veg growing Newbies- Feb 2010! lets learn together!

antonia1

Right, I think I might be getting really paranoid, but I just wanted to make absolutely sure that the evil harlequin ladybirds can't harm my plants?! I know they eat aphids and so I should like them, but at the moment there are just all the creepy larvae and I want to make totally sure that they won't do any other damage to the plants. There was at least 5 on each of my plants, maybe more.

Micro_Law

elennor wrote: »

Hi, I've been growing my own veg for years and one tip I would give anyone is to not to take everything the authors of gardening books say too seriously-just have a go and enjoy it. Where you live makes a lot of difference to where you sow-frost, daylight hours etc all count. If growing in containers go to your local fishmonger and ask if he has any spare polystyrene boxes the fish come in-they are great as they insulate, are a good depth for all salad crops, coriander, rocket etc and strawberries. I have grown potatoes in buckets, carrots in an old wooden cupboard (on it's back with shelves removed), peppers in large pots (you really need greenhouse or conservatory for these or a very light window). If you give the veg good soil, enough room to grow and water properly you will have a great chance of success.
If you don't have room for runner beans you can grow dwarf french beans in pots or climbing french beans in a large tub with a wigwam. Mange tout grow ok in a deep pot too. Growbags are great for all sorts-not just tomatoes but you will get better results with tomatoes if you make it deeper by planting them in pots then cut out circles in the growbag and put the pot on top of the soil-easier to water too.
Realised I was rambling on there but am a bit obsessed with gardening-if you have any questions please ask and I will do my best to answer-there's not much I haven't had a go at over the years.
Good luck to you all-there's nothing like your first meal of the year all prepared from veg you picked the same day-does your soul good.

Please help! not sure if i missed it somewhere on all the pages here. I am growing potatoes in a bag that i got with my veg growing kit that i got as a bargain (from the grabbit section of the forum). I "chitted" them on the windowsill, then put them in the soil and top it up as needed (when the green stalks started popping through) but now the stalks have leaves and im at the top of my bag and can not top the soil up anymore. Do i pull them now or do i leave them? PLEASE PLEASE HELP. i only have a balcony and i want to succeed at growing something! Thanks in advance.

lynzpower

if the soil is at the top of the bag, just leave them, the stalks will grow tall, and apparently flower, once the flowers are wilting,pull

lynzpower

OK, rather mixed this end
Downers
Broadbeans totally covered in minature little black larvae/ eggs? No idea what these are but the lot have karked it. Shame, but Im not a big fan of them anyway

Rocket has bolted, probably didnt eat is fast enough. I have more seeds, will do more tomorrow.

One lot of mange tout seems to have been scorched but no problem as I have more on the go -I could do with the pot for something else anyway

Good stuff.

Courgette bush is looking loads better and there are 3 small courgettes ready to go
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DEBX_NtKiQE/TAgYhjLTz3I/AAAAAAAAALU/PWB-x5Vjnxs/s1600/IMG_0528.jpg

Tondo courgette looks great- an exciting golf ball sized courgette almost ready to be cropped?
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DEBX_NtKiQE/TAgYt-Pss1I/AAAAAAAAALk/T3yr_aCnwjc/s1600/IMG_0522.jpg
Patty pans looking slightly better than before, might they just make it?

And would you look? The startings of the very first little squash!

]

Had to pull the carrots again. In this trug I used some "old "soil and it was filled with thyme ( wildfire) so I think that has effected , however, look at these!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DEBX_NtKiQE/TAgYX9c9pyI/AAAAAAAAALE/ujphDiDAp0E/s320/IMG_0527.jpg

kimmee

Wow Lynzpower - they all look fab, especially the carrots

I've been sowing some rocket every few weeks and the older stuff has bolted too but on my seed packet it says you can sow all the way through till September.

misskool

it'll be the blackfly on broadbeans. If you spot it before it gets infested, you just nip the tops off and if not too covered, you can cook the tops.

The rocket (and most salad crops) like a slightly cooler place. All my lettuces have been grown in the shade this year. They get a touch of sun but not a lot more and happily growing away.

lynzpower

Yeah all my leaves are on a shaded second patio, but that rocket is quite old. Obviously im not that bothered as I didnt eat it fast enough lol

Yeah I missed the blackfly on the broadbeans the lot were covered.

Can it sprread to other things

jollyanna

Cold Tea and tea bags - I'm wondering if it is harmful/beneficial to use cold tea and used tea bags in the veg garden ? I remember when I was young my Grandad used to empty his teapot on the roses but not on the veg. We get through lots of pots of tea a day in our house and I'm frequently chucking half a pint down the sink before making the next pot.

Orange_King

My courgettes a real disaster this year - all but 2 are in a very sorry state and I think it must be over-watering - I thought they liked a good soaking too! Just have to hope the remaining 2 survive - one is about to flower and the other not far behind.

Would it be too late to try a few more?

jollyanna

Certainly not too late to sow some more Orange King. I'm hoping to plant mine out this w/e and then I'll have space to sow another half dozen. They ought too germinate quicker now it is warmer and daylight is longer.