The Gardening Year 2013

[Meg]

@Janela

Hubby said he was talking to a garlic grower out the front and he said the autumn ones are supposed to shoot early, so as to get frosted, which makes them root and the bulbs fill out. (more or less what he said :-D)
Barry, I’ve got Troy too but there is no sign of them!

That’s good news Janela they haven’t done it before, perhaps this will be a good crop then

[Barry]

@Meg

Barry do the onions usually come up this early, the garlic I planted other years came up months later, I am amazed to see it growing already.
The potatoes sound good.

@Janela

Hubby said he was talking to a garlic grower out the front and he said the autumn ones are supposed to shoot early, so as to get frosted, which makes them root and the bulbs fill out. (more or less what he said :-D)
Barry, I’ve got Troy too but there is no sign of them!

I share your surprise at the onions shooting already, I can only assume that the ground must still be very warm. I’m hoping they slow down now and then I may have to cover the shoots back up for the winter methinks. :shock:

[Janela]

Well, our Troy are showing too, maybe 1" to 2".
We are going to give them a bit of mulch, as soon as we get some drier weather…it is our first year with onions.
The garlic are still growing. The elephant has quite hefty stems and about 6" or more tall, an the Provence are not far behind.
If the winter is going to be very harsh, we may fleece them.

We finally bubble wrapped the greenhouse this week.
(I’m still trying to chat hubby into a bigger one, or an extension ;-))

[Janela]

My poor dahlias got hit badly by the frost they were much later this year too! So apart from the dark red ones, we haven’t had a long season of flower.
Looks like (if it stays dry) we’ll be cutting them down this week, (we never take out the tubers) I’ve taken cuttings from the pink and purple ones but the bronze plant hasn’t done as well, only one flower and no shoots for cuttings.
Actually, it looks like a lot plants have been blackened, so I expect we’ll be quite busy - I’m a shocker for getting the most out of bedding. The French marigolds are still flowering :shock: so they can stay

[Meg]

Janela you are lucky to have kept your Dahlias so long .

[TessA]

Can I keep mine in the pots or will I have to store them in the shed? First time I’ve grown any for years!

[Meg]

@Janela

Yes Meg
My Provence Wight is about the same as yours - a couple of inches.
The Elephant garlic…well…it’s at least 6 inches, fairly romping away We were surprised too! I hope it all survives the winter.

Janela I emailed Marshalls to ask them if I should cover the garlic as some of it is now 4inchs high :shock:.

They said it is fine as it is and the cold weather will check it .
I must be this variety, I have never had garlic coming up in the autumn before.

[Mups]

@Meg

Janela you are lucky to have kept your Dahlias so long .

I’ve had one of the lovely dark leafed “Bishop” dahlias in a tub this year and although it has slowed right down, I am still cutting a few flowers from it. It really has been beautiful. I’ve still got 2 Osteospurmum in flower too.
Mind you, it is very cold again tonight, so maybe this frost will finish everything off. I think its so sad to see everything dying off and all the lovely colours fading away.

[Mups]

Last nights frost finally got my lovely Bishop Dahlia.

[Janela]

@Twizard

Can I keep mine in the pots or will I have to store them in the shed? First time I’ve grown any for years!

I’ve just noticed this post Twiz. I’d put the pots in the shed, so they stay dry and frost free.

[TessA]

Thanks!x
Now all you gardeners, go into your potting sheds, get some terracotta pots, seed packets, tools, wellies, balls of string, plants etc. take a photo & enter this month’s photo competition! x