Help MBE grow his dinner 2012

Sambucus_Nigra

I haven't even sown my carrots or parsnips yet. We did make seed tapes at school last week - so they will be put on prepped soil as soon as they start to show.

mrbadexample

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

I haven't even sown my carrots or parsnips yet. We did make seed tapes at school last week - so they will be put on prepped soil as soon as they start to show.

I was sent a seed parcel from err...somewhere else. Rattling around in the bottom of the bag was escaped carrot seed. So I had those just to see what they were. I sowed them about three weeks ago, and they're just starting to show.

Still no parsnips though. I'll sow some more next week - think my last frost is coming this weekend.

emiff6

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

I haven't even sown my carrots or parsnips yet. We did make seed tapes at school last week - so they will be put on prepped soil as soon as they start to show.

How do you make seed tapes? I bought parsnip tape one year and had much more success than with loose seed, so if I can make my own, that would be great!

hazzie123

I have about 7-8 foot length but only 1-2 inch width piece of soil between the fence and the decking and nothing grows there,not even a weed.If I scrape as much soil out as I possible can and put some top soil there what do you lovely folk suggest I should have a bash at growing in that space?

I do think it is the soil as it gets sunlight and rain in that area,but I think the amount of soil may also be an issue.There is a lot of concrete where the posts are.

I'd quite like some flowers there to brighten that spot up,any suggestions of anything what can be sown this month?

annie123

emiff6 wrote: »

How do you make seed tapes? I bought parsnip tape one year and had much more success than with loose seed, so if I can make my own, that would be great!

SN will probably explain properly but going back 30 years plus I remember it was something to do with toilet paper or kitchen roll, much the same way as you can test for seed viability. But you could end up with gaps unless you get 100% germination.

hazzie123 wrote: »

I have about 7-8 foot length but only 1-2 inch width piece of soil between the fence and the decking and nothing grows there,not even a weed.If I scrape as much soil out as I possible can and put some top soil there what do you lovely folk suggest I should have a bash at growing in that space?

I do think it is the soil as it gets sunlight and rain in that area,but I think the amount of soil may also be an issue.There is a lot of concrete where the posts are.

I'd quite like some flowers there to brighten that spot up,any suggestions of anything what can be sown this month?

Nasturtiums would probably grow in the sahara desert and poor soil produces more flowers;)
I have campanula growing out of 1" of soil between a fence post and a stone step and unless it rains it doesn't get watered.

annie123

mrbadexample wrote: »

think my last frost is coming this weekend.

Just checked for here in London and can't believe I've got -1c to 2c over the weekend.
My last frost is usually end march and never later than end April, well except for early 80's when it snowed in June the week before my sons birthday but that is rare, bit like UK summers!

Sambucus_Nigra

emiff6 wrote: »

How do you make seed tapes? I bought parsnip tape one year and had much more success than with loose seed, so if I can make my own, that would be great!

Kitchen roll - cut into 4 strips. Lay out on desk/table and damp down [we use a paintbrush and water] Once 'sticking to the table wet' - put your seeds about an inch apart along a row down the middle. Fold down, then over in half and half again. Put into a plastic bag for a week or two. Once you see some green, lay them onto prepped soil and cover lightly.

mrbadexample

hazzie123 wrote: »

I have about 7-8 foot length but only 1-2 inch width piece of soil between the fence and the decking and nothing grows there,not even a weed.If I scrape as much soil out as I possible can and put some top soil there what do you lovely folk suggest I should have a bash at growing in that space?

Peas might work, up the fence?

aliasojo

It was a lovely sunny day here yesterday so I watered all my trays of plants and took them from the porch and sat them outside for a wee while.

They were brought in again around 5pm and sat back in the porch.

This morning, all my cauliflower and broccoli have wilted. They're limp and the leaves are withered.

There's no way they will come back to life, they look far too gone for that.

Any ideas why this would have happened? No beastie damages as far as I can see, so it must have been the watering or the sun?

pink_poppy

Aww, that's a shame about the plants, alias

Was there any wind where they were stood?? We had a cold North Easterly yesterday.

Nothing much to report here ~ a couple more sweet peas have popped up & that's it. The weather is grey, cloudy & cold. No change there then.