veg growing Newbies- Feb 2010! lets learn together!

lynzpower

oldskoolretro wrote: »

Heya all, im a newbie to growing your own veg, and currently we have some seeds growing on the windowsill some in the little 4 tier greenhouse we have bought and things are now sprouting, but because our garden is all concrete we have decided to try and grow everything in tubs, can someone please advise on what tubs are best? flexi tubs? or would it be worth trying to sort a raised garden bed?

The other thing i would like to know if any one is kind enough to help me, we are thinking of growing potatoes, we have some on the windowsill sprouting, couple of purple bits and one still has the white sprout on it, are these ok to use as there is only 3 and also what kind of tub do i put them in as i havent got a clue?

Many Thanks

Old skool retro

In about 10 mins the new pics will be up on my blog ( click under my name select go to my homepage)

Youll see what im doing in what containers on our concrete wasteland!

What veg are you wanting to do

oldskoolretro

Thanks very much for that, i am trying to do carrots, parsnips, brocolli, lettuce, cabbage, radishes, and a few bits of herbs that i was planning to keep on windowsill not sure if you can do that ?

lynzpower

Its gone a bit dark now, but Ill try to get up there and take some snaps if I can x

oldskoolretro

Thanks very much for your help, im just really not sure what to do with everything really and cos its the first time i am really excited and want to get it right but we shall see hehe

dizzybee

Thanks for all the advice i have manged to get some manure from a local farm so have dug a large patch of soil over ready for tomorrow.picket up some compost from B & Q and some seeds.from work.will make a start tomorrow.

Megansmum

oldskoolretro wrote: »

Heya all, im a newbie to growing your own veg, and currently we have some seeds growing on the windowsill some in the little 4 tier greenhouse we have bought and things are now sprouting, but because our garden is all concrete we have decided to try and grow everything in tubs, can someone please advise on what tubs are best? flexi tubs? or would it be worth trying to sort a raised garden bed?

The other thing i would like to know if any one is kind enough to help me, we are thinking of growing potatoes, we have some on the windowsill sprouting, couple of purple bits and one still has the white sprout on it, are these ok to use as there is only 3 and also what kind of tub do i put them in as i havent got a clue?

Many Thanks

Hi Oldskool,

You can do potatoes in flexitubs no problem. Purple and white sprouty bits are ok. Put drainage holes in the bottom plus polystyrene or crocks, add 5-7 inches of compost, put 3-5 chitted potatoes on the compost with the end with the most sprouted bits upwards.... Cover them with more compost and wait.... when the folliage starts coming through, either totally cover again, or wait until the foliage is 5 inches high and "earth up" by adding more compost around them.

Potatoes like rough conditions so they don't need a feed and unless we get a really hot draught summer you don't need to water! When you have filled the tub to the top with compost, wait for the foliage to finish growing and start to die off, then you can harvest. They will stay in the tub quite nicely till you need them unless it's really rainy, so lift one stem as needed and leave the rest in the tub.

Another alternative is to do them in rubble sacks - same again but roll the edges down at the start and roll them up as you fill with compost.

WestonDave

Slowly slowly catchee monkey!

On the windowsill 9 out of 12 pepper plants now germinated which is plenty for what we will have room for - the others can go to neighbours. First few peas starting to poke through but no broad beans yet.

Outside the free Daily Mail strawberries have been planted out, and the Olive tree has come out from hibernation in the shed - it was a present and I'm hoping I did the right thing letting it overwinter in there once it went dormant so hopefully it will be happy now its out. In the raised beds I've beefed up the "tunnels" by adding another hoop in the middle - they are only plastic tube and some sheet plastic but its keeping the rain off and hopefully warming them up. We've stuck some red onion sets in one, split along the bed to leave room for carrots and parsnips in between. Some of the planting may be a bit random due to assistance from my sons!

Other than that spent the afternoon running the scarifier/lawn raking machine (inherited with the house so very MSE!) over the lawn - now have a rather bare looking lawn and a big pile of moss and dead grass! Hopefully the lawn will come back better for losing that lot! Dig in seeds arrived but nothing needs sowing just yet.

Off to think about leeks as we've just rediscovered eating them.

alliwantistosave

lynzpower wrote: »

Looks like the best way to put holes in the Mr M tubs will probably be by using a soldering iron. If any of you are smokers I guess burning a holes with the end of a fag would be good, we have given up though, did wish I still smoked so I could get these peas going lol. Ill have to wait for OH to get up to tell me where hes hidden the soldering iron.

Edit, Ive found it and done it, yes this is a lot easier and bettter than drilling although I did burn myself ( typical)

Lynz- My OH used the point on a sharp pair of scissors and made neat holes in ours. If you have any more try that instead but please do stab yourself aswell :rotfl:

We have bit the bullet and planted some carrots and radishes as the weather is suppose to be wet and warm all week so I am fingers crossed that the frosts are gone. Also found some more onions that has started sprouting so put them out too.


Found out OH parents recieved their dig in seeds we ordered them but the BBC must not like me Boo!!!

Furny

alliwantistosave wrote: »

Lynz- My OH used the point on a sharp pair of scissors and made neat holes in ours. If you have any more try that instead but please do stab yourself aswell :rotfl:

Hi
OH had his drill at work but i wanted to get on with my potting so I heated a sharp knife on the gas hob gently then sliced/burnt drainage holes in my Mr M buckets. If you really heat the knife up to start with you can do the full bucket in one go! works a treat believe me!

ukmaggie45

Megansmum wrote: »

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

Not all flowers need to be started off inside. Marigolds (calendula) and nasturtiums can be planted direct. Can't remember off hand exactly when and the seed packets are at the other house so can't look. It's probably on the web somewhere! Later in the season the garden centres will have module grown flowers too, when you tot up the cost of compost, pots, seeds, it's not really much of a saving by growing from seed. And if you're short of window sill space it's deffo worth it.