Be gentle...A NEWBIE! Some questions that may seem thick (!)& general advice please!

Carnation

Not sure if this is the right place to post but I am sure some kind person will advise. If you have a store called ''The Works'' near you (they sell books and arty supplies) they are currently selling packets of seeds at 3 for a £. They are both veg and flowers and are mainly dated 2011 or 2012. Have had them before and they had a very good germination rate. Hope this helps. As I am in West Yorks would shop for you if you can't get there. I think you have to send me a pm to arrange.

ALIBOBSY

Have a look at the bbc "dig in" site they are giving away a selection of free seeds including a courgette and some mixed leaves.
We kept our chillis/peppers in the GH last year as the year before a blast of cold wind/all the heavy rain seemed to wipe out my chillis when we left them outside, but if you are good at watching the weather and bringing them in and out of cover alot manage to get them to grow outside.

ali x

DEBTMONKEY1A

carnation that's super kind of you...I'm near Huddersfield so the Works is only 3 miles away-will check it out! bThanks for all the advice! Ali have already sent for fee dig in seeds...cheers for that!

Bought my walk-in green house frm B&M (£20)-a mate whos better at putting stuff up than me is visiting for the w/end...so will assemble tomorrow!

Bought 3 types of nasturtiums seeds (tomb thumb mixed, empress of india, tall single mixed)...dwarf, tall & climbing...also some other mixed seeds (6 types for a £1...Antirrhinum-tomb thumb mixed, aster colour carpet, daisy livingstone, lebelia sapphire, viola johnny jump up)a pack of mixed climbing annuals (colours look fab) & to my shame (!) 2 plug plant packs x 4 of chillis (cayenne & cheyanne)...I LOVE chilli so this is just a 'back up' for the greenhouse in case my other ones fail (!) I feel a bit of a cheat...(!)

On your suggestions I'm putting herbs in rockery, along with the nasturtians (small ones) & a few of the 'shake & rake ' purple plants. Will grow sweet peas up the wall (with a trelis) to my slatted fence with the climbing nasturtiums, & I'll have loads (I hope) of other bedding plants to put in containers....I think home bargains had some square 'vegetable planter' things (fill with compost & off you go-for my lower shingled area)-will probably get 3 of them for veg (which I'll start a bit later when warmer-will concentrate on seeds 1st)...I'm also filling a hanging basket too!

Well ...that's the plan! If it all goes wrong mid may I'll be buying bedding plants (!)....

My cerise cherry tomatos are coming up-germinated in a week-sweet peas prpogator lid now off & 3 inches tall, alpine strawberries are germinating (took 8 days)-TINY little leaves & my busy lizzies (again 9/10 days) are starting to appear....nothing for the chillis yet-will have to be patient!

Thanks EVERYONE for your kind help-will keep you all posted & have taken on board all suggestions!

It's my birthday on Saturday (I feel 21 but I'm afraid the birthday starts with a '4'...still Daniel Craigs in his 40's & is 'hot' according to my G/F!)so will probably not be about at the w/end (or drunk!)...thanks again-all suggestions taken on board!

I hope everyone thinks my purchases are good (!)

davemel

One thing to remember with chillies is that they will grow to the size of the pot they are in, so if you don't want massive plants (my brother had some 7ft tall!) don't put them them ins a massive pot, a six inch wide pot should be enough for most people.

Furny

davemel wrote: »

One thing to remember with chillies is that they will grow to the size of the pot they are in, so if you don't want massive plants (my brother had some 7ft tall!) don't put them them ins a massive pot, a six inch wide pot should be enough for most people.

Eeek, 7ft :eek:.
I didn't know that they grow to the size of the pot.
I was going to put mine (jalepeno & birdseye 5 of each) in to Mr M Buckets (9 or 10 inch ones) after that bit of info i may opt for the small 6inch pots, then,my decking wont be as swamped.
Thanks

DEBTMONKEY1A

Well Sweet peas are nearly all 4 inches tall now & growing 2nd set of true leaves.They're quite close together (say 3-4cm apart) in propogating pot-so will need to transplant soon. Is it best to say put 1 plant in a peat/fibre pot or 2? Also....best way to transplant without root damage....use a v. small teaspoon to tease them out? Is now about the right time to transplant?

With peat/fibre pots-does it mean that when roots get too big they grow through pot? Or does the pot disentegrate when put in ground? Seems a good idea if thats the case to avoid too much transplanting!

Chillis (jalapeno from a seed starter kit) are coming through now-no leaves but definate germination-took 12 days so pleased with that! Cerise tomatos all germinated & now have 2 leaves & are about 1 1/2 to 2 inches tall, alpine strawberries coming through (tiny plants!) & busy lizzies all about 1 1/2 cm tall with the 1st leaves....

Any advice/feedback would be great!

Mow have a walk-in plastic greenhouse assembled (& properly tied down/weighted!)so roll on some warmer weather!

DEBTMONKEY1A

Bump bump bump-anyone?