Remove ads from site

bradders
31 August 2011 08:34:12

Our greenhouse tomatoes are very dissapointing this year and we have spoken to other tomato growers, and they have the same problems.


We have only picked about a dozen ripe ones so far. The green ones on the plants look fewer and smaller than normal and a lot of the flowers havn`t developed into tomatoes at all, the flowers just shrivel up and drop off, leaving nothing.


Has anyone else had this problem?



Eric. Cheadle Hulme, Stockport.
llamedos
31 August 2011 08:40:05


Our greenhouse tomatoes are very dissapointing this year and we have spoken to other tomato growers, and they have the same problems.


We have only picked about a dozen ripe ones so far. The green ones on the plants look fewer and smaller than normal and a lot of the flowers havn`t developed into tomatoes at all, the flowers just shrivel up and drop off, leaving nothing.


Has anyone else had this problem?


Originally Posted by: bradders 

Our tomatoes have been disastrous this season had to destroy several plants and the remaining ones have produced only a handful of fruits


"Life with the Lions"

TWO Moderator
Rob K
31 August 2011 11:08:14



Our greenhouse tomatoes are very dissapointing this year and we have spoken to other tomato growers, and they have the same problems.


We have only picked about a dozen ripe ones so far. The green ones on the plants look fewer and smaller than normal and a lot of the flowers havn`t developed into tomatoes at all, the flowers just shrivel up and drop off, leaving nothing.


Has anyone else had this problem?


Originally Posted by: llamedos 

Our tomatoes have been disastrous this season had to destroy several plants and the remaining ones have produced only a handful of fruits


Originally Posted by: bradders 


Ours have plenty of fruits on them, but none are anywhere near ripe yet. Whether it will be warm and sunny enough for them to ripen, I don't know, otherwise it's green tomato chutney time!


Yateley, NE Hampshire, 73m asl
"But who wants to be foretold the weather? It is bad enough when it comes, without our having the misery of knowing about it beforehand." — Jerome K. Jerome
NickR
31 August 2011 11:33:52
Our tomatoes a disaster too - but probably because I forgot to remove the axels.

Our spuds, spinach, lettuce, red onions were all pretty good.

The big success was the broad beans - had LOADS of them this year. I think this was because the warm spring meant that there were more bees and hence better pollenisation of the flowers.

Planted out the late croppers at the start of August (radishes, cabbages, turnips). But all have been very disappointing. Seems they have been nibbled a lot... didn't happen with earlier crops - anyone any idea? next year I'll just have to cloche the late croppers, I guess. Having said that, up here it's hard to get things to grow at this stage of the season.

Thoughts for next year? Need to prioritise expensive veg -

1) Lettuce is so cheap to grow yet so expensive to buy, so that's a definite.
2) Tomatoes - will try a different variety - the small ones that hang down from baskets
3) won't bother with spuds - they're so cheap in the supermarket anyway.
4) broad beans - yes
5) Onions - yes, but will try not to mow the shoots off and hence restrict their growth next time!
6) Spinach - possibly - but making the pesto is expensive given the cost of pine nuts and parmesan.
7) Might try sweet potato... broccoli was a disaster last time I tried and sprouts ended up looking like peas on a straw!

Anyone any suggestions for decent summer croppers? We have 2 veg patches that can take about 14 rows of produce 2 - 3 metres long between them


Nick
Durham
[email protected]
bradders
01 September 2011 16:26:22

How about Runner Beans for a decent summer crop?  Ours have done very well this year and we are still picking them. The secret is to give them plenty of water. We usually plant the `Enorma` variety which produce beans 12 to 15 inches long.


I don`t think we have ever had a poor crop, unlike Tomatoes!



Eric. Cheadle Hulme, Stockport.
Snow Hoper
03 September 2011 08:45:19



Our greenhouse tomatoes are very dissapointing this year and we have spoken to other tomato growers, and they have the same problems.


We have only picked about a dozen ripe ones so far. The green ones on the plants look fewer and smaller than normal and a lot of the flowers havn`t developed into tomatoes at all, the flowers just shrivel up and drop off, leaving nothing.


Has anyone else had this problem?


