How does your garden grow? (Fruit & Veg)

Start collecting jam jars for August. I have victoria plums and conference pears in my garden (among other things)
I made lots of pots of jam and it was really easy and tasty.
 
Because of the crap weather and the cold, I have brought tomatoes indoor this year into a sunny back window. Anyone growing them should restrict growth to a single main stem. I didn't realise the importance of this before, but it is crucial for good crop. Have planted King Edward spuds in ground and potato bags. Lidl are doing a good general compost for €2.99 with John Innes added for water retention (like we need that!).

I have onions growing since last Sept in bags and the ground, the Euro-shop is doing fertiliser for €1.50 for both spuds and onions BTW. They are also selling weedkiller for patio's and drives for €2.00, it works a treat. I've planted out mixed lettuce and spinach and its surprised me by growing despite the cold. I have corn growing in the house and runner beans been started off too. Again, Euro-shop is doing netting for €1.50, great for climbers and they are doing chicken wire (ugly but good) for peas etc.
 
I bought a nice garden obelisk made from Willow for €25 in a local garden centre and I have my peas and green beans planted around it. I know I can hobble together something from cut branches but this was my extravagant garden purchase this year. Looking out for a nice firepit also. Priced them from Amazon but postage from U.K. very high.
I have been working non stop in the garden since March, digging, painting, etc so I want to sit back now and relax a bit.
 
Start collecting jam jars for August. I have victoria plums and conference pears in my garden (among other things)
I made lots of pots of jam and it was really easy and tasty.


Hi June, I'm curious how big is the Victoria plum tree? I was thinking of getting one,the garden is packed out at the mo, but if it wasn't huge I might get one.
 
Our potatoes are growing very well. We planted our seeds of Cabbage, Pak Choi, Swedes, Spinach, Curly Kale direct in to the ground this year. All about 2 inches tall at this stage. We planted our carrots plus parsnips in a 18" high container this year with well sifted silky soil and covered with mesh netting to keep carrot fly away. These are about .5 inches so far. Our peas and green beans are planted around a shop bought Obelisk plus a home made one and both are are about 3" tall. Onions O.K. and strawberries still flowering.
Made a cloche out of wood taken from skip plus bought Pex piping in Woodies for €3.30 per two metre length. Needed 3 lengths. Covered with same mesh to keep pests out, from Amazon.co.uk.
Celeriac about 1" tall. Going to plant out soon. Any advice?
 
With celeriac, make sure to leave plenty of room between plants as they will grow quite big.....Then wait...and wait...and wait..... (patience is needed with this veg

Much later in the year, you should remove some of the bottom leaves and if we get a dry summer, make sure to keep very well watered.....
 
Yeh most of my pak Chois did that too.... No idea why?
Also I lost most of my pears to pear midge. Slugs took the rest...
 
Start collecting jam jars for August. I have victoria plums and conference pears in my garden (among other things)
I made lots of pots of jam and it was really easy and tasty.

Also, I preservedmy pears - I found it easier to do than to make the jam and so so tasty...
 
My celery crop is seriously stringy. Is this the variety that I have grown I wonder or should I leave it in the ground a bit longer. We planted it last year and is only now beginning to grow.
 
I have just started digging my potatoes. Is there anything that I can plant in the space vacated that might produce something later in the year or next year? I already have cabbage, spinach, curly kayle, peas, green beans, celery growing so I don't need anymore of these.
 
We have about 4 buckets of potatoes. Cabbages growing well but spotted some caterpillars eating them this week. Spinach good and curly kayle good. Peas good. We will drop the celery and strawberries and Pak Choi next year. Easier to buy from the supermarket.
 
Has anyone planted out potatoes this year yet? The soil is very wet so I am thinking of leaving it until after Easter?
 
For the small grower, there's some great plug packs in for €2.99 - 3 tomato types, cauliflower, lettuce, cabbage, etc. plus fruit bushes and strawberry plants.