Garden And Gossip Forums

Full Version: Early May Snapshot
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
Pages: 1 2
Not a photo but a Snapshot of your progress in the garden/plot so far. Are you on track?

I thought I was way behind, blaming the weather, but its not so bad after all.
I've planted Onion sets, mangetout, CFB, Broad beans, cucumbers, some tomatoes and courgettes. The direct-sown carrots, leeks and beetroot are emerging and I have red cabbage and tomatoes waiting to be planted out. Also have leeks and beetroot in modules waiting for action (mine).
I need to sow lettuce and various salad leaves, more beans, courgettes and squash, outdoor cucumbers, peas or mangetout, kale.
Undecided about whether to grow parsnips, turnips or any other roots. I don't have much joy with carrots either. Roots and I don't get on too well. 
Potatoes will be bunged in somewhere but not grown seriously. 

I'm sure I've overlooked something but, if I can grow everything I've listed, I'll be a happy little chicken.
I have no idea if I’m behind, doing well , coming or going.
My May snapshot is I’ve put chillies into their final pots. Planted out purple sprouting broccoli. Started moving things to their new home. I’ve done lots of other things but I have no idea if they were done in May or April.
Miles behind here! Blush Still haven't cleared the greenhouse of last years toms yet. No tomatoes or peppers grown from seed so will need to rely on car boot sales/etc. And that's only if I can repair the missing glass in the ramshackle greenhouse. Potatoes are still chitting and should be in.
On a positive note, plenty of onions planted and growing well. Plant's in brassica seed bed just about ready to plant out. Cool

Auld age, ill health and sometimes lack of motivation (probably weather related) is what I blame, but as the old somg goes "Things can only get better" Big Grin
Looking at my notes I'm 2 to 3 weeks behind sowing toms, cucs and courgettis some of my courgettes don't have their true leaves yet and the toms are around 5 to 6 inch high.
Overall I'm pretty happy with progress this year.

I started tomatoes and peppers a bit too early, but they are racing away now. Beans and sweetcorn are out, potatoes and onions growing nicely too. I'm struggling with slugs on the carrots and brassicas, and the lawn is only recovering slowly from the chafer grub damage, but these are the only dodgy bits.

No late frosts now please!!
I think I'm on track, if not a wee bit earlier than previous years in some areas. The fact that we've not yet had a late frost is a bonus. This year is the earliest I've dared plant beans outside by a few days. Onion sets and seedlings are planted and flourishing, MT are a little less than 3ft up their net, chard and beets sown and just emerging. My kale seedlings are a disaster, only an inch tall and about to give up. Must sow again. B beans are flowering and 2ft high, pear blossom is out and the petals are dropping without being frosted (I think) and apple blossom is in full bloom. Carrots are sown but are reluctant to emerge. CFB & DFB are about 4- 6" tall, some toms in pots are 12-18" and are (over) ready for planting in the gh borders but as yet the borders aren't available, they still have staging over them. Cucurbits mostly have second or third leaves. We usually judge the season by when the copper beech pops it's leaves. It was about par for the course this year on 23 April, in previous years it has been as late as 3 May or a early as 20 April.
The plot is much further along than I think we imagined it would be this year. We're working on the bit that used to have the dilapidated shed and has a huge mound of dirt around the old apple tree. Unbelievably I think we'll have the area made into seating and planting zones by the end of this week, provided we get any dry weather.

The early sown things seem small to me (tomatoes etc). The more recent things like courgette and dwarf beans seem to be growing well and will be on time. No parsnips so must sow now. Carrots are growing well but it's yet to be seen if they'll be ok as I've never tried in the ground before.

The seedlings I planted out have almost all been eaten. I think it's all bird damage. I'll have to protect everything when it goes out, it seems. I hate covering things so I'm not thrilled but after all the work on the plot, it would be crazy to let things be destroyed.
A very mixed bag here …. Some things huge before their time (runner beans, courgettes, cucumbers, zinnias, helichrysum)
Other things tiny weeny things way behind what they should be (lemon gem tagetes, black icicle and green zebra tomatoes, nicotiana, clary).
Reasonably happy with where I am now - could always be a bit better.
Onions sown late last August and planted out September.
[attachment=6360]
Early potatoes went in a bit late but looking OK now. Maincrop not emerged yet.
[attachment=6361]
Dwarf french: row for green beans and one for drying.
[attachment=6362]
Climbing french for drying 2 varieties this year, Soissons and one from T&M Selma Zebra which seems to be growing faster so far.
[attachment=6363]
5 10' rows of peas
[attachment=6364]
Alliums: leeks at front very small yet with onions and behind those garlic, rather weedy and I might not get round to weeding them.
[attachment=6365]
2 pictures of HG
[attachment=6366][attachment=6367]
In the poly tunnel, between the beetroot and lettuce plants are 2 rows of carrots. Also a dozen caulis. The gap in the beetroot row is likely next doors cat
[attachment=6368]
And a nice orchid been flowering for a bit.
[attachment=6369]
Pages: 1 2