Originally Posted by: llamedos 

Our tomatoes have been disastrous this season had to destroy several plants and the remaining ones have produced only a handful of fruits


Originally Posted by: bradders 


Same here. Not sure what yours are doing but mine have just been going brown and rotting whether on the plants or taken off to be placed in a sunny window. As this is my first ever attempt at a veggie patch i'm glad its not something I've been doing thats caused it


 


Carrots haven't  grown, cauli's and broccoli have failed. On the plus side, Had some good cucumbers and beetroot, peas, runners, Spring Onions and the Parsnips were huge. Well, you live and learn I suppose


Going to war over religion is like killing each other to see who has the better imaginary friend.


Home : Thorndon, Suffolk.
NickR
03 September 2011 08:52:59




Our greenhouse tomatoes are very dissapointing this year and we have spoken to other tomato growers, and they have the same problems.


We have only picked about a dozen ripe ones so far. The green ones on the plants look fewer and smaller than normal and a lot of the flowers havn`t developed into tomatoes at all, the flowers just shrivel up and drop off, leaving nothing.


Has anyone else had this problem?


Originally Posted by: Snow Hoper 

Our tomatoes have been disastrous this season had to destroy several plants and the remaining ones have produced only a handful of fruits


Originally Posted by: llamedos 


Same here. Not sure what yours are doing but mine have just been going brown and rotting whether on the plants or taken off to be placed in a sunny window. As this is my first ever attempt at a veggie patch i'm glad its not something I've been doing thats caused it


 


Carrots haven't  grown, cauli's and broccoli have failed. On the plus side, Had some good cucumbers and beetroot, peas, runners, Spring Onions and the Parsnips were huge. Well, you live and learn I suppose


Originally Posted by: bradders 


Carrots are notoriously difficult - and if you're not careful can ruin the soil I seem to recall MOnty Don saying. Broccoli - I've yet to manage a crop; Cauliflowers - was thinking of trying this year. Seriously, try dwarf broad beans - never fail and - if you've got kids - great fun taking them out of the pods.


Nick
Durham
[email protected]
Snow Hoper
03 September 2011 09:09:23

Speaking to the locals, carrots are difficult to grow around here. I have the Broad beans you mention growing quite well right now (due to be picked soon), although the youngest (5 year old) might help pick, I doubt the grumpy teen, or her sister with have any ideas about helping. Had a crop of Potatoes, plenty of herbs, and some spinach, and a few lettuce before they bolted. Sweetcorn is still growing but I'm not keen on how the Brussels or two types of cabbage are looking. Peppers are slow and celery never really took off. A whole host of fruit is under way, but that'll take a year or more to reap rewards.


This year was really about learning the basics and it has been a very useful exercise.


Going to war over religion is like killing each other to see who has the better imaginary friend.


Home : Thorndon, Suffolk.
broken nail
03 September 2011 16:53:28
The biggest problem with carrots is carrotfly, if you can't protect your crop then you've had it.
Saint Snow
03 September 2011 20:35:31

Not wanting to disturb my garden to accomodate a veg patch, I've grown in containers on the patio for the past couple of years. Last year were carrots & spring onions. Both were easy to grow, but because the kids sowed the seeds and I never got round to thinning-out, they were limited in size.


This year, the carrots have been great (I thinnned them out). I don't usually eat carrots, but the sweetness of these is amazing. The spring onions have been bigger, too.


The potatoes have been the real stars, though. Grown in two big plastic tubs (bought for next to nowt last autumn when some bargain shop was selling-off its garden stuff), I'm now left with about two-thirds of one tub, after 4 meals for the lot of us. And the taste! Fantastic.


The sprouts look OK, too. Perhaps the plants are a little on the small side, but I did plant them a bit close together. Going to up the plant food now.


The peas were a disaster. Initially quite strong growth, they just seemed to hit a wall and stop growing. Out of 7 plants, I reckon I only got about 25-30 pods in all, most picked in late June, after which I expected another few crops, but they seemed to wither. Any clues, anyone?


The broccoli's also been a fail. Out of 8 plants, 6 have bolted and the other two don't look that strong. I learned that it's vital to keep the roots cool, or they go to flower/seed. Won't be trying those again.


Think next year I'll stick to root veg.



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
Saint Snow
11 September 2011 13:35:42

Aaarrrgghhh!


Attack of the plague of caterpillars!


