veg growing Newbies- Feb 2010! lets learn together!

seraphina

heynonnynonny wrote: »

I am a fan of courgettes I have to say...I may have to find some people to give them to, a couple of my friends don't even know what courgettes are though *rolls eyes*!

Don't get me started - I nearly fell over when a lad at a Somerfield checkout asked me what a leek was:eek:

heynonnynonny

Oh dear, kids nowadays eh :rotfl:you should have whacked him on the head with one!! Can't believe it can you!

MORPH3US

heynonnynonny wrote: »

Went to Stafford carboot sale today but was pretty poor, and I didn't come away with any plants or seedlings so am disappointed! My local paper has done a seed promo thing so am off to get 5 free packs of seeds tomorrow which is nice

Express & Star or Stafford Post?

I never get down to the car boot in Stafford, is it usually quite good for plants?

vatic

Just a quick question.... I got to thinking after watching the latest episode of The Edible Gardener this week. We bought a blackberry cane 2 years ago now. The first year it didn't produce anything and last year it produced 3 blackberries, but the birds got to them before I did

Should the canes be cut back like Alys was doing with her raspberries? I've been really disappointed with the way it's been growing even though it's been in the ground for 2 years. Although, to be honest, I haven't done much with it. Maybe some new compost on top would help?

Any suggestions my green-fingered friends?

lynzpower

MORPH3US wrote: »

Express & Star or Stafford Post?

I never get down to the car boot in Stafford, is it usually quite good for plants?

hey morpeus

hows it going - what are your patty pans doing?

I am really sceptical and confused about these and can see these going wrong.

Have you decided what you are going to plant them in - can you plannt them directly in your garden- or do you have a patio like us?

CAFCGirl

First post... eek!

Hi Lynz *waves*

Quick q - The Beeb weather man has just said to be careful with young plants that are outside tonight. I've just planted out a courgette plant, and some round carrots into containers and have a few other veg waiting to be planted out from their seed trays into larger containers. They've been outside for the last 2 nights in our yard, which is roughly 6 feet wide, by about 18 feet long, covered by a single storey extension on one side and a 6 foot wall on the other. So i'd say quite well protected....

I dont want to lose any of them though, so what should I do with them, if anything. The ones waiting to be planted out can easily come indoors for the night, but the ones ive already planted are a bit more of a challenge.....

Total newbie and just doing everything blind, so any help most gratefully received xx

misskool

CAFCGirl wrote: »

First post... eek!

Hi Lynz *waves*

Quick q - The Beeb weather man has just said to be careful with young plants that are outside tonight. I've just planted out a courgette plant, and some round carrots into containers and have a few other veg waiting to be planted out from their seed trays into larger containers. They've been outside for the last 2 nights in our yard, which is roughly 6 feet wide, by about 18 feet long, covered by a single storey extension on one side and a 6 foot wall on the other. So i'd say quite well protected....

I dont want to lose any of them though, so what should I do with them, if anything. The ones waiting to be planted out can easily come indoors for the night, but the ones ive already planted are a bit more of a challenge.....

Total newbie and just doing everything blind, so any help most gratefully received xx

Got any fleece? If not, anything, light curtains, spare sheets. cover it up!!!

Way way way too early for courgettes to be outside yet. Mine are just peeking through and I'm down south

What are your outside nighttime temps in the sheltered area?

lynzpower

Hey all,

Just updating the photos, rain here in London has been torrential today seems to have done my over exposed plants the world of good, although have had a mission trying to drain as much of the water off the flat roof as possible. Seems to be going ok though! Glad of it as my stock of rain water for the thirsty blueberry twigs was almost totally depleted. Luckily i thought on and brought in the salad trays especially the watercress that probably would have been washed away!

Ive updated the progress on my blog so I dont bombard the thread with huge pics I can never resize :rotfl:

Have planted up some mange tout and the sweetcorn from the lovely benefactor The corns are in the propagator in the greenhouse. Mangetout gone straight outside. Need some more pots and compost ( AGAIN!!) so will need to go out tomorrow and spend yet more cash :eek: This is not a cheap venture I dont think although I have tried to moneysave where possible- ive probably spent 100 quid so far :eek:

Great to see everyones progress though, havent been able to keep up, this thread grows a helluva lot faster than my seedlings thats for sure! :rotfl:

lynzpower

CAFCGirl wrote: »

First post... eek!

Hi Lynz *waves*

Quick q - The Beeb weather man has just said to be careful with young plants that are outside tonight. I've just planted out a courgette plant, and some round carrots into containers and have a few other veg waiting to be planted out from their seed trays into larger containers. They've been outside for the last 2 nights in our yard, which is roughly 6 feet wide, by about 18 feet long, covered by a single storey extension on one side and a 6 foot wall on the other. So i'd say quite well protected....

I dont want to lose any of them though, so what should I do with them, if anything. The ones waiting to be planted out can easily come indoors for the night, but the ones ive already planted are a bit more of a challenge.....

Total newbie and just doing everything blind, so any help most gratefully received xx

Hallo :wave:

The first thing I would do if possible is to get some net over them . Old bit of net curtain or even light cotton ( pillow cases) etc until you can get net because the birds might get the seeds before you start off. Or a cut up pop bottle cloche over the seeds if youve got one? Plastic cup would do it or even tupperwares :rotfl:

Ive been getting net in 99pstores and securing it with string or twine or looped elastic bands but the bands do seem to weather a lot and snap but we are v exposed

CAFCGirl

misskool wrote: »

Got any fleece? If not, anything, light curtains, spare sheets. cover it up!!!

Way way way too early for courgettes to be outside yet. Mine are just peeking through and I'm down south

What are your outside nighttime temps in the sheltered area?

Outside temps - no idea...... :eek:

Do I cover the whole thing completely or just the soil? And if it goes over the whole thing, how best do I attach it?

Why do places like Homebase never give you proper directions on their labels for where/when things should go....?!
The courgette plant is probably about 4 inches tall.... im going out in my fat pregnancy trousers and dressing gown to try and bring it back in! :T

gonna have a raid around and see what I can use......might be one of the well washed baby bedding sheets that I picked up from charity shop....