Talkback: Allotment successes

Gardeners' World Web User

my nadines came up small this year but my king edwards and desire have triumphed sack and sacks and my soils lovely my runner beans are doing good had 2 sunday dinners so far and thats a family off 16 round 4 dinner sorry tomatoes all got blight and my onions were vandelised by kids in the holidays so a fence is going to have to go up

Gardeners' World Web User

I grew Rocket Potatoes again this year and have been delighted with results. Last year I grew Maris Peer and was very disappointed. Mostly I grow them in tubs and boxes. My runner beans were slow in getting started but then they really went to town. Tomatoes took long time to ripen then suddenly they have all come good. Courgettes have just about finished [mildew] but marrows have suddenly romped away again. Help!! have just noticed some sooty deposits on my bean leaves again-seem to get this every year-what causes it?

Gardeners' World Web User

Sante are an excellent maincrop. They show some blight resistance (and we have been hit again this year). Am just starting to dig them up now, large spuds, and would easily feed 4 - 5 big portions from each plant.

Next year it will be Charlottes for 2nd earlies, Sante's for main, and am leaning towards Anya for 1st earlies but the jury is still out.

Gardeners' World Web User

Im new to this gardening malarky but have got the bug big time. Ive already turned half my garden into a veg plot.

I know allotments are very hard to get hold of so would it be worth putting my name down already so that when i get more experience i can jump straight in?

its shocking to see so many in diss use in my area as i know so many people want one.

Gardeners' World Web User

Kindly help on two points.
How long should I let horse manure mature prior to use. I have kept this in the past for six months?

Have met a plant called "morning glory". It resembles the wild trumpet white flower, and also has the same foliage. This morning glory is white with a red circle at the top of the flower. The owner loves it, but is sad the flower only opens in the morning. Do you know why this is so? She would love to see the flower open in the p.m. or evening.

Thanks for your reply Eileen Carter.

Gardeners' World Web User

i have had a great year for many veg & i currently have 3 butternut squash plants growing well. The problem is that between them i only have 4 squash loads more little squash appear but then seem to rot & fall off. Please tell me what im doing wrong im desperate.

Gardeners' World Web User

Have dug all my potatoes and they're full of slug holes have to cut away till it comes good.They were wilja's and maris piper's. What can I do about it for next year ?

Gardeners' World Web User

make a pond on your allotment as frogs will reduce slug problem and try nematodes available online from most organic gardening websites

Gardeners' World Web User

although I've had a bumper crop of Runner beans again, I have noticed that some are like Curly-worlies and others have distortions as though they have damage from sap-sucking insects? I don't like to spray but can this build up?

Gardeners' World Web User

can anybody tell me what the green balls,the size of cherry tomatos, are on my potatos after the flower has gone they look like seed pods?

new to growing veg but loving it.

Gardeners' World Web User

New to this veg growing, turned some of the garden over to veg this year and have been very pleased. Beans runner & french great, beetroot, carrot, lettuce, radish, spring onion, garlic and then potatoes in buckets & was extremely pleased with good sized potaotes Nicola, Aaron, Maris Piper and have now planted ~Bambino for new potatoes at Christmas.

Can anyone tell me if any veg can be planted under cloches now or during the autumn ready for the spring season? Ta