veg growing Newbies- Feb 2010! lets learn together!

soullessfire

I got a concrete yard so I do need it lol. I must have used close to 1500 litres and I'm out at the minute, could use some more.

kimmee

Maybe next year i will do some planting amongst the flowers a la Alys Fowler - I guess I could certainly do the peas/bean wigwams, radishes etc and that would probably save me some water too.

Crikey, I know I've got the bug when I'm planning on what and where to grow next year

helen_roberts_2

Hi everyone. Well my conservatory is looking ridiculous, I had no idea that growing things in pots could get so big. My tomato plants are bigger than me, my green bean are touching the ceiling and my courgettes, well they have leaves about 30cm accross.
I've got a few questions......

1. My tomato plants have got loads of toms on but now at the end of the trusses new big stalks and leaves have grown with more trusses on. Should I cut these off. The only pruning I've been doing is the the sideshoots between main stem and leaf stems but now my trusses seem to be out of control.

2. Cucumber plant, I only have 1 but it is getting really tall, do I just leave it? Again leaves are massive, I have a bamboo cane tied to it for support and there are lots of sideshoots and long curly bits. Is this normal? There's nothing in my book about pruning.

3. I asked a couple of weeks ago anout the ridiculous heights of my French beans and was told to pinch out the top, I clearly did this wrong because they've continued to grow. Yesterday in a fury I just chopped off the top 12 inches with scissors. Will they die now?

4. Basil plants,when they were big enough I put the seedlings individual pots but when looking at basil in waitrose yesterday they seem to have about 8 plants in one pot which makes it nice and pretty and bushy, as where my are tall and silly looking. Should I repot and put a few plants in one pot??

Thanks everyone. This growing malarky isn't as easy as it looks

janibrown

soullessfire wrote: »

I got a concrete yard so I do need it lol. I must have used close to 1500 litres and I'm out at the minute, could use some more.

I have built three raised beds this year each measuring 8ft long by 4ft wide and over a foot deep, I have used 3 tonnes of topsoil with loads of black manure and at least25 grow bags then I have had loads of pots to fill too, I also have another 8 grow bags in greenhouse with Toms, Peppers, Chillis, Aubergine, Pumpkins and Courgettes really hope I dont need anymore soil/growbags this year :eek::eek::eek:

kimmee

helen_roberts wrote: »

4. Basil plants,when they were big enough I put the seedlings individual pots but when looking at basil in waitrose yesterday they seem to have about 8 plants in one pot which makes it nice and pretty and bushy, as where my are tall and silly looking. Should I repot and put a few plants in one pot??

I know what you mean, because of this I haven't potted mine seperatley and they're doing fine. I guess it's up to you what you do with them - as they're doing ok but just 'look silly' I would leave them be. Maybe I'm wrong and eventually mine will become overcrowded (10 in one pot and 6 in another) but it will be a lesson learnt!

Robson65

Just in case anyones interested there are some gardening things in the Lakeland sale.

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/F/C/lakeland-sale-food-gifts

Robson

lizbethr

Wish I had found this forum sooner, going to be a heck of a task to read through all this.
Just started growing veggies too, well managed spinach and beetroot last year, and failed miserably with tomatoes, attempting a few more this year. Tomatoes seem to still be my nemisis though, tumbling toms looking ok but nothing as of yet on my others.

To HelenRoberts, have you grown tomatoes etc completely in the conservatory, what about polination (or should I carry on reading through)

Agree with the compost thing dread to think how much I have used!

Does anyone know if you should support pepper plants?

Will get back to reading

Glitterati

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I've used absolutely loads of compost this year as I am growing everything in pots as staying at my parent’s house for a few months and they have no room for me to start digging up their garden :-) The compost has cost me a fortune and I've just used up 3 x 75ltr bags which I was hoping would be my last, and realised I now need loads more! It just doesn't go as far as you think it would! Anyone going out to buy more compost I would definitely stay clear of the Shamrock brand from Focus. Used so many different kinds this year and this is by far the worst! Jam packed full of huge twigs and stones! Also found lots of plastic in it and a big metal nail! To make matters worse it seems to dry out much faster than any other stuff I've used too! Ok rant over! :-)[/FONT]

helen_roberts_2

lizbethr wrote: »

Wish I had found this forum sooner, going to be a heck of a task to read through all this.
Just started growing veggies too, well managed spinach and beetroot last year, and failed miserably with tomatoes, attempting a few more this year. Tomatoes seem to still be my nemisis though, tumbling toms looking ok but nothing as of yet on my others.

To HelenRoberts, have you grown tomatoes etc completely in the conservatory, what about polination (or should I carry on reading through)

Agree with the compost thing dread to think how much I have used!

Does anyone know if you should support pepper plants?

Will get back to reading

Yep, completely in the conservatory, I just wobble the canes every time I water them

GarnetLady

Glitterati wrote: »

[FONT=&quot]I've used absolutely loads of compost this year as I am growing everything in pots as staying at my parent’s house for a few months and they have no room for me to start digging up their garden :-) The compost has cost me a fortune and I've just used up 3 x 75ltr bags which I was hoping would be my last, and realised I now need loads more! It just doesn't go as far as you think it would! Anyone going out to buy more compost I would definitely stay clear of the Shamrock brand from Focus. Used so many different kinds this year and this is by far the worst! Jam packed full of huge twigs and stones! Also found lots of plastic in it and a big metal nail! To make matters worse it seems to dry out much faster than any other stuff I've used too! Ok rant over! :-)[/FONT]

I used a bag of that, way back at the start of my growing this year. Horrendous stuff, by far the worst of all the makes I've tried this year.