Don't panic!

tim_n

Just for laughs I planted carrots, lettuce, rocket and mizuna.

even through the snow, at the weekend I pulled up carrots rocket and mizuna. Lettuce rotted though!

BOBS

Reading through this thread with interest ...l and will be watching it closely

We were given some large sleeper boards and have laid them out in the garden. Ready to remove grass and dig over this weekend. We have never done anything like this before so I havent a clue about timing etc. Thought it would be best to buy small plants from local garden centre but maybe seeds would be best bet ?
Is there a guide anywhere that gives timings etc.
Thought for the first year I would like carrots, peas, beetroot, leeks, lettuce, some herbs.... and hopefully somewhere in the middle to put up canes for sweetpea !!

rubberbiscuit

I think in your first year you are best off just planting whatever you would like to eat (within reason)...then by year 2 you have a better idea of what you can grow and what isnt worth the effort. This will be second year for me so I know to plant spinach, carrots and beetroot and avoid lettuce and leeks!
I def wont be sowing any veg just yet, way too early (esp as I only have one windowsill to grow things!). Im satisfying my urge to garden by watching the bulbs come up I planted earlier in the year....also bought some primulas to cheer the garden up, which are dirt cheap but awfully cheerful looking!LOL:D

Hannah2

tim_n wrote: »

certainly!

http://www.realseeds.co.uk/tomatoes_bush.html

From the site (condensed)

Latah (Super-early Salad type)
This is the one for your earliest crop. It might just be the best early tomato ever. It’s a super-early variety that tolerates short or cool summers, covered in 1 inch spherical red fruit on a sprawling bush.

"I had my first tomato appear on the Latah on the 18th May"

Not cheap, but lovely idea and fingers crossed it works!

Hi, thanks for this info, I see they are a bush tomato so how do you grow these? By that I mean do you grow in a greenhouse, in a large pot or growbag? Do they need staking/support?
Would love to try them - i have an unheated greenhouse and eat lots of tomatoes so early ones would be good!
Thanks again

floss2

The_Cats_Been_Sick wrote: »

Ne'er cast a clout till May be out

That actually means "don't take your vest off until the end of May"...

tim_n

Hannah2 wrote: »

Hi, thanks for this info, I see they are a bush tomato so how do you grow these? By that I mean do you grow in a greenhouse, in a large pot or growbag? Do they need staking/support?
Would love to try them - i have an unheated greenhouse and eat lots of tomatoes so early ones would be good!
Thanks again

When you're growing tomatoes, generally you remove the branches before they grow by clipping them or if they're small enough just pinching them with your fingers. With bush varieties you can do the same, but you don't need to as they're fairly prolific. All tomatoes pretty much bush out, but they're not as productive. I think that makes sense...

Yes, they will need staking and support, can be grown in a green house or out and about. I had blight both in and out of the greenhouse last year and ended up making them all into green tomato chutney.

I've noticed very little difference between inside and outside of greenhouses - you can extend the growing season, but last year I had earlier tomatoes outside the greenhouse than inside!

System

So what do we reckon then - will everyone be furiously planting their seeds at easter?

I'm quite lucky in having a heated conservatory to start stuff off in but still won't be doing anything until then (not doing sweetpeas this year)

Midnightraven - are those newspaper pot making thingys any good? Must say I'm tempted

wallbash

So what do we reckon then - will everyone be furiously planting their seeds at easter?

Looking at the forecast it won't be before that .

Ps , yes the 'newspaper pot making thingy' is worth the effort.

System

Ah well at least I'll be able to burn off some of that chocolate I'm planning to eat!

valk_scot

I'm spending my gardening time cleaning the greenhouse, tidying the shed, sorting out the seed box, making sure the bed edging is repaired, weeding, sharpening the tools, weeding, picking up leaves from corners, making a planting plan, making sure the propagator is working, making a sowing plan for the propagator, chitting spuds, making paper pots, mulching, covering the soil with black membrane or cardboard....any jobs, really, as come late April I'll be run off my feet in the garden and it's worth getting well ahead now while I've got the time.

So I've got no time to sow seeds! Anyhow here in Central Scotland it's still going down to -5'C at night quite regularly, I won't be putting the propagator on till after Easter. Last frost here can be at the start of June so there's absolutely no point in rushing at all. I know from years of experience growing here that while I've never been too late to sow/plant out, I've lost plenty of stuff by being too early.