veg growing Newbies- Feb 2010! lets learn together!

stilernin

Orange_King wrote: »

Thanks for that! My cucumbers are still rather small at presen, much smaller than the courgettes. Does it take them a while to get going? I still have them in relatively small pots as there is no sign of the roots yet.

If you have any leaves, you will definitely have roots. Roots emerge from a seed first.

Keep them all warm and only water from the bottom (in a saucer, plastic mushroom box etc) try not to let the top level of the compost get wet. You can always tell if a pot needs water by picking it up and gauging the weight.

Once you have a decent rootball, you will be able to knock the plant out of the pot without much disturbance and pot on.

A couple of days with some sun and they will begin to race away.

MORPH3US

Alcmene wrote: »

Yes I have some netting. How do you guys get to your plants with netting round. I would love to see some photos of your beds to give me some ideas.

Hi Alcmene, have a look at my post #1461 on this thread.... it has a pic of my netted bed.

I just used a staple gun to staple the net at the bottom the some canes with slots cut in the top hold it up.

When I want access I just un-hook it from the tops of the canes and it drops down to the floor so I can work the patch. When i'm done it hooks back up again.

The net keeps the cats off and the birds (if you net the top too) so two birds with one stone.

beckstrous

I've not been on this thread for a while but was really upset to come home tonight to see that ALL of my potatoes had withered away thanks to last night's frost. I almost earthed them up yesterday and wish that I had :-(

After taking ages to come through they were going really well, growing a little bit each day. And now all of the leaves are all wilty and blackened.

It is so strange because the broad beans in the plot with the spuds are all fine. I very nearly put my rambling runners (which are taking over the study) out at the weekend and am so glad I didn't.

But...is that it for my potatoes now, or will they recover? I have earthed up and fleeced them this evening - is there anything else I can do?

mutley74

Alcmene wrote: »

erm, I have no desire to shoot my own cats, or anyone else's for that matter.

:rotfl:it was a joke. At least they (cats) help keep rats away where we live (near a nature reserve).

You can buy cheap hexagon wire netting 0.6m widthx10m rolls for £3.99 at B&M! (cheaper than Wilko!)

I was out of seedling trays the other day! Had a light bulb moment during my tea break..use the plastic biscuit tray that my foxes bisuit came in!

scotsaver

I haven't posted for ages but I have been keeping up to date with all your Posts. Just don't know what's going on with the Weather, another Frost here this morning and we live just outside London! I have left everything in the Greenhouse and Conservatory as don't want to plant out yet. I've had to pot on beans, tomatoes, broccoli etc etc as I can't get them planted out yet.

I've earthed up my spuds, sown some Parsnips, spring onions etc straight into the ground and sown some mixed salad leaves into a large tub on the Patio. Just need the weather to warm up a bit now.;)

[Deleted User]

Is it just me or is it unusually cold for May? I expected to be able to plant things out safely by this time? One of the reasons I have too many pots on the windowsill lol.

lynzpower

hi guys

feeling really disappointed as loads of my stuff is dying

I can barely talk about it!

What feed has everyone used for thier containers, this is why everything is dying, please dont not feed your stuff otherwise, obviously only one way its going to go _pale_

kimmee

deannatrois wrote: »

Is it just me or is it unusually cold for May? I expected to be able to plant things out safely by this time? One of the reasons I have too many pots on the windowsill lol.

It's not just you!! The weather forecasters say that it's about 6 or 7 degrees colder than the norm. I've been looking at the long range (well, next 14 days) forecast and it seems that it's going to start warming up by next week - certainly at night although thats for where I live in East Anglia.

janibrown

I was just thinking the same thing It seems very cold for May I have reverted to having the central heating on in the morning 4 a few hours lets hope it starts to warm up soon

Optimisticpair

deannatrois wrote: »

Is it just me or is it unusually cold for May? I expected to be able to plant things out safely by this time? One of the reasons I have too many pots on the windowsill lol.

It's flippin cold for May I think. I'm still lighting a fire at night.