Any arbtalking veg growers in da house?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Just have garlic in the ground at the moment (still eating last years crop). Used to grow loads of stuff, had a polytunnel full of tomatoes, peppers etc. But as i've got busier with woodland work etc. its gradually been neglected and i'm just growing staples like onions,garlic, carrots&potatoes. Want to get back into it again though..

 

Ive never tried but will this year baked garlic cloves, ive heard there is a larger milder variety that suits this cooking method very well.

[eagleye]

in the ground at the moment for this year

garlic

broad beans

spring cabbage

chard

and just started off

leeks

summer cabbage

[Rob Stringer]

Ive never tried but will this year baked garlic cloves, ive heard there is a larger milder variety that suits this cooking method very well.

 

Roast garlic is good as well..

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Roast garlic is good as well..

 

wot i :blushing:meant

[Mycoman]

I strimmed the neglected lawn to stubs yesterday ready for the big dig, double dig back breaking but will go over to minimal digging after the initial layout and soil prepping.

 

I really would urge you: save your back and save the soil! Look up Charles Dowding and no-dig gardening. Plenty mulch, plenty cardboard and let the worms do what they love doing anyway.

[Gnarlyoak]

I did consider the ex batteries approach, and did not know bantams where low yield, so thanks, always fancied the breed was the thing I guess

 

Well the bantams are puuurrrrttty to look at.

 

Leghorns are pretty good layers. But the battery hens are a cross breed, and were bred to lay, lay, lay.

 

So you just need to decide if you want them to be good looking or good layers. Or get 1 of each if you only want to have two. The chucks like to be with friends but they don't have to come from the same tribe. And you don't need a cockerel either, unless you like your egss fertilised.

 

Hens will lay just fine without the attention of a cockerel. You'll only need a cock if you want to breed your hens. They also tend to to bully hens just to remind them that there is a pecking order!

[Gnarlyoak]

I really would urge you: save your back and save the soil! Look up Charles Dowding and no-dig gardening. Plenty mulch, plenty cardboard and let the worms do what they love doing anyway.

 

Or hire a rotavator for the day. Do the job in a fraction of the time, not only is it back breaking, double digging a fair sized plot takes a quite a bit of time as well as effort.

 

Must admit, did look at the Charles Dowding link earlier today and like the idea of it. Tempted to not bother turning over a couple of my beds and having a go at this method instead.

[Goaty]

Well the bantams are puuurrrrttty to look at.

 

Hens will lay just fine without the attention of a cockerel. You'll only need a cock if you want to breed your hens. They also tend to to bully hens just to remind them that there is a pecking order!

 

But apparently if the eggs are fertilized they are lower in cholesterol, whatever that is:001_rolleyes:

[Goaty]

I once did the mulch and no did thing. Only problem is habouring slugs and unwanted veg munchers. Maybe some ash from the fire as a base. I suceeded with brassicas through black plastic as well.

[growforest]

Hi Tony

I've been using seed from Real Seeds. They're very knowledgeable and have some very interesting varieties. Cheap, and send lots of info on seed saving too.

I've been no-digging around an acre for sixteen years: I just strew it with compost year on year and cover any fallow bits with carpet. Spade only comes out to lift the big, fat veggies.

Like the thread: look forward to updates.