Help MBE grow his dinner 2012

Jolaaled

mrbadexample wrote: »

Clean greenhouse:

Mr BE...I would love to fix a water butt onto my greenhouse like you have done as per your photo...please can you tell me how to fix the pipe onto the greenhouse gulley thing?? THANKS

mrbadexample

hornetgirl wrote: »

I'm off to Paris-Nice in early March

Jealous. Can I come with you please?

mrbadexample

emiff6 wrote: »

That's because fish need planting in water, MBE. Have you got a pond yet....?

No. It's on the list.

mrbadexample

emiff6 wrote: »

I'm going to have a rowan tree cut down next month, and was thinking of keeping a log to make a bee log, so I have a question about your bee log MrBE - when the bees emerge, will the holes be re-used, or do you have to start over with a fresh log?

I believe that they will be reused. I'm not sure yet, as this is my log's first year, plus I made it a bit late in the season. I don't think there's actually anything in it at the moment.

I need to clean the holes out, as some of them are a bit frayed around the edges and bees don't like that, apparently. I guess it'll soon be time to get it back up.

mrbadexample

Jolaaled wrote: »

Mr BE...I would love to fix a water butt onto my greenhouse like you have done as per your photo...please can you tell me how to fix the pipe onto the greenhouse gulley thing?? THANKS

I bought the guttering from the greenhouse supplier. It came with a solid end and an end with a hole in for attaching a hose to. All done for me, I'm afraid.

Pictures here.

ellebee1986

Hello everyone

Complete gardening newbie here, hope its ok for me to join in, I have been lurking for past few weeks and have picked up some fab tips from you all and its encouraged me to give growing my own veg a go! Hoping to get the kiddies involved too ... we all love a bit of mess now and then don't we

Ive started off by chitting some Maris Piper Seed Potatoes on my kitchen windowsill in an egg box, going well but only little purple and green shoots so far after a week (anyone know how long it takes to get to the recommended inch long length roughly? and is right for me to think these should be planted in April time?) Ive acquired a good sized plastic dustbin off a lovely fellow freecycler that Im hoping to put these in. Im not sure about how many litres it holds but Im assuming Ill be able to put about 4/5 seed potatoes in.

Me and the kids also sowed 24 tomato and 24 pepper seeds into propagators yesterday which again are now sitting happily on our window sill. Whether this is too much I dont know but only time will tell haha.

Hoping to grab some carrot and onion seeds too possible lettuce aswell. I did manage to get bell peppers growing last year by pot luck from seeds of a pepper I shop bought and I had one pepper growing but then it got to winter and my inexperience got the better of me

I do have a hanging basket with strawbs on too which I started last year ... am I right in thinking strawberry plants start again on their own or will be a guessing game waiting to see if anything happens?

Will try and pop some pics up when Ive figured it out as Im hoping to get in the garden this summer and reorganise and build some raised beds etc very excited to be joining you all!!

lisakay_2

ellebee, a bit of friendly competition always goes down well with the kids. my two have a tallest sunflower comp each year and also a biggest pumpkin, and if you write their names on a pumpkin when it gets to about cricket ball size their name will grow with the pumpkin.

ellebee1986

lisakay wrote: »

ellebee, a bit of friendly competition always goes down well with the kids. my two have a tallest sunflower comp each year and also a biggest pumpkin, and if you write their names on a pumpkin when it gets to about cricket ball size their name will grow with the pumpkin.

That is a fab idea Lisa thanks! Are pumpkins quite easy to grow? How long do they take? I bet they'd love to grow their own pumpkins for halloween and sun flowers ... I forgot all about them I used to grow them when I was little and loved them so big and colourful, you've talked me into out Im heading off to the gardening centre right now

annie123

Little_Vics wrote: »

1. any tips on growing butternut squash? Am keen to give it a go.

You need luck with the weather and no slugs and snails, last year they waited 'till August before munching through the main stem thus ending the growth and any hope of a harvest:mad:
This will be my 3rd year trying to grow them, if it doesn't work this year I'm giving up!

or you need a set up like this: http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_squash_butternut.html

ellebee1986 wrote: »

Me and the kids also sowed 24 tomato and 24 pepper seeds into propagators yesterday which again are now sitting happily on our window sill. Whether this is too much I dont know but only time will tell haha.

I think that might be an overenthusiastic amount, unless you're feeding the neighbours too;) but it will allow you to select the strongest seedlings and get a good crop.

ellebee1986

annie123 wrote: »

I think that might be an overenthusiastic amount, unless you're feeding the neighbours too;) but it will allow you to select the strongest seedlings and get a good crop.

Haha I had a sneaky suspicion this might be the case, it was literally a case of the kids wanting one propogator each, each with 24 sections and then them putting one seed in each section lol they had fun though so no harm done I suppose with it being the kiddies who were in charge too, Im assuming some of them may not germinate anyway so room for error too hehe