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Post by roofgardener on Nov 11, 2014 20:50:08 GMT
An.... intriguing thought Daitheplant. So... extrapolating... it should be possible to actually GROW mashed potatoes ?  |
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Post by daitheplant on Nov 11, 2014 21:39:18 GMT
An.... intriguing thought Daitheplant. So... extrapolating... it should be possible to actually GROW mashed potatoes ? Of course. That goes without saying.   |
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Post by roofgardener on Nov 13, 2014 19:14:30 GMT
Onion Update.
< background 'newsroom teletype' noise ... clickety clickety clickety etc >
The onions are - apparantly "Senshyu Yellow Globe" Japanese Over Wintering Type.
This bodes well. Presumably - when I come to use them - they will all leap onto the chopping board, whip out Katana's, and chop THEMSELVES up.
Soooo.... how do these onion bulb thingies work ? Does each bulb just swell up and become an onion ? Or do they somehow split up into multiple onions ?
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Post by daitheplant on Nov 13, 2014 20:04:19 GMT
The sets just swell and become single onions. The ones that divide and grow in clusters are shallots and garlic. The problem with Japanese onions is they mature about two weeks before the spring planted main crop onions.
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Post by roofgardener on Nov 13, 2014 20:22:01 GMT
But then.... how do they propagate ?
If each bulb produces a single onion... then ... they would become extinct ? Where do the next generation of bulbs come from ?
I'm confused.
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Post by daitheplant on Nov 13, 2014 20:54:27 GMT
But then.... how do they propagate ? If each bulb produces a single onion... then ... they would become extinct ? Where do the next generation of bulbs come from ? I'm confused. Onions also produce seed heads, which get pollinated by bees and other insects, which supply seeds.  |
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Post by Raymond on Nov 13, 2014 22:42:53 GMT
Roof alliums are ornamental onions. Fabulous flower heads ! You could do some in your pots.
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Post by roofgardener on Nov 15, 2014 8:45:22 GMT
Ahhhhh... right.....
So the bulbs I've got are actually half-grown onions ?
And... presumably.. I'll be able to harvest the seeds for next season, and grow my own 'from scratch' ?
I'll google some photo's of them Raymond, and perhaps give them a try ?
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Post by daitheplant on Nov 15, 2014 19:15:02 GMT
Ahhhhh... right..... So the bulbs I've got are actually half-grown onions ? And... presumably.. I'll be able to harvest the seeds for next season, and grow my own 'from scratch' ? I'll google some photo's of them Raymond, and perhaps give them a try ? My advice would be to stick with using sets. Much easier, but, having said that, you could try your hand with the seeds as well. At least, if the seeds fail, you know you have your back up crop. |
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Post by roofgardener on Dec 2, 2014 11:26:45 GMT
I HATE this time of year. HATE HATE HATE.
Everything is COLD and DAMP.
My pvc tent-frame greenhouse leaks.
The floor is a series of PUDDLES.
PUddles mixed in with bits of newspaper... it's a DAMP COLD SLURRY.
My feet are wet.
My tools are wet.
My gardening gloves are damp.
My Comfy Cushion is a Mould Garden. And it's damp.
My chair is damp.
Everything is dead, dying, damp, or mouldy.
I HATE GARDENING, AND I AM GIVING IT UP.
I'll take up steeplejacking instead. At least that means the Pointless Chimney will have a use !
BAH !
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Post by roofgardener on Dec 2, 2014 11:48:32 GMT
******GREENHOUSE NEWS ***************
I'd like to thank all the people who offered advice on Polytunnel Greenhouses. After much carefull thought, several bottles of wine, and MUCH discouragement with my current leaking MouldHouse, I've decided to go for it anyway. Yes... it won't last for more than a couple-or-three years, and YES, there IS a danger of it blowing down. But at £60, I think I can live with that.
But it will be DRY ... and much larger than anything I've had before. I'm going to need both of those qualities if I am to produce all the bedding plants for my Sisters garden.
I'm thinking of ordering it in a couple of weeks, so that I have it by Christmas. I can then spend the week off between Christmas and the New Year erecting it.
I've decided to throw away my old greenhouse. I WAS thinking of burning it, but it is too damp and soggy.
HOWEVER... I can save elements of the frame (which incorporates a 6' long, 8" deep mesh shelving unit). In tandem with bits salvaged from previous greenhouses, I will be able to create a respectable amount of shelves; both for creating a Potting Table, and for storing all my seedling trays whilst they germinate and grow a little bit.
(umm... the seedlings to grow, that is.. not the trays.)
With all the space (10' x 6', as opposed to my current damp 6' x 4'), I'll be able to put a larger Comfy Chair in.
Oh.. and electricity; light and HEAT. HEAT, I TELL YOU.
I'll post photographs of the demolition of the old greenhouse, and the installation of the new one.
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Post by roofgardener on Dec 2, 2014 16:08:10 GMT
****** Pointless Chimney News ****** Some where asking about the function of the Pointless Chimney in my roofgarden. Well, I COULD argue that the whole POINT of a Pointless Chimney is that - by definition - it HAS no function. However, this was not always the case. In the dim and distant past, it DID have a purpose. Apparently, the building was always a shop. It was BUILT as a shop by the co-operative society. As part of their standard MkIV "suburban shop" Equipment Inventory, they installed a Waste Paper incinerator at the back, which discharged into the (now) Pointless Chimney. And that was that ! Subsequently, the shop became a Mace, and everything started being wrapped in plastic rather than paper/cardboard, which didn't burn as well. Then it was taken over by a despondent independent operator, and everything was wrapped in Gloom. Now it is in the hands of Big Tony, and everything is sunlit and bright. But the incinerator has long since gone. Apparently, once he realised that it wasn't big enough to incinerate troublesome customers inside it, he lost interest. |
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Post by Cherry on Dec 2, 2014 17:51:03 GMT
You will enjoy your tunnel, but don't start your plants too early. Leave them until the weather is better.
You could be digging over the soil in your sister's garden in preparation. This can be done in any weather (except rain) and you will feel much better being out in the wind and fresh air. I love winter gardening, but I am only good for a walk until I get over my hip op and the gammy leg. Did you get any bulbs planted for her? There are some very good price reductions around now.
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Post by daitheplant on Dec 2, 2014 20:07:00 GMT
Roofy, my polytunnel arrived today. I hope to have it up and running over the weekend.
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Post by roofgardener on Dec 3, 2014 9:15:12 GMT
Hi there Cherry - thanks for that advice.
My Sisters Garden is actually doing very well. We are WELL ahead of the schedule we drew up in 2013.
Pretty much all of the beds in the small front garden are weeded and turned over, with just a bit of refining left to be done.
The "main event" in the Large Back Garden (for 2014/2015) is the two "half moon" flowerbeds. After dint of much digging, weeding, turning over, more weeding, turning... etc.... they are both down to bare soil. OK... SOME weeds have started to grow, but they are very small and weak, I think one more light hoe-ing over should just about crack it.
We hadn't anticipated reaching THIS stage until late February or so.
Some bulbs HAVE been planted ... 20 or so in the Front Garden, and around 40 in the Upper Moon, under the Fir tree. Other than that, we havn't planted anything yet. (I'm not even sure what they are ... she just handed me them and said "plant ! " )
Daitheplant - that is EXCELLENT news. What size is it , and will you be able to post any photographs once it is up ?
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