2013 gardening thread

[Albion]

Time for a new gardening thread. Winter may at last be leaving us, so what is everyone planning on growing this year?

[Vesuvian Sky]

Well these days I am trying to get more in touch with my 25.15% Baltic hunter gatherer side but years ago the Anatolian-Mediterranean farmer components in me helped produce a thriving strawberry patch.

But that was a while ago.:)

[Kazimiera]

Come on! Post pictures of what have or want to plant! I love plant and garden threads but they are NOTHING without pictures!!

[Dombra]

Any members with cannabis plants to show? :p

[Albion]

Come on! Post pictures of what have or want to plant! I love plant and garden threads but they are NOTHING without pictures!!

You're right.

This year I'm growing -

Veg:


Peas
Onions
Potatoes
Sweet corn
Maybe some lettuce
Chillis (if they ever germinate!)
Tomatoes


Fruit:


Cherries - the tree should be mature enough now, I'm hoping for some cooking cherries off it
Grapes - I should have one grape vine mature enough to produce this year. Depending on the quality, I'll either eat them or make wine
Apples - may not bear this year though, tree is still young
Pears - see apples
Plums - see apples
Other grape vines - I'm acquiring new varieties. Already have 4 varieties, want to make that 9 or 10 by the end of the year - I know exactly which ones I want
Rhubarb - already started growing, want to bake pies from it
Strawberries - have plenty of plants this year, should get good amounts this time
Raspberries - I planted some canes in winter
Gooseberries - planted some in winter
Blackberries - I have them growing wild in the hedge
Peach - planted a young tree at the start of the year. It's a variety resistant to leaf curl, a disease they're susceptible to in UK conditions. Will take it a few years to mature yet though.


Edible herbs:


Mint
Hops

[Albion]

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/7396/pict0477.jpg
New grape vine breaking dormancy. It's a small, Russian seedless eating grape that does well in cool climates because it's early ripening and tolerant of cool temperatures.

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/3024/pict0474.jpg
A very rare grape vine that I acquired. I only know of two others in the world, both in the UK. It's an old, forgotten variety from a derelict manor house. Apparently it has massive crops with good flavoured grapes. It seems to be growing vigorously at the moment anyway, and it's a Vitis labrusca variety (American species).

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9664/pict0476y.jpg
Those leaves clearly aren't European (Vitis vinifera) ones.

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/9030/pict0470l.jpg
More peas growing. I've already planted some outside.

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/4084/pict0471o.jpg
Sweet corn - it's been slow to germinate but is getting there.

http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/5959/pict0472.jpg
Potatoes chitting


I'll post my tomato plants and other crops some other time. The tomato plants are coming along very well, they're making quite large plants. I'm quite pleased with them.
All these things are indoors at the moment because it's still not great outside. The grape vines will be planted in the ground by their 3rd year.

[Albion]

On another note, I think I've got a chimera (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimera_(plant)) on my pear tree. A chimera is when a plant has a genetic mutation on a part of it (not the whole plant) that causes this part to differ somehow.
There's a branch that got broken, but the cambium layer was preserved (so the branch could survive), so I tied it back on with a splint. Eventually it'll heal.
But the branch seems to be budding a lot faster than the rest of the tree, the buds are swelling much faster and turning green as if they're ready to come out whilst the rest of the tree is dormant. This may be an early growing chimera from the damage to the tree. I'm going to watch it to see if it's of any use. Something with superior fruit, some interesting foliage or earlier ripening would be interesting and maybe warrant me taking cuttings (clones) of it. Then again, like most genetic mutations and chimeras, it could be rather useless.

BTW, most variegated plants started off as chimeras - mutations in leaves of a plant. Variegated holly, ivy and whatever else rarely exist as the norm in nature.

[Kazimiera]

Albion, you MUST get a pinotage vine!

[Albion]

Albion, you MUST get a pinotage vine!

