TopVeg - growing veg,fruit&herbs » diary http://topveg.com growing veg, fruit and herbs Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:43:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Half Price Vegetables to Sow Now http://topveg.com/2009/05/half-price-vegetables-to-sow-now/ http://topveg.com/2009/05/half-price-vegetables-to-sow-now/#comments Thu, 14 May 2009 01:39:43 +0000 TopVeg http://topveg.com/?p=2287 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> Below is a list of  vegetables that can be sown now for results in the coming months, and they are half price for the next week!

Beetroot
Peas
Calabrese
Carrots

nandor-carrot

nandor-carrot

Lettuce
Salad Leaves
Spring Onions
Radish
Sprouting Seeds
Sweetcorn

sweetcorn-cob

sweetcorn-cob

Dwarf Beans
Runner Beans

runner-bean-branch

runner-bean-branch

Soya Beans
Turnip
Swede

These half price seeds, can be sown now to produce a great supply of vegetables through the summer.

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]]> http://topveg.com/2009/05/half-price-vegetables-to-sow-now/feed/ 0 Here We Go Gathering Nuts In May http://topveg.com/2009/05/here-we-go-gathering-nuts-in-may/ http://topveg.com/2009/05/here-we-go-gathering-nuts-in-may/#comments Fri, 01 May 2009 01:12:01 +0000 TopVeg http://topveg.com/?p=2151 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> The words in the Nursery Rhyme ‘Here We Go Gathering Nuts In May’ are troubling.  Where are the nuts in May?  Cold and frosty mornings are not too common in May, but as vegetable gardeners we are well aware that there is a risk of frost in May.

May 1st was an important day in the Irish farming calendar. The end of winter was celebrated with the gathering of flowers, dancing around bonfires or May poles, and one very special activity usually performed by Irish children – the making of a May bush. This activity ensured a plentiful harvest in the coming months.

The children collected the ‘nuts’ and used them to build the May Bush. The ‘nuts’ were actually bunches of flowers collected from the hedgerows.  The word was originally knots, and referred to knots or bunches of flowers.

As far as the frost mentioned in the rhyme is concerned, there are plenty of recordings of frost in Ireland during May. So perhaps this nursery rhyme ‘Here we come gathering nuts in May’ originated in Ireland?

.
Here we go gathering nuts in May,
Nuts in May, nuts in May.
Here we go gathering nuts in May,
On a cold and frosty morning.

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]]> http://topveg.com/2009/05/here-we-go-gathering-nuts-in-may/feed/ 0 TopVeg visits Gardeners’ Question Time http://topveg.com/2008/08/topveg-visits-gardeners%e2%80%99-question-time/ http://topveg.com/2008/08/topveg-visits-gardeners%e2%80%99-question-time/#comments Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:52:57 +0000 TopVeg http://topveg.com/?p=1549 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]>  

raspberry-Tulameen

raspberry-Tulameen

TopVeg visit to Gardeners’ Question Time   in Hessle was broadcast in 4 August 2008.

Helen Smith represented TopVeg and asked a leading question about our raspberries:

    ‘Our raspberries are not doing well, on our heavy wet soil. Should     we try to improve the soil, or start using growing bags?’

   

Magnesium-deficiency-in-ras

Magnesium-deficiency-in-ras

Matthew Biggs diagnosed a magnesium deficiency from the yellowing leaves between the veins.

green-raspberry-leaf

green-raspberry-leaf

yellowy-raspberry-leaf

yellowy-raspberry-leaf

He said ‘the answer lies in the soil’, but we are already mulching &
feeding as he suggested. We were treating the magnesium deficiency by
watering in Epsom salts.

Although Matthew did not advise using growing bags, we still fee they are the answer. Commercial growers of raspberries in Scotland use growing bags, so we are going to have a go. Then we will see if the TopVeg visit to Gardeners Question Time can lead to an improved
production method.

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]]> http://topveg.com/2008/08/topveg-visits-gardeners%e2%80%99-question-time/feed/ 0 International Compost Awareness Week http://topveg.com/2007/05/international-compost-awareness-week/ http://topveg.com/2007/05/international-compost-awareness-week/#comments Wed, 09 May 2007 13:32:14 +0000 admin http://topveg.com/2007/05/09/international-compost-awareness-week/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> The 7th International Compost Awareness Week takes place 6-12 May 2007.

The aims are to encourage more people to:

  • compost their own garden and kitchen organic waste
  • use compost to improve their gardens & grow better vegetables
  • promote sustainable gardening
  • understand the value of recycling organic waste

 

Compost Awareness Week is happening all over the world, and local events are promoting the importance of composting.  In the UK some local councils are giving away compost, and others are offering compost bins at reduced prices.  Details can be found on the Compost Awareness Week website.

 

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]]> http://topveg.com/2007/05/international-compost-awareness-week/feed/ 0 Keep Weeding the Vegetable Garden. http://topveg.com/2007/05/keep-weeding-the-vegetable-garden/ http://topveg.com/2007/05/keep-weeding-the-vegetable-garden/#comments Tue, 08 May 2007 13:35:48 +0000 admin http://topveg.com/2007/05/08/keep-weeding-the-vegetable-garden/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]>  

A gentle reminder to keep weeding the vegetable garden.  Remove the weeds as soon as they emerge.  Tiny seedlings are much easier to remove.  Pulling roots of tiny seedlings out of the ground does not disturb the roots of the vegetable plants left behind. 

If weeds are allowed to grow and develop a strong root system, they take a lot of water out of the soil.The roots of the vegetables will probably be dislodged & spoilt when the well-grown weed root is pulled out.

Shallow hoeing will remove small weeds.  Shallow hoeing breaks up the soil surface, which keeps the soil user friendly!

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]]> http://topveg.com/2007/05/keep-weeding-the-vegetable-garden/feed/ 0 5 A Day in January http://topveg.com/2007/01/5-a-day-in-january/ http://topveg.com/2007/01/5-a-day-in-january/#comments Thu, 18 Jan 2007 15:12:41 +0000 TopVeg http://topveg.com/?p=444 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> 5 A Day in January

Still managing 5 A Day from the veg patch

It is possible to provide the family with 5 A Day in January

Sprouts, Carrots, Parsnips all still in the ground & tasting great!!

Onions, shallots, garlic and beetroot in store – & good to ring the changes

Maris Piper & King Edwards storing well – but they don’t count in the 5
A Day!  Did have problems with stored potatoes sprouting initially, but
put them all in a colder, darker spot & all OK now

Plenty of fruit from the garden in store, really enjoying frozen berries
with yoghurt just now.  Good for the points!!

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