Growing my own veggies - a question and any other newbies?

Keep the soil just damp, not wet or soggy. You can't transplant into open ground until the weather is frost free. If you have space, buy seed potatoes now and get chitting (that's sticking them in egg boxes to sprout). In a couple of months, get some tomatoe seeds and sow some of those. Forget herbs until later on in the year, unless you have a heated greenhouse.

Check out https://www.allotments4all there is loads of info and helpful people on there too.

Best to have a few nights of searching and reading first, but everyone is very helpful.

To answer your question about watering.......... be very sparing with seedlings, and even more sparing before the seeds germinate. I have seen more failures due to 'over watering' than forgetting to water. Plants need air in the compost too.

When sowing seeds, water the surface of the compost and allow to drain, sow seeds on top and cover with DRY compost. The seeds will have been exposed to the water, which is enough to start with, and the dry compost will stop the water evaporating from the lower compost. Then leave them alone for a while!! Seeds will take different times to germinate, and when they do the roots will be growing a few days before you see anything above the surface.

I always 'bottom water' until anything has a few leaves. That means putting a little water in a saucer, and placing the pot or tray in it until the water has been absorbed. A little at a time is best... you can always add you cant' take it out!! Because the roots go down very quickly, there is no need for the top of the compost to be wet. In fact very delicate seedlings can often rot if they have 'wet necks'.

If you pick up the pot, you can tell if it needs watering by the weight. As long as tiny seedlings have 'damp feet' they should be fine and that doesn't mean 'wet'.

In fact seeds will rot if they are too wet, particularly beans. I wouldn't usually water the compost at all for them. Compost will have moisture in it to begin with, just think of the weight of a sack of it.

The bigger the plant, the more water it needs because the water it taken up and then it transpires through the leaves. Until then, water can only be lost through evaporation from the compost and in today's plastic pots that isn't very fast.

Once you begin to understand how things 'work' you will feel more confident. Just think about how 'nature' deals with anything..... many weed seeds fall during the summer and are parched for months.... they get wet and possibly frozen during the winter.... wet in the spring.... but as soon as the temperature is right they will germinate even if there has been no rain for days.

Sorry this is a very long explanation, but seeds are expensive. I use lettuce seeds that are over 5 yrs old... well you do get a few hundred seeds in a packet and every one is a lettuce!! Just sow them singley in fromage frais pots and plant them out when they have a good root ball.

Ooops... off track..... I'm afraid you will become as garden obsessed once you begin to have your successes, and that won't be long I'm sure.

Use the library, they have loads of books and often the current gardening mags in the racks too.

Most of all, enjoy.......

Hiya and good luck -

try the forums as https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk

they are really really helpful...... Istarted 18 mths ago, and am now well in the swing of it all!

joey wrote:

Hi Brassic - another complete newbie gardener here!
I planted some chilli seeds last week and after reading your answers think I have probably already killed them as I have been watering them evry day doh! Well at least I've got time to try again. I planted them last Fri should anything have appeared by now ?

ps; Would be happy to compare progress with you, I'm also planning on growing tomatoes, chives and sunflowers(with dd's).

Where do you live? If it isn't southern europe and you don't have access to constant heat (propogator etc), you might be a bit early for chillis to germinate. Think of the climate of the countries where the plant originates.... not as chilly (sorry couldn't resist) as it is here at the moment I'm sure.

Most seeds will take over a week to show above the surface which is a few days after germinating. Parsnip can take over 3 wks before you see any evidence that they have succeeded.... radish can be just a few days.

Chives should be OK to start now though.... start small pots of them every 2-3 wks and you should always have loads to snip. Try rocket too if you like it.

leeks are ready to plamt, and winow-boxe of herbs ready to transfer!