Grow your own dinner 2014

seemasfriend

annie123 wrote: »

My grandparents used to do it in a greenhouse, oh dear, that sounds rude! :rotfl: It doesn't last long 6-8