Novice Gardener Needs Advice Please (Merged)

Jack's_mummy

Personally I'd leave them where they are until April time then.

When they get a few pairs of leaves each then "pinch" out the top (basically pull off the top bit) and it will encourage them to bush out a bit and be a stronger plant.

takoo

Hi Dawna

Hythcinths:

• could leave them where they are until leaves are brown and wilted down - then lift and store in a dry place - replant later in year where you want them to grow
• could leave them where they are to come up again next year - after a few years split them up and replant some elsewhere (or swop with a neighbour for,say snowdrops etc.

Good luck

takoo

tazladytaz

As the title says, I have no gardening experience,
Firstly, I only have a paved yard but I do have several pots about 18 inches deep with a diametre of also about 18 inches. I also have an old plastic bin that I could use and a couple of seed trays.
What I want to do is grow as much veg as possible. Reasons are to save some money and to encourage my children to eat more veg (if they help to grow they may want to eat).
Help!
What can I grow? Where do I start?
I understand you can grow tomatos straight from the grow bag, how do I stop that becoming waterlogged?
Thanks for any replies.

dispic1

pease are a doddle. make sure you drill some holes in the bottom of a pot, put gravel or stones in the bottom, fill it up with compost. get 4 canes andsick them in your pot and tie the top of the cane together with string (like a wigwam) shove 2-3 peas around the bottom of each cane about 2inch deep. water. in about 10days you should get some shoots. when they are high enough just tie then to the canes and they will start to climb up them. you will need to tie them every now and again. when they start flowering peas will follow soon. make sure they are kept nice and watered. voila. peas.

dan1979

I started growing stuff last year, this was one of the first sites I found and very useful in getting me going:

http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/

arkonite_babe

Similar thread here have a wee read for some help

Linda32

tazladytaz wrote: »

I understand you can grow tomatos straight from the grow bag, how do I stop that becoming waterlogged?
Thanks for any replies.

You can indeed, and they won't become water logged, honestly. Infact you will need to water them every day depending on how hot it gets. Rain won't work, because the rain won't go in the bags. Sounds daft I know but it won't.

In a decent summer, which we didn't have last year (its a case of "some you win and some you loose") you will get bowls full by the day from 3 plants times 3 grow bags.

This is what I do.

Depending on where you are in the UK you need to time your sowing so that you can plant out after all risk of frost has passed. I'm in Leicester which is around the end of May, thats quite late and about two months behind the south of England and about 3 weeks infront of Scotland

In my case I shall sow seeds beginning of April, which seems an awful long way off :rolleyes: but there you go. You only need a windowsill on the sunny side of the house. You don't need a greenhouse. All instructions are on the back of seed packets. It will say you can sow between Feb and Apr. But they grow quickly.

Once they have germinated you can then move them to individual pots. Its not alot of work but you do need to do it. Either that or you pay a garden centre to do it for you when individual plants will be about £1.00 each

To move them you ease out the little seedling using an old pencil and with the pencil make an hole in the new plant pot with you have filled with compost. Hold the seedling by the leaves only and gently drop it into the hole. The ease the soil back around it. You can bury the stem of the seedling so just the top is peeking out of the soil - its better if you do.

Then pop back on the windowsill and keep moist.

Then after about a week or so start to bring them outdoors on nice days. What I do is use a clean cat litter tray. Its basically an high sided try (in case its windy, they don't blow over :rotfl: ) during the evening I put so many into this tray and pop them outside during the day then bring them in at night. Then swop them around for the others which are in the house.

This in known as "harding off" basically getting the little darling used to the outside after central heating

Once you've done this for a while and all risk of frost has passed.

You can then plant out. Get your grow bag and imagine 3 spots to plant into. Using a stanley knife or similar back a cross slit and fold back the plastic. Using you hands to fluff up the compost abit, plant one plant in this hole, then repeat.

You will need to rig up some kind of support with caines and tye the plants to the caines. I'll leave that bit up to you depending on your set up.

Now on the edges you can plant an empty plant pot. No I'm not joking. The idea being is you water into the plant pot. The water obviously drains straigt out and into the bag.

Honestly it won't water log, most of it will drain away, you will see it. Might as well water the ground :rotfl:

One they start to flower you can feed them with tomato feed. Follow instructions on the bottle. Don't be tempted to over feed and once you start watering do carry on as not enough water leads to spit fruit.

Hope some of this helps and alot of the times its worth it.

CRANKY40

I have a concrete yard, with some flower beds. I discovered patio fruit trees, and asked my MIL for one for my birthday, so I have a "container" apple tree. It doesn't produce enough so that I never have to buy any, but I like it.

I also grew tomatoes in hanging baskets last year (cherry tomatoes) and they worked so well I'll be doing it again this year.

arkonite_babe

Another old thread which may be of interest:

Container gardening, where to start?

Fern_Merkin

For quick results and as a filler for when you have space at any point in the season try radishes. They are useable from about 6 weeks after planting. Very easy and lots of interesting varieties. Also Climbing Nasturtiums do well in poor soil, any gaps by the wall? Will grow over and give lots of peppery leaves for salads - like watercress (sandwich sized!) and slugs do not like them :j

Mange tout peas are excellent, sow a couple of times at 2 week intervals to give continued cropping, water well and pick regularly to ensure further blooms and peas.

Best of luck!