Veg to plant in March and things to do.

[Deleted User]

I have a couple of tips that I use

some of my brassicas grow a bit tall soon after germination and wave about too much, it is very warm here when the sun shines so I cannot bring them on any slower. I sow 2 or 3 in modules and get rid of the 2 weakest. I never fill more than 3/4 with compost and then, when the time is right, I top up to the top with more compost and this gives the seedlings more support. It also works very well with my tomato seedlings and my chard and anything else which looks too tall

watering is one heck of a problem particularly with little plugs. I now water only from the bottom by laying 4 x 52" gravel/propagating trays, without holes, on my garden table. I use butt water and put plant trays and modules in, except the ones I am sure are damp enough. They don`t stay in too long and then they get put into the patiogrow trays so that they can drain as they hang on the top. I have 320 baby seedlings in agralan plug trays and have only lost 12 due to wet soil and that came about by filling the underneath with too much water so even those go into the 52" trays now, until the weight feels right, whether or not the tops are damp. I did them this morning and shouldn`t have to do them again for a few days at least, depending on the sun

My marketmore cucumbers are pathetic (first time excuse) and I sowed far far too early. I sowed all 8 seeds from heritage and heirloom and they all germinated but what a cost compared to a brilliant ebay seller. I ordered some more, 80 for 99p. Honestly I will never ever again be taken in by rustic looking packaging

scotsaver

Weather here has been great all week, spent 2 days solid in the Garden over the Weekend cutting the grass, tidying the beds and sowing some more Seeds - hoping some more will soon Germinate now that the temperature has increased. Spent all day today up at the Allotment, dug over 2 beds that I'm planning to put my Spuds into and had a general tidy around - feels great having the Sunshine on your back.:D

LJM

well the weather down south has been lovely these last few days i may be a bit premature but this week ive potted up some peas/pea shoots and mixed leaf lettuce leafs hopefully it will all grow fingers crossed

scotsaver

Weather down here stayed great all week and temperatures even at 18 degrees so spent last 2 days up at the Allotment putting in some Summer flowering bulbs and getting Beds ready for more planting soon. Seeds indoors are coming along slowly but surely, tomatoes, peppers, chillies, marigolds etc poking through but Leeks not up yet - getting a bit worried. Off to the Garden centre today as I need more Compost and Manure.;)

mamaninie

any advice for sowing directly into a raised bed? I don't have the space or patience to manage indoor seed trays and I don't have a greenhouse or other outdoor propagator thingy. SHould I just wait till later in April?

All help appreciated!
xx

[Deleted User]

What a week, like the best of may. Dh and I have spent the whole week out of doors, he in shorts making planters and bumble bee homes and me pottering. The allotment is completely ready and 3 of the allium and carrot beds are planted and covered with environmesh. I have been hoeing, which I like if the weather is warm and dry as I can see the weedlets shrivel up.

Lettuces, radish, baby cabbages, peas etc in the raised beds at home are all looking wonderful. I put some fleece over for some shade from the sun as it was 24 in the back. I had to do quite a lot of scary watering of seedlings but they have all survived, bottom watering worked best with two 52cm trays working full time. My waterbutts are just about completely empty so I am praying for rain now

I will be very glad to get plantlets into permanent positions in a few weeks or months. I grew everything from seed including perennials. The most satisfying has to be the thyme, which were the size of specks when they germinated. It is my favourite herb

It is very tying at the moment but worth it as this years crop of hundreds of plants will probably make up for a large part of all the stuff I had to buy, as we started from scratch again after giving everything away 7 years ago

I have a question about the big plants like squash and courgettes. Do I need two plants of each one for fertilisation?

little_sarah_2

I was wondering if you could help me with a (probably quite stupid!) question.

I sowed my courgette seeds on Monday, and put them in my unheated propagator. I then remembered that my Grandad always put his in the airing cupboard (which my Nana hated!) so I did the same. OH then moved it to the top shelf, where I can't see it. He lifted it down this morning and the seeds have sprouted like crazy! :eek: They're now about 5cm tall but look very thin and weedy - is there anything I can do or should I just try again with new seeds?

Ta

Kantankrus_Mare

you could try and repot them so that they are deeper in the soil in new pot.

Has worked for me in the past.

Courgette plants are quite hardy.

I planted mine out at the allotment last year and a week later they looked like they had died. Kept watering them and they revived producing right the way through the summer providing us with some beautiful corgette risotto's.

CommitedToChange

quick question - how do you know when seedlings are big enough to be pricked out - this whole area is quite confusing to me...

My seedlings have all decided to grow so each module has 4-5 seedlings, I have broccoli and tomatos and they will obviously get too crowded shortly. They are currently an inch high.

Thanks :

TonyMMM

I shall be picking the first crop of Purple Sprouting Broccoli today, and by tradition (as I was always told) I will therefore be planting the seeds for next years crop today as well.