I need some tips for next years growing my own

savingmummy

This year at the end of April i moved into a house with a garden:j
I previously had a top floor flat no balcony or any outside area, so as you can imagine i was soooooo excited to go out buying pots and seeds and a plastic greenhouse

I sowed moneymakers, salad leaves and made a start on these using the windowsill to germinate the seeds in the flats sunniest spot. All done well and when i moved into my house 4 weeks later i put them into large pots and they have survived and flowered/fruited.

My salad leaves have been a big hit and given me plenty of free salad throughout May-now

My tomatoes however are still green, some trusses are still flowering or starting to bud and i`m yet to have a harvest from them. When should these be started for a earlier harvest?

Also i bought 2 strawberry plants at the end of May and so far i`ve had 2 strawberries:rotfl:lots of flowers though and runners all rooting so again late fruits no doubt!

When is it best to make a start on the tomato plants and other grow your owns?

jaxx46

My tomatoes were started indoors in March, been outside since end of May loads of fruit, all green I think it's the weather I'm sure I had red ones this time last year.

RAS

We have had the wettest July in years, in most places, so tomatoes will be behind

Even if they do not ripen by the first frosts, you can kjust lift the whole plant and ripen them indoors.

Strawberries do not fruit the year they are planted, generally, they need a good six months in the ground to settle in first. So get your runners potted up or just pegged down to increase the number of plants you have for next year.

savingmummy

Oh i see so it isnt just me Thats quite a relief to hear!
I shall do tomatoes in March then and hope for better summer for 2011.

I never knew that about strawberries either Next year should be good for strawberries then, as far as i can see there are 10 on one plant that are tiny yellow fruits at the moment.


Thank you both

Lotus-eater

savingmummy wrote: »

This year at the end of April i moved into a house with a garden:j
I previously had a top floor flat no balcony or any outside area, so as you can imagine i was soooooo excited to go out buying pots and seeds and a plastic greenhouse

I sowed moneymakers, salad leaves and made a start on these using the windowsill to germinate the seeds in the flats sunniest spot. All done well and when i moved into my house 4 weeks later i put them into large pots and they have survived and flowered/fruited.

I think you've done brilliantly for a first years growing, my tomatoes rarely start producing ripe fruit before the start of August. You will learn for next year and be better for it.
What has been experiemented is starting off tomato plants earlier in the year, I haven't done it yet, but I may next year.
See this thread
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/vegging-out/early-tomato-thread_42223.html

markandkate

I have been growing veg and fruit for over 20 years and stil have failures. This year I have planted five different peas and not one has even poked its head above the surface but I stilll have peas in the freezer from last year we had so many! I'm sure there is an explanation but really you won't always get it right so don't be hard on yourself.

I try to grow small quantities of loats of things that don't keep as I hate giving too much surplus away so instaed of planting loads of tomatoes use the space for peppers, chillis herbs, aubergines or melons. Most are fairly easy to grow. chillis can be picked green or red and frozen or dried.

Plant only a few salad plants as you can just keep taking the leaves even if they go to seed. Try to plant different ones and then they will look good too I have got two cos, two lollo rosso, some rocket and a green curly one.

Try not to let too many tomatoes form on each plant as they will take longer to ripen. the same applies with chillis and peppers pick some when they are green and let the rest go red.

You can grow potaotes in sacks or bins but just remember to keep them damp. Courgettes and french beans can also be grown in large pots.

Fruit is the easiest thing in my opinion to grow as it just carries in each year. The strawberries will be better next year. I have an area in my garden where I have some fruit bushes and trees. The ground is covered with weed suppressant matting which lets the water through but needs very little maintenance. Rasberry canes can take up a bit of room but once in all you need to do is pick the fruit and cut the dead ( brown) stems each year. You can get autumn raspberies to which will fruit into November depending on where you are.

You may also want to consider fruit trees in flower borders as they can give a focus and shape to the area.

Only grow what you like and keep experimenting no oe else will know but you if it does not work I have got loads of onion sets planted where my failed peas were so you can always do something with the space. You will aso get better yaers for some crops just because of the weather