What are you planting this year???

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 27 Feb 2009, 18:12

Bought some more asparagus plants today and a load of seed from a wiered new shop called Trotters Trader selling seed packets at TEN for a Pound!

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 27 Feb 2009, 18:32

biffvernon wrote:Bought some more asparagus plants today and a load of seed from a wiered new shop called Trotters Trader selling seed packets at TEN for a Pound!

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 27 Feb 2009, 19:06

That's the one - there are pictures of that 'car' on all the labels.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 27 Feb 2009, 19:29

Erm...so have the seeds been knocked off from somewhere, I wonder? That's a whole new area of crime for the Polis to get their heads round: Hot/counterfeit seeds!

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 27 Feb 2009, 20:07

RenewableCandy wrote:Erm...so have the seeds been knocked off from somewhere, I wonder? That's a whole new area of crime for the Polis to get their heads round: Hot/counterfeit seeds!

Maybe they fell off the back of a Monsanto lorry, and Biff's land is now poisoned forever

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 27 Feb 2009, 20:20

Ah ha... I've been sleuthing. The seeds are packeted in the USA by a firm called Plantation Roducts Inc and they have an alive and well website at http://www.plantationproducts.com/

But the packets also have the name Hortibrokers Ltd of Bolton. This company appears to be in liquidation and their domain name www.hortibrokers.com has expired.

The packets are stamped with two prices, £1.99 and Euro3. Maybe the currency fluctuation did not help the good traders of Bolton.

Trotters Traders are now selling the stock at a very silly price.

dotty · Post by **dotty** » 28 Feb 2009, 12:59

We can't start planting till March as it can still get too cold.

I'm trying an experiment in laziness this year. We've let weeds come up over the garden over the winter and next week we're going to put the donkeys on it the idea being they'll clear and dig and fertiise in place...Hope it works

I was reading one of my old gardening books the other day and I came across a plant called 'Mercury' or chenapodium bonus henricus 'good king henry' the book says it's very hardy and disease resistant and will provide greens both salad like and spinach like from March until July for three years...Does anyone know it?

I manage to get chard and leeks and parsnips over winter but I'm always looking for things for winter that just keep on growing...That lazy gardening thing

2 As and a B · Post by **2 As and a B** » 28 Feb 2009, 13:26

I'm still picking parsnips and Brussels sprouts. There would have been a lot more sprouts if I'd stopped the snails getting at them. Still, last year was a year of experiment and there are still small sprouts and several sprout tops to pick. Twelve plants for 60/70/80p (can't remember exactly) can't be bad.

Also the purple sprouting broccoli has been sprouting - and has been picked - all winter and is now shooting in earnest. Not bad considering it's in its second year. Another twelve for 60/70/80p bargain from the local farmers market.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 28 Feb 2009, 13:58

dotty wrote:I was reading one of my old gardening books the other day and I came across a plant called 'Mercury' or chenapodium bonus henricus 'good king henry' the book says it's very hardy and disease resistant and will provide greens both salad like and spinach like from March until July for three years...Does anyone know it?

Yes, it's edible(ish). Chickens like it.

When in doubt about a plant look it up on Plants for a Future. Here's the entry for Good Kimg Henry. I think it is a very reliable source of information.

dotty · Post by **dotty** » 28 Feb 2009, 14:34

Thanks for the link I've popped it in my favourites...I mught try and grow it, not sure

hardworkinghippy · Post by **hardworkinghippy** » 28 Feb 2009, 18:26

Talking about laziness... I haven't touched our potager since last year. I let the chickens do all the work.

contadino · Post by **contadino** » 28 Feb 2009, 21:08

hardworkinghippy wrote:Talking about laziness... I haven't touched our potager since last year. I let the chickens do all the work.

Blimey! Have your chickens been using napalm?

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 28 Feb 2009, 21:13

So far the seeds that I planted (including broad beans, ages ago) have done absolutely nowt. Outdoor temps are about 4 (night) - 10 (day). I wonder if they're still just waiting.

hardworkinghippy · Post by **hardworkinghippy** » 28 Feb 2009, 22:57

It's probably still a bit chilly, unless you've got mice eating the seeds I'd wait a bit longer, you might get a nice surprise.

Contadino, napalm - yes I suppose it looks a bit like that.

To prepare the ground I just scrape the top off and let the chickens clean it up a bit more :

Then plant the veg or seeds. The soil's nice and clean, weed free and warm :

When the veg have grown I mulch some more between the plants to keep the moisture in and the weeds down...

fifthcolumn · Post by **fifthcolumn** » 04 Mar 2009, 20:57

hardworkinghippy wrote: To prepare the ground I just ....

I looked at the picture and thought "who's the hippy guy in the corner" then a minute later

ohhh yeah right.