Gardeners Thread

[omnipleasant]

There are definitely sprays for fruit and veg. I've used one in the past. Can't remember which, but I'm still alive to tell the tale.

I think we need pictures maybe. Coz my brassicas are going great guns too. They're almost ready. I'm tempted to see if I can get another summer batch in. Two lots of same variety of broccoli in succession in the same bed in one year. It'd be a tale to tell the grandkids.

[minge tightly]

OK, although no mention of your impending future sterility for using chemicals...

Don't say that about your brassica's, it makes me feel like mine aren't as special as I think they look. Nowhere near ready though, no cabbage or cauli heads formed yet. When the hell did you plant yours?

Don't talk to me about brocolli. Love it as I do, I just can't seem to grow it - past two years it goes to seed dead early, well before the florets have formed enough and this year they've been swamped by my uber-cabbages (Didn't plant them at the same time you see. Whoops!). Successional crops from the same bed would be pretty impressive though, worth a badge or summat at least.

Defo pictures needed though. I'll try some at the weekend, post them and get over the fear that my veggies are pitiful and how i've done it all is dramatically wrong, wrong, wrong and all the older gardeners will mock and sneer my laughable attempts.

[omnipleasant]

Well maybe "almost ready" was a slight exaggeration. But they are a good few weeks at least ahead of where I'd expect them to be in mid May. I did sow the seeds stupidly early though. Start of February, if memory serves.

[minge tightly]

Blimey that was early. What are the risks of sowing too soon/late btw? And what exactly is 'bolting'?

[omnipleasant]

Bolting is where they run to seed without producing the foliage or flower heads that you want them to. It happens when the plant isn't happy for some reason, so it tries to produce seed and reproduce ASAP.

Stuff can bolt if you sow too early. I don't think Feb or even late Jan is too early for brassicas though if you're sowing indoors. Mine seem OK at any rate.

[omnipleasant]

Your brocolli is bolting, by the sounds of it. Going to seed before the veg is fully formed.

Could be any number of things. Too much / little water or food, not enough sun, poor soil. If your cabbages are happy your brocolli should be fine in the same conditions though.

[minge tightly]

The past few years my brocs have always bolted, even though my other brassicas have been fine. Both broc and cabbage grown in same conditions (Different positions and different soils both years, but both brassicas grown together in same plot) yet the broc just goes each time. Very, very frustrating.

[omnipleasant]

How do you grow them? From seed sown indoors? Or plants from a garden centre? They need hardening off to get used to colder conditions before you plant them out. And give them plenty of water when you plant them - "puddling in" is the phrase I think.

Apart from that, I'm stumped I'm afraid. Maybe you've just offended the God of Brocolli somewhen.

[minge tightly]

I grow them outdoors straight from seed, they do great up until the first floret or two startes to appear before BOF! Bolted! Bastards!!!

I think I must have offended the God of Brocolli you know, it's the only rational explanation...

Which way of thinking I am, rather worryingly, starting to slip into all too easily now that i'm getting so immersed in nature. And mind-altering substances.

[omnipleasant]

Hmmmmmmmm are you feeding it? It probably needs food when the florets start to appear. I would think. Perhaps.

Or a more sensible approach might be to make a sacrifice to the Gods, perhaps paint your face, do a Brocolli fertility dance, and have a ritual burning of some bindweed.

[minge tightly]

Feeding it? No. Only ever feed the buggers in pots. Perhaps I should. Unfortunately won't be able to this time as the mutant cabbages have swamped the little brocs before they got big enough to compete.

I'll just buy the fecking things wrapped in plastic from the shops...

Although sacrifices to the Gods are very tempting and I sh*t you not omni, me and Mrs Minge have in all earnestness discussed setting up a teepee in the garden so that we can have a raging fire in front of it and smoke de 'erb and stuff while communing with the Neo-Deities.

[omnipleasant]

Haha. Yes, I think it might be time to have a break from the herb for a couple of weeks.

Having said that, garden fires are ace. I've got a chimnea - one of those little, er, chimney shaped fire pot things. It's so nice, sitting out at dusk and beyond, especially after a barbeque, smoking and drinking wine, warmed by the blazing fire.. ahh.

[fizzycola]

In my experience of broccoli, when broccoli gets too hot, it will bolt or start to flower. Contrary to popular belief, hot weather will not cause bolting broccoli. What actually causes bolting broccoli is hot soil. The roots need to be kept really cool.

The best way how to prevent broccoli flowers from happening too early is to keep the soil the broccoli is planted in cool. Use a mulch around it and water the soil frequently.

An excellent way how to prevent broccoli flowers is to harvest early and frequently. Broccoli is a cut and come again vegetable. When you cut the main head, other smaller heads will grow. The side heads will take a little longer to bolt.

Hope this helps.

fizzy

[minge tightly]

Ahhhh mulching, that makes some sense.

Thanks fizzy, i'll give it a bash

[cathy]

Ahhh ... so many questions and so few answers.

But isn't it great when one of the mysteries in your life is solved? Well, I hope it is anyway. Sounds as if Fizzy might have prevented any of your future broccolies bolting before the stable door is locked. Or something like that!

[omnipleasant]

That makes a lot of sense.

I get the feeling Fizzycola has done this before..

[puffin]

...and well from the look of it.

[omnipleasant]

I'd just like to say that as well as radish, turnip, pak choi / stir fry greens, and lettuce (massive things - the size of supermarket ones and, and twice as tasty - for free!) I'm now eating mangetout harvested fresh from the garden.

The broad beans, early spuds and strawberries are all close.

Gardening is ace.

[minge tightly]

Only lettuce and strawbs so far

[mazie]

I bought a Cardiocrinum bulb from the Himalayan garden in scotland about 3 years ago. When I bought it the bulb was 3-4 years old. This will be it's first (and last) year to flower....I'm very,very excited as it should be happening in the next 4-6 weeks.

www.thompson-morgan.com/plants1/product/p7268/1.html