Thought I better start a 2013 Diary since I plan to make this my online gardening home
Currently I have Garlic & Onions in 3 of my raised beds, which I have fleece over them to keep the soil warm & stop the cat using them as giant litter trays.
Hi Alistair, I've always fancied growing our own garlic. Will add it to the ever growing list of things I'd like my OH to grow this year! Looking forward to reading more of your diary as it progresses
The talent for being happy is appreciating and liking what you have, instead of what you don't have Woody Allen
I have to ask with a fine name like yours , are you growing up here in Scotland, if so West or East side ? I am in the West/Central and had no luck with the garlic last year, it was in a raised bed to which sand had been added prior or the onion/shallot sets being sown and the garlic went in here too , the onions did the best, surprisingly even the red variety
It will be alright in the end , if its not alright, it isn't the end . Quote from the proprietor of the The best exotic Marigold Hotel for the elderly and beautiful
I have made my first Schoolboy error, I created my 2013 diary in the 2012 archive lol Can I ask an admin to move it over to 2013 if thats possible?
Miss Ellie - This is my first year at growing it so we shall see what happens. Everyday is a school day so we will see what happens.
Annie - I am originally from Glasgow but moved down south when I met my other half who is now my wife. I live just outside Leicester so a fair way away from home. I think I would struggle to grow garlic, probably more so since when I live with my mother we lived in a Tower Block
welcome Alistair and hope 2013 is a good gardening year
What garlic variety are you growing? Believe it or not, but garlic for autumn planting actually produces a better crop when it gets a good chill so I might suggest you remove the fleece. Overwintered Japanese onions can survive cold weather too - after the winter of 2010 with 6 weeks of snow, ice and sub zero temperatures, I was convinced I'd lost the crop but they were perfectly fine. To keep cats off the beds, I usually scatter twiggy sticks over the bed to stop them finding a prime toilet space (and have a couple of knackered trellising which is handy to open up and lay flat on the soil)
alistairmclennan wrote: Annie - I am originally from Glasgow but moved down south when I met my other half who is now my wife. I live just outside Leicester so a fair way away from home. I think I would struggle to grow garlic, probably more so since when I live with my mother we lived in a Tower Block
I come from Coventry originally but worked in Leicester for a few years, maybe I was moving North as you were moving South , as you can see from under my avatar I live in a vilage at the foot of the Campsies .
It will be alright in the end , if its not alright, it isn't the end . Quote from the proprietor of the The best exotic Marigold Hotel for the elderly and beautiful
lancashire lass wrote:welcome Alistair and hope 2013 is a good gardening year
What garlic variety are you growing? Believe it or not, but garlic for autumn planting actually produces a better crop when it gets a good chill so I might suggest you remove the fleece. Overwintered Japanese onions can survive cold weather too - after the winter of 2010 with 6 weeks of snow, ice and sub zero temperatures, I was convinced I'd lost the crop but they were perfectly fine. To keep cats off the beds, I usually scatter twiggy sticks over the bed to stop them finding a prime toilet space (and have a couple of knackered trellising which is handy to open up and lay flat on the soil)
I can not remember, they were from Wilkos and it was a spur of the moment decision :-(
I am planning to build some proper protection soon, as soon as the penny god leaves me enough pennies in my bank account Will be using Enviromesh for all my beds so I keep those nasties off my plants