Pinot Noir grows fairly well in Southern England where sparkling wine is made from it (officially, only France and America can call a sparkling wine 'champagne'). Pinot Gris can also grow too, but isn't as easy and Pinot Meunier grows fine too.
I've actually seen Pinot noir and Charddonnay vines in shops though. I've resisted buying, I'm really growing table grapes. I want to cross a few varieties and breed some earlier ripening ones.
Pinot noir may be okay as a table grape and it might be of some use in breeding new varieties since it is quite good in a cool-ish climate and also has a ridiculously high genetic mutation rate.

I'll think about it, but I've been trying to resist buying any more wine grapes. I'm after 5 American seedless varieties, 3 wild species and 1 obscure European variety that flowers late (missing frost), ripens early and sets good crops even in cool, wet weather. The American varieties are good enough in Southern England, but not as good as they could be in the rest of it. I want to take the traits from that European variety and some of the wild species and make improved table varieties even more suitable for Northern Europe. Obviously I also want to grow crops of grapes as well, it's not entirely about breeding them. All the American ones will do fine in most years, but I want to make them bombproof in even the poor years.
Of course, one of those varieties may be good enough, since the genetic diversity of grapes (especially hybrids) is very high whilst my resources (space mostly) are limited.

The two varieties in the pictures I hope to cross as well. The Russian one is good (early ripening, good in cool conditions, good flavour, seedless) but is let down by small grapes, the other one is let down by seeds (but has large grapes, very large crops, good flavour and is reliable). Hopefully they'll produce good, seedless offspring.

Any good crosses I'd release into commercial cultivation and collect royalties to get some sort of return for ten years or so, then eventually make them royalty free so others can improve them and expand their cultivation.
We have plenty of vineyards growing wine grapes in England, if we get the varieties right then we can have them growing table grapes too (which is probably cheaper and easier to do). It's probably already possible with the seedless American hybrids. Essentially, Joe public wants seedless table grapes without a labrusca (Welch's purple grape juice) flavour.

If I have to limit myself to just 2 more varieties then I know exactly which ones to get. One of the American ones and that European one. It's a bit of an aspie obsession of mine, grape vines. :)

[Kazimiera]

Albion, pinotage! It is from South Africa. It is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. You MUST get one of these!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinotage

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X1usYGP8P0Q/UHbI0yua8oI/AAAAAAAAB04/6RuFC2ptJ0Q/s1600/Pinotage+grapes.jpg

[Aurora]

I just bought a new place. I'm loving it and am excited to see what kind of fruit trees there are here already. So far I've identified an apple tree,a pear tree, cherry trees, and I think hopefully some plums. There is a fenced raised bed area with rasberries and blueberries! This place is surrounded by wild huckleberries too. I need to plant some blackberries. I direct seeded snap peas, carrots, lettuce, and radish there in the raised bed. It seems birds are digging up the peas and have eaten a lot of them already :( http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/906659_10152713247070321_309058280_o.jpg
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/893752_10152713247385321_1549799273_o.jpg

I started some Nyagous tomatoes;

http://shopmbf.org/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/t/o/tomato_nyagous.jpg

Gajo de Melon cherry tomatoes;

http://tatianastomatobase.com/w/images/thumb/7/76/Gajo_de_Melon_Sliced.jpg/717px-Gajo_de_Melon_Sliced.jpg

And some Marconi peppers;

http://www.doublehelixfarms.com/sites/default/files/pepper%20golden%20marconi5.jpg
http://www.rareseeds.com/assets/1/14/DimLarge/PP107_01.jpg

[Diërker]

dank.

[Albion]

Albion, pinotage! It is from South Africa. It is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. You MUST get one of these!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinotage

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X1usYGP8P0Q/UHbI0yua8oI/AAAAAAAAB04/6RuFC2ptJ0Q/s1600/Pinotage+grapes.jpg

Why, is it good for eating and wine?

[Aurora]

Tulips are blooming, finally. http://th04.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2013/106/9/b/my_dear_friend_spring_by_ellethwyn-d620a51.jpg
http://th02.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2013/106/8/8/tulip_by_ellethwyn-d620a91.jpghttp://th07.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2013/105/8/b/tulip_by_ellethwyn-d61w4ur.jpg

[Albion]

I did some gardening today on my day off. Things are really starting to grow now that it's warmed up a bit.

