Talkback: Grow Yourself Healthy 2011 - Talkback

11/04/2011 at 18:31

My broad beans are being ravaged by something? Any ideas? They are dwarf ones I planted late last year. I am suspecting those little brown snails. Elspeth

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12/04/2011 at 12:44

Have just dug up the jerusalemm artichokes which had started sprouting. Are they still ok to eat? Anyone know?

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15/04/2011 at 20:36

this is my third growing season down on my allotment although i don't have much time i have managed to grow all manner of things from beans to beetroot potatoes leeks onions and lots of salad leaves and i am looking forward to the growing season ahead i have already got my garlic and onions in which i planted last autum and i have just put in the first of this years beetroot and cabbages i have also got chillies and tomatoes waiting to go in my friends greenhouse as i haven't got the space on my plot so i can't wait for the first pickings i am not quiet self suficient but i hope to be in a few years time

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17/04/2011 at 09:32

Supersuzie, I've been trying to be self-sufficient in fruit and veg. for a very long time and April and May are the difficult months. I mentioned to my allotment expert friend last week that there was only rhubarb, leeks and curly kale to eat from my garden and she went over to her allotment and brought me back a huge bag of purple sprouting broccoli and another of baby leaves from her perpetual beet, which I have already cooked and put into quiches and into the freezer, Needless to say I have now sown seeds of both for next year. She also brought me lovely tomato plants as I had not sown any seed this year. Of course I shall give her some of my well-grown sweet corn plants and any surplus produce she is not growing herself. Self-sufficiency is not quite that. Co-operation is needed and lots of friends!

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19/04/2011 at 09:25

I have a dwarf peach tree & a dwarf nectarine tree which I grow in large pots near the house. Both have been affected by peach leaf curl for the past 3 years now. To be honest, I'm fed up of it. I prefer not to use chemicals in my garden, (I haven't done so for years now), but I'm afarid my trees will be really badly affected by the leaf curl & will eventually die. I recently bought a dwarf plum tree from B & Q. It was fine at first but now it looks as if a few of its leaves may have some kind of leaf curl? They haven't blistered as yet, but do look as though they are starting to curl up a bit. Can peach tree leaf curl affect plum trees too? I have removed the infected leaves from the peach & nectarine & think I will do the same to the plum tree today. Is there an organic way of treating this disease or is it best to use chemicals? If so what do I use & where do I get it? What is the best thing to do to treat & prevent this? Please help. Thanks.

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19/04/2011 at 16:26

I've sometimes noticed that when I turn over my soil (Bedfordshire clay), it's got a very "musty" smell, more like mushrooms really. I have been digging a lot of well rotted manure into the soil to break it down, but this is before I've done that. Any thoughts anyone (sorry if I've posted this on the wrong area, have no idea about blogs!)

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20/04/2011 at 10:18

i have raised beds but they dry out anny tips in keeping them damp

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27/04/2011 at 17:03

I want to try and grow vegetables in containers. I have got a large quantity of organic compost and want to know whether I can use this to grow carrots, beetroot, spring onions, leeks and cucumbers. I am worried that it might be too rich a soil. Your advice please.

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28/04/2011 at 18:12

to chrissie regarding Peach leaf Curl. I have a Peach tree approx 6ft. high and 6 ft. wide growing against a South facing wall and, following advice from the RHS I have built a wooden frame covered with clear polythene which I place in front of and over the top of the peach tree. This is to keep rain off the tree- and it's important buds- from early Jan. until flowering is finished (this year it was the first week in April) This really does work and I harvested 63 super peaches last year. Last year my cover did not quite cover all the branches and these were badly affected but the covered parts were PL Curl free. Membership of the RHS is very worthwhile with answers for ALL gardening problems.

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28/04/2011 at 20:30

I had peach leaf curl on a dwarf peach and the leaves were droppig, I put it in the green house and it was soon cured as they don't like rain water on their leaves, had 8 lovely peaches from it on that first year 2010.

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06/05/2011 at 14:42

Thanks for the advice. Haven't got a green house, (well, only a mini perspex covered one), so will try covering the tree with polythene & see how it gets on. Thanks once again

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15/05/2011 at 20:58

Can any one tell me how to grow aspargus. I have ten plants i got from seeds. they was in three inch pots. So now i have put them into five inch pots. When do i put them out and how thanks.

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20/06/2011 at 14:44

My 9 tomato plants have withered overnight in my small plastic covered greenhouse. Presume this is some sort of tomato disease as the 2 pepper plants that were in there seem to be ok. should I get rid of the soil from the gro-bags and pots the tomatoes were in.

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28/11/2011 at 18:43

I have just had a bowl of my own potato and leek soup made with the last of last years potatoes and leeks picked from the garden and it was delicious and the first two plots of veg. in my garden are the early potatoes and leek plants which have grown in lovely big clumps from the two leeks I let go to seed last year. Celeriac is delicious mashed with potatoes or roasted and no trouble to grow. Once you have grown your own veg. you will not settle for anything less, I agree, Adam, the anticipation is lovely and gets you up early in the morning to go and see how things are fairing. When my sweet corn has been harvested in October this year I am hoping to have saved enough to have my large veg. garden converted into a potager with raised beds, proper paths and design for rotation of crops, companion planting and a seat - all much more sensible for an octogenarian who loves to grow her own veg. but wants to keep fit while doing it.

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