Help MBE grow his dinner 2013.

skilly

Hi all, found some old seeds (2007 ) tomatoes ,basil,peppers, do you think they are still ok to use ?

djohn2002uk

There's only one way to find out. Put a few of each in some moist compost on a window sill or in the airing cupboard for a few days but keep an eye on them or they'll go all leggy (spindly)in the dark and if on a window sill keep turning them to stop them leaning over to the light..

flashnazia

djohn2002uk wrote: »

There's only one way to find out. Put a few of each in some moist compost on a window sill or in the airing cupboard for a few days but keep an eye on them or they'll go all leggy (spindly)in the dark and if on a window sill keep turning them to stop them leaning over to the light..

Or stick some foil on some cardboard and tape it to the other side of the seed tray to reflect the light back onto the plants, that way you don't have to keep turning the tray.

sammy_kaye18

Hi All

Do you mind if I join you please?

I tried to GYO last year and unfortunately a lot of it went to waste as the kids and Owen seemed to be in a constant state of ill health last summer - welsh weather for you.......and the norovirus between three is no fun at all.
Plus I think I was slightly gun ho with everything last year and planted lots and then couldn't maintain.

Anyway this year I have gotten a few things Id like to try out.

* cress - this is the kids and pretty fail proof I think.
* mixed lettuce leaves
* tumbling toms
* spring onions
* cucumbers
* bell peppers - one of those pots for the windowsill
* peas

Im hoping to get planting tomorrow with seeds and putting them on the unused dining table to germinate. Its in front of a nice big window and so should work nicely. I also have a little cloche that I brought from Wilkinsons that I can use outdoors.

I did have a blueberry bush too although where it exactly went Im not sure but I really do need to clear my garden ASAP before I start growing. He successfully killed off my rhubarb plant though - he drained his motorcross bike and didn't realise the fuel was running into the tub. Needless to say I cant imagine it will be growable now.

Can I ask about people's raised beds please? Owen my partner is going to build me a couple but I'm not sure of dimensions and eventually I would like to plant some carrots but I'm not sure if putting them in a raised bed or a tub would be a better idea.

Either way I look forward to growing with you all . x

mrbadexample

sammy_kaye18 wrote: »

Can I ask about people's raised beds please? Owen my partner is going to build me a couple but I'm not sure of dimensions

How long are your arms? You want to be able to reach the middle of it to weed / sow / harvest without struggling - you don't want to have to walk on it.

Helen2k8

sammy_kaye18 wrote: »

He successfully killed off my rhubarb plant though - he drained his motorcross bike and didn't realise the fuel was running into the tub. Needless to say I cant imagine it will be growable now.

If you have space to play with this tub, I have an experiment you could try

Paul Stamets has successfully used oyster mushrooms to clean up piles of diesel contaminated soil. The mushrooms are able to break down the hydrocarbon compounds (i.e. the diesel, oil, whatever). They grew astonishingly large and tests showed no harmful levels of nasty chemicals. More importantly, the heaps of soil were then colonised by other plants, which flourished.

I have grown oyster mushrooms by soaking some from the shop and sandwiching between cardboard - the mycelium ("roots") spread in to the card.

So if I were you, I'd pick up some oyster mushrooms from the shop, put a couple in an omelette for tea, then crush the rest slightly and roll up in damp cardboard. I'd put that roll somewhere dark and keep it damp until it had white threads starting to show (if I unrolled it a bit). Then I'd bury it in the tub of oily soil.

To be fair, I probably wouldn't eat the mushrooms if/when they emerged, but I'd love to see if it worked and what could grow in the newly clean soil

But then I am a complete geek :rotfl:

mrbadexample

I want to know whether it works too!

Badrick

Helen2k8 wrote: »

I have grown oyster mushrooms by soaking some from the shop and sandwiching between cardboard - the mycelium ("roots") spread in to the card.

Oooh, I feel a little test coming on.

Helen2k8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-fvEmOFruKc
This might give a better idea on starting them off.
Oyster mushrooms grow on anything vaguely woody - so card, paper, wood shavings, straw...

sammy_kaye18

Helen2k8 wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-fvEmOFruKc
This might give a better idea on starting them off.
Oyster mushrooms grow on anything vaguely woody - so card, paper, wood shavings, straw...

have 3 bunnies so plenty of wood shavings - I will report back once I find oyster mushrooms x