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The parsnips and peas didn't seem to be doing anything (and I think the peas are no longer in the tub anyway) so I got bored of waiting and have planted some more kale in their containers lol And as I had some spare compost from planting up my buddleia into their pots to grow them on a bit, I did another three containers of carrots! I like my kale and carrots yum yum I now have three or four varieties of carrots (though I don't know which is in which container - bad me must remember to label!) and three varieties of kale! Should keep me going, not that I've ever had much luck with the carrots but I can hope!
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
I've got a few carrots from the containers in previous years, but not many and a lot I lost to the slugs . The Kale I've had much better luck with, until caterpillar season kicks in and then that tends to disappear pretty quick. It's best growing that through the winter as it tastes much better, but I try and grow it all year round as it is a good all-round healthy veg with lots of iron (I can suffer from low iron levels at times so need plenty in my diet). I can just pick off the leaves as and when I need them and there is no waste :-)
Must remember to thin out some kale plants from the first pot as I'm taking a few plants up to my mum.
Think you could cover the Kale with some close woven type of netting to keep the white butterflies from laying the eggs but please don't tell me you would rather feed them to keep them happy like the mouse.
michael s said: Think you could cover the Kale with some close woven type of netting to keep the white butterflies from laying the eggs but please don't tell me you would rather feed them to keep them happy like the mouse.
Haha I'd rather have some kale for me! I might cover a couple of the pots with netting but i have some companion plants that should hopefully help distract the butterflies.
Hi KatTai, what sort of containers do you use if you don't mind me asking? I usually grow a few bits of veg etc but use growbags or potato bags for a few potatoes (which were poor last year)
Good luck with the kale, I eat it but have never tried to grow it!
Unknown said: Hi KatTai, what sort of containers do you use if you don't mind me asking? I usually grow a few bits of veg etc but use growbags or potato bags for a few potatoes (which were poor last year) Good luck with the kale, I eat it but have never tried to grow it!
I use all kinds of different containers. I have potato bags for the tatties but also some big containers (I think they are 50 cm diametrer). Carrots are grown in 30-40cm containers both plastic and ceramic. The kale is grown in troughs and square containers, the largest one being probably 20cms wide by 50cm across and the square ones are probably 30x30cm. I just see what containers I have and what I have that might be able to go in them and see what happens.
The kale is very easy to grow from seed, dwarf green curled seems to work best in containers but I'm trying another couple of varieties also including a scarlet variety - the latter is generally a large plant though so not sure how well that will take to growing in a container but if you don't try, you never know. The leaves are harvested from the plant as and when needed, leaving a few leaves on the plant, and the plant left to grow more leaves ready for the next time. I get a reasonable crop from just two of the troughs that can keep me going for a while, I alternate which containers I harvest leaves from to give the plants a bit of a break but I've harvested right through the winter a couple of years ago, it also tastes a lot better than the kale in the shops!
I use polystyrene boxes - painted terracotta - that are about 2 ft deep (Old Able & Cole ones)- for the carrots and parsnips - they did very well.
Broad beans are now planted under fleece in one of the deepbeds - started them off in the greenhouse
Also got in the spinach , chard , mange tout and radish
plus carrots in a deep bed.
potatoes are all chitted and deady for the barrells this weekend.
Lets hope for good weather
Nick
Thank you
Growing old is inevitable - Growing up is optional !
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Trouble is I'm at work Al
LOL
Unknown said: my efforts this year are radishes, spinach, carrots,beetroot(2 varieties), sprouts(2),cabbage(2), red cabbage,broad beans, runner beans,climbing beans,calabrese,swede,toms(2),cucumber,peppers(5),chillis(6),onions thats if it all goes to plan alan
my efforts this year are
radishes, spinach, carrots,beetroot(2 varieties), sprouts(2),cabbage(2), red cabbage,broad beans, runner beans,climbing beans,calabrese,swede,toms(2),cucumber,peppers(5),chillis(6),onions
thats if it all goes to plan
alan
Same here Al
But chard instead of beetroot
and asparagus instead of swede.
And Black Kale - which lasts through the winter and 4 barrels of spuds plus parsnips
Took delivery of 3 more deep beds at the weekend - so i have 7 now !!!
Last year we were almost self-sufficient
and tastes better too
Bought a big broad tub today for growing more kale in lol I think that is 4 varieties of Kale I'm growing now? Also planted some chilli, cucumber and tomato since I had some spare compost. Lots of kale for me hopefully! Also got all the tatties in their containers too!