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Monday 20 September 2010

postheadericon random

Some pictures of things I never got around to posting

Cucumbers growing in my greenhouse at home. Took most of my time away this year erecting this greenhouse. I had to clear the ground of an old metal shed, lay foundations and not to mention the 500+ bricks it took to complete the beds + 2 ton of compost and manure. I grew one cucumber plant that produces half sized cucumbers and got just under 200 cucumbers from one plant and it is still growing strong as we speak producing at least 10 cucumbers a week. At its peak we were getting 25+ a week, never know anything like it.







Managed to show a few sets of Cauli this year due to the amount of sowings I grew, problem is each sowing all comes in at the same time and I was ending up with 10 Cauli a week.


Sunday 12 September 2010

postheadericon Long carrots

Although not perfect my long carrots were by far the biggest surprise as I honestly can say I did not look after them at all.

For once; as I had no time to spare for a vegetable that normally is so hard to grow good I did not pay any attention to my long carrots in the tunnel. I watered now and then but no where near what I normally would, to the point of them being so dry I thought they must be forked, yet when pulled had loads of bulk.

I have learnt to just leave them alone, even when undercover. I only grew 10 long carrots so I was happy to get a few sets.

When I grew them outside a few years back I didn't water at all, but when undercover you really have no idea when to water.

Sun was so bad I had to cut this picture, sorry but it blinded you, you don't need another picture of my dad either lol.

postheadericon pigeon

I love my birds of prey and despite people hating them they serve us more good than bad. The big problem being the cute little birds sometimes get eaten, but this is nature and nature always knows best.

I welcome these guys, aswell as any other bird in my garden, cats cause more problems..trust me. I was delighted to see this magnificence bird pluck a pigeon from the tree and eat it right next to me while I stood there with a camera.. whats the odds on that?. I could have saved the Pigeon but this bird works for its food, I would never interfere as they need to eat. This pigeon I'm sure ate many of my cabbages aswell.



postheadericon collection of 3

Won every collection of 3 I did this year, pity you never get anything for them..£100 would be nice.

Had to re-use some sweet candle, well didn't have to but I'm sure we have all done this. I looked at the competition in the collection of 3, decided I had won so changed the vegetables around to ensure victory in both classes lol. I didn't have enough veg to enter the collection of 3 so I pretty much entered anything to make the class up as no one cares if you win this board..shame but true as it carries nothing but a win and a point.


postheadericon collection of 4, sometimes 3?

Picked up a trophy for my collection of 4, what did surprise me is that a collection of 3 (just seen in picture) came second.. Judges..I have so much faith in you.. You can't count or see but you are always correct.


postheadericon collection of 6

Managed a second place with the collection of 6. Probably my worst year ever growing celery, although clean I had to remove at least 15 sticks frome each plant as they had split.

My NVS Amour potatoes were excellent as they were last weekend, really impressed with this potatoe and by far imo better than kestrel.

My long carrots were pretty massive, haven't had that much weight on them for years and to be honest I didn't look after them and hardly did I water them in the tunnels so I was very surprised when I pulled them.






postheadericon more showing

Really is surprising just how much stuff I take to these shows, with all the vegetables packed in the car and then spread about all the tables you don't see the full picture. This is just part of what I took to the show this weekend, I couldn't get it all on the table.

The following weekend I had 18 entries, 15 1st and three 2nds and came no where near most points in show. This weekend again saw any trophies all given to flowers, bar two for vegetables which I took one of them for a collection of 4.

More updates to come...

Monday 6 September 2010

postheadericon Something else

Something to brighten the place up while we wait to see what happens next. Took my eye while browsing through my camera.

Wednesday 1 September 2010

postheadericon Sweet Candle

Can't seem to find the photo I took of my "best in show in the vegetable section" of my sweet candle, so here's a few from my board.

I would say this year it was much harder to get a set, and I had to discard perefectly good carrots as they had what I call stretch marks on them half way down. Again the dry spell has not helped carrot growers at all this year and tap water is just not the same.

To get a really good set of 6 took 20 carrots... last year? only about 9. I must say tho all 20 carrots were good, but I'm so fussy and wanted a perfect set.

Skin finish on the carrots this year was superb, I still have these carrots and even now they look no different and I have left them uncovered. I cleaned them with a soft pad using water and washing up liquid, gently going around the carrot. The tops I always clean with an ear bud. The washing up liquid really does help and gets rid of that almost ingrained dirt you sometimes have when they dry out on the bench.

I probably won't be showing sweet candle at my next show, as I have especially grown some small red core as everyone moans they are not short carrots at this show.