veg growing Newbies- Feb 2010! lets learn together!

ukmaggie45

Megansmum wrote: »

Ukmaggie - aldi is usually good on the offers, but yesterday i saw the 4 tier walk in greenhouse in B&M for £15 and lots of the other aldi offers seem cheaper at wilkos or B&M at the minute.

Don't think we have a B&M near us... in fact the only place I've heard of them has been on here. Aldi is only about a 5 minute drive from us (traffic dependent of course, so quick on a Sunday) so we tend to go for their offers. Lidl is further, so we only go if there's something we can't find elsewhere.

We went to Wilko's just over a week ago, about 20 mins drive I think. Got some rose arches to make fruit cages for raspberries. Though thinking of it I'm pretty sure we won't need fruit cages this year as doubt the bushes we've got will make enough growth. It says you can get some fruit the first year on the labels, but when I looked up planting on the net it seemed to say chop back very hard so the plant's energy goes into making good roots the first year, and then the second year you get fruit. (It's an early fruiting kind) Not sure which I'll do yet.

Megansmum

Greatexpectations wrote: »

Hi all

I'd like to join in too! I grew a few things last year mainly from plants I bought/was given - toms, peppers, courgette, herbs mostly.

This year I am hoping to grow much more from seeds - I've just sown some peppers, chillis, strawberries, aubergines, basil, chives, parsley, for starters. I am a bit worried that I've made the compost too wet. I do hope something grows & I can't wait! I'm not sure whether I need to keep them out of the light until they germinate or not?

I have splashed out on a cheap small heated propagator -I'm not really sure what I'm doing but have stuck some in there; others are in the airing cupboard.

I also fancy growing leeks this year -anyone tried these and have advice? My veges were all in pots/growbags on the patio but I am hoping to sort out a raised bed this year if I can get it organised in time...

They need light, air and water to germinate. If you have room pop them on a windowsill. Don't overwater, if the compost feels damp to the touch they're ok.

oldskoolretro

Thanks for that i couldnt find the original post about b and m!

Megansmum

Well i feel quite lazy compared to all you lot as i haven't sown any seeds yet! (Just potted some seed tatties as they have chitted early). As the weather is so unpredictable I am erring on the side of caution and waiting until the end of the recommended sowing times for everything.

It will be interesting come the end of the season to see how my stuff has done in comparison with the early sowers.

Spent yesteday in the garden though, using wood preserver on the fences, new shed and scaffold boards i am making new raised beds with. Ohh, did i ache after!

Later today i will be out again (after dosing up on painkillers!) to do more painting, erect the new beds, fill them with soil and compost and repot some blueberry plants. Time permitting then continue in my efforts to make the garden cat proof....(i have at least identified which critter it is - it tried getting in the garden yesterday when i was out there!).

I may have to put some more potatoes in tubs, just to get them out of the kitchen! I will cover with fleece and hope for the best - i know i'm way too early with them, but they have chitted too much and need to go out!

Megansmum

I bought a 4 tier plastic greenhouse last year, and a plastic walk in one too. The walk in one ripped last year and i was hopeing to get a replacement cover. The 4 tier one had no rips at all - until i touched it yesterday! The plastic has gone like paper and just shreds when you touch it! :mad:

My question is: Should i have taken the plastic off through winter and stored it, or is this what happens to the plastic ones anyway?

If it is normal, i will not buy any more as it is a waste of money! I think £160 for a poly greenhouse at B&Q would save me money in the long run, if the plastic ones only last a year!

donnaw30

Well i haven't planted anything else since my massive planting session on 29 jan, but the seeds are all doing great-problem is that even with around 3metres of window sill space i still have no more room for starting more seeds
I want to get the seedlings outside as soon as i can, as they're pretty big and all repotted up a couple of weeks ago-the cucumbers are growing their 3rd proper leaves, and the tomatoes at a similar stage. Peppers are a little slower, but still have a couple of proper leaves on them, as do the marigolds. the lavender and orange scented thyme seems to be growing a little slower than the rest though, so think i may have to keep them in. i want to either buy or construct a plastic greenhouse thing (depending on cheapest option) and i think i may line it with fleece or bubble wrap to keep it insulated for a while-if i do that does anyone know if it would be ok to start hardening off my seedlings in it?

It's also nice to see a few others from Essex on this board, im in Chelmsford!
Thanks!
Donna

katholicos

I transplanted the majority of my seedlings from their seed trays and into fibre pots yesterday. The 6ft windowsill in the lounge is now covered with sprouting things in pots rather than propogators. It's fun! It will be good when i can plant them all out though

WestonDave

Megansmum - if you take the cover off the plastic greenhouse and store it away it will last longer - its the UV light that attacks the plastic and makes it brittle. Plus with no cover on the frame its less likely to blow over or get damaged in wind.

Succumbed slightly to temptation over the weekend and started some broad beans and peas indoors (they need a start as we have mice that will eat the seeds otherwise!). We're not around next weekend it now or a fortnights time, and I'd like to get those clear and heading outside so I can start other things on the limited windowsill space. Cleared the raised beds and finally gave up on the sickly purple sprouting - I think the repeated snows on top of the mauling the caterpillars gave them was too much, and although if left they'd probably have produced something eventually it seemed better just to clear the bed. One bed has a "bodge" tunnel on it from some clear plastic and tubing to get it warmed ready for peas and beans, and they will all need a bit of topping up if I can get some compost from the council in the next fortnight. I also need to fill the new 4th bed, and work out how to amend my rotation plan to take account of having more space! Finally planted out another set (5) of raspberry canes - autumn ones this time to go with the summer ones we had before - I love raspberries so having a long season will be fantastic.

ukmaggie45

ukmaggie45 wrote: »

Don't think we have a B&M near us...

I'm an idiot! Google is my friend! Found B&M is more or less next door to our nearest Wilkos. So will definitely check it out next time we're in that direction.

hex2

Kimmee - my mum grows her butternut squash in a poly tunnel. Neither of us has had any success outdoors, Midlands. Just not hot enough last year maybe?