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/6669/pict0539q.jpg
Some bulbs I found discarded somewhere. I didn't know what they were, but now they've flowered I can see they're Muscari (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscari_armeniacum). Not my favourite bulb, but they're quite pretty. Once they die back I'll plant them in the garden, they're known to spread.

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/9156/pict0531v.jpg
One of the Hydrangeas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrangea_macrophylla) is starting to grow. This ones a mophead. They've gone out of fashion a bit and I prefer the lacecaps, but they're still lovely plants. I may try grafting a lacecap onto part of it (they're the same species, it might be possible). Grafting, because the soil is poor and rocky and I'm surprised that one grows where it does (it came with the house). I can get a lacecap branch for free anyway, a plant would cost money.

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/6770/pict0532y.jpg
Another plant I have. I bought it as some sort of Hydrangea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrangea), I forget what one. It's not the same species as above and it hasn't flowered yet so I can't tell. It's got nice foilage though, it doesn't matter what it is really.

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/7830/pict0536ab.jpg
Some French Lavender (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavandula_stoechas) (variety "Pappillon") I bought in winter (when it was cheap. It overwintered surprisingly well outside for French Lavender. I intend to put in in a terracota pot.

http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/9540/pict0537i.jpg
Coryline (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordyline_australis) ("Torbay Dazzler") overwinered quite well for a Cordyline, only brought it inside during the worst of the snow. It's starting to form a trunk.

http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/8391/pict0538w.jpg
Some cuttings I took from a Horse Chestnut tree. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_chestnut) I'm trying to get them to root. They're lovely trees - foilage unlike any other in Britain, nice flowers and conkers when they mature. I may grow one in the garden if I can, and stunt it somehow (or else it'll get too big). Girdling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girdling) the trunk at a certain height and growing it in poor, rocky soil should work.

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/9668/pict0545a.jpg
Tulip (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip) emerging from the lawn

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/2013/pict0529n.jpg
Sicilian honey lily (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allium_siculum) emerging

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/7073/pict0530t.jpg
Some sort of Anemone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anemone) emerging from the lawn, I forget which one (probably blanda). I tried to get rid of it since planting because its foilage looks like a weed, no look though - once you have it, it's there for good. Nice now its flowered though, might plant a lot of blue Anemone blanda (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Anemone_blanda1GrooverFW.jpg) in autumn (seen it in garden centres, looks lovely and woodlandy).

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/5311/pict0542v.jpg
More tulips

http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/6610/pict0543.jpg
Another mophead Hydrangea

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/5115/pict0544.jpg
Lawn daisies - a low-growing wildflower. Some people that like golf-course-like lawns hate them, I like them though.

[Albion]

http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/9555/pict0548z.jpg
Pea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pea)

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/8162/pict0549v.jpg
Some strawberry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fragaria_%C3%97_ananassa) plants

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/3609/pict0555ve.jpg
A gooseberry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gooseberry) bush

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/3899/pict0557z.jpg
Onion. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onion) I'd forgotten I planted them.

http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/9769/pict0570l.jpg
Cooking Cherry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunus_cerasus) (Morello) should be out soon.

http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/2638/pict0560z.jpg
Another tulip

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/511/pict0562i.jpg
Plum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunus_domestica) tree (Victoria)

http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/2438/pict0564.jpg
Tulips, daffodils (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissus_pseudonarcissus) and whatever other bulbs I planted

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/7742/pict0566y.jpg
The early branch on the Pear (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pear) tree (Conference). Below it is the damage, a splint holding the broken branch together (will remove it in autumn, by then it should have fused back together). The rest of the pear tree is now budding, but this little branch is quite ahead of the rest of the tree.

