Sunday, July 13

Greenhouse July Update

Just over a month ago I gave you a tour of our garden greenhouse so I thought it was time for an update.

The greenhouse isn't as crammed full now with most of the plants out on the plot.
The cyclamen are still just inside by the door and are still looking healthy. Amongst them is a lone lily - the only one from a mixture of bulbs to survive the ravages of a greenhouse visitor - the prime suspect is a mouse. The shelf alongside it houses mini aubergines, sweet peppers and some cucamelons that have been left to trail as they wish.

More sweet peppers are growing on the bench at the very end of the greenhouse. One has already produced a decent sized fruit.
At the opposite end of the bench are two pots - one containing spring onions and the other basil.
Close to the peppers the garlic crop has been left to dry and soon will be tidied and strung.
On the floor on the left is a potted ipomoea as the ones planted outside are either struggling or have disappeared altogether and there is also a potted delospernum. In the propagator are lavender cuttings alongside of which is another aubergine. In the trays are biennial seedlings and also young alpine strawberry and cyclamen plants.

On the floor on the right hand side of the greenhouse are three growbags each containing three tomato plants. We are not growing as many tomatoes in the garden greenhouse this year. To be honest after last years crop failure courtesy of blossom end rot we have been wondering whether tomatoes are worth the effort. These plants are starting to set fruit which at the moment appear to be healthy. This year it is the tomatoes in the plot greenhouse that are causing concern. Martyn will be posting about this later. In the past we have never had a problem with greenhouse tomatoes and I can't help thinking the spurious nature of commercial composts has something to do with the problems we have nowadays.
Just inside the door on the right are two potted figs the oldest of which has some fruit that look ready for picking. In front of the figs are two osteospernum resting after a bout of flowering before hopefully sending out a new flush of flowers. Hiding amongst these pots in the shade are a pot of sage cuttings, min cuttings and another of passion flower cuttings. 
The younger of the two figs has shot up this year and is now almost as tall as the older plant.


Looking down on all this is our elderly grapevine that never fails to provide us with fruit.

34 comments:

  1. Is that ‘Stargazer’ lily? From far it's buds look a lot like my Stargazer buds. You grow so many things in your greenhouse. I can't believe you even have grapevine inside. We grow all these outside. Except for the figs. They just don't like it here and never survive our winters.

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    1. I'm not sure what type of lily it is Leanan as it was just a mixed pack. These are the first ever flowers. We have gad the vine for years and it is happy in the greenhouse- too happy as if allowed to it would take over. It also heads out through the greenhouse roof wondows!

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  2. Fantastic grapevine! There was one here, but totally out of proportion to our tiny greenhouse so I had it out.

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  3. Simply beautiful. I wish I had a greenhouse like that.

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  4. All looks wonderful, Sue. Are you growing both your fig and grapevine in pots? I don't have a greenhouse but there's one sunny south facing wall that I've got my eye on as a good warm spot for fruit growing, perfect for a small fig or apricot.

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    1. The figs are in pots bit the vine is planted in the ground Caro

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  5. It would be a shame if you had to stop growing tomatoes, Sue, but I think you are probably right about the problems being caused (or at least exacerbated) by poor compost. My Fig tree is growing well this year - so well that I'm starting to think about how it will fare in the Winter-time when it gets too big to go in the garage!

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    1. Compost is so unreliable these days, Mark. I read somewhere I think another problem is that the green waste based composts besides maybe containing contaminants seem trickier to water. Sometimes water seems to pass through too quickly to be absorbed which makes me wonder whether liquid feed does the same.

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  6. Wow... your seedlings look so healthy! I love to see your green house. The grapes look so fresh and make me so jealous... :)

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    1. The grapes need to grow a bit before they will be ready to eat, Enadah

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  7. I always envy those with a greenhouse. I've always wanted one, but never been able to have one. And this lot is just too small.

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  8. We've been given some vine cuttings this year, hope they take off, i love stuffed vine leaves.

    Jean x

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    1. They should, Jean as we have given cuttings away that have been successful

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  9. Yours must be one of the most productive greenhouses I've seen Sue. It's amazing what you cram in. Those grapes - if they were mine, I'd be feeling like they were teasing me each time I walked in there!

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    1. Sometimes we do have to dodge the bunches, Angie

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  10. I am most envious of your grapevine! You certainly get your money's worth from your greenhouse don't you....so many plants come and go, a fantastic space. As I've said before I am a little obsessive re other people's greenhouses, it's so lovely to have a peek inside. I really enjoyed this.xxx

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    1. It was your comments on the last greenhouse post that made me do an update, Snowbird

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  11. Such a lot going on in your greenhouse. My tomatoes don't seem to have many fruits on this year and one or two have blossom end rot - can't quite figure out what is going on. I had a good tidy up in mine this morning and moved a lot of stuff outdoors because the greenhouse mouse seems to be having a field day in there.

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    1. We were the sane last year, Elaine and this year looks as though the tomatoes in the plot greenhouse are suffering. After years of growing without problems the only thing different is the compost. None of the reasons given for blossom end rot seemed applicable.

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  12. So much going on in your greenhouse. Mine is seriously lacking this year although i don't have anywhere near the sort of room you have. Looking through these makes me want to invest in a bigger greenhouse or maybe a small polytunnel???? HHHmmmmmm

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    1. You have me confused here, Tanya - if you don't fill a smaller greenhouse how would you fill a larger one?

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    2. Usually it is full to bursting Sue and i am wondering where to put everything...it's only this year when it is seriously lacking!!!

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    3. OK I'll let you have a bigger one then! :)

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  13. It's all looking lovely, especially the figs and grapes. I was wondering about putting my garlic, shallots and onions in my mini greenhouse to dry, but I wasn't sure if it would get too hot for them. If you're doing it, I'll give it a go.

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    1. The onions are under the carport, CJ - I think in winter the greenhouse is too damp so we have to find an alternative storage place

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  14. Everything is looking fabulous in your greenhouse, Sue, so healthy and choc full! That pepper looks so tasty!

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  15. All these plants must love your greenhouse, they definitely feel great there.

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    1. At the moment things seem to be thriving Dewberry

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  16. AnonymousJuly 16, 2014

    The basil is impressive! I also grow peppers in my conservatory but it will take few more weeks for the fruits to appear. Last year it was not a success at all, hoping that growing it indoors will make a difference.

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    1. We only have one large fruit our plants Aga, It's and early appearance for su

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