veg growing Newbies- Feb 2010! lets learn together!

Furny

GAZZA, Yep i got squash,sunflower & sweet peppers from the Works at 3 for £1! bargain,especially when one was marked at £2.25.
I like these Johnsons seeds as they have got good instructions on the back, great for a beginner like me. In comparison i got the Lidl seeds which are cheap but i have had to look up how to grow things due to the lack of info on the back & my lack of experience!.

scottiedog

I would also like to follow this thread. I was allocated a 1/4 plot on the local allotment at the end of last year - I turned the soil and dumped a load of leaf mould on top. But now I have to start thinking about what to do - which is a bit daunting, I've never grown veggies before - but I think by following this thread it will act as an incentive - and probably give me the kick up the [EMAIL="ar@e"]ar@e[/EMAIL] that I need.
Just a quick question - several off you have mentioned 'Morrisons flower buckets' can I buy these in the store - or do I have to ask a member of staff who works in the flower section?
Scottiedog

skysky69

Ooohhh, count me in - I wasn't hugely successful last year as we went on holiday at the wrong time and I didn't make enough provision for watering of the greenhouse so most things died.

I am such a novice, I didn't even know what "pricking out" means??? (I still don't if anyone wants to fill me in!) My peppers were not successful at all, the fruit was really small and stayed green and then got black spots and died. I am thinking that maybe the pots weren't quite big enough. I must take a photo of the inside of my greenhouse. It is only one of those green metal ones with the plastic panels.

I have just bought a magazine today that was called something like Grow, cook and Eat. Not very moneysaving at £4.99 and I wouldn't normally entertain spending that much on a magazine, but it is only monthly and it has step by step bits on building raised beds (which we plan to do this year) and also had 6 packets of free seeds from Mr Fothergill. I think the seeds are:-

Rocket
2 types of tomatoes, one a hanging basket, container type and the other normal
Lettuce
Hot Pepper
Fennell???? - I really don't know what to do with fennell and can't recall what it tastes like so we shall see whether this one is worthwhile planting up.

I must try and get to a Morrisons to get some of the flower buckets - but the nearest one is quite a way from here. I might try putting a few pots in the conservatory (we are north facing so it doesn't get hot)

Can't wait to see everyones progress.

Just out of interest, what does everyone do with any seedlings that you have grown that you don't have room for - I was thinking of growing a few more seeds on to maybe do a car boot, but can't think whether it would be worth the cost of the compost and the pots.

mardatha

Fennel is lovely, nice feathery leaves and nice aniseedy taste. I steal bits and chew it.

lunar

scottiedog wrote: »

I would also like to follow this thread. I was allocated a 1/4 plot on the local allotment at the end of last year - I turned the soil and dumped a load of leaf mould on top. But now I have to start thinking about what to do - which is a bit daunting, I've never grown veggies before - but I think by following this thread it will act as an incentive - and probably give me the kick up the ar@e that I need.
Just a quick question - several off you have mentioned 'Morrisons flower buckets' can I buy these in the store - or do I have to ask a member of staff who works in the flower section?
Scottiedog

I found the buckets under a display just next to the flower bit, they have yellow tape round them with the price.

Furny

Me too, I found the buckets in the flower section under a display stand prominentley placed, in packs pre-priced with the bright yellow price tape round them.

lynzpower

Re drainage

Just wondering like :

Do I need to put drainage in the pop up waste thing for potatos? I have put a few holes in with a nail and it is on bricks propped up on the patio.

I can get lots of polystyrene- do i need this in carrots / beets/ etc ?

I have never put this in before, maybe that's why everything died

misskool

lynz, all pots need drainage, otherwise the soil in the pot gets waterlogged when you water it and you're drowning them.

The other good thing about layering the pots is that you don't need to use so much compost when growing up. When growing salad leaves or things that have shallow roots, I put a mixture of stones, polystyrene chips, broken tiles etc and then layer the compost on top.

Stuff with roots need to grow down deep so don't do it with those. (unless you're growing round carrots)

ema_o

Hello, can I join you?
Had a disaster last year with tomatoes (all except hanging basket ones got blight and didn't water hanging ones enough!), peppers and chillis (bought and planted too late).
I ordered some seeds which arrived yesterday, plus got a few in Aldi at the weekend although suspect I might be a bit ambitious as have a small part of garden and no greenhouse.

I will hopefully be growing:
French beans
Peas
Sweet peas (think I need to get these planted!)
Melons (?!? I suspect I might need a greenhouse, might give these to MIL to grow in hers)
Squash
Chillis (may get a plastic greenhouse for these)
Rocket
Carrots
White beetroot.

Will probably get started this weekend as I have a bit of clearing to do in the garden!

mardatha

Why sweet peas ? You mean the flower sweet pea ? I gave up on them many years ago, the wind ruins anything over a foot high here. Pity cos they are so lovely.