1. If your Tomatoes are struggling to ripen try putting some Banana skins on the ground, around the base of the plants.
2. The UK weather is forecast to be getting warmer and drier by the end of next week. It may be a chance to sow/plant some flowers/vegetables that were not done in June and early July.
3. The following are some vegetables you can still sow (outside) now and in the next few months. Calabrese (up to the end of July), Carrots (through to September), Chard (July & August), Coriander, French beans, Kale, Lettuce, Oriental greens, Peas, Radish, Spring cabbage, Spring Onions.
4. If you are using mulches, use well rotted organic materials as these are less likely to attract slugs & snails, than fresh organic materials.
5. If you are lucky enough to have grown some Kiwi fruit to pick, it will be ripe when it gives slightly, if pressed. If the fruit is hard, it is not ripe, but is over ripe if soft and starting to shrivel.
6. Dandelions may be a pain to eradicate from your garden or allotment but they can also be helpful. They emit ethylene gas which helps fruit to ripen?
7. This growing season has been pretty good for Beetroot. If you intend to freeze any, try the following method. Clean the Beetroot, select specimens about 7cm in diameter. Twist off the tops and boil in water until tender. Pack them, leaving 1cm headroom and freeze. Storage time is about 6 months.
8. Splitting of root vegetables is usually caused by erratic watering, (for example heavy rain after a dry spell of weather). To prevent splitting, water root veg regularly every 2 weeks. Improve your soil with plenty of organic matter. Remember roots do not like heavy manuring of their ground just prior to sowing.
9. If you have "runners" growing from your existing Strawberry plants place pots of potting compost into the ground and pin the runner down into each pot where it will root. After about a month detach the runner from the main plant and plant out your new Strawberries into a well composted, prepared bed in the Autumn. Only use runners from main plants that are healthy.
10. Nematodes are available for purchase from various outlets, to combat Vine weevil. The nematodes come in powdered form, mixed with water, watered onto the soil, usually in late Summer.
2. The UK weather is forecast to be getting warmer and drier by the end of next week. It may be a chance to sow/plant some flowers/vegetables that were not done in June and early July.
3. The following are some vegetables you can still sow (outside) now and in the next few months. Calabrese (up to the end of July), Carrots (through to September), Chard (July & August), Coriander, French beans, Kale, Lettuce, Oriental greens, Peas, Radish, Spring cabbage, Spring Onions.
4. If you are using mulches, use well rotted organic materials as these are less likely to attract slugs & snails, than fresh organic materials.
5. If you are lucky enough to have grown some Kiwi fruit to pick, it will be ripe when it gives slightly, if pressed. If the fruit is hard, it is not ripe, but is over ripe if soft and starting to shrivel.
6. Dandelions may be a pain to eradicate from your garden or allotment but they can also be helpful. They emit ethylene gas which helps fruit to ripen?
7. This growing season has been pretty good for Beetroot. If you intend to freeze any, try the following method. Clean the Beetroot, select specimens about 7cm in diameter. Twist off the tops and boil in water until tender. Pack them, leaving 1cm headroom and freeze. Storage time is about 6 months.
8. Splitting of root vegetables is usually caused by erratic watering, (for example heavy rain after a dry spell of weather). To prevent splitting, water root veg regularly every 2 weeks. Improve your soil with plenty of organic matter. Remember roots do not like heavy manuring of their ground just prior to sowing.
9. If you have "runners" growing from your existing Strawberry plants place pots of potting compost into the ground and pin the runner down into each pot where it will root. After about a month detach the runner from the main plant and plant out your new Strawberries into a well composted, prepared bed in the Autumn. Only use runners from main plants that are healthy.
10. Nematodes are available for purchase from various outlets, to combat Vine weevil. The nematodes come in powdered form, mixed with water, watered onto the soil, usually in late Summer.
Thanks for sharing these useful tips Rooko - your knowledge of veg growing is immense.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Elaine, veg growing is an immense and varied subject. The technical stuff is beyond me but I do like to research things when I get chance (usually as a reminder). Pity the grey cells don't retain as much as they used to do.
Delete