Help MBE grow his dinner 2012

Lotus-eater

Chillies really like a bit of heat to germinate, but tomatoes? Bit early isn't it?

Toonie

mrbadexample wrote: »

Can you wander up the far end and take more photos?

I shall try and take some snaps tomorrow, before the snow falls.

The shed is to the side of me in that picture, it's an ok size (maybe four feet long by 3 feet) but it is jammed full of rubbish and possibly a few useful things.

There is a compost bin, I had a look in it today (hadn't felt brave enough before) and it's got some rather dry looking (what I can only describe as) dirt in it. It was left by the previous tennants so I have no idea how long it was there, or indeed what is in the (possible) compost.

At the top end there are a couple of small birch trees (I think) and a pampas grass (evil!). There used to be a gazebo but it was rusty and fell apart in the last lot of wind we had. There is a very large evergreen tree over the fence and a large hedge, so that may cause problems for moisture.

I'll be back with some pictures tomorrow

tyadog

Hello everyone :wave:

Can I join in too please? Had quite a lot of success last year, beginner's luck though, so will need to try harder this year!

T

Little_Vics

Tyadog - good point about being further north. Never really thought about that. I'm in Yorkshire.

tyadog

LV - I think I'm north of you then!

I used to live much further south, and there is definitely a temperature difference The books and internet sem to indicate that I need to start later, and that some things definitely need a greenhouse here, though they will grow outdoors further south.

That'll maybe be why my sweetcorn failed, though my leeks were rubbish too!

T

djohn2002uk

mrbadexample wrote: »

mrbadexample snr reckons my compost should be sterilised before I use it for seeds.
Any thoughts?
I could microwave it...

I never bother with seed compost anyway. All my seeds go in the same compost as everything else, Multi-purpose, and they seem to grow ok. Last year my wife sowed the minute Busy Lizzies in multi-purpose too and they were fine.

Aria`s_Tail

Hmmmm. Have unpacked an old green box (recycling box brought down from Cumbria) which I had my eye on to use as a good size garden planter. Thought I would get my garlic planted before the snow comes, took it outside only to find my bags of compost frozen solid.! Maybe tomorrow!

mrbadexample

djohn2002uk wrote: »

I never bother with seed compost anyway. All my seeds go in the same compost as everything else, Multi-purpose, and they seem to grow ok. Last year my wife sowed the minute Busy Lizzies in multi-purpose too and they were fine.

I use(d) multi-purpose too. Think that undergoes some sort of sterilisation too? Could be wrong...

mrbadexample

tyadog wrote: »

Hello everyone :wave:

Can I join in too please? I lurked last year...

:hello:

Yes, come on in. I never realised there were so many lurkers. I might have to get my own virtual potting shed.

mrbadexample

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Chillies really like a bit of heat to germinate, but tomatoes? Bit early isn't it?

There is a heat mat under the propagator.

Tomatoes? Yes, at least two months early by my reckoning. I just thought that if we get a return to the mild weather we've had up to now, I might just get a couple of early plants in. I'll probably lose them, but it'll only cost me a few seeds to find out.