"Your life is an occasion. Rise to it"

macgirl

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

In fairness it looks like the Wild West, rather than the wet NorthWest, but still something to think about, so thanks!

Pippilongstocking

macgirl wrote: »

Well I fancy trying potatoes, carrots, broccoli as that's what we eat most of, but a friend at work says carrots are difficult as they like it dry - we live on the Pennines :cool:

I've grown tomatoes and herbs before, but that's about it as we only had a tiny garden before. We've got a rockery in the new house that is neither use nor ornament, so I need to get rid of the boulders first.

Any advice on what's the easiest thing to grow first are most welcome

To put my nose in - sorry! - carrots like free drainage so whilst your pal was kind of right - they weren't exactly - that might give you a bit of courage - they enjoy sand in the bed you grow them in to help with that but its not crucial! We get over 1100 mm of rain here a year and we grow brilliant carrots

And, if you can grow tomatoes you can grow anything - they are the most complicated veggie/fruit to grow!:j You'e already half way to being an expert I'd say!

Tatties are easy and brocolli are grand too - if you're not sure about them - you'll be able to buy wee brocolli plants from a local garden centre this year and try growing your own from seed next year.

Oh I'm all excited for you - I'd start small if you're a bit scared but you'll be grand.

Butting out now (sorry) problem with my job - I butt my nose in everywhere at this time of year the first sound of anything green and I'm all ears

Not cauliflower ears though..............:rotfl:

Goodluck!!

Pippilongstocking

Mac girl - BBC 'dig it' and their 'grow your own' sites are brilliant - I use them for resources for my garden class to help the chaps along - just a thought - great sites very straightforward and they cover just about everything to do with grow your own

I'll stop now - honest x

Pippilongstocking

Lula-Hula wrote: »

Morning KC & crew,

mild & dampish here, but due to brighten up later on

Two large holes now dug & filled with my homemade compost & this afternoon I'm going to collect my adopted fruit trees which will be named Conference & Victoria. Or, perhaps as they're mini trees they should be Con & Vic .... hmmmms perhaps not :rotfl:

I'm very excited :j will be taking lots of pics too.

I want my stuff to be as organic as possible but not sure whether it's worth buying organic seeds.

Any ideas or opinions anyone ?

All of that is great - sorry I missed it.

Organic seed grand if you want to support that and be truly organic but to my mind a lot of that labelling is a licence to charge more. If you bought from the organic seed folk (old Hdra) you're less likely to pay a premium for the sake of it, they do good work.

Otherwise a lot of unlabelled (ie not organic) probably has minimal or no chemicals anyway - I think it's more important how you treat it at your end.
:rotfl: I'm REALLY stopping now - sorry for the highjack kc :A

Lula-Hula

Oh no, please dont stop hijacking, we must make sure Karma knows what we're all doing

I'll come & bother your thread too though Pippi I didnt really think it was worht the organic seeds

Macgirl- those veg are our staples too although DD developed a weird allergy to carrots & apples last year, which is a great shame as these are what she cut her teeth on. It's a seasonal allergy & apparently related to birch tree pollen. Not great as we have a large silver birch in the garden but perhaps it will work in a reverse psychology kinda way. Carrots need nice stone free soil & a high sided container too if you're likley to suffer from carrot fly. About 15 cms I think .... sure Pippi will correct me if I'm wrong

Potatoes are great for breaking up the soil & years ago ( about 15) I used to have a small veg plot in the garden & literally just stuck them in the soil when all sprouty. My ex MIL used to come & do all the work; she'd pretend she was teaching me, but actually she'd used up all her own garden space & just wanted some more to play with, I let her carry on

We want leeks, garlic, parsnips, mange tout, onions, courgettes & sweetcorn as well as all the salads & berries. I dont expect to have it all this year - am months too late for garlic for a start

I wasnt convinced about organic seeds as I agree that it's what we do with them that counts, so probably wont bother.

The trees are in - had a hell of job digging them up as they had really established themselves but I assured them that they would be well loved & cared for & could make friends with the blackcurrant bush.

We have snowdrops & a couple of little purple crocus are now visible. Lovely yellow winter jasmine is in bloom & the forsythia is about to burst open too.

Sorry for hijack KC - I'm all outdoorsy & excited , how's your day ??
xx

Karmacat

:rotfl:that was making me laugh Pippi, the way you kept wanting to go, and being tempted back by things :rotfl:

I found Z's image of a trampoline rolling down the street going for a little adventure very satisfying too

Yeah, macgirl, I know with the _pale_ money is in there now, my branch opens on a Saturday now. Finally emptied the kitchen waste into the compost, and found **loads** of bulbs coming up through the slate chips that were there - why does anyone dump slate chips on to bulbs? This couple must have been mad ....

Came home to a lovely useable living room but have promptly wrecked it by note taking and emptying old computer cable box and it was a lovely feeling to have a normal amount of space again, and a room to sit in properly. I think cherisong's idea of how long I've lived with a house that desperately needs renovating (my old place) has a great deal to it....

Nothing going on just now - need to do my family phone calls, and then I can loll about this evening, the trip into town was successful and that will be that.

Karmacat

Oh Lula, how lovely! You're right, mustn't stop hijacking. I'm going to walk round my garden tomorrow adding the new bulbs coming up to the plan of the existing area. Happy bunny here

Lula-Hula

Karmacat wrote: »

Oh Lula, how lovely! You're right, mustn't stop hijacking. I'm going to walk round my garden tomorrow adding the new bulbs coming up to the plan of the existing area. Happy bunny here

Nice to see that > from you.

Every year I mean to plant bulbs in the 'lawn' ( I use that word loosely to define the green area) so come the spring all these lovely bulbs will be dotted about, but each autumn I forget.

*wonders if I could do some now ?*

Pippilongstocking

Yup lula no harm at all they might flower a bit later but better than never

Hello I'm now cleaning have propagated everything to death indoors and imhave 100+ assorted house plant cuttings

Waves

Pippilongstocking

I had a thought (probably not final) if you grow non-organic seed - it's kinda like getting battery chickens which you've set free. It makes no difference really and by growing organically - you will set them free to be happy


Kc glad you had some space

Lula you're right about the carrots - they don't like stones (can make roots fork) but do like free drainage, which is why a lot of folk add sand, to make drainage ok when stone free - so perfect for that size of a raised bed

I can't keep myself right never mind anything else!! Xx