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Gill Matthews · 29-08-2007, 09:07 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening

In article ,
says...
I built raised beds and grew vegetables for the first time this year and
have run into the unknown. I'd be grateful for some help on...

Onions: I sowed seeds directly into the ground and not many germinated
so I filled in with sets. They've done well, I think, but I don't know
when to lift them, or do they stay in the ground toll needed? Some have
fallen leaves yellowing at the tips but some, the largest, are still
upright and green. Do they go to seed if left too long?
It is customary to lift them and dry them when the leaves die back. If the
leaves haven't died back some people bend them over. Onions are bienniel and
these will flower in the spring of next year.
And wrt the sown ones, should these be lifted and used as sets next
year? Is that how it's done? Any tips?
It might work but they are more likely to go to seed on their tiny bulbs. I
always have a few that do this and I eat them spring onion style in winter
salads.
Sweet Corn: I tried some of this but it hasn't been a brilliant year.
Still, most have at least one ear forming. Will they come to anything,
or is it too late? If there's any chance of getting an ear or two,
should I restrict each stalk to one ear?
you may get something if we have an indian summer over the next few weeks, but
it really was a lousy summer for sweetcorn here in Reading
Leeks: I bought a tray of seedlings and my 1940s book says to prick them
out into a larger pot or container and then plant them out when they get
as thick as a pencil. Once pricked out, though, they barely grew at all.
Eventually I planted them out and they have grown, though they're still
not at the pencil stage. Will they survive the winter and carry on next
year, or are they a lost cause?
They will continue to grow fatter - what variety are they some are not meant to
be pulled until jan - feb of next year. Like the onions they will flower next
year. I have seen trays of baby leeks at fancy prices in the supermarket. If
they don't get much bigger by January I would think of them as bay leeks and
enjoy them any way
Cherry Tomatoes: in pots. Trusses have formed and are gradually ripening
and there are still many flowers. Should I take what I've got (not a
whole lot) and pinch off the flower stalks now, or can I let them do
their thing?
If you have somewhere indoors or very sheltered where you can take them, let
them do their thing. Otherwise I would pinch off the flowers now as they are
unlikely to come to anything
A succession of early peas have finished now (I started quite late in
the Spring) and I wonder what can be sown/planted now in terms of winter
plants --cabbages or something of that kind?
I have both dwarf and climbing French beans, how long do they go on
producing, and same question about what to follow them with?
Overwintering (Japanese) onions? Its a bit late for seeds to germinate but you
may be able to buy plug plants of winter brassicas from somewhere like
Marshalls ( they have a website)

Gill M

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addy gill[at]pcservicesreading[dot]co[dot]uk