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/3658/pict0578w.jpg
Corkscrew willow. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corkscrew_Willow) An extremely easy and fast growing tree to grow. Clip it like a hedge, needs no special treatment and actually sends up new growth and is reinvigorated by cutting. Is very majestic (http://pics.davesgarden.com/pics/2009/04/28/catcollins/989f25.jpg), suits Japanese and cottage gardens well. Only cost me £2, best £2 I ever spent. :D

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/5747/pict0574q.jpg
Apple (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple) tree (Elstar)

http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/4194/pict0575.jpg
More daffodils. They're lovely, hopefully they'll spread as they have in neighbouring gardens.

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/7687/pict0577.jpg

[Albion]

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/1112/pict0586i.jpg
Cherry laurel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunus_laurocerasus) - about the only thing I've found so far that will grow well in dry, sandy shade.

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/3186/pict0582m.jpg
More daffs. They grow before the canopy closes, so should be fine there. They prefer a lighter soil so can grow well in sand. This is like a nursery area, the sand is so light and nothing much grows on it that I can dig up the bulbs and divide them once they finish growing (to spread to other areas of the garden).

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/9384/pict0585q.jpg
Sycamore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_pseudoplatanus) seedlings. They self seed very year, they're like a weed and very successful in Britain. Most die, but a few live. I'm leaving them to see if I can get any saplings from them (will need to plant something in place of ash if Britain's trees aren't resistant to ash dieback (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymenoscyphus_pseudoalbidus). It alternates dominance with ash in woodlands anyway and is the only thing that will grow as fast and easily as it)

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/4741/pict0594a.jpg
Rhubarb (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhubarb) starting to grow. It is nice in pies and also a lovely plant in itself. Even if you don't eat it, it is still lovely to look at. It'sa bit like a "poor man's Gunnera" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunnera_manicata) (Gunnera being expensive and unreliable).

I did some grafting today. I grafted 2 new varieties onto 2 of my existing fruit trees - a Sunburst sweet cherry (originally from Canada, heard good things about it) onto the Morello cooking cherry. And a Fiesta (Cox's-like variety) onto Elstar. Hopefully the grafts will be successful, this is the first time I've tried grafting fruit trees.
If the grafts work, then 2 branches of the Morello cherry will bear sunburst cherries and one branch of the Elstar will bear Fiesta (it works by transferring the genetic material from one variety to another).

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/5403/pict0590k.jpg
Cherry

http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/5035/pict0591j.jpg
Apple

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/580/pict0592b.jpg
Lupins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Lupin) beginning to grow - and another forgotten onion

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/5042/pict0598o.jpg
Tomato (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomato) plants ("moneymaker") growing well. Will need re-potting soon.

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/5025/pict0597q.jpg
A tomato plant I'm trialing outside. It's fairly mild at the moment, but the nights are fairly cool. This one is the runt of the litter, so I'm using it to see if they can go outside yet - if it wilts, then the others can stay inside a bit longer. A frost would kill it, but it should otherwise be fine (in theory).

[Kazimiera]

The pinotage are unfortunately just for wine.

I LOVE daffodils. My favourite flower. :)

[Graham]

Slow Spring, feel sorry for the Farmers. It's like late March still. 2/3 weeks behind.

[kabeiros]

I grow tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and lettuces every year. I'm thinking about adding strawberies this year

[Virtuous]

I'm growing a goatee.

[kabeiros]

I'm growing a goatee. Really? Have you ever milked one? I have and it was fun

[Virtuous]

Really? Have you ever milked one? I have and it was fun

Oh yes it's awesome, my goatee needs a lot of attention. Spoiled goatee it is.

[Aurora]

My tomato seedlings that I started later than usual.

