Newbie veg gardener! MERGED

JillD_2

hex2 wrote: »

Hi Jill - good to see you posting.

I only started growing veg two years ago so mostly ignore me!

I assume cost is an issue so don't buy seeds in the garden centres - try wilkos, aldi, lidl or www.alanromans.com. Alan Romans are great, 50p a packet for most things and under a £ for P&P. The only issue is no instructions on the packets.

Too early to start outdoor toms off, they would be massive when you need to put them out. Wait another month and they wont need the heating on.

I would also go for courgettes, peas and runner beans - easy enough to grow as long as you water them every now and then. They all like soil with extra stuff in though - Dusty just posted about some tubs of chicken manure in Morrisons, and they also have seeds, and under the fresh flowers they soemtimes sell the old black tubs for 10 for £1 - drill a few holes and they are perfect pots for your tomatoes when they are bigger.


Hope this helps.

Jiya good to see you too
How funny you mention Lidl, I was in there today , they had a massive banner saying "Massive Gardening Week beginning Monday March 2nd" WOOHOO thought I. I think our Lidl is a bit rubbish (I know my Mums one is better for example) and they had hardly any veg seeds and no compost but I did get -
radish (figured expensive and only I like them so I never buy)
corn salad (looks like a CACA one (check out my terminology LOL)
cucumber (we go through about 3 a week the kids all love it)
some type of bean (packet in kitchen cant be bothered to go get it LOL). Think it might have been dwarf runner bean or something. It also mentioned haricot on there... seems like that was what y'all were suggesting might be easy ?

Still want to get some toms but they didnt have any.

I thought I could start the stuff I got off in pots if the beds dont happen soon enough, but I assume I have a while before I would be wanting to put anything outside ?
Anyway 2 packs were 47p each, the other 2 were 28p each so the whole lot for under a pound. Will prob just look in Asda for a wee bag of compost cos if I go to the garden centre I will get carried away
( I also bought some yummy chocolate muesli bars but thats another story )

I can see I am going to be on here tons, it will be the new OS for me :T

JillD_2

Doom_and_Gloom wrote: »

Just a note. If you do grow courgette in the square garden format you need to buy the right kind to grow upwards. Courgette black forest F1 is a courgette variety that you can grow upwards. The bush variety can cost you up to 3ft by 3ft each!

Good pointk, I will make sure I check the packets of the stuff I buy.
i got cucumbersthis morning, didn't even check - oops, but will see what happens anyway ....

JillD_2

I just replied to an OFFERED on freecycle for 3 pallets to use for wood for the raised beds .... oooh hope I win ....!:j:j

hex2

Fingers crossed for you.

Make sure any seeds you buy are suitable for outdoors growing by the way.

mardatha

I am doing an indoor veg plot in my big front room. Just got it all laid out ready and brought compost in to warm up in trays on windowsill - and our forecast for tomorrow is heavy snow !!

Blakey1982

Thanks everyone

I'm rather excited about this

JayneC

stilernin wrote: »

If you do grow a few sweetcorn, plant them in a block, 3 across by 3 down (or more), and grow a few climbing beans up them. You can also plant your courgettes or squash in the space between too, just like the native americans do. They call it the 'three sisters'.

Hi,

Sorry to hijack the thread. Was just wondering - do you grow the beans actually up the sweetcorn plants or in between them? I'm trying to do a bit of square foot gardening but not in raised beds - just divided my plot up!! Got 2 x sq foots (if that makes sense) left. Was going to do beans in one and sweetcorn in the other, but seems I could do both in both? YAY! And a cougette too - double YAY!

Just to say too - I've been following the 'Homegrown Journey Thread' by Notenoughcash and there's lots of good tips on growing veg on there too. HTH.

Jayne x

JillD_2

JillD wrote: »

I just replied to an OFFERED on freecycle for 3 pallets to use for wood for the raised beds .... oooh hope I win ....!:j:j

wahey well the guy said I could have them :T:T and I am waiting for him to let me know where he is so we can collect them.
Hubs thinks I have gone mad LOL
If it was down to him we'd be down B&Q buying some shiny new wood LOL

JillD_2

JayneC wrote: »

Hi,

Sorry to hijack the thread. Was just wondering - do you grow the beans actually up the sweetcorn plants or in between them? I'm trying to do a bit of square foot gardening but not in raised beds - just divided my plot up!! Got 2 x sq foots (if that makes sense) left. Was going to do beans in one and sweetcorn in the other, but seems I could do both in both? YAY! And a cougette too - double YAY!

Just to say too - I've been following the 'Homegrown Journey Thread' by Notenoughcash and there's lots of good tips on growing veg on there too. HTH.

Jayne x

How many sq feet have you got and what have you grown ? Has it been successful ?
Look forward to hearing all about what you've done!!
Thanks for the tip re Homegrown Journey thingy, I will have a squizz

stilernin

Was just wondering - do you grow the beans actually up the sweetcorn plants or in between them?

The beans grow up and are supported by the corn. This link gives you some information about the system.

http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/teach/2003045238014436.html

I think to be really authentic you have to put a fish under the corn seed when you plant it. It feeds the plant as it decomposes I believe.