The ups and downs of growing your own dinner 2016...

sazzlebgood? · 26 March 2016 at 12:54PM

FRUITTEA Tried the rhubarb cake, but had to use gooseberries instead as OH made a mistake about have some rhubarb left in the freezer. Would highly recommended it. Made potato and parsnip gratin last night using stuff from the allotment. Basil is starting to poke through.

Fruittea · 26 March 2016 at 2:09PM

Wasn't yesterday lovely - I spent most of it out in the garden doing some potting and seeding. Got tonnes of sweetcorn in and peas, beans, courgettes and more herbs. I'm thinking of putting in some squash - anyone think I'm too early please say - I've got the seeds sorted and ready to go.

Good to see Queen of cheap was out and about and busy at the allotment. As mentioned before I need to replace a couple of panes of glass - I really must get down there. My house windows are going in on the 4 April and I thought I could use some of the glass from the house and cut it to size to make the repairs.

I'll try the cake tomorrow Sazzlebgood - I'm a bit mean with the oven so like to bake all at once. Since you made the cake with gooseberries and it worked I might try that to and freeze it. Thanks for the tip.

sazzlebgood? · 29 March 2016 at 5:26PM

So today i sat in the sun and sowed cucumbers and courgettes which i put in the heated prop. Also sowed some squash and beetroot. Started to rain which means we won't be going up to the allotment tonight. Cider trees ordered will be arriving this weekend, good job as just finished the last of the home made cider. Although will have to wait a couple of years get plenty of apples!

Jazee · 30 March 2016 at 8:46AM

Hello all. At the weekend I sowed cucumber, pepper and aubergine seeds which are indoors on the windowsill for now. I moved some of the tomato plants into the greenhouse. If they do alright out there, the others can go out too.

I also planted an assortment of flower seeds and gave the back garden it's first cut of the year.

I'm hoping to get outside again today, the sun is shining at the moment.

Fruittea · 31 March 2016 at 9:56AM

Cucumbers and squash now done. I'm going fancy with the squashes this year as I got several different varieties as a Christmas present. Good to see Jazee and Sazzlebgood are ahead of the game.

The scaffolding went up yesterday (for the new windows next week) so most of the sun is now blocked out from my very full window sills - talk about timing! So I've had to order one of those throw-up plastic greenhouses as the one on the allotment is still without a couple of panes. Talk about stressful!

sazzlebgood? · 31 March 2016 at 12:28PM

Sat in the sun in my pjs and sowed squash, spinach, sunflowers (bird food), and pot marigolds (petals can be used on salads) this morning before the sun quickly disappeared. Not sure where these plants are going to go as all the window sills are full and so is the greenhouse at home. Fingers crossed the weather stays fairly warm and bright through spring. Cider trees have been dispatched and should arrive tomorrow.Decided any excess plants can go to the car boot in a couple of weeks and if they don;t sell I'll pass them onto a neighbour who has just took on an allotment. I don't envy all the digging they've got to do. OH can't decided whether to starting plant the early early pots outside next week anybody else done this yet? I think its still abit too cold up here in Derbyshire

Fruittea · 31 March 2016 at 2:40PM

Hi Sazzlebgood - you need a soil temperature of 15c before they will grow. I'm in Gloucestershire and planted my earlies on March 13th. I'm still getting a frost (this morning) but as I planted them 6 inches deep they should be fine. Also got a couple of pots going on the patio which have 8 inch haulms at the mo. They seem fine. I'd take a chance on a couple of rows if I were you. I'm potting up some courgettes cucumbers this afternoon - they'll be staying indoors with me though.

ajdj · 31 March 2016 at 4:00PM

I have a south facing patio and would like to try growing some veg in pots. I have a wooden container 80cm long, 30cm wide and 13cm deep and a larger ceramic pot 43cm wide, 40cm deep.

Any ideas what could go in them, never done anything like this before.

We regularly buy: spinach, chillis, red onions, butternut squash, red onions, carrots, garlic, coriander

I know they'll need to be watered well in pots and a decent compost but would appreciate some pointers. Would I need to line the wooden container with anything and is seeds or small plants best? Thanks!

Fruittea · 31 March 2016 at 4:34PM

Hi Ajdj
That's not too much space so I'd keep it simple. In the container you could go for herbs, salads and chillis. I'd go for a chilli plant rather than seed as it's a bit late to start something off - they need it very warm to germinate and can take about 30 days to come up.

Packets of seed for coriander, basil and salad mix - sow different patches at different times - so they don't come up all at once. In the container why not get a few canes make a tepee and grow a climbing French beans - it's quite an expensive crop in the shops and now's a good time to plant.

Think about a cherry tomato - summer's not the same without them - again I'd go for a plant £1.99 or 3 plants for £5 in most garden at the mo. Garlic needs to be over wintered so when the salads and herbs are done you can fill the container with garlic - the soft necked kind can be plated and keeps well.

All the rest needs more space and is cheaper in the shops.

Hope that helps you get a start and maybe get a few more containers.

ajdj · 31 March 2016 at 9:38PM

Fruittea wrote: »

Think about a cherry tomato - summer's not the same without them - again I'd go for a plant £1.99 or 3 plants for £5 in most garden at the mo.

Thank you, we get through a lot of cherry tomatoes but the supermarket ones are so tasteless. Excited to get started, we can definitely add more pots as we go.

The ups and downs of growing your own dinner 2016...

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