French beans up and climbing
While I have been away for a week my French Beans have really taken off, some are three feet up the canes. Once they start climbing properly the snails and slugs seem to do less damage. There are three varieties, “Canadian”, “Polish Purple Stringless” and “Ryder’s Top O’ The Pole”.
Just behind the beans is my Rocket which is now flowering. Luckily I have sown another patch which should be ready next week. Unfortunately as it’s May the flea beetle has appeared and holes are already showing in the leaves. Very annoying. To avoid it I generally don’t sow Rocket during the summer as dry weather and the beetle are a destructive combination here. I could try using fleece as protection but I’ve never got round to it (or more to the point I can’t be bothered to engage in another battle with nature. Nature has more energy than me).
These are my parsnips, which are going to seed, before I dug them out. Honestly we were knee deep in parsnips this year. In previous years we were lucky to get half a dozen, if they even bothered to germinate that is! This lot filled the compost bin. It was a shame as there were so many growing on the big allotment that we never got round to eating these ones.
At least my carrots have germinated. They’re still tiny at the moment. I’ve sown them inside a square of shallots to see if that helps keep off the dreaded carrot fly. I swear that if I don’t get decent carrots this year I’m giving them up for good. My success up to now has been abysmal.
Tomorrow I must sort out some seeds to sow and put the canes up for the greenhouse tomatoes. Then there is the weeding…watering…….trying to get a picture of the blue tit going into the nest box……….and the badger’s back in the garden……sigh.
4 comments
I left some parsnips to go to seed this year, they were so vigorous and green that I have kept one to grow till it flowers. I might see if I can collect any useful seed to sow next year. I read that parsnips are a biennial plant and need 2 years to flower.
I’m really stupid.
I started off three lots of runner beans - some with saved seed, some scarlet runners and some new kind from Wisley. At first, I knew what was what but I’ve moved them round so many times I’ve lost track now. It’ll be interesting to see what happens when they crop. (Put the first ones into the ground a few days ago - we’re at the same stage as you - hoping they get up high quick!).
Flea beetle.
I’ve heard that you can control them (to some degree) by coating a large piece of card with something sticky, then flapping it about near the affected plants. The beetles jump - and stick to the card. Voila!
(No idea if it works.)
Esther
Esther - your idea started a train of thought about suitable sticky substances. I think I would get some funny looks as well!
Third time lucky i hope, have been trying to comment and keep getting error page when i hit the submit. Anyway, where was i -Carrots. I have read you can use corrigated plastic sheeting around your bed to ward off carrot fly, you can still grow all the usual suspects with your carrots just put up four walls. A lottie holder posted on a gardening forum how she has had success with this.
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