The gardening week ~ all change for winter

[@rpark8265]

Another great video Steve,I really like the format,you talking and working ,explaining what you’re doing and the reasoning behind your decisions.

[@SteveRichards]

Thanks, it’s not always possible because of noise from the adjacent building site

[@summerisonthursday5239]

What a lot of work. I feel really achy now. Very impressive 😊

[@SteveRichards]

Yeah, I’m not a hard worker, 4 hours a day is my max, so this time of year I feel like I’m grafting!

[@RawLondonGardener]

Top video fella

[@lorainemcguire5795]

Wow what a lovely change round for winter in your polytunnel i unfortunately don't have one but have unheated greenhouses i ❤ the look of your lettuces growing i shall try the roxy i have winter density first time there too for me 🥬🥬

[@karenrogers7672]

Great video Steve, thank you, although I’m curious as to why you use shop-bought farmyard manure rather than your homemade compost?

[@SteveRichards]

my homemade compost is always full of weed seeds Karen, which I don't mind too much in the outdoor beds, because they are flooded with weed seeds that blow in from all of the plots around me and the green drive. The polytunnel is mainly free of wind blown seeds though and I like to keep it that way, although I always have a few self seeded tomatoes of course : All the best - Steve

[@karenrogers7672]

Many thanks for your reply Steve. That’s a great idea which I’ll adopt for my PT, too 👍

[@steveme120]

thanks for the information :)

[@SarahsAllotmentAdventure]

So impressed by your lettuce Steve! What’s your process for sowing leaves please? Mine just end up leggy and flopping over, would love to grow some healthy looking seedlings like yours 💚

[@SteveRichards]

Hi Sarah, Greenhouse in bad weather, outside on a slug free bench during the day if it gets warm. Leggy lettuce is always caused by too much heat and/or not enough light : all the best - Steve

[@SarahsAllotmentAdventure]

@@SteveRichardsThankyou, I shall try again 👍

[@leightondingle9056]

Hi I watch all your videos and you have mentioned slug pellets a few times which ones do you use

[@SteveRichards]

I’m still using the little bottle that I bought 8 years ago when I started gardening, it’s 2/3 full and the label has long gone but I assume they are the metaldehyde type that you can’t buy now. I only use a few on each bed so it will probably outlast me. I only use them on the beds with covers closed, so there’s no risk to wildlife, not that a few is any risk anyway. I’ve now bought some of the Ferric Phosphate ones, for the uncovered beds, but I’ve not had to use those yet because I rely on other techniques where I can. : all the best - Steve

[@AliW-xu4lv]

Great video, steve. Glad to see you've got nearly all your tomatoes ripening. Do you still use algon and sunclear at this time of year? All the best- Alison

[@SteveRichards]

I’ve used Algon on the outside and a few patches inside, but algon removes sunclear so fortunately ive not had to use it everywhere, sunclear lasts for several years. I made my last big batch of passata yesterday with the ripening tomatoes. Deb is making a big batch of pear and green tomato chutney with the rest. The greenhouse tomatoes are all ripening though so I’m sorted for a while

[@AliW-xu4lv]

@@SteveRichards Thanks. I'm doing mine today. Bit late again, but most of my tomatoes are turning now so im pleased about that. I had my doubts for a while. Hope my lettuces will be OK planting late. They've had 2 weeks under grow lights and about 10 days on the trestle table in the polytunnel and are looking great, so hopefully they'll have the vigour to thrive. I'm estimating 15 litres of pasatta (made from just tomatoes) by the time ive finished which will be fantastic. My right shoulder is hurting today when i raise my arm, which is due to turning the moulis making 2 batches of passatta. Not good when I'm going to have to wash down a polytunnel. Oh well... maybe the exercise will do it good. All the best- Alison

[@SteveRichards]

@AliW-xu4lv lol, mine was hurting too yesterday, but chopping up and composting pepper plants seemed to fix it

[@AliW-xu4lv]

@@SteveRichards I can report the same! Rest isn't always best.

[@SteveRichards]

@AliW-xu4lv thanks for the carrots btw

[@davidbrevans5533]

Hi Steve, what slug pellets do you recommend, I’ve never used and wanted ones that are safe to animals, especially frogs, toads and slow worms.

[@SteveRichards]

I think anything you can buy now is safe. I’ve no expertise myself as I use so few of them, I’ve still got loads left from the small bottle I bought 8 years ago

[@davidbrevans5533]

@@SteveRichards thanks Steve, I’ve got cold frames but the little black slugs just eat the plants slowly and they are so hard to find. I think I will get some and put the on the edge of the frames and see if it helps.

[@SteveRichards]

I mainly just look for damage while I’m harvesting and if I see any I hunt around until I find them, especially lettuce, they are usually hiding in the leaves

[@beefitz7269]

when is the best time to start onion {red baron} from seed im in the uk southend essex

[@SteveRichards]

Mid February

[@MrLaking123]

Steve, what brand of slug pellets do you use? I've got the doth ones they don't seem that good, so I've resorted to going out at night and spraying them with white vinegar and washing up liquid

[@SteveRichards]

I don’t really have that option on the allotment. I’m not sure of the brand, I bought a bottle of them 8 years ago and I still have 2/3 of them left. The label has faded away long ago

[@nickyg5334]

Can I ask which brand of farmyard manure you use?

[@SteveRichards]

Levingtons

[@nickyg5334]

@@SteveRichards thank you