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/478557_10152741983420321_953459310_o.jpg

Ornamental cherry tree

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/477028_10152736260585321_949484702_o.jpg

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/479132_10152736874085321_1013974012_o.jpg

Lamprocapnos spectabilis; also known as old-fashioned bleeding-heart, Venus's car, Lady in a bath, Dutchman's trousers, or Lyre-flower

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/902136_10152731433980321_248015173_o.jpg
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/901378_10152728884140321_26882370_o.jpghttp://th05.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2013/112/0/8/spring_calling_by_ellethwyn-d62ozxq.jpg
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/422110_10152734462010321_1874630840_n.jpghttps://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/905423_10152731368250321_147333560_o.jpghttps://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/921641_10152721361230321_82376072_o.jpg


Fig Tree

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/901745_10152715617540321_1655161806_o.jpg

Apple Tree

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/554763_10152712689890321_1097401343_n.jpghttp://th09.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2013/098/f/4/blossom_droplets_by_ellethwyn-d60ytm7.jpg

http://th06.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2013/104/1/1/my_dear_friend_spring_by_ellethwyn-d61s7dn.jpg

[Aurora]

http://th04.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2013/109/4/5/looks_good_enough_to_eat_by_ellethwyn-d62bfu3.jpg
http://th01.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2013/112/2/e/cheerful_spring_by_ellethwyn-d62oxj7.jpg

Pear Blossoms

http://th02.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2013/111/4/4/pear_blossoms_by_ellethwyn-d62l8he.jpg

http://th08.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2013/098/f/c/simple_beauty_by_ellethwyn-d60yvv8.jpghttp://th00.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2013/098/4/b/scent_of_spring_by_ellethwyn-d60yu2a.jpghttp://th03.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2013/096/d/3/classic_spring_by_ellethwyn-d60q1d6.jpghttp://th02.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2013/096/5/0/classic_spring_ll_by_ellethwyn-d60q26o.jpg

[Albion]

Lamprocapnos spectabilis; also known as old-fashioned bleeding-heart, Venus's car, Lady in a bath, Dutchman's trousers, or Lyre-flower

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/902136_10152731433980321_248015173_o.jpg


Seen some of these around, I almost bought some roots of them in winter, wish I had done now I've seen them in the flesh, they're very nice. Short season though, although will come back from roots each year. I'll plant it this winter.


Anyway, my tomato plants are doing very well. I started them some time in March I think (expecting a milder start to the year) and they've flowered and have the first fruits forming. They're growing in a window at my parent's place, south facing and 24c most of the day and have thrived in it (I start my indoor seedlings there). I'll be moving them to my place which is more varied, between a low of 10c and high of 18c, but typically around 15c and in a south facing window. I already have a chili plant (bought with chilis on a week or two ago) and that's doing okay, additional chilis are ripening so the light and heat levels must be good enough. I'll grow them inside all year if I can (if the plants don't get too big).

Here are some pictures of them, I'll take one of them as they are now in a day or so.

March:

http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/7987/pict0453p.jpg

April:

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/2726/pict0461e.jpg

In the garden - cherry tree has bloomed, some look pollinated but bad weather is expected so I'm hoping the blossom isn't too damaged and that it passes before anything else blooms.
Apple and pear tree look set to bloom soon, but only a few and are still young so might abort the fruit (I was going to let them crop 1 or two fruits each). Plum tree burst into life but only had two flowers, that again is too young.

The gooseberry bushes that went in during winter are doing amazingly well, full of leaves and have new branches forming and I think I spotted some early signs of fruit formation, they're really great in a cool climate.
Raspberries plants also went in during winter and are doing good, planted close to gooseberries (space limited), but the idea is that gooseberries will be the understory and raspberries will grow above them.

Pea plants that were started indoors are doing nicely but now need support, new peas that were sowed in ground are sprouting. Radish cover crop that I sowed a few days ago is appearing too.
Strawberries are a mixed bag, supermarket plants look poor but are coming whilst garden centre ones a vigorous and doing well.

First grape vine is leafing out now, I need it to delay flowering until the bad weather passes though. Other grape vine from last year is budding whilst two new grape vines that I had in spring are growing away well. Bought another one this week as well, it looks to be a two or three year old plant - Lakemont, a hybrid seedless grape - should be fine against a wall, although not the best seedless variety for this climate (if we have a poor year and it struggles to ripen I'll have to stick a plastic greenhouse over it to finish it).

