SeeKay seeds - closed down
Posted by: Veggie - 19-07-2024, 10:24 AM - Replies (9)

Hello everyone we regret to inform you that after the last 14 years Seekay horticultural supplies will be ceasing trade.
We want to thank all of our customers for your support and custom for our family run small business.
Due to economic climate we now are no longer able to trade.
We wish you all best with your growing endeavours and hope all blooms well, shame we can longer be apart of it.


All the best
Seekay Horticultural supplies

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  Quick greens
Posted by: Veggie - 16-07-2024, 10:57 PM - Replies (5)

Since I have little luck with cabbages, cauliflowers and anything that forms a head, I'm going to explore the confusing world of broccoletto, broccolini,  spigariello and broccoli raab - not to be confused with Cima di rapa - which is related to the turnip. I said it was confusing and I have a niggling feeling that some of these may turn out to be very similar, if not the same.  
I seem to have seeds for most of these, including Real Seeds "Quick Heading Calabrese or Broccoli". "Makes heads about 60-80 days after planting out."  https://www.realseeds.co.uk/broccoli.html
Broccoletti, also known as broccolini or baby broccoli, is a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese kale. It has long, thin stalks with small florets that resemble broccoli heads. The leaves are edible and tender, with a peppery taste.

Broccolini, on the other hand, is a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It has longer and thinner stalks than broccoletti, with a smaller broccoli-like head at the top. Broccolini is slightly bitter and has a milder flavor than broccoletti. https://www.handycookbook.com/broccolett...n-mystery/


Spigariello is sold by Franchi Seeds https://seedsofitaly.com/eden-project-fr...olearacea/

Sorry if this is a bit muddled - I'm researching as I write. I'll be back tomorrow. Big Grin

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  Washed up treasure
Posted by: Small chilli - 15-07-2024, 03:24 PM - Replies (4)

While on an afternoon walk yesterday. We found this.

    .

No idea what its originally purpose was. But I intend on using it as a walkway between tunnels. Not yet collected it. Because there’s a lot more of it , than is in the photo. And it’s a good mile back to the car.  

Unfortunately there’s lots of plastic ( mostly from the fishing industry) out there. Some people put it into piles. But I very much doubt it’ll ever be collected. 

So one day in the not to distant future we’ll walk back out there with some buoys. Tie the walkway and a couple of other bits we can find a use for, to the buoys. Chuck it all in the water at the nearest point. Then get our friends to give us a lift out there on his boat. For a recycling, reusing, rescue mission.

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  Oysterplant - Sea Bluebells
Posted by: Veggie - 14-07-2024, 09:09 PM - Replies (3)

Since we have a Samphire growalong with SC, I thought I'd introduce another coastal, edible plant to tempt you. 
Official name - Mertensia maritima - common name Oyster leaf, Oysterplant, Sea Bluebells, Sea Lungwort. Lots of names for this one! Said to have a distinctive salty taste with slightly, crunchy, fleshy green leaves, reminiscent of eating oysters!
It grows wild in Scotland, SC, one for you to look out for on your walks.

I have some Pennard seeds, from a seed swap https://www.pennardplants.com/proddetail...d=Seed1170 Other suppliers are available including those we love to hate. 
Some pretty pictures at https://www.wildflowerfinder.org.uk/Flow...rplant.htm

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  Non F1 alternative to Sungold
Posted by: JJB - 13-07-2024, 09:32 AM - Replies (9)

I like Sungold tomatoes (a lot) but I'm mindful of of a wish to grow less F1 varieties, although I'm not succeeding very well in that direction. Anyone know of a non-F1 alternative to Sungold's sweetness?

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  Daggings / fleece
Posted by: Small chilli - 11-07-2024, 02:53 PM - Replies (8)

I’m having trouble getting any manure from the farm. There’s only so many times you can ask. I was wondering if I buried a layer of daggings or fleece under the compost/ soil mix if it would actually add anything to the ground? Or would I just be wasting my time? 
Any advice would be appreciated. I’d really like to plant things but as my sunflower photo proves. I really need to add something to the ground . The 2 groups that are growing reasonably well. Had some old / previously used compost added to the hole before planting. The rest went straight in the ground.

   

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  Feeding beans
Posted by: Small chilli - 04-07-2024, 10:47 AM - Replies (3)

Do you feed your beans? 

I never have. But wondering if I should. Especially as they are in a container (fish box ). Then I wondered what to feed them? Do I use my home made sheep daggings liquid feed or tomato feed or something else? 
Any advice would be appreciated.

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  A day of devastation
Posted by: JJB - 03-07-2024, 06:46 PM - Replies (46)

I've killed all my cucurbits!  Angry I'm absolutely devastated.  Sad Sad

I've got no one to blame but myself which is even worse. We have two sprayers, a middle sized and a big one. I mostly, but very seldom, use the smaller of the two. P has used the bigger one but not for some 5-10 years. I made up my potassium bicarbonate solution and put it in the midllesized sprayer which failed to pump. So I transferred the mixture to the bigger one and merrily sprayed every cucurbit leaf I had both upper and lower surface, against powdery mildew. I bet you can guess the rest of the story.  Half way through the day, which was cloudy, I noticed the courgettes were drooping then later on they were all collapsing.  I fear the big sprayer might have had weed killer residue but neither P or I have any recollection of using weedkiller in the near past,  it's just something we don't use.  I didn't think to swill out the sprayer, even if that would have helped. 

I have washed the leaves with a hose as well as possible but fear the worst. I understand cucurbits are especially sensitive to herbicides. All my courgettes, squashes and cucumbers are toast. I feel like throwing my hands up a giving up gardening.

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  Shells
Posted by: Small chilli - 03-07-2024, 04:36 PM - Replies (6)

I know egg shells broken up are a source of calcium and slug deterrent . Can any shell be broken up and put on the garden? Having mussels for tea  Big Grin .

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  Mildew on cucurbits
Posted by: JJB - 03-07-2024, 09:30 AM - Replies (2)

Well the mildew is starting up on the courgettes and I've a couple of spots on  leaves on a gh cucumber. Today I'm going to spray with a milk solution but does anyone have experience of a different tactic?

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