Itchen Valley.
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