Hydrangeas are leafing out and doing nicely, I have an unknown species (looks like some sort of hydrangea) which I want to see flowering this year). Daffs and tulips look great, I have some purple tulips that have really impressed me despite me not really being a big fan of tulips (they can be a bit plastic and industrial looking).
Anemones have invaded part of the lawn and forget me nots have seeded in areas too.

I'll post pictures some time this week.

[Han Cholo]

I am growing cannabis, oranges and corn.

[Aurora]

Your tomato plants are doing well, Albion. Mine are ok, I should get them in the ground next week.

http://imageshack.us/a/img542/3459/dsc08175w.jpg

[Albion]

Your tomato plants are doing well, Albion. Mine are ok, I should get them in the ground next week.

http://imageshack.us/a/img542/3459/dsc08175w.jpg

Very nice. Mine are about two or three foot high now, I'll post a picture when I can.

[Aurora]

What kind of tomatoes are you growing, Albion?

[Albion]

What kind of tomatoes are you growing, Albion?

Moneymaker. I did plan on a few others but didn't want a glut.

[Albion]

They're still indoors but have reached the top of the window. These pictures are from a few days ago, so there are more tomatoes now and the ones in the pics are bigger. They'll probably have to go outside eventually, but it's so easy growing them in that window that I don't really want to put them out.

http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/1456/pict0867.jpg

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/3286/pict0864o.jpg

http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/896/pict0863.jpg

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/8986/pict0862e.jpg

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/8666/pict0861l.jpg

http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/89/pict0860z.jpg

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/6074/pict0856q.jpg

I might grow some to sell next year, a lot of people seem to buy tomato plants in.

[Jägerstaffel]

http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k481/approachinglightspeed/DSCN0312.jpg

Sequoiadendron giganteum, the largest trees in the world.

Three saplings.

[Han Cholo]

One month old cannabis;
http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af332/arbin_420/DSC01376_zps8b7861cf.jpg

One month and 15 days old cannabis:
http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af332/arbin_420/DSC01377_zps3b9191af.jpg

[Albion]

I've neglected this thread for ages, so here's a progress report.

Peas:

Peas are doing well. I transplanted plants into the ground and then latter sowed some directly in the ground, the latter should hopefully extend the season a bit.

http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/9412/7o1c.jpg

http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/4079/5vxz.jpg

Broad beans:

I sowed one broad bean because I've never tasted let alone grown them so wanted to trial them before committing to growing a lot. One plant will be enough. So far it's not as fast as the peas, but it's getting there.

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/2250/fyar.jpg

http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/8673/nzgu.jpg

[Albion]

Potatoes:

I planted some maincrop in the ground and some in a bin, both are almost flowering now. The potatoes did great but a week or two ago got blown down by high winds. They grew back up in a matter of days though, if you cut the stems off then the potatoes stop developing, so it is better not to tidy them up.

From start till present (descending)...
http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/8371/74ss.jpg

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/5241/p3yj.jpg

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/9349/859m.jpg

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/9835/mq8m.jpg

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/603/go5w.jpg

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/9653/v6sq.jpg

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/2051/ezep.jpg

And now they've picked themselves up:

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/4034/5x88.jpg


My main crops this year are potatoes and peas. In the end I grew less than planned since I started plants early indoors and the winter lasted long so in the end they had to be chucked out. Also, I only dedicated a tiny space to a veg patch this year. But there are a few other things around, some carrots and strawberries for example, but not many.

[Albion]

The cherry tree is also at last mature enough to bear fruit. It bore a few cherries, they started to turn red and the damn birds got to them before me! :mad: Was going to be a meager harvest anyway, next year and in the proceeding years it should start producing abundantly now. The apple tree is as diseased as ever though, I may rip it out and put in a better, disease resistant variety.

[Ultra]

Nice Albion! True vikings love gardening indeed! Really manly of you to have a manly hobby like this of yours, I'm very impressed! :thumb001:

[Ultra]

The cherry tree is also at last mature enough to bear fruit. It bore a few cherries, they started to turn red and the damn birds got to them before me! :mad: Was going to be a meager harvest anyway, next year and in the proceeding years it should start producing abundantly now. The apple tree is as diseased as ever though, I may rip it out and put in a better, disease resistant variety.
Yeah I know crows and blackbirds are very fast on those big red berries. Same thing happens here. Fortunately I'm not too fond of them myself.