Last weekend, noticed some little ones on my broccoli. Knocked as many as I could see off and sprayed with some isecticide stuff that's supposed to finish the job. When I looked yesterday, the broccoli plants have mostly been stripped bare. And worse, some big buggers have been chomping their way through my sprout plants


Tried to identify them but struggling - there seem to be three types. The little ones are black/brown with yellow on them. One lot of the bigger ones look similar but furry and about 4 times the size (3cm). The other big ones are smoother and a pea-green (these cabbage whites?). Dozens of little ones, about 15 big black/brown ones and 3 or 4 greens.


I picked all I can see off but more were there today. I'm off now for some stronger chemicals.



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
Essan
11 September 2011 13:51:08

There was finally, just, enough grass for me to mow the lawn today - first time since early June.


Not much weeding to do in the borders though! 


Andy
Evesham, Worcs, Albion - 35m asl
Weather & Earth Science News 

Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job - DNA
LeedsLad123
11 September 2011 13:59:48


There was finally, just, enough grass for me to mow the lawn today - first time since early June.


Not much weeding to do in the borders though! 


Originally Posted by: Essan 


Same here. Managed to cut whatever grass there was on my front lawn.


Whitkirk, Leeds - 85m ASL.
SydneyonTees
15 September 2011 11:52:11

The big warm up is on in Sydney, 24c today, 25c tomorrow, 26c Saturday and 28c by Sunday, will probably pop over 30c in the western suburbs away from the coast. The sun is really starting to pack a punch again now and a sun hat is need when gardening!


We had some rain a few weeks back and I quickly got some sugar cane mulch down on the vegie patch. I checked under the mulch layer this morning and sure enough the moisture has been locked in. Without this the soil can quickly become resistant to water! In my last garden in Australia I remember letting an area of soil totally dry out and even after heavy rain the moisture would never get in to the soil!


Tomatoes and beans are on their way up 

idj20
17 September 2011 13:00:11



There was finally, just, enough grass for me to mow the lawn today - first time since early June.


Not much weeding to do in the borders though! 


Originally Posted by: LeedsLad123 


Same here. Managed to cut whatever grass there was on my front lawn.


Originally Posted by: Essan 



Whereas over here in the arid semi desert region of Kent, finally my lawn is now looking uniformly green and lush, thanks to regular bouts of rainfall in the past month. Gave it a cut yesterday and it is looking very smart for it.


Folkestone Harbour. 
Snow Hoper
23 September 2011 12:40:54


Aaarrrgghhh!


Attack of the plague of caterpillars!


Last weekend, noticed some little ones on my broccoli. Knocked as many as I could see off and sprayed with some isecticide stuff that's supposed to finish the job. When I looked yesterday, the broccoli plants have mostly been stripped bare. And worse, some big buggers have been chomping their way through my sprout plants


Tried to identify them but struggling - there seem to be three types. The little ones are black/brown with yellow on them. One lot of the bigger ones look similar but furry and about 4 times the size (3cm). The other big ones are smoother and a pea-green (these cabbage whites?). Dozens of little ones, about 15 big black/brown ones and 3 or 4 greens.


I picked all I can see off but more were there today. I'm off now for some stronger chemicals.


Originally Posted by: Saint Snow 


Similar problem here with the cabbage white butterfly stripped broccoli cauli and sprouts. Thing to look for is the little yellow dots usually on the underside of the leaves, these are the eggs. One solution that I've read about is to crush egg shells and leave them on the plants, They're supposed to represent other white cabbage butterfly's laying eggs and the real ones fly away because they don't want competition for there larvae


Going to war over religion is like killing each other to see who has the better imaginary friend.


Home : Thorndon, Suffolk.
Saint Snow
26 September 2011 19:47:16



Aaarrrgghhh!


Attack of the plague of caterpillars!


Last weekend, noticed some little ones on my broccoli. Knocked as many as I could see off and sprayed with some isecticide stuff that's supposed to finish the job. When I looked yesterday, the broccoli plants have mostly been stripped bare. And worse, some big buggers have been chomping their way through my sprout plants


Tried to identify them but struggling - there seem to be three types. The little ones are black/brown with yellow on them. One lot of the bigger ones look similar but furry and about 4 times the size (3cm). The other big ones are smoother and a pea-green (these cabbage whites?). Dozens of little ones, about 15 big black/brown ones and 3 or 4 greens.


