Help MBE grow his dinner 2012

Lotus-eater

mrbadexample wrote: »

The thing is, I've got loads of seed, and sowed very sparingly! I'm just gonna chuck the lot in I think.

When I get round to sowing my marigolds in module trays, I sow 3 or 4 seeds per module, then snip off with scissors any I don't want, I usually get a plant per module then.

That's a very good job on the blocks I think, I just wonder why you were so worried about getting it level, it wouldn't make much difference with your greenhouse.

Angelfeathers

Looks amazing, MBE. I'm very impressed!

mrbadexample

Lotus-eater wrote: »

That's a very good job on the blocks I think, I just wonder why you were so worried about getting it level, it wouldn't make much difference with your greenhouse.

Thanks. I know it didn't really have to be level (it sure as hell wasn't before!), but how do you lay a course of blocks on the slant, and get it even? At least with the spirit level I had something to work to. I probably did make it more difficult than it had to be, but that's just how I am - things have to be "right". Even if they're wrong.

kara7758

Good evening all. Lurking fairly newbie here, who's been enjoying reading lots of good words by a snashing sounding set of folks! Well feeling pretty chuffed this eve. I got home from work early and have potted on 10 tomato plants, seeded marigolds and purple sprouting broccolli, planted shallots outside. Gearing up to get the fixin's for my raised bed at weekend to start square foot planting. I had good crops from the stuff I planted on my little plot of land last year (7' by 5'), runner beans, spinach, purple sprouting broccolli ( bought 10 mystery plugs from ebay and got 5 each of PSB and broccolli which produced massive amounts) potatoes in a bag gave a fair crop but nothing major. I'm planting potatoes in the little space see how they go. Quite exciting this veg growing malarkey. Thank you for all you great tips and a giggle or two.

lilyjune

Wow, everyone has been so busy!

Furball, on the Carol Klein book, I quite like the style and pics. I have no idea whether it's actually any good. :rotfl:
It doesn't tell me anything I need to know at the moment about germinating seeds which is frustrating but going by your pictures, you already have good gardening experience so you might like it? Could you borrow from the library to decide if you then want to purchase?

Love all the seedling pics, I can't find any information on what I need to know at the moment, so please can I get some advice here?
Aubergines, chillies and bell peppers, do they need to go in the dark? I have them in the sunny conservatory in the morning, sunny front room in afternoon and dining room table at night ( same as everything else).

Then should I water my seedlings every day? I've been trying to keep them damp but terrified of drowning them or having them too dry? Should I water from the bottom, i.e. in the tray or from the top?

What is leggy? And how will I know if my seedlings are leggy? And what should I do? Most of my tomatoes have now germinated and are getting 2 little leaves but the leaves don't start until about an inch up the plant and they're teeny tiny!

And most of my beans are up with proper leaves and everything!! But I realised today that there are roots coming out of the bottom of the pots now too, should they now be potted on?

In other news, I have no marigolds sown yet but maybe tomorrow...and my blueberry arrived yesterday in the post, realised it was far too small to get anything from this year, also realised blueberries like the company of another blueberry so went down to the garden centre and bought another one, much bigger

Sorry for all the stupid questions, I really need gardening by numbers!!

lilyjune

Oh and I meant to say MBE that I have a bad back and I'm tall so I think the time spent raising your glasshouse will be WELL worth it.

mrbadexample

kara7758 wrote: »

Good evening all. Lurking fairly newbie here, who's been enjoying reading lots of good words by a snashing sounding set of folks! Well feeling pretty chuffed this eve. I got home from work early and have potted on 10 tomato plants, seeded marigolds and purple sprouting broccolli, planted shallots outside. Gearing up to get the fixin's for my raised bed at weekend to start square foot planting. I had good crops from the stuff I planted on my little plot of land last year (7' by 5'), runner beans, spinach, purple sprouting broccolli ( bought 10 mystery plugs from ebay and got 5 each of PSB and broccolli which produced massive amounts) potatoes in a bag gave a fair crop but nothing major. I'm planting potatoes in the little space see how they go. Quite exciting this veg growing malarkey. Thank you for all you great tips and a giggle or two.

