The potting shed

kiwichick

Thanks for the replies, VERY helpful. My intention is only to grow things that we eat. I have ordered seed for the following which at the time I thought a good idea but am now thinking maybe not!!!

• cut and come again lettuce
• cherry toms
• butternut squash
• broccoli
• spring onions
• radishes
• carrots
• capsicums
• dwarf french beans
• sweetcorn
• peas
• broad beans
• strawberries

I think the best bet for me is to build the sidings of the beds and move the topsoil I have removed to make for the foundations of the garden shed into the beds. From what I have read it is best to leave it over winter to have the weather break down the clods rather than do it now. My compost is coming along nicely, thanks to the 2kg of tiger worms, so I ought to have a nice supply ready for planting out seedlings next year.

My intention over the next few days is to try and write up some sort of timeline for myself.ie.when to sow seed, plant out etc.

I live in bucks, but have only been here a couple of months so dont know the local climate too well. Is there any way to find out what effect the local climate will have on the general timeline of planting??

pickledtink

kiwichick wrote:

Thanks for the replies, VERY helpful. My intention is only to grow things that we eat. I have ordered seed for the following which at the time I thought a good idea but am now thinking maybe not!!!

• cut and come again lettuce
• cherry toms
• butternut squash
• broccoli
• spring onions
• radishes
• carrots
• capsicums
• dwarf french beans
• sweetcorn
• peas
• broad beans
• strawberries

I think the best bet for me is to build the sidings of the beds and move the topsoil I have removed to make for the foundations of the garden shed into the beds. From what I have read it is best to leave it over winter to have the weather break down the clods rather than do it now. My compost is coming along nicely, thanks to the 2kg of tiger worms, so I ought to have a nice supply ready for planting out seedlings next year.

My intention over the next few days is to try and write up some sort of timeline for myself.ie.when to sow seed, plant out etc.

I live in bucks, but have only been here a couple of months so dont know the local climate too well. Is there any way to find out what effect the local climate will have on the general timeline of planting??

Where in Bucks? I can work out your frost dates if you like. Radish and cut and come lettuce you can sow now and get some results before the frost, Check back through the thread to Hazeys posts for some more ideas to do now. All your other seeds will be good to sow indoors around Feb/March then you can put them out about April depending on your frost dates.

kiwichick

We are in Leighton Buzzard. Weird how it varies within such small distances!

pickledtink

kiwichick wrote:

We are in Leighton Buzzard. Weird how it varies within such small distances!

Frost dates Mid October and early May. So you've got 4 weeks + plus for frost sensitive plants. Go for it!

bazz

Thanks Twink. It is very close to the conifer hedge. Touching it in fact. Poor little thing has never been fed. Regularly feed the conifers, and other plants. Poor little apple tree, has never had anything! I feel very guilty now. Wonder how it has grown as well as it has!
Thank again.

Benidormqueen

Lord_Gardener wrote:

For a quick splash of colour pop in some Winter Flowering Pansies and some Wallflowers - these will go on and on and on and .... Make sure to put in plenty of bulbs including Crocuses and Snowdrops!

Thanks!
Got some crocuses bulbs, snow drops, also got wallflowers and viola's, its going to look good this winter for the first time..:D

pickledtink

It's also well worth getting some variagated shrubs with bright berries for Winter colour too. You get the added bonus of the flowers in Spring and Summer as well. Hebes and Skimmias are good.

foxybabe

Hi, I have got lots of begonias in pots. I put them in as bedding plants but someone told me they will come back next year. Is this true?

Cheers everyone

angelavdavis

pickledtink wrote:

Frost dates Mid October and early May. So you've got 4 weeks + plus for frost sensitive plants. Go for it!

Sorry have been off line these last few days on the road travelling.

As Pickledtink says, Kiwichick, I recommend concentrating of stuff you know you will eat, but also that can be a bit pricey. My particular favourite, or example, is mange tout or sugar snaps - they are easy as you like to grow, fast to crop, continues through the season (can stagger sowing, so I sow plants once the first lot have appeared in between the existing shoots) and yet so expensive in the shops.

I also suggest you treat yourself (or make if you are handy) to a couple of plastic cloches, that will extend your planting/harvesting season and you can just pop it over plants if the forecast suggests ground frost early-mid October. Also, if you get one with a frame, you can remove the plastic and instead drape with netting in summer to protect your salads from butterflies, etc.

angelavdavis

foxybabe wrote:

Hi, I have got lots of begonias in pots. I put them in as bedding plants but someone told me they will come back next year. Is this true?

Cheers everyone

Yes, if they are tuberous begonias (see http://www.letsgogardening.co.uk/Information/articles/Begonias.htm) and you are lucky. If you leave them over winter outside, they are subject to rotting or may be killed off by frost. You can bring them indoors or put them in a sheltered spot and take a chance.

However, personally I would lift the plants as soon as the first frost kills off the foliage and let them dry out somewhere inside (like a greenhouse or shed shelf), allowing the foliage to die off to prevent damaging the tubers.

Once dry, remove as much soil as possible, put in an old seed tray and dust with anti-fungal powder to prevent any rotting occurring over winter (if you're not organic). If you are organic, you can pack them in straw or very dry compost and hope for the best. Put them somewhere the mice won't get to them. Check them regularly over winter and remove any ones that start looking mouldy.

You can then pot them up in fresh soil in spring, or using the existing pot, start feeding and watering them, take cuttings from them when they appear and then have lovely plants from the existing tuber-plants plus the new plants you took from the cuttings!