I picked all I can see off but more were there today. I'm off now for some stronger chemicals.


Originally Posted by: Snow Hoper 


Similar problem here with the cabbage white butterfly stripped broccoli cauli and sprouts. Thing to look for is the little yellow dots usually on the underside of the leaves, these are the eggs. One solution that I've read about is to crush egg shells and leave them on the plants, They're supposed to represent other white cabbage butterfly's laying eggs and the real ones fly away because they don't want competition for there larvae


Originally Posted by: Saint Snow 


I blasted them all with some bug-killer, and boy did those bugs be killed. My sprouts are currently like peas, but I still have hope - after all, you should never eat sprouts till the first frost has tasty'd them up


 



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
Saint Snow
26 September 2011 19:49:20

OK, question for the gardening experts.


The compost in which I've grown my crops this year (in containers); can I use it again next year? Or is that a no-no?


I've got two great big pots that I grew potatoes in and one big one that had carrots. The others I'm not fussed about.


Any help appreciated.



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
Snow Hoper
27 September 2011 07:21:34


OK, question for the gardening experts.


The compost in which I've grown my crops this year (in containers); can I use it again next year? Or is that a no-no?


I've got two great big pots that I grew potatoes in and one big one that had carrots. The others I'm not fussed about.


Any help appreciated.


Originally Posted by: Saint Snow 


Expert arrived


Rotation. Plot 1 becomes plot 2 plot 2 becomes plot 3 and so on. You're not meant to grow potatoes in the same plot for 3 years. So, I guess the same would be said for a pot/container.


One of these might help you....



It gives you a list (on the back) of what to do with what and what to grow with what. Best thing I ever got hold of


Going to war over religion is like killing each other to see who has the better imaginary friend.


Home : Thorndon, Suffolk.
beaufort
27 September 2011 09:34:21

One of the best potato crops we ever grew was by using old aircraft tyres (specifically tri-islander tyres) plant your tubers in compost in a tyre lying down, then when it comes to earthing up place another tyre on top of the first and then earth up and so on, if you get good growing conditions you can get three or four tyres filled with a good crop of spuds.

artdemole
27 September 2011 11:36:41

Not having a garden or allotment I only have a small patio.Every thing is container grown-Pots/troughs.This is 3rd year of doing so.Crops this year-Lettuce,runner beans,dwarf beans,mangetout,carrots.Fruit-apples,plumbs (4 only only),blueberries,thorn less black berry,Redcurrants but the birds eat them.Not stopping them as I like the wild life and post regularly on the Wid About Britain site.The patio is small but just large enough with some flowers also in tubs and baskets....

Saint Snow
27 September 2011 11:59:44


Thanks for the replies, chaps.


 



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
SydneyonTees
27 September 2011 12:27:29

The biggest problem with carrots is carrotfly, if you can't protect your crop then you've had it.

Originally Posted by: broken nail 


You really need to thin carrots out well after the seedlings mature a little, if you don't thin them well back they become weaker and prone to fly. You feel like you are doing more harm than good when you really pull loads out. But I never had carrort fly in the UK.

bradders
28 September 2011 08:17:22

We have a big problem in the back garden at the moment, tree roots. I noticed during the summer that the patio paving near the bottom of the garden was lifting in places, and one paving slab had broken in half. Last week I dug out a narrow strip of soil against the fence and found tree roots coming under the fence base panel, so I ended up taking half the patio paving up to find that large roots up to 2 inches in diameter have spread as far as 6 or 7metres  up the garden.


The tree responsible is a common Lime, about 30 foot high and only 4 metres outside our garden. The tree and the land outside belong to Stockport council, so they are now involved and we are expecting a visit from them sometime next week.


Apart from the bottom of the garden looking like a building site, we are still picking Runner Beans and still waiting for Tomatoes to ripen, although this hot weather should help.



Eric. Cheadle Hulme, Stockport.
Steve
28 September 2011 13:54:37

Not really to do with gardening, but while outside enjoying a fantastic late september evening yesterday, I was treated to a close up view of one of these flying all around me vising the flowers (I think I was stood in its way). Instead of diving for the camera and scaring it away, I just stood dead still and watched its amazing flying skills.



 


I saw several of these last year, but this is the only one I have seen this "summer"


Beautiful


PS - I think it is some sort of fish which can fly

Remove ads from site

Ads