May Update: What are you growing in 2006? (Tips here for Fruit, Veggies and Flowers!)

hilary1

I planed some lettuce seed in a tray about 4 weeks ago and although they've started growing they look more like cress?

i thought lettuce was supposed to be easy and quick to grow?

I've just planted some 'growing onions' in a pot outside as I've been told that they with grow quite a lot of onions outside, dont know though as I've never grown onions before.

How do you know when garlics are ready?

doddsy

Hilary,
Garlic is ready towards late summer, when the leaves have died down. You can keep a few bulbs for replanting next year.
regards
Doddsy

Badgergal

Can I join the thread please ?! *waves* I only have a tiny garden that is mostly full of established plants like honeysuckle (previous owner)...

My friend gave me four tomato plants but I don't know what kind they are. Apparently two of them grow enormous two-tone tomatoes!

She also gave me some basil from Italy that grows enormous tasty leaves apparently though it is only a baby at the moment.

All of this is in two 12 inch containers, hope this is ok? Mine is quite a snaily garden so I'm a bit worried they might get eaten though I don't want to use chemicals if I can help it.

I am also getting a blueberry bush which will live in a 12 inch container and a selection of herbs for my window boxes...

The story of the bird getting caught in the netting has scared me. I would never want this to happen. If you "share" do you end up with anything left at all?!

frannyscho

I only started veg growing in earnest last year having bought a house with a garden, so still looking for tips. Luckily mum's a good gardener.

She said net the blackcurrants soon, but last year I didn't get around to it, so the birds got theirs and I still had plenty. Mice usually ate all my strawberries though. Mum said try putting them higher in a long windowbox on bricks. I hope they won't dry out. I couldn't grow cabbage, cauliflower, or anything like that successfully because of the cabbage white caterpillars. I ate one top off the purple sprouting broccoli before the insects had the rest. I wanted to be organic for the kids sake, so I tried some companion planting but obviously not enough. The marigolds were a pain because they took over and got scraggy, then seeded everywhere. I expect I will have millions this year. I can see the sprouting tops daily, shall I leave them but just pull them before they seed again?
DON'T put your 3 long rows of jerusalem artichokes right in the middle of your veg patch like I did unless you love them. Not only did they grow to 10ft tall...we didn't find any nice way of cooking them except the soup, but they also had rather serious undesirable effects on humans and might be quite good for scientists wishing to find a green method of powering cars!!! They keep sprouting from even a tiny chip left in the soil, which will be quite interesting this year seeing as we rotivated the remainder that we hadn't found.....ooops gotta learn somewhere....

Does anyone know how closely you can plant potatoes to each other without overcrowding or starving the soil if that's possible?
I am going to plant all the veg in pretty patterns this year. I didn't like the straight rows. I will take a pic if I manage to get the heights of things correct and it isn't too ambitious. I will look up the companion planting link.

I did find a good mini greenhouse for seedlings by reusing the plastic cartons from strawberries. They have holes in the base and slots in the lids and are windowsill sized. Then I am trying reused plastic bottles chopped in half as mini cloches once the small seedlings are planted out. Hopefully will stop the slugs getting them before they are strong enough. Not smart enough for the Chelsea flower show though!!! The veg patch looks like a rubbish tip art display. They use woven willow cloches in the mags don't they? Mmnn... maybe next year for that.

Badgergal

I have another question if anyone's around?

I have some Little Gem lettuce seeds and some perpetual spinach seeds. I want to grow them in the black flower buckets you get cheap from the supermarket rather than in grow bags as I want to give them a chance from the snails and slugs!

Would this be ok or do you have to plant them in rows?

Joscar

I think they should be fine in those bucket. I have used them successfully for peppers and tomatoes in the past. Just make sure they have drainage holes. Best thing I have found for slugs is twisting copper wire around the container.

This year I have potatoes in my black flower buckets, one seed spud in each bucket and they are just starting to push through.:j

culpepper

This is my first year of greenhousing
Im trying aubergines in my plastic greenhouse.No idea how big the plants get so they are in 9" pots.
The tomatoes are doing quite well in their ghouse and there are some in the garden too which are much smaller.
Not sure if the cucumber plants will survive as they are a bit patchy looking. They did pick up a bit after I put some compost on the top of their soil.
Everything is guess work so whatever grows to an edible stage will be great.

annie-c

Badgergal wrote:

I have another question if anyone's around?

I have some Little Gem lettuce seeds and some perpetual spinach seeds. I want to grow them in the black flower buckets you get cheap from the supermarket rather than in grow bags as I want to give them a chance from the snails and slugs!

Would this be ok or do you have to plant them in rows?

Buckets take much more compost than the equivalent in grobags, but you don't need a full bucket for something like lettuce which only has straggly roots - if you want to save on compost then you can fill the bottom of the bucket with broken up pots or chunks of polystyrene packaging. :T

Kazonline

Most of the seedlings are doing well, as are the strawberry and tomato plant - however the thyme hasn't done so well. I think I may have done something wrong - perhaps sowed too deeply or over watered? I have lots of the seeds left (bought 2 packs by mistake) so could try again if anyone has any tips.
I'm somewhat apprehensive about putting my seedlings out - don't want my babies being eaten! (Lol, except by us!) But I guess I'll have to at some point - tempted to try my lettuce in a pot given the tip on copper wire.....
I've noticed that a few people are planting marigolds to help keep pests away, but I was once told that they attract slugs - is that not the case?
Night all!
Kaz

LizD_2

Checked my tubs today - i have sprouts on all! (Courgettes, red leaf salad bowl and teeny-weeny carrots seedlings). So far, the copper tape has kept the slugs and snails off :j either that, or they're too busy munching other things in the garden! :mad:
Nutkin (the squirrel) seems to have been keeping his paws out after our little chat the other morning! Hmm, maybe Doctor Dolittle wasn't as mad as everyone thought! :rotfl: