Veg Update (Broccoli, Cabbage, Cucumber, Hot Pepper, Tomato, Turnip)

This is the first year I've grown broccoli and I spotted a spear forming this week!
Variety: Broccoli '(Autumn) 'Green Calabrese'. Sown indoor 8 April 2011. Planted outside mid-June; netted.

Slug control - above the cabbage is a glass of milk sunk into the ground - an attempt to catch/drown slugs.
Variety: Cabbage 'Golden Acre/Primo III'. Sown 3 April 2011 indoor. Planted outside mid-June; netted.

The bush cucumber plant is producing lots of flowers and tiny cucumbers are forming - will I ever get cucumbers large enough to eat?!?

Variety: Cucumber 'Bush Pickle'. Sown 3 April 2011 indoor

The veg box is stuffed with... kale (2 types), 1 x cabbage, 1 x broccoli, celery, celeriac, radish, carrot, turnip and perpetual spinach. The perpetual spinach has bolted. It was sown on 21 April; not sure why it bolted so quickly?

Variety: Turnip 'Purple Top Milan'

I love turnip! It grows quickly, looks good and both leaves and turnip are edible. I use them in casseroles, stews and stir fries.  

The tomatoes are doing well in the sun room. One of the plants has reached the ceiling. This is my first time growing tomatoes and so far so good.

Variety: Tomato (Red Cherry), Sown 3 April 2011 indoor.

This week I'm getting hot peppers turning red - yeah! They range in size from less than an inch (tiny) to about 3 inches.
Variety:  Pepper (Hot) Cayenne, Sown 20 Feb 2011 indoor.

One of my salad containers. I thought it was a good idea at the time to put a nasturtium in the pot but on reflection nasturtiums flower best in poor soil so better to plant them elsewhere.

This plant grew from my compost... it looks like a courgette or maybe a melon of some sort - time will tell.

Hope your veg is pest free & productive!

Slug Wars

This post contains photos that may be disturbing. 


Left: Snail munching through young delphiniums.

I've pointed out the evidence of slug(s) amongst my courgette /zucchini - trails of slime and nibbles out of the plant. Probably a smallish slug or it would have eaten more.

This slug lives in my compost bin so I leave him alone. I just hope he doesn't visit my cabbage at midnight! (I'm assuming slugs are good for composting; never really thought about it until now.)

Left: This little fellow climbed up a delphinium plant and was hanging on a small branch he seemed to be munching.

Slug Facts*...

• The average UK garden has a population of over 20,000 slugs and snails.
• Only 5% of the slug population is above ground. 95% is underground digesting seedlings, laying eggs, and feeding on roots and seed sprouts.
• A cubic metre of garden will on average contain up to 200 slugs.

*Source: http://www.slugoff.co.uk/slug-facts/facts

The underneath of the above slug. Can't believe he has balanced on this tiny branch whilst having his dinner.

(He's kinda cute.)

Party days started in June for the slugs when I served up Guinness!

Left: The outcome of the beer traps - lots of drowned slugs. They love Guinness and Coors Light - but beer is just too expensive at circa £1.30 per can! 

Cheaper idea - I decided to mix dried yeast packs (only cost 79pence per box) with water and pour into the 'beer traps'. This DOES NOT attract slugs! 

Next I'll be trying milk. 

My war against slugs continues!

For a long list of slug control measures have a look at - http://www.slugoff.co.uk/information/list

Bloggers Bloom Day

Top two photos - Papaver 'Picotee Mixed' poppy grown from seed.
Above (bottom): Amaranthus 'Pony Tails' grown from seed.

Above L-R: Astilbe, Aquilegia from seed, Astilbe, Rose.  

L-R: Gypsophila Elegans (Convent Garden White) from seed, Wild Foxglove, Geranium, Hosta.  

 Above: Iris, California Poppy Special Mixed from seed. Bottom photo: Climbing Hydrangea flowers.

 Above: L-R Shrub (name unknown), Astilbe, Nicotiana from seed. Bottom Right: Lady's Mantle flowers.

Above: Aquilegia from seed, Sheep's ear.

Delphinium from seed, Iris.

Above: L-R: Antirrhinum (Snapdragon) 'Intermediate Mixed' from seed,  Papaver 'Picotee Mixed' poppy.
Bottom Left: unknown. Rose (think it's Arthur Bell).

 L-R: Courgette (yellow zucchini) 'Soleil F1, Cucumber bush plant.
Bottom: Echinacea with white Gypsophila Elegans (Convent Garden White), Echinacea close up.

L-R: Calendula from seed. Nasturtium from seed. Hypericum St Johns Wort. California Poppy Special Mixed.

More on Bloom Day: http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/