veg growing Newbies- Feb 2010! lets learn together!

wssla00

rimmiba wrote: »

Hi all

I have read through all the posts on this thread, but I have a particular problem of my own, which I am hoping somebody could help with.

I have struggled in the past with the usual: slugs, cats using my pots as toilets etc. However, my biggest problem is that my own cats eat every plant in sight, literally.

I have had to move all houseplants into the one room they are kept out of. This will be my third year of trying to grow from seed on my kitchen windowsill. As soon as the seeds have germinated and seedlings appear, the cats eat them! Everything, even the chilli plants never got beyond about six leaves each. Does anybody know why they do this or how to persuade them not to?!

Thanks
Barb

I get this ALL the time, but I think I have found a way of stopping them-

I have a large plant of cat mint in the house, which the cats seem to like more than the other growers which means they are much more prepared to eat that than the plants I want to eat. I also keep small seed trays with a few seeds higher up (I.e. more difficult to get) so the cats sees them more of a challenge. In the end it seems to have worked (touch wood) I think its the more of a challenge they are the more likely they are to want them IYSWIM

Good luck though.... the cats love the greenery!

[Deleted User]

Today I have potted on DS1 seeds. Well some of them. Now I (think I) know what they are that is!

I have put the carrots into cardboard seedling pots from tesco. I didn't realise they didn't like having their roots messed with or I would have done this in the first place. I dont even have any seed left as he tipped them all onto the compost!! So I have repotted about 30 of them will see if I get any at all. He is so excited to see his 'flowers' growing up (he turned 2 in January). Did the same with 10 of his lettuce seeds too.

Potted 3 of his cherry tomatoes as well into 4 inch pots as that's all I had left. They are all on the windowsill in the playroom which is south facing so hope they do OK.

Nice_Username

For anyone thinking of buying little seedling pots you can make your own very easily and at no cost from old newspaper, just watch this short video. Hope it is useful to someone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHw-DJ0EKbQ

flis21

Hey everyone,

Haven't really done anything yet. Am worried about planting stuff up yet in case it gets frosty. I suppose I could start some things off indoors, but then if it's too cold for them to go out in the garden what do I do with them?!!!

Am going to town today to buy some gardening supplies though, have got most of my seeds, but I need some other bits. Am going to try poundland and see what I can get cheap!

Am so excited about starting this, just desperate for the weather to improve!

Someone did tell me that you can make 'fibrepot' type things out of toilet rolls, so i have been saving them. Hope that works! Also going to use an old cupboard and an old rabbit run, which were going to go to the tip, as raised beds for my carrots and parsnips.

I have got some herb seeds now as well though, am going to put them in pots, but I only have 2 pots and have about 5 different herbs, so might need to invest in some more pots when I'm out as well!!

Anyway, you all sound very industrious and like you are getting on well. Good luck with it all,
Flis

flis21

shelvis wrote: »

Today I have potted on DS1 seeds. Well some of them. Now I (think I) know what they are that is!

I have put the carrots into cardboard seedling pots from tesco. I didn't realise they didn't like having their roots messed with or I would have done this in the first place. I dont even have any seed left as he tipped them all onto the compost!! So I have repotted about 30 of them will see if I get any at all. He is so excited to see his 'flowers' growing up (he turned 2 in January). Did the same with 10 of his lettuce seeds too.

Potted 3 of his cherry tomatoes as well into 4 inch pots as that's all I had left. They are all on the windowsill in the playroom which is south facing so hope they do OK.

Hey Shelvis, my little boy was born 7th Jan 08, so one day younger than yours!! I have done cress with him before and he loved it, so I'm hoping he's going to enjoy growing carrots (his fav veg!). I've ordered him the seeds off cbeebies, can't wait for them to arrive.

kimmee

Morning all

My how this thread has grown!!

Glad to see everyone seems to be doing well. Today I'm going to sow the first of my salad leaves and also the first of my spring onions. I had huge success with the salad leaves last year but this is the first year I have grown spring onions. The packet says to do sucessional (sp?) planting and then when I harvest to pick alternate onions so I hope to have some yummy ones later on this year.

An update - my toms which I only sowed just over a week ago have nearly all popped up and my peas have too, am going to sow some more peas in about 2 weeks time - I didn't realise till I read through some of the posts just how many peas you need for a good crop so next time I'm going to sow about 20 seeds (will have to keep all my newspapers from now on to make the pots). Microgreens doing fairly well on the cotton wool, probably not as well as the vermiculite but much cheaper although I'm going to Wilkinsons in a bit so i'll see if they have any vermiculite there. I think in about another week I will be able to pot on my peppers and chillis, yipee :j

Hope everyone has a great weekend and lots of success with their veggies :beer:

gazza975526570

kimmee wrote: »

Morning all

My how this thread has grown!!

Glad to see everyone seems to be doing well. Today I'm going to sow the first of my salad leaves and also the first of my spring onions. I had huge success with the salad leaves last year but this is the first year I have grown spring onions. The packet says to do sucessional (sp?) planting and then when I harvest to pick alternate onions so I hope to have some yummy ones later on this year.

An update - my toms which I only sowed just over a week ago have nearly all popped up and my peas have too, am going to sow some more peas in about 2 weeks time - I didn't realise till I read through some of the posts just how many peas you need for a good crop so next time I'm going to sow about 20 seeds (will have to keep all my newspapers from now on to make the pots). Microgreens doing fairly well on the cotton wool, probably not as well as the vermiculite but much cheaper although I'm going to Wilkinsons in a bit so i'll see if they have any vermiculite there. I think in about another week I will be able to pot on my peppers and chillis, yipee :j

Hope everyone has a great weekend and lots of success with their veggies :beer:

I think i grew about 50 pea plants last year and still only got a couple of meals worth (for 4 of us)

turbo5019

I went to poundland yesterday and they had peat pots 48 for £1

kimmee

gazza975526570 wrote: »

I think i grew about 50 pea plants last year and still only got a couple of meals worth (for 4 of us)

Thanks Gazza - think I'd better start making pots now, crikey I didn't dream they would produce so few peas! How close can you plant them? I was going grow them in pots but I may have to think again!

kimmee

Just got back from Wilkinsons and they did have vermiculite there, and at a very good price, but not fine grade which you really need for microgreens so I think I'll stick to cotton wool - had another look at them after I'd posted before and they are actually doing pretty well