Don’t forget that most of what you want to grow will need at least a square foot to itself. you need some scaffold netting and a frame over your greens, the cabbage white can get through larger mesh, you can make a frame from water piping for the builders yard.
Thats why i grow those seeds, start off end of August, they grow on through winter when there are no butterflies about, then harvest in the spring.
Im sure @Hostafan1 grows his chilli plants right through winter but they are in a poly tunnel.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Don't worry.. I've gardened for a large number of years and this years veg harvest wouldn't keep the dog alive! You will learn far more from mistakes than not. ...and its all fun, cock-up or no.
I don't know about Norfolk @Dovefromabove , but in Lincolnshire I was picking cabbage white caterpillars off the purple broccoli in January, never mind late Autumn 🐛🐛🐛🙄🤣
I have discovered chillies and aubergines need a long growing period, having tried to grow them unsuccessfully for a couple of years. The chillies also seem to take an inordinate time to ripen. I have 4 varieties this year,one plant of each including Pearls. The aubergine has just produced its first flower which has not set. A couple of years ago I kept a chillie plant growing all winter but it was in a double glazed conservatory so plenty of light but no extra heating. life as a gardener is great fun, experiment, what is the worst that can happen?Enjoy and have fun.
@Dovefromabove sounds very similar to me summer pruning my apples, carefully checking I'm not about to cut off a branch system full of cared for, thinned out apples, and carefully selecting only the empty branch I want to prune. Then watching said branch drop to the ground with a thud, full of carefully thinned, cared for apples, because somehow I've STILL managed to clip the wrong one...
@Joyce Goldenlily I germinated my aubergine in early February, and they're only starting to fruit now. Largest fruit is about 2" long. They're one of the most difficult veg to successfully grow outdoors in the UK, I think...
I just thought Id show the current state of my aubergines and pepper to see what Im working with.
This is the strongest aubergine plant. Its looking good. But do you think its destined not to fruit before winter?
The other aubergines below. Planted same time as the one above but much smaller. If theyre not going to fruit then Id rather replace them in my bed with spring cabbage/chard/carrots. But what should I do with them? I think theyre quite handsome plants, so perhaps I should bring them inside and keep them as houseplants?
This is my pepper. Looking fairly strong and is producing its first pepper. But again, is there enough time in the year for it to fruit do you think? If not, Ill bring it inside as a houseplant.
While Im at it, do you think these sugar snaps have reached the end of their life, or perhaps theres another reason why the leaves are turning yellow? These were planted - I think - about 6 weeks ago. (They are in a pot rather than the veg bed).
If these have reached the end of their life, should I leave the pods to ripen so I can harvest the seed; then put the foliage in the compost bin and leave the roots in the earth (to add nitrogen)?
I would move the aubergine and pepper inside. You could probably keep the pepper going until next year indoors, there is still time for the aubergine and pepper to fruit but they both need warmth and light. The sugar snaps have reached the end of their life. Yours look as if they probably needed more water and possibly a feed. If you save seed from them they are not likely to grow true to variety. So many veg.are F1 crosses now. It will tell you on the seed packet if you still have it. Safer to buy another packet next year.
Posts
you need some scaffold netting and a frame over your greens, the cabbage white can get through larger mesh, you can make a frame from water piping for the builders yard.
Thats why i grow those seeds, start off end of August, they grow on through winter when there are no butterflies about, then harvest in the spring.
Im sure @Hostafan1 grows his chilli plants right through winter but they are in a poly tunnel.
I have made cock up after cock up, esp with veg!
You are not alone!
I have the saddest cabbage in the Western world. I'd take a photo to prove it but there would be a great wailing and gnashing of teeth.
A couple of years ago I kept a chillie plant growing all winter but it was in a double glazed conservatory so plenty of light but no extra heating.
life as a gardener is great fun, experiment, what is the worst that can happen?Enjoy and have fun.
@Joyce Goldenlily I germinated my aubergine in early February, and they're only starting to fruit now. Largest fruit is about 2" long. They're one of the most difficult veg to successfully grow outdoors in the UK, I think...
This is the strongest aubergine plant. Its looking good. But do you think its destined not to fruit before winter?
The other aubergines below. Planted same time as the one above but much smaller. If theyre not going to fruit then Id rather replace them in my bed with spring cabbage/chard/carrots. But what should I do with them? I think theyre quite handsome plants, so perhaps I should bring them inside and keep them as houseplants?
This is my pepper. Looking fairly strong and is producing its first pepper. But again, is there enough time in the year for it to fruit do you think? If not, Ill bring it inside as a houseplant.
While Im at it, do you think these sugar snaps have reached the end of their life, or perhaps theres another reason why the leaves are turning yellow? These were planted - I think - about 6 weeks ago. (They are in a pot rather than the veg bed).
If these have reached the end of their life, should I leave the pods to ripen so I can harvest the seed; then put the foliage in the compost bin and leave the roots in the earth (to add nitrogen)?
Thanks
If you save seed from them they are not likely to grow true to variety. So many veg.are F1 crosses now. It will tell you on the seed packet if you still have it. Safer to buy another packet next year.