growing veg

cyclonebri1

We have grown in a large conservatory this year, toms, cucumbers, courgettes, chillies and peppers.

Gets round the slug problem but everything is so damp we have the doors opened 18hrs a day and a fan running to try to prevent mould which is starting to show.

Outside my potatoes in bags look like being a disaster if top growth is anything to go by, broard beens cropping now and fine but carrots failed miserably.

Runner beans, inspite of fresh seed we got a duff pack, planted twice both indoors and direct and not 1 germinated, now about a month behind in an alread behind season with replacement seed.

Makes you wonder if there is really any place for a greenfingers section to the forum as there isn't much money saving about it :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:, but what price eating what you've grown;);)

ameliarate

Davesnave wrote: »

A quick note to the OP: manure is good for soil structure, but has relatively low nutrient levels.

Thank you for this information. Apart from fish blood and bone, any other suggestions to improve the nutrients quality of the soil?

Leif

All of my stuff has failed. Even rocket failed, so dull and damp that seedlings grew a few huge leaves then went to seed. Tomatoes are bursting. Everything else has fed the slugs. I've never known anything like it.

But my neighbour has glorious potato plants, and lettuces. He put down loads of slug pellets, and his garden is not so exposed.

ameliarate

The trouble with slug pellets, I am told, is that the birds eat the slugs that have eaten the slug pellets and then the birds die. I can't be responsible for that :eek:

Davesnave

ameliarate wrote: »

Thank you for this information. Apart from fish blood and bone, any other suggestions to improve the nutrients quality of the soil?

You can get a quick boost from Growmore if you are not organic, or there's chicken poo (granular) if you are, but building up the structure of the soil with organic matter is as important, both for keeping it open to allow air in and to conserve moisture (!)

A free source of nutrients is comfrey, if you have the room for a patch. You can infuse it in water & make a very smelly foliar feed, or just incorporate it in your compost heap. It's best to use the variety Bocking14, because that doesn't self-seed everywhere.

cyclonebri1

Growmore for me too, been using it for years

bossymoo

Hi all.

I'm new to greenfinger board, but me and the kiddies have grown some good spuds this year. I've got some lettuce on the windowsill, and cress, but everything outdoors, except the spuds, got munched by wee beasties. Slugs and snails, which we don't usually suffer with, birds and squirrels. Even my apple tree, normally laden down by now, is empty.

Anyhow, we have been tidying, and all my planters have been dug through and refreshed (we have shallow drainage channels under garden so mostly pot gardening) so what can I grow for winter? I have my deep spud bags, and four or five other big-ish planters.

Any ideas please?
Ta
X

J90BMH

Leeks are good for over winter!

OP - if your after big carrots, try growing in a deep container (i use a stack of old car tyres!) and grow in a mix of sharpe sand and compost and water them from the bottom some how!

Toonie

This is my first year of having my own garden (what a terrible growing season) and the only things to have done well is my salad box which has been going great guns. My tomato plants have just started ripening which considering I put them out rather early, is nice as it means I'll get a few bits off them. Overall though most things have either been chomped or died through the weather.

I'm starting now to plan for next year as I'm hoping it will be a bit better and I'd love to have a little plot down the end for some spuds and carrots and maybe some green beans.

cyclonebri1

Can I continue the on with a request for advice on what to plant this autumn to grow over winter/spring????.

I am a keen gardener, but this is the 1st year I have ever bothered with edible crops.

Planted onion sets last oct and they did great.

Back on original topic;
Ironically the best value we have grown is gladioli, I know, not vedge, but I bought a bag of ginormous bulbs for a quid, exhibition grade.
They where planted along on edge of a raised bed of beans an other stuff.
They have produced 5 bunches of fantastic quality cut flowers and the slugs left them alone.

Only grew them as I had a distant memory of seeing them displayed in the local village hall at the annual fruit and veg show