[Albion]

Nice Albion! True vikings love gardening indeed! Really manly of you to have a manly hobby like this of yours, I'm very impressed! :thumb001:

Thanks. :)


Yeah I know crows and blackbirds are very fast on those big red berries. Same thing happens here. Fortunately I'm not too fond of them myself.

The annoying thing is though that wild cherry trees are like the second or third most common tree around here, they're literally everywhere and overloaded with fruit yet some cheeky bird goes for my tree instead. :mad: I didn't bother to net it since the crop is so small, still a few waiting to ripen - I may net it, I want to see what the cherries are like.

I'm thinking of expanding the veg patch next year, probably doubling it in size so I can get more potatoes in, some carrots, lettuces and perhaps some French and Runner beans.
Part of the space I'm going to use for my grape vines probably, currently they're in pots but I'd prefer them in the ground.

Do you grow anything? Peas are easy so long as they have something to grow up, potatoes too (so long as you watch out for blight).

[Albion]

These were taken some time last week. Crops are progressing well, but starting to suffer from the intense heat and lack of rain now though.

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/9189/lobr.jpg7
Bin potatoes

The cheap roses I planted last winter haven't done too good, not many survived, but the few that have are looking quite nice now, I'm surprised.

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/1843/i60z.jpg

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/6295/h56i.jpg

http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/121/w80d.jpg

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/2941/h3i4.jpg

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/1212/gpt3.jpg
I keep harvesting the peas, the pods vary from well filled to disappointingly spacious.

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/7251/pjao.jpg
Raspberry canes are producing a few raspberries. The canes are young though, so not much this year. The raspberries are of good quality though, I'll move the canes to a better location in the winter.

http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/1601/nrit.jpg
The tomato plants sort of got dumped in a corner by the house, but they're ripening tomatoes well now. It's a constant battle to keep them watered though, tomatoes drink loads.

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/8137/v7l0.jpg
Shelling peas to freeze them. I'm freezing them until the plants stop producing and I have a good amount to use. Next year I may grow mangetout peas and french beans to eat in the pods. A bumper crop of pods is generally only a modest crop of peas once they're de-podded, wasting the pods makes peas much less productive and is such a waste.

http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/3135/2gnc.jpg
Broad bean plant is starting to produce pods at last. It shall be interesting to compare it to the peas. So far it has required very little intervention, it hasn't required support like peas and hasn't been as sprawling or ready to wilt if under watered. The beans do require more processing though before they can be consumed.

http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/9520/670f.jpg
Potatoes flowering

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/1060/odqc.jpg
Hydrangea coming back from the dead.

http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/4296/mhhq.jpg
Rhubarb grew a bit too fast in the hot weather. It'll try to flower soon, and I'll stop it.

http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/6216/fpqm.jpg
What I do with the pea pods

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/125/bdlt.jpg
A bamboo that I'm bringing back from the dead. Got poisoned with highly alkaline water at a garden centre during winter, died back to the roots and I've grown it from there. Cost me nothing, but should be worth a decent amount soon.


http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/3351/wlvm.jpg
My first grape vine, flowering at last. Hopefully it'll produce some fruit this year... Looks like it needs some nitrogen, but feeding it at this stage could shatter (kill) the flower clusters, resulting in now crop.

http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/1695/6pp7.jpg

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/9434/5pm5.jpg
A Russian grape variety I acquired in winter. Started off weak, but is doing nicely now. A lovely little plant.

http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/4477/kykm.jpg
My current three grape vines. On the left is my newest variety, an American seedless dessert grape, followed by a Russian seedless dessert and finally the European wine grape. I plan on getting more in the winter, putting the vines in a permanent spot in the ground and maybe getting rid of the European wine grape.

[Kazimiera]

It's so great to see the progress Albion!! :)

[Virtuous]

I have a green middle finger.