Hobbit Allotment!

[horticultural_hobbit]

I have brought my 9 baby sweetcorn home; with a view to put them into the 4TB.

But do I need to cover them with fleece?

[snohare]

Do you know what the minimum night-time temperature is, where you are going to put them ? (This is where I live by my max/min thermometer.)
Because if it's above 3 degrees above freezing, then I don't think you have to worry about even an air frost; - but don't take that as gospel, I'm going on the principle that you can't get damage without freezing, rather than any personal experience of growing sweetcorn. For all I know it may grind to a halt and not start growth again if it cools too much early on.
You won't go far wrong if you do put them under fleece - as long as it's not another dire, rainy summer like last - in which case, it's very doubtful you'd get a crop anyway.
Did you see how I resisted the temptation to make corny jokes there ?

[horticultural_hobbit]

Sno. Sweetie. You do realise, that before long, people will partake in a punnage based drinking game. As this is a family vine and we don't promote irresponsible drinking....


Well, tonight, forecast indicates 6-7 degrees.

As it coming down in sheets-the rain, that is-and the fleece is in Dad's shed; I will keep them inside tonight. Putting them out tomorrow, and then cover in the afternoon perhaps.

Has me in stitches, the sweetcorn. It transpires, and forms little bubbles on the the tips of the leaves. Very much a science faculty thing...

[snohare]

Oh well Hobbit, it doesn't have to be an alcoholic drinking game. Unfermented grape juice is possible - if we must, we must...(Sorry, couldn't resist that joke ! )

I hadn't even thought of it, but hail if not heavy rain might cream cracker your plants - worth being concerned about if thunderstorms are forecast - I believe this is a problem for farmers in the US, I've read of storms laying waste to crops.
What size are they ?
Well, we will see what transpires....
<Remembers, goes off to take medication>

[horticultural_hobbit]

That big. Sat in 4TB, with fleece readied.

Might need to cover things down the plot too.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Evening all, all right?

I'm being an impatient hobbit. But I have yet to plug anything in. What I have plugged in, as it were, are lots of summer flowering bulbs. Some of which are already coming up.

What I wondered, has anyone ever grown grapes on their plot? I have 'Madeleine Sylvaner' and Boskoop glory.

I may have already asked, but I have now forgotten. ooh, just found a boskoop thread...

So much hanging on in the wendy and 4TB.

[mothhawk]

What size are they ?
Well, we will see what transpires....

I thought all plants transpired........?

[horticultural_hobbit]

I need to do some serious revision. How to grow chillies, bells, squashes....

Aim to plant things out tomorrow...squashes, running beans and sweetcorn that is.

Having a reflective moment. Chicken poop, or BFB to put into the hole before the squash?

Some of them will be going into raised beds, others in the open ground clay. Raised beds are compost topped, but contain leaf mold, garden waste et cetra.

Wilkos five minutes down the road...

[snohare]

From my limited experience of growing them, I'd say the most important thing is to make sure the squashes get water. Put lots of moisture absorbent materiel into a wide deep hole, stick in a length of old hoover pipe with some wee holes in the sides, and plant into that; after that, you can vary the feed you give in the water as needed. They're gross feeders, so whatever you put in the hole, you won't go wrong, it's just a case of how much extra will they need !

[horticultural_hobbit]

Orla first earlies, and kestral second earlies.

What can you tell me about taking them up

[horticultural_hobbit]

Dedicated to granny flo

[snohare]

Orlas...Kestrels...sorry Hobbit, I know I should know, they and Ospreys are my usual tatties so I must have lifted them...but how, heaven only knows ! (The brain fog here is bad, can you tell.)
I can never remember which varieties need to be left outside for the skin to thicken before storage, and I can never remember which ones are best eaten early rather than left in store; so usually I don't do either. I just lift them as I need them, and end up finding tatties in the ground for weeks and months to come. (The wee ones left behind seem to be very keen to bulk up if left. I call it the Aberdonian's Christmas Crop. )
Still planting my maincrop tatties...!

[horticultural_hobbit]

Update

[snohare]

Far far ahead of me ! Well done that woman...

[horticultural_hobbit]

Was disappointed with so few new potatoes. They were lovely, and have been used. But they were variable sizes. From pea, to well, potato sized.

Firmly believe, that weather has played a factor. Orla and kestral were both tiny. Daresay it's early for the kestral anyway.

My mother has been bouncing with the appearance of the caulis. We counted 3. But will wait till they grow a little further. She was then altogether very excited with the swedes and turnips. All ear marked, as ever for Dad's dinner

Have puddles of kale and Nero di Toscana to harvest. A few baby squashes. Pollination of which. Is entirely per^erted. But I do have a baby striato di Napoli for the moment.

With the last three weeks, I've been doing school work, and it's had rained too with some stuff called heat. Cue weeds and grass all over. If its not dealt with, I suspect it could end up like last years field of weeds.

And then, my mother reliably or no informs me that my plot rent is going up to £75! I will need to confirm that at some point.