Sounds like you've done well with a relatively small space. It is satisfying, seeing all the little seedlings making progress. I've got so many:



and yet I've got so many things still to sow. I need my greenhouse back - I can barely walk through my kitchen!

Not a single one of my purple-topped turnips has germinated. Think I got some duff seed.

Angelfeathers

lilyjune wrote: »

Wow, everyone has been so busy!

Furball, on the Carol Klein book, I quite like the style and pics. I have no idea whether it's actually any good. :rotfl:
It doesn't tell me anything I need to know at the moment about germinating seeds which is frustrating but going by your pictures, you already have good gardening experience so you might like it? Could you borrow from the library to decide if you then want to purchase?

Love all the seedling pics, I can't find any information on what I need to know at the moment, so please can I get some advice here?
Aubergines, chillies and bell peppers, do they need to go in the dark? I have them in the sunny conservatory in the morning, sunny front room in afternoon and dining room table at night ( same as everything else).

Then should I water my seedlings every day? I've been trying to keep them damp but terrified of drowning them or having them too dry? Should I water from the bottom, i.e. in the tray or from the top?

What is leggy? And how will I know if my seedlings are leggy? And what should I do? Most of my tomatoes have now germinated and are getting 2 little leaves but the leaves don't start until about an inch up the plant and they're teeny tiny!

And most of my beans are up with proper leaves and everything!! But I realised today that there are roots coming out of the bottom of the pots now too, should they now be potted on?

In other news, I have no marigolds sown yet but maybe tomorrow...and my blueberry arrived yesterday in the post, realised it was far too small to get anything from this year, also realised blueberries like the company of another blueberry so went down to the garden centre and bought another one, much bigger

Sorry for all the stupid questions, I really need gardening by numbers!!

No, peppers etc. need sunlight. But mine just go on a windowsill, which doesn't get much direct sunlight but it's the only suitable one there is, and that seems to work!

I believe watering from beneath is supposed to be the right way to do it, but I tend to just use a water bottle with a fine spray head on (my mum bought me a whole pack of them, that just fit on normal bottles) and spray them finely every couple of days. It *is* difficult to gauge, I find, but that works for me.

Leggy means growing too tall and spindly, but I can't remember what causes that so I'll let someone else answer that one! But your tomatoes don't sound leggy. As you can see from my pics earlier, all my seedlings have a good 1 1/2 to 2 inches of stem before their leaves and that looks okay to me!

Yes, I think roots coming out of the bottom of pots means they need bigger pots.

Yes, I believe fruit bushes need a pollinating partner and take a few years to reach their full potential. My new honeyberry bushes are *tiny* and I'm not expecting much from them this year!

Hope that helps! :-)

LilMissEmmylou

Ooooh look at all those pots! Thats too exciting! and well done on the greenhouse raising

I was looking for a site to buy some pots for seedlings and came accross tis http://myzerowaste.com/2009/01/making-seedling-pots-from-toilet-roll-inners/ - has anyone ever tried this? We had been collecting the toilet roll inners for DD to do some craft thing she wants to try - but thinking I can convince her she wants to use them for some new plants

kara7758

Wow am so impressed with all your seedlings!

I know I'll never grow enough to feed myself consistently, but it is so good to be able to eat stuff you've grown yourself isn't it! I'm planning to grow grelos, turnip tops that my mama loves to make soup with (We are from Spain) and pimientos de padron, a pepper grown in Northern Spain which you pick, fry and eat before they mature. Bit like playing russian roulette with peppers as every 10th one or so is super hot, but delish all the same. Hopefully also some pepino's, a cucumber from Spain. My mama is all excited about the possiblilty of home food grown here so fingers crossed! I'm also hoping I'll grow beets, courgette's, toms, spinach. Thing is all seems possible with square foot planting in my little plot. Just needs lots of sun so here's hoping.

mrbadexample wrote: »

Sounds like you've done well with a relatively small space. It is satisfying, seeing all the little seedlings making progress. I've got so many:



and yet I've got so many things still to sow. I need my greenhouse back - I can barely walk through my kitchen!

Not a single one of my purple-topped turnips has germinated. Think I got some duff seed.