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March Update: What are you growing in 2006?

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  • squeaky
    squeaky Posts: 14,129 Forumite
    First Post Combo Breaker
    If you'd like stuff to read while you're waiting for more responses...

    ..look at the top of the Old Style listing for the MEGA Index sticky. In the "Food" section of that are a lot of threads listed under "Grow your own".

    There are all sorts of threads and tips there for all standards of gardeners.

    That'll keep you busy :)
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  • johlee
    johlee Posts: 186 Forumite
    squeaky wrote:
    If you'd like stuff to read while you're waiting for more responses...

    ..look at the top of the Old Style listing for the MEGA Index sticky. In the "Food" section of that are a lot of threads listed under "Grow your own".

    There are all sorts of threads and tips there for all standards of gardeners.

    That'll keep you busy :)

    Thats great, thank you again :)

    I'll have my very own mini Titchmarsh at this rate :D
  • RoCas
    RoCas Posts: 3,929 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Unfortunately, everything I plant seems to wither so now I'm just growing OLD :-(
  • johlee
    johlee Posts: 186 Forumite
    RoCas wrote:
    Unfortunately, everything I plant seems to wither so now I'm just growing OLD :-(

    :rotfl:

    We've not started yet and could end up in the same boat as you :D
  • fannyadams
    fannyadams Posts: 1,741 Forumite
    Photogenic Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    RoCas wrote:
    Unfortunately, everything I plant seems to wither so now I'm just growing OLD :-(

    So RoCas, where did you get those seeds from?
    is it hard to germinate them?
    do they need special compost?
    do they need special attention, conditions, fertiliser?
    ;)
    just in case you need to know:
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  • RoCas
    RoCas Posts: 3,929 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    fannyadams wrote:
    So RoCas, where did you get those seeds from?
    is it hard to germinate them?
    do they need special compost?
    do they need special attention, conditions, fertiliser?
    ;)

    Compost? Surround with chocolate daily until stem is firm and round
    Conditions? Keep well watered with alcohol
    Fertiliser? Gotta be careful ... young tender ears may be listening :-)
  • Curry_Queen
    Curry_Queen Posts: 5,589 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Guess what! ... my rocket is already sprouting!!! :j :T :j :T :j :T :j

    Sorry, but I'm so excited as it's only a few days since I planted the seeds :eek: ... so wasn't expecting to see anything green for a few weeks yet LOL! :D

    What's the next stage now, i.e. how tall do I let them get before thinning them out and what do I plant them on into? I have lots of plastic tubs that I've saved from punnets of fruit/veggies etc so would they be ok? Can't you tell I'm a total novice at this :o

    I'm nowhere near ready to plant anything outside yet, not that it's the right weather conditions for it anyway, but I have ordered a couple of those mini greenhouse things from the outlet bargain site so could they go in there or should I keep them indoors?
    "An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"
    ~
    It is that what you do, good or bad,
    will come back to you three times as strong!
  • serena
    serena Posts: 2,387 Forumite
    Hi Johlee,

    I would suggest that your daughter grows things that can either be planted or sown direct to start with. Is her patch in a good part of the garden? Decent soil, and a sunny spot makes all the difference!

    I would try shallots, which can be planted immediately, and grow well. Also broad beans if she likes them. These can be sown/planted now. Radishes grow easily, but very few children actually like them.

    DS1 age 15 suggests pumpkins as you can sell the surplus for Halloween (needs a fair bit of space though)

    DS2 age 11 suggests a couple of strawberry plants, and a courgette plant (you can either sow your own or buy a plant around mid May).

    DD age 13 suggests a packet of mixed annual flowers for cutting (Johnsons was the one she chose).She also always sows the round carrots, and a packet of mixed lettuce leaves.

    You could perhaps try square foot gardening (google it for loads of details). Basically you divide a square metre into nine equal squares and grow a different flower or veg in each square. Great fun, and a good competition for more than one child! See who produces the most from their plot.

    Have fun.

    Serena.
    It is never too late to become what you were always intended to be
  • serena
    serena Posts: 2,387 Forumite
    Hi Curry Queen,

    I grow rocket in a polystyrene fish box in an unheated greenhouse overwinter, don't thin it, but pick the leaves when I want them. I also grow it duuring the summer, sowing direct outside. I need to keep it covered with fleece because it gets eaten by flea beetle, puncturing it with lots of little holes.

    It bolts(runs up to flower) very very quickly, so you may not be able to transplant it successfully, and I find I need to resow a little often.

    Either cut off leaves from the plants you have, try transplanting them, or sow direct in other containers say once a month.

    Other easy things include mizuna (looks like a pale dandelion) which can be stirfried or put in a salad, leaf beet which can be used as a spinach substitute and land cress used as watercress. These all grow when the weather is cool.

    If you have outside growing space, try shallots and broad beans which are pretty much guaranteed to grow and can be put in now as long as the ground isn't actually frozen solid (it was here in Kent yesterday!)
    It is never too late to become what you were always intended to be
  • Curry_Queen
    Curry_Queen Posts: 5,589 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    I have quite a few of those polystyrene boxes but never gave it a thought to using them for planting in, so thanks very much for giving me new ideas :T

    Thanks for the other suggestions too as these are all the types of plants my bearded dragons would eat too, which will be great as the poor things must be getting bored of spring greens and salad leaves by now LOL! :D
    "An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"
    ~
    It is that what you do, good or bad,
    will come back to you three times as strong!
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