The Scottish Gardeners thread

mardatha

I got mine off ebay 2 years ago, it was cheap and tiny, and its been brilliant.
...so far... ! LOL

LilacPixie

cooking-mama wrote: »

Thanks pipkin,I dont have any net over my strawberries(yet)...it looks as tho petals have fallen off flowers and the middle bit is growing in a gree pointy shape...this is what im thinking are strawberries??.
PS/should i net them now?

mine are like that. the green pointy bits are the fruits I netted mined today.

Redfraggle_3

Hello to Everyone

I have just started to grow my own veg here in Ayrshire and have loads of questions!!

I started with some beef tomatoes which are doing really well and have been flowering. I have them in 6" pots supported with canes - will these pots be big enough?

I got a little bit carried away when i planted the whole packet of Aubergines- I have about 45 seedlings but I just couldnt throw out the excess. My OH thinks I am mad but hey ho he's probably right! I will be trying to rehome some to friends and family!!! :rotfl:

I have lots of buckets and containers which I will use to plant various things in but wanted to know if I need to make holes in these before planting?? I dont want to waterlog them but there are a few I would rather keep in one piece like my rubber trugs.

Think thats probably enough for my first posting!

Pipkin

cooking-mama wrote: »

Thanks pipkin,I dont have any net over my strawberries(yet)...it looks as tho petals have fallen off flowers and the middle bit is growing in a gree pointy shape...this is what im thinking are strawberries??.
PS/should i net them now?

Hi cooking mama, yes thats right, those are the strawberries growing

I would net them up soon, even though they are not ripe the birds might spoil them - best not to take the chance.

laurals11

Hi Redfraggle,
Welcome to Scottish Gardeners

6" pot is small for beef tomatoes..won't have room for enough root growth . Tomatoes need lots of water and high potash fertiliser to feed them. I use buckets..at least 15" diameter.

Containers need drainage holes and a layer of stones/pebbles before adding compost so that water doesn't pour out. Weight of stones helps balance containers when plants are big...stops them blowing over in wind!

If you have too many aubergine plants after you have supplied friends/relatives offer them on your local Freecycle group..you'll get lots of takers.:T

Redfraggle_3

Thanks laurals11

I have some 99p B&Q buckets so will move the toms later today. Should I be feeding them more than once a week?

I have my OH's drill on charge to make the drainage holes.

I didnt even think about Freecycle- thats a great idea

Thanks!

laurals11

Do not feed until first small pea-like tomato can be seen..or they won't flower.
http://www.tomatogrowing.co.uk/html/watering___feeding_tomatoes.html

You need quite large holes at least 2cm diameter. ..drill multiple holes close together and trim with Stanley knife or use a large file to smooth holes..be very careful as those buckets are tough.

Grey and showery here but quite warm.

Grebe

Afternoon peeps:D
Ain't it a lovely wet day:rotfl:
Well I went to the Drumpellier gardening show and bought some lovely begonias, busy lizzies, lobelia, lambs ears and a big spikey thing related to the Aloe vera plant. The prices were fair and the quality excellent but the best buy was the huuuuuuuuge hanging basket filled with already fruiting tomato plants £6.50 it was well worth it. When the weather clears up I will post a piccy.
Looks like the Scottish weather will pick back up by Thursday to give us a sunny weekend so here's hoping.
Off to take fudge muffins out of the oven.
:wave:

aliasojo

Got room for a stupid question please?

The potatoes I planted in tubs (and I thought had just died or rotted away or something), have finally thrown up some shoots. Yay!

When am I supposed to chuck more earth over them? As soon as I see green? Or once the shoots are a particular height or what?

And how many times do I need to do this? How do I know when to just let them be green in the light?

laurals11

No question is stupid..how would you know if you've never done it or seen it before.

Yes, earth them up..how many times? Well that depends on how much space and earth you have. Potatoes grow on stems under soil..and these get longer as you earth up and you get more potatoes. So stop when your mounds are so steep earth won't pile any higher or you have no more earth/space.

Earthing up also protects growth from frost....when first here 35 years ago we were told that week after Lanimers is first you should rely on being frost free...that is next week, but DH and I think pattern has changed and haven't fathomed it yet so just keep in touch with forecast...or old locals