veg growing Newbies- Feb 2010! lets learn together!

katholicos

I harvested 2 little sugar snap peas today :-)

Makes a change from mixed salad leaves and radishes. LOL!

Orange_King

Just a thought about the carrots being sown direct. I had nowhere for parsnips to go so I came up with a temporary solution of sowing them in a cardboard box until I found the space. Granted the box was a bit on the weak side by the time I put it into the growing spot but it has seemed to have worked and I now have more growth than I have ever had from parsnip seeds!

I will await the results of course but they seem to be doing fine, as do the carrots sewn in a large plastic under bed container!

My garlic have no flowers as yet either - does this have something to do with them needing a frost and splitting and so on I wonder? I had them under wraps in the cold spell so maybe they didn't get the frost at all.

ausmummy

Orange_King wrote: »

Just a thought about the carrots being sown direct. I had nowhere for parsnips to go so I came up with a temporary solution of sowing them in a cardboard box until I found the space. Granted the box was a bit on the weak side by the time I put it into the growing spot but it has seemed to have worked and I now have more growth than I have ever had from parsnip seeds!
.

What a good idea. The cardboard bottom woud just peel away when ready to plant in their final place and depending on the hight of the sides they could be planted out still in the box as it would rot away in the soil.

Lotus-eater

ausmummy wrote: »

What a good idea. The cardboard bottom woud just peel away when ready to plant in their final place and depending on the hight of the sides they could be planted out still in the box as it would rot away in the soil.

I think a bad idea tbh, I can see bent and interestingly shaped parsnips for Orange King, may be in the pipeline

kimmee

Orange_King wrote: »

My garlic have no flowers as yet either - does this have something to do with them needing a frost and splitting and so on I wonder? I had them under wraps in the cold spell so maybe they didn't get the frost at all.

My garlic was planted in November and was out in the snow and all the frosts without any protection so I don't think it can be that in my case anyway

ausmummy

But if you sow into a box and then only take the bottom off the box to sit in a bigger container you aren't disturbing the roots.

Lotus-eater

ausmummy wrote: »

But if you sow into a box and then only take the bottom off the box to sit in a bigger container you aren't disturbing the roots.

Parsnip roots grow really quickly, before you know it you have roots out of the bottom, then your parsnips go all "that's life".
I was being a bit funny, it depends how big the box was, how big the plants were, if OK was able to take the bottom off the box before planting (can't see it, the lot would collapse).

frazzbo

At the weekend I found a packet of leek seeds that I'd forgotten about so I planted them into a tray and put a propagator lid on it. I'm keeping it in the house for now, I think, as the temperature will probably be more constant (packet says 15 degrees).

It said on the packet to plant by May - perhaps I am way too late but as the seeds had a date on them of October, then they'll not last until next year anyway. Fingers crossed they grow, I love leeks!

Has anybody else planted late?

GarnetLady

I think that I'm going to have to make a great big list of everything that needs done. I'm having that 'I don't know where to start' feeling! Just stopped for some lunch, then it's list time. (I like a good list )

ausmummy wrote: »

I keep hearing this more and more. I have a question - how the heck did mine survive? They were first put into seed trays. Then into their final pot. Then dug up about 5 times by DD. They are now forming carrots. I must have been luckier than I thought. Can't wait to see what shapes they grow into. :rotfl:

Hee, you'll have to post pics!

savingmummy wrote: »

Been really busy indoors and now have the summer (when it comes) to concentrate in the garden!
We certainly have rocks and full size bricks, along with pebbles and plastic! Out of a 1 metre long flower bed we had 4 x 180L wheelie bins full!!:eek:

We have a cat but she is an indoor cat and dont venture out at all, 11 yrs of being in a top floor flat probably keeps her in, we have tried her in the garden and she runs back in crying LOL!
Interesting about the potatoes will have a look, only down side i have is the garden is small, i`d love a bigger space but will have to make do with what i have for now x

We've had to dig up the excuse for grass that we have out the back. I've lost count of how many thimes we've had to do a skip run with the 6 builders bags we've been filling. On the bright side, all these trips to the skip have resulted in us coming back with some great freebies!

Lol, most cats are the other way round, but at 11 it's no wonder really. She'll maybe venture out later.

Our back garden is about 10m square. It's amazing how quickly the space is used up! But I'll keep using lots of pots and see what I can get out the front as well.

Orange_King

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I think a bad idea tbh, I can see bent and interestingly shaped parsnips for Orange King, may be in the pipeline

Yes, we shall see! A learning experience as always but it was the only solution at the time. Since digging the bed and putting the box in I have also planted more beside them so I can compare!!
The thought process was that if the roots can grow through the earth they would have no trouble penetrating a damp cardboard box.