April Update: What are you growing in 2006?

missk_ensington

Wattapain- Can you explain to me how to do potatoes? (Please don't use the gardeners terminology cos I dont understand what 'tubers' are and stuff!) And how long would it take from planting to eating?

Secondly, see above post, are my brand new seeds okay outside?
What do people do when they go away, who waters them? x

wattapain

missk_ensington wrote:

Wattapain- Can you explain to me how to do potatoes? (Please don't use the gardeners terminology cos I dont understand what 'tubers' are and stuff!) And how long would it take from planting to eating?

Secondly, see above post, are my brand new seeds okay outside?
What do people do when they go away, who waters them? x

Hi Missk
I think it's probably a bit late now to find seed potatoes in the garden centre.
(Tubers are just the name for the potatoes)
Carrots & spring onions will be fine outside now. You can sow them direct into the ground now - no prob.
Now i do grow quite a few veggies and we have an allotment, but, belive me, I am no expert.
But I cantell you where to go to find lots of people who know soooo much more than me.
A site called https://www.allotments4all.co.uk
Brilliant and full of lovely people who love to help everyone with gardening questions.
And you don't have to have a lottie - many folk on there garden on patios, balconies etc.
So give it a try.;)
Terri :cool:

wattapain

missk_ensington wrote:

What do people do when they go away, who waters them? x

Well if plants are in the ground, I only water them just after planting - called 'watering in' , then they're on their own.
I don't water them on the lottie as we're miles from the tap, and ther's a hoepipe ban. Using the watering cans - wattapain :rotfl: :rotfl:
so keep that to the ABSOLUTE minimum.
Actually it's much better for the plants as their roots then have to go down deep looking for water, so that means they'll be much sturdier.

Pots though are a different matter - they dry out very quickly, and you need a reliable friend/family member to do the honours for you - ( maybe you can return the favour when they're away)

Terri

Strepsy

MORPH3US wrote:

Might try some herbs and some strawberries though - where is cheap to get seeds from now?

M

Lidl's seeds are 29p a pack and if you have a B&M they had seeds for 19p the other day - might be helpful if you're proficient in Dutch or something for those though as they had no English instructions. :rotfl:

Strepsy

missk_ensington wrote:

And is there such thing as potato seeds/bulbs or do you have to use old spuds?? I looked everywhere in the garden centre and couldn't find any, not could I find any sign of how to grow mushrooms?!?!?!?

You may be lucky and drop on a garden centre who are just selling the last of their seed potatoes off now. The seed potatoes basically just look like new potatoes that will probably have sprouted by now. If you do find some keep in mind that you have to keep topping up the soil over potatoes as they grow to prevent the baby spuds turning green. There are lots of ideas on how to grow spuds on this thread - pots, buckets, bins, even old grow bags - that's aswell as the ground of course.

I've seen a kit for growing mushrooms in Woolies for £2.99. Could be just what you're after.

missk_ensington

can someone recommend a really good book, with gives clear instructions on how and when to sow, including most veggies? I'm a bit of a div with gardening, if they even germinate I'll be happy! Ive bought a mini greenhouse, but concerned it wont work-dont see how it'll get warm its only 3tiered shelving with a plastic cover

Want a book for beginners. Am I too late to plant spuds from old ones I have from morrisons? an it be done all year round?


Thanks, might try growing mushrooms. I googled it to find advice on growing them, but could only find instructions for growing the 'magic' variety...!

Strepsy

missk_ensington wrote:

Am I too late to plant spuds from old ones I have from morrisons? an it be done all year round?


Thanks, might try growing mushrooms. I googled it to find advice on growing them, but could only find instructions for growing the 'magic' variety...!

You shouldn't plant potatoes meant for eating as they can spread disease and contaminate your soil with chemicals and goodness-knows-what. If you do grow from supermarket spuds then only use in containers and don't add the spent soil from when you've harvested them to your own garden, it will have to be thrown away.

You're not too late to plant seed potatoes, if you can find them, I would get them done in the next week or two though. I think they take about 10+ weeks until harvest.

kjl26

missk_ensington wrote:

can someone recommend a really good book, with gives clear instructions on how and when to sow, including most veggies? I'm a bit of a div with gardening, if they even germinate I'll be happy! Ive bought a mini greenhouse, but concerned it wont work-dont see how it'll get warm its only 3tiered shelving with a plastic cover

Want a book for beginners. Am I too late to plant spuds from old ones I have from morrisons? an it be done all year round?


Thanks, might try growing mushrooms. I googled it to find advice on growing them, but could only find instructions for growing the 'magic' variety...!

Try The Vegetable and Herb Expert by D G Hessayon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0903505460/qid=1146221087/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/202-5546189-6657453

It's the one I have and several people recommended it. It's fantastic and has all sorts of useful stuff in it. And pretty cheap as well.

missk_ensington

Right I'm TOTALLY confused. Searched literally every website for growing information can someone please explain 'sowing at three week intervals' ?? Does this mean put new seeds in the same place as the ones already growing?? And not sure how many seeds you plant but I used rather a lot...

And are you seeds more likely to grow if you buy a known brand than Lidl's finest?!?! Obviously its a false economy buying cheap seeds if they never grow!

wattapain

missk_ensington wrote:

Right I'm TOTALLY confused. Searched literally every website for growing information can someone please explain 'sowing at three week intervals' ?? Does this mean put new seeds in the same place as the ones already growing?? And not sure how many seeds you plant but I used rather a lot...

And are you seeds more likely to grow if you buy a known brand than Lidl's finest?!?! Obviously its a false economy buying cheap seeds if they never grow!

sowing at intervals means sowing the first lot, then waiting for them to germinate and start growing (sometimes only a few days , but sometimes more) then sow another lot (in a different place) so that you now have 2 lots of that particular veg at 2 different stages.
So now, when the first lot are ready for eating, you will have another batch coming along.
The only thing i do that for is lettuce though ( & maybe carrots) as everything else seems to go on producing for its time then there's usually something else coming on. That's the joy of growing your own, if you really love something, you can grow loads of it and eat it to your heart's content.

The above book is a good recommendation - also look on ebay for it.
Also I would suggest anything by Geoff hamilton, or Bob Flowerdew.
Yes gardening can be very confusing at first, but just go for it, read the seed packets and learn by your own experiences ( and mistakes) but above all enjoy what you manage to harvest.
Terri