February Update: What are you growing in 2006

Curry_Queen

Ermmmmmmmmm all the seeds are still in their packets sat in the fridge ... but I did plant the garlic :j ... even if I did have to dig it up and re-plant it again cos I'd put the whole bulb in and not individual cloves :doh: :rotfl:

I'm sooooo jealous you've got nasturtiums going already as I really want to get some of those started soon. How long did they take from planting seeds to grow big enough to go in pots?

annie-c

Erm, about 3 weeks. But only half as many grew as I had planted (the seeds were large enough to plant individually). The others are still in the propagator but look a bit mouldy!!

But half isn't bad for a first try. I might do more on the weekend, and I think I'm going to start a few tomato seeds off too. It's so much fun, I'm not too worried about the results this year, I'm just enjoying trying things out....

annie-c

BTW, did the garlic grow? I haven't tried that one yet!

GreenFingers_2

Planted my first seeds of the year yesterday afternoon - how wonderful... Just a few small pots to start off on the windowsill and to hopefully provide some early vegetables. I planted :-

Cabbage (Excel) - This makes really nice Spring Greens
Sprouts (Maximus)
Onion (Red Baron)
Tomatoes (Moneymaker) - and easy peasy tomato that grows anywhere
Jalapeno Peppers - My first go at these

.... and some perennial flowers - Rudbekia.... A really great and attractive flower that lasts all summer right through to late Autumn. The insects and creatures love them .

Alfietinker

I think I may have been a little enthusiastic! I've sown tomatoes, aubergines, peppers, parsley, basil, dill in the electric propogator on the windowsill. They all germinated but were bending towards the light so I moved them into the greenhouse - and now it's snowing!!!! :rolleyes:

Lambs lettuce is up in the greenhouse, I've also sown leeks, early broadbeans, early peas and early carrots in modules or big pots in the greenhouse but nothings up so far - I sowed them last Saturday.

I found a shop that sold loose seed potatoes so as well as my Desiree that I rescued from under the sink I've got Epicure, Red Duke of York and Kestrel chitting in the spare room. I'm going to plant them in grow bags as I've only got 3 of each type - cost 78p in total

Hubby is getting fed up with me showing him pimples of green shoots each time they appear - but it's so exciting!!!

In the propogator now is dahlias and some chillies.

Just a hint - I've discovered covering seeds with vermiculite instead of compost seems to give me a better success rate.

Outside I've pruned the apples, (although I need to cut out some canker). We've moved the blackcurrants to make way for the chicken run we managed to rescue 5, so hopefully they'll be alright. I've pruned them all and given them a feed.

We're going on holiday 6th March, then when we get back hopefully I can start sowing in earnest!

nicki_2

Funnily enough I planted the first batch of my seeds on Tuesday afternoon

Sweetpeas - in toilet/kitchen roll inners filled with compost and sitting in a plastic basket. This is the first time I've attempted to grow them from seed so we'll see how they go.
Onions (Alisa Craig) - about 1/4 of a packet which hopefully will grow this year!
Beetroot (Boltaroy) - planted in a egg tray which held 30 eggs. I'm hoping to make my own pickled beetroot this year :drool:
Tomato (Moneymaker) - a whole packet full - I'm hoping to be organised enough this year to plant some up into other containers instead of only having them in the ground.

I still have a number of seeds to plant but I've run out of window sil. I'm thinking of making some shelves to put within the window space to increase my shelving area. It doesn't need to be particularly big, just wide enough but freestanding. I don't think the landlady would appreciate me drilling holes in her window recesses :rotfl:

I still need to get a huge bag of compost to make DD's small garden up where we'll be planting lettuce, spinach and other shallow rooted things. I'm recycling an old paddling pool/sand pit container that I found in the alleyway I've got plans for my garden this year :shhh::dance::rotfl:

novice_money_saver_2

What a great thread!

I was just thinking that we ought to be preparing for this year's veg crops. I'd better check out all the leftovers from last year before rushing out to buy more seeds.

Last year we grew:

beetroot
radish
tomatoes
sweetcorn (from seedlings, not seeds)
runner beans
salsify (interesting but a bit small and fiddly)
leeks (still got some in ground)
rocket
lettuce
courgettes
carrots
spring onions (from seed, not v successful)
rhubarb

We might be moving house this year but will treat it as a normal year - if we have to gift our crops to the incoming buyer, so be it!

Not sure I can face trekking out to the shed, I've got the dreaded lurgy and it's cold, wet and miserable out there....

happy planting everyone!

moggins

I still haven't got anything done yet because of the weather. It's just too cold for me to stay outdoors for any length of time. I wish DH would help me with the garden

Wendrie

Very inspiring everyone - this weekend is my sorting out and planting seeds weekend. Try hard to have stuff planted before dd's birthday mid March <G> We are going for potatoes, tomatoes, salad stuff, carrots, peppers, parsnips and maybe sweetcorn.... already growing in the garden - strawberries and plums. But the last couple of years the plums have been all watery Hope we can do better next season.

annie-c

At the moment I am using seed trays and a basic plastic propagator to grow my seeds in and I bought some 3" plastic pots to transfer seedlings into. I have a few bigger plastic/pot planters outside for bigger plants/flowers but as I own very little else, I can imagine that if I buy new pots for everything I grow then it could well take a few years of growing fruit/veg for the pots etc to 'pay' for themselves in terms of the savings I'll make on buying fresh produce. It cost £1.50 for 10 x 3" plant pots in my local DIY store.

I'm not broke so can afford to treat this as a hobby if I really need to pay out for pots, etc, but would prefer to do it cheaply and recycle if possible.

I'm mostly growing on the windowsill/patio. Does anyone have any ideas for what I can use to grow fruit/veg and plants without splashing out a fortune? :T

Thanks,

Annie