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Angela
I have used a mix of leaf/grass as a mulch to protect beetroots in early winter – I found they survived better for longer presumably through preventing heat loss from soil as weather gets colder.
Not much use in spring to protect young seedlings though – more suited to potatoes.
Average last frost date is a very misleading term, as it is implying that five years in ten it is later than that.
If you are feeding yourself, you want a date that is after the last frost 19 years in twenty or better I would have thought. And for safety, probably closer to one in fifty years.
10-20th March in NW London is probably about right as an average, but frosts in April are quite common here.
Beverley
I have had this problem for three years and now I limit myself to growing Autumn Mammoth for harvest mid August to late September, after planting out in mid May.
It is not optimal but I am trying to break the cycle of reproduction by not having any alliums growing when the bug reproduces. So no garlic, plant out onions later and harvest leeks early.
Pictures attached:
I picked out tops yesterday as blackfly had arrived, but also ladybirds were there too. As Charles says, this may be water stress, as we have had a very dry and warm period in May until last night’s thunder and lightning show. Here in NW London plenty of pods now visible but not yet ready to pick.
Planted my courgette on 18th but that was as I knew the next week of weather was warm and sunny. Plant now well established. My cucumber goes into final pot on 31st, but could be done now if desired.
I am in NW London.
Offwego
Up here in NW London, we are now well into what is becoming an annual mini-drought, with very little rain in May this year (last year late March to early July) and temps more akin to late July/early August (low to mid 20s by day, 10-13 by night). Wonderful for growing tomatoes in pots, a greater challenge for soil based vegetables.
Yesterday I planted out celery plants and although the surface was bone dry, my trowel still removed well structured moisture-filled cones when creating a hole for the plants in 8cm pots to fit into. The area has not been watered at all this season, but plenty of winter moisture still remains.
I have been experimenting by trying to water onions only every 7-10 days, but even in a no dig bed, onions needed water two days running after looking a bit stressed. I was giving around three gallons per square metre.
Like you, weeds are few and are removed easily.
Carrots are growing away healthily without munching, always a good test for soil in good heart.
Daniel, with the cool March with sharp frosts, the ground has been much cooler in 2018 than other years. Many of my spring crops are a month behind 2017 and most early (before the start of April)sowings/transplants struggled or failed. Whereas everything planted out after mid April is doing very well indeed.
The most likely explanation therefore is that planting too early has caused your plants to struggle due to cool soil.
This year up in NW London, slugs have been nibbling a bit but are certainly not a plague. We had a very wet by our standards start to the year, but since planting out started later this year due to the cold soil, we have not had too much dampness at night when it mattered.
I lost two Brussels sprouts trying to plant out in late April, when six accompanying lettuce were all fine. There has been some nibbling of turnips and parsnip, but they are growing away fine. Spinach have struggled and early cabbage departed (now my tree cabbage is established, the spring sowings may disappear). Peas were nibbled but they are now 40-50cm high so should be fine. A couple of beetroot clumps succumbed and others have been nibbled, but a dose of liquid seaweed often helps them to come through. The eight clumps now look OK. I lost a couple of dill and coriander plants but replacing them with spare modules did the trick. All the lettuces are pwrfect.
When I look at my plants this year compared to last, I do not think the 2017 compost vintage was quite as good as the 2016 stuff. Still good, but for reasons unknown the 2016 vintage was superb. Paradoxically, this years compost seems excellent for onions, which are looking superb. I am wondering if crop-specific compost would have any mileage….
I have used beer traps in previous years which have worked well and this year I am trying vermicompost tea (100ml per plant).
But the test will come later in the week when cooler damper weather returns….
What is the dimensions of each module? Length, widrhdepth?
I agree with you Dalesman, almost all seed failures I have come from larger organisations. OGC now off my list after dross Boltardy soon after being acquired by Suttons. Even Seeds of Italy a bit dodgy this year. All seeds I have had from small suppliers, including Real Seeds, have been very good…..
My one exception us JBA for Seed Potatoes – they have been reliable the past five years…..
Paul
The best way around is to save your own.
Yes, maybe the moisture is greater, also no barrier to emerging if you accidently sow too deep.
This is the soil block principle without making soil blocks, since most seeds germinate well in soil blocks without any covering, which is why I assumed this would work.