Chitchat thread #24

[Nicos]

Here you go!

[Containergardener]

Been reading through the site, wondering how you all remember everything? Do you keep notes or do you remember everything

[Bren In Pots]

Nice photo Nicos, thanks.

The windsocks is fixed to a shed and it’s around 3ft from my veg plot it doesn’t keep the birds away from veg or the shed roof. I think they’re just used to seeing it there.

[Snoop Puss]

Been reading through the site, wondering how you all remember everything? Do you keep notes or do you remember everything

Everything would be a bit optimistic. What kinds of things do you think might we remember, CG?

[Containergardener]

Morning

Snoop I read so many tips and ideas, when to plant, when to sow, companion planting, soil types, how deep , books etc etc brain is boggled.

Woke early and gathered seeds ready to sort for my microgreens sowing, the seeds I thought I had I must have thrown last year (thinking I will never use these)
Oh well that can be remedied with some free seeds in magazines perhaps or offers on.

So today we have stormy Isha, not a day for gardening but a day for planning, hoping we don't lose power as the amount of trees around here are a constant pain for that.
What is everyone else up to today?
Kettle has boiled, there is some cake is you fancy

[Bren In Pots]

Morning, wet and windy here today, so I'll mostly be indoors.

CG I keep a gardening journal nothing fancy just a A5 ring binder with a plan of my beds so i know not to plant the same crops in that spot for a couple of years. Next is my sowing list of what I sow, when it germinates, and date planted out and first crop. Its handy to look back on and see what grew well and what no to bother with again.

enjoy your Sunday.

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All. Bright and breezy here and a lot warmer. Cake would be very welcome CG thanks. I think I mostly learned from my mistakes when growing veg Oh and lots of tips on the Vine. Have a lovely Sunday

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Like Bren, I have a big book with plans from previous years. It's a good record of spacings as well. I'm less good about sowing and planting out times. I have a vague idea and start off well, but am not so good on successional sowing. Need to get a grip of that. Your sowing list sounds like a good idea, Bren. I have first sowing dates written out alongside my plan, but not separately. I should try that.

By and large, CG, it comes with keeping records like Bren, reading books and asking questions here. There are threads on particular veg types that are always well worth following, as you can see what other people are doing and when. On that note, Bren, I'm hoping you'll do the year-round lettuce thread again, as I'm up for it this year.

One thing I really appreciate here is the effort members go to to share their knowledge with others. At this time of year, CG, when there isn't really a huge amount happening except preparing beds and moving things around - rary was great at sharing his new ideas and I really hope he comes back as he was quite the inspiration - the forum seems a bit quiet apart from the chitchat side. But give it a few weeks as we start to think about spring and to sow seeds and there will be lots of gardening activity to follow. And there are of course earlier threads to look at if you've got queries in the run-up.

Right, better get on with the day. Yesterday's rejig of the kitchen and basement was very useful. An embarrassing amount of dust and fluff behind the fridge, mind. But it all took longer than expected, so plenty to be getting on with today.

Have a great day, everyone.

[Containergardener]

Guess what?????

Found my seed tins. Whilst walking the dog I'm thinking I hadn't seen the tins the seeds were in ( I wouldn't have thrown them away) and turns out I had tidied up!! On top of the spare room wardrobe for some random reason Now admittedly they are out of date seeds BUT last year I grew tomatoes from the out of date tin and they grew just fine.

Yes I have always had lots of advice and a few members I miss too.
I am sure i will asking more questions shortly.

I am thinking some pots still, some raised bed areas and some planting in beds. I have clay, peaty soil, in the prevailing wind, lots of rain, field mice, voles, slugs and snails, pheasants, deer and a nosy greedy labrador. Sounds like success on a plate to me what on earth could go wrong.

Off to find my jotters I have stashed in my craft room away from OH pinching them.

[bramble]

Good morning all.
Wet and windy here with the wind getting stronger.

CG, I keep a notebook with time of sowing, germination time and follow up on whether the crop did well or worth sowing again.
I also collect and dry my own seed as much as possible,
Its good to keep a record to look back on.
Otherwise, the peeps in here are extremely helpful and a mine of infirmation.
Have a good day all,

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all

Did someone mention caaaaake?….oooo….yes please CG ! Ta muchly xx

I was reading up about moon halos…folk law apparently is pretty accurate in that it says they are often seen a few hours before snow, storms or rain. It’s to do with cirrus and stratocirrus clouds.
We had heavy rain and strong winds during the night, so it was spot on.

CG…I just get a feel for what goes where in the veggie plot and distancing. I’m a bit of a hit and miss sort of lass. I’m just as likely to kill off something perfectly placed and cared compared to a ‘survival of the fittest’ approach
We grow mostly the same things every year now we know what does best in our soil and weather conditions,but I do try and have a ‘guest’ veg each year and that tends to need some researching.
Have you seen the GYO growing guides for fruit and veg on this page?….
https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk

Scrolling through old posts are amazingly helpful too as are asking questions in the relevant sections.
As Snoop says, the combined fountain of knowledge and experience on this site is awesome as is the willingness of grapes to help out!
No question is too daft and hearing how others approach the same ‘problem/ task’ opens the mind for adapting and improving. Practically no answer will be the same so it’s a matter of picking what you hope will work for you, and if it doesn’t, try one of the other suggestions.
It took me more than 4 years to get used to our new soil and weather conditions when we moved here. And tbh, I’m still learning as each year the weather conditions change!

Enjoy your Sunday peeps, and keep warm!

[Containergardener]

Well the wind is getting up a bit, raining. Certainly it has been an indoorsy day. I gathered my seeds together and have 87packets. My plan is to make a spreadsheet.
Hope you have all had a reasonable day.

[Florence Fennel]

Evening All I think your sock is going to take a bit of a battering tonight Bren. Hope Mr Pots has the other one of the pair at the ready!

[Bren In Pots]

Flo the socks still hanging on not sure if it’ll be there in the morning though.

[Nicos]

Evening
Its a balmy 10C here at the moment! What a difference in temperature
Having said that it’s very windy but it sounds like it’s nothing compared to the uk winds.

87 packets CG?…and I thought I was bad enough And I bet you are missing something you really want to grow!

Keep safe out there peeps. I’ve not seen the smiles today- I guess they are being blown all over the place?