The FastDay Forum

Am i the only one to be rubbish at growing spring onions and radish... I am going to have another go this yer but the last two have been awful.......... any ideas?

Is it too late to start off garlic from bulbs bought in the supermarket in the UK? I do have a border that is very hot and dry, they would love it there. But even that patch is sodden right now.

Get your cloves in asap, Julie. Unfortunately the wet conditions aren't ideal at the moment.

@blueheather growbags are quite cheap and make for good growing conditions for radishes and spring onions.

My garden is so sad after all our hot weather and no rain to speak of. We've had 8.4 mm this year. Makes me want to cry.

I think we have had 8.4mm in the last hour. I have some pots that I can put the garlic in, I will do it tomorrow, if the rain will let up and it doesn't freeze of course.

[carieoates]

Hello everyone. I will be bouncing into this tent with masses of questions and enthusiasm when my new "grown up" greenhouse is delivered and put up. Not
Looking forward to hubs constructing it as they can be a bit difficult.

@carieoates belated congrats on your new greenhouse. My greenhouse was a 40th birthday present and is a tres posh one. My OH has constructed a tiny greenhouse-within-a greenhouse to allow me to start my tomato seeds early this year without having to heat the whole greenhouse. In fact that is my job for today.

[carieoates]

Ooh that sound like my idea of fun. Sowing seeds in my new GH. But I've got to go to class and then have my hair done so today is all sorted. I shall be back.

I have a patch of about 3m by 8m that I do veggies in, have had good success with tomatoes, green peppers, chillies, onions, radishes etc.

Then 2 years ago I planted 4 baby granadilla plants and a cape gooseberry bush, I had been trying for ages to get a gooseberry one to take from seed and eventually one did.

Then I realised my mistake, these plants get big, my little trellis became a structure and later I planted long poles with wire in between for the the granadilla plants to climb on, well anyway the first season not much fruit but this year, loads, I have even taken to freezing the pulp in ice cube trays, quite a yummy sorbet like snack.
Next year is going to be even more fruit.

I also have a worm farm that produces loads of worm tea and casings, all the kitchen scraps go in there. That was a fun project to get started.

Admittedly the rest of the garden is the problem of the garden services and wife, I hate mowing lawns and weeding flower beds.

Seems its all about worms today. Tapeworms and garden worms!

I'm finally going out to plant seeds - Tomatoes, Sweet Peas and Penstemons. I've somehow ended up with 4 packets of Tomato seeds, they seem to fly unaided into my basket

Spring is in the air! OH and I went out to the local garden centre and bought a large pot for some new mint. We use a lot of mint throughout the summer and decided we needed more. We're trying out a Moroccan variety....it was quite sweet (I tested a bit) and just coming through in the nursery pot.
The crocuses are out now and the daffodils won't be long before their flowers open....everything is so early compared to last year.
The birds are singing and it's not raining or blowing a gale!!! Happy gardening everyone.

Anyhow, its a disaster for my cucumbers and pretty much giving up as the aphids have taken over. 5 separate plantings and only one has survived with about 4 ccucumbers all up

No big drama as im a believer in working with whatever the weather easily allows but as an experiment wondering if i can save one or two plants. Covered in aphids and with the ants happily helping out.

Im an organic gardener so no pesticide suggestions pleas.

any ideas?

Hi Juliana, I thought up a way of deterring aphids a few years ago and it worked for me. instead of concentrating on the aphids (blackfly on broad beans in my case) I decided to discourage the ants which farm and protect them. As soon as I plant the beans out or just before (I don't sow them directly into the garden), I sprinkle chopped herbs which the ants don't like along the rows, mint, lavender, rosemary or tansy. It does keep the ants away for a while and I keep topping it up. It's not 100% but it's worth trying and it's free - although too late now for you to try this season.

Edit - Other herbs that ants keep away from are sage and hyssop, I had forgotten about those. I use lavender trimmings and mint because I always have them growing in the garden.

[carieoates]

Great tip @coffeetime. I shall use that one. Or send my chooks in. They luv ants.

I have such a sad life that I am actually really pleased that my garlic cloves, which I decided to start off on the windowsill with some tissue and water, are already pushing out some roots. Weyhey!

Me too @Julieathome, I get really exited when my seeds germinate or when cuttings take root, and a real feeling of joy when the spring flowers appear - even though they do it every year!