veg growing Newbies- Feb 2010! lets learn together!

kimmee

lynzpower wrote: »

Thanks Kimmee

I have done them before and been successful for a short time until they bolt like mad ( rocket?)

I think part of the boltage is the fact I put too much seed in? ( and didnt water enough + not enough drainage) HOw much seed have you used?

What sort of drainage have you used. just holes or crockery/ gravel as well?

I planted them in a large sort of stone trough which is about 30 inches long, 18 inches wide and about 9 inches deep, it had just one drainage hole and was too thick for me to drill any more. And to be honest I didn't put any crocks to the bottom (forgot!!) but its placed in a sheltered part of my garden that gets sun only in the afternoon to early evening in the summer. I watered pretty much every evening as the compost dried out quickly but although I didn't thin out the seedlings I guess I didn't sow too thickly either, tried to sow fairly thinly and I've still got half the packet left for this year. I sowed half the trough and then about 2 weeks later the other half. I can't remember how long they lasted before they bolted but I certainly got a lot of pickings from each plant. I was having leaves most days for salad and in sandwiches. I haven't planted rocket as yet but I think I've got some rocket seeds coming from a T&M offer.

dizzybee

Hi,
would love to join you all i am new to this but thought has i have clay soil i would use pots to plant the following,
carrots,lettuce,onions,tomatoes,raddish for starters not sure what else yet.anyone recommened a good compost and feed.?

wssla00

lynzpower wrote: »

Hey look great, are these "lambs" lettuce? Are you doing these indoors?

I thought it was too early for indoors but maybe not

I read on something the other day you need to thin lettuce seeds- I takeit you didnt think- how did you sow them?

Hiya

They are cut and come again. Said they didn't need to be thinned so I didn't but I have been eating them and as soon as some go they pop right up again- so I suppose I am thinning them in a way.

They were sewn mid february indoors on a sunny window in a seed tray of all places, but they seem to be ok so long as I keep an eye on their water as they seem to wilt especially quickly and they are yummo

lynzpower

dizzybee wrote: »

Hi,
would love to join you all i am new to this but thought has i have clay soil i would use pots to plant the following,
carrots,lettuce,onions,tomatoes,raddish for starters not sure what else yet.anyone recommened a good compost and feed.?

POtatoes could be good? some varieties do v well in clay. Might be worth seeing what else does well, I think parsnips for example can also fork. I think I read you should fork sand into clay- but not sure on that! Im doing everything in containers, inc carrots but to be honest I think i got the wrong varieties - I wont get much meals worth out of the 2 trugs to be honest.

I think you should have a good look online to find out recommendations for feed for clay soil, i bet they vary, my eyes were really opened when i read the reviews for compost from the Which tests.
B&Q purple bag with large flower on front was rated best compost, its same price roughly as supermarkets. homebase got worst reviews.

wssla00

lynzpower wrote: »

B&Q purple bag with large flower on front was rated best compost, its same price roughly as supermarkets. homebase got worst reviews.

Lucky that's the one i bought today then isnt it :rotfl: I only got it because it was 125 litres for 6 pounds something.

I went into poundland and got some of their pop up waste bags to sew my carrots in as they are a very good depth and I bought some of these which are very good and already have the drainage holes put in. Very good!

lynzpower

wssla00 wrote: »

Hiya

They are cut and come again. Said they didn't need to be thinned so I didn't but I have been eating them and as soon as some go they pop right up again- so I suppose I am thinning them in a way.

They were sewn mid february indoors on a sunny window in a seed tray of all places, but they seem to be ok so long as I keep an eye on their water as they seem to wilt especially quickly and they are yummo

Great will definately start this in the morning then and stick them on my window sill. Lettuces v expensive at the mo can really do without having to buy any the prices being what they are and I agree HG is just infinately better. I bought a bag of salad in M&S today and I picked the best one there, and i know they are not a patch on HG- easy peasy too. I was just worried as we dont have C heating whether it would be too cold, but in saying that Ive been in a tshirt all week and barely put a jumper on its really warm here in london.

Are there any other londoners on here?

Now have finally got my phone working so am going to upload some new pics!

misskool

dizzybee wrote: »

Hi,
would love to join you all i am new to this but thought has i have clay soil i would use pots to plant the following,
carrots,lettuce,onions,tomatoes,raddish for starters not sure what else yet.anyone recommened a good compost and feed.?

Clay soil is really nutrient rich and it's useful when it's summer as it retains moisture really well.

It means you can grow lots of brassicas well (ie broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower etc) but not so great for some of the root vegetables.

You can break up the soil using manure, digging in spent compost, throwing on lots of leaf mould and sand. OH dug it over last year and this year it's been 10x easier to dig through the plot. So we're hoping it will improve by leaps and bounds again this year.

What sort of feed?

Megansmum

welcome dizzybee!

I have clay soil mixed with builders rubbish! :mad: The only things i have been able to dig a hole for are my fruit trees. I can't get my spade in at a decent depth cos i'm always hitting bricks!!:(

Needless to say, my sowings this year are all in bags, flexitubs and raised beds etc!

This is my first year EVER growing flowers! I figured I should do them to help get bees in the garden and for dd2 to enjoy. Just looked at all the packs and realised i've got to sow them indoors first, plant on in bigger pots and then harden off before planting out! :eek: I thought i could just bung them on some old soil and leave them to it!:o

With all the veg i'm doing, i don't know where the windowsill space is coming from for flowers too?!?!:rotfl:

flis21

Hi All,

Got some good bits in poundland yesterday, including onions, we use loads of those so am hoping that will be a good crop! Also got pots, gloves, bloodfish and bone (which my Dad told me I HAD to buy!!). Am desperate to plant something, the onions said they can go out now, so if it's not raining today I might venture out and get them in the soil!

I want to do my herbs up in pots, but don't really have anywhere indoors for the pots, is it too early still to sow them outside?

Also had my 200 flower bulbs from parkers turn up yesterday, at this rate my poor little boy is not going to have much garden left to play in as I will be growing stuff everywhere!!

little_miss_moneysaver_3

Flis - what is the bloodfish and bone for? OH thinks it may be some kind of fertiliser?

Is lovely and sunny so we are going to atttempt some gardening and planting a few things!!! Can't wait for the shops to open!!!