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

Poledragon

Does anyone know how closely you can plant potatoes to each other without overcrowding or starving the soil if that's possible?

Frannyscho, plants spuds between 12" and 20" apart, depending on what kind of potatoes they are. It's not so much the overcrowding that's the problem with them - you just need soil around to earth them up with, to stop them going green (and inedible!) Straight lines of spuds are much easier to manage too. Make sure your pattern can be rotated, so you don't grow the same thing in the same soil next year (espcially potatoes and cabbage-type plants)

Kazonline - thyme seed needs to be planted very shallowly. And it takes forever (like 5 or 6 weeks sometimes) to germinate.

I'm growing garlic, currants, strawberries, broad, runner and French beans, peas, 4 kinds of potatoes, cabbage, lots of other brassicas (assuming the pigeons don't eat them), carrots, beetroot, courgettes and pumpkins (planted waayyy too many seeds again this year), sweetcorn, popping corn, onions and shallots. With tomatoes, melons, cucumbers and various peppers in the greenhouse. And other odd things like amaranth, five coloured chard, gourds, winter squashes with names like Red Warty Thing, and Black Futsu, and Turks Turban, and Pink Banana... I've also got the hugest rhubarb plant by my greenhouse. If we don't eat crumble at least twice a week, I can't get into the greenhouse door.

I'm a bit of an anorak too when it comes to plants and gardening. Big veggie plot at home and two half plots at the local allotments. One of my rhubarb plants at the lottie is flowering - never seen that before. Might just have some rhubarb seed to offer on here later in the year.

nicki_2

Everything is finally sprouting in my garden except the mint and the majority of the onions I don't think I'll even bother trying to grow onions again as I had no luck last year with them and they're struggling again this year (Same packet of seeds so it's not like I've wasted my money this year).

The lettuce are starting to get too big and will need to be thinned out very soon. Plus my sunflowers/peas/morning glory will need to be planted out soon as they're starting to get a bit too tall to be on the bottom shelf of my mini-greenhouse but my other seed trays need more light as they're struggling. Oh well, can't win them all, now I must go out and open my greenhouse up before the condensation kicks in again.

Badgergal

Where's the best place to get copper tape/wire from for twisting round the containers? I've never seen it before?

Strepsy

Kazonline wrote:

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

I'm planning on having my lettuce in pots or troughs and keeping them on some mini greenhouse staging that the cover is now ruined from. Glad I saved it actually as I only thought of doing this in the last couple of days. I was going to chuck it out when I got my new 4 tier one. Anyway, that should hopefully keep the slugs off - I'd rather not kill them, and try to just get along with them where possible. At the moment they've only really bothered my rhubarb and this doesn't affect the stems much as they only have the odd nibble of that but the leaves do look like doilies.

From what I've heard/read marigolds do attract slugs but they will then happily sit having a nibble of the marigolds rather than seek out other sources which, with any luck, leaves your edibles free from being munched.

Lulubells

Hi All,

I have mixed up my sweet peppers and chilli plants - if I posted a photo of each would anyone be able to idenify which is which - 'cause they definitely look different.

TIA

Lulubells

Strepsy

Lulubells wrote:

Hi All,

I have mixed up my sweet peppers and chilli plants - if I posted a photo of each would anyone be able to idenify which is which - 'cause they definitely look different.

TIA

Lulubells

The leaves on my pepper plants are much broader than the chilli, and also the chilli's leaves have a bit more of a shine on them, especially the top few. HTH. Would be great to see a photo.

Lulubells

Thanks for that Strepsy. I don't know how to post a picture I'm afraid - I did try !

Lulubells

twink

if you can see tendrils that would be sweetpeas thats the bit they wind round things to climb

hilary1

another week and my lettuce still looks like cress only taller.

new seeds plated notw look like short cress.

is it because I've plated them in seed trays instead of in the garden or growbag?

MORPH3US

hilary1 wrote:

another week and my lettuce still looks like cress only taller.

new seeds plated notw look like short cress.

is it because I've plated them in seed trays instead of in the garden or growbag?

Don't panic!

My lettuce was the same, now they look like spinach leaves, they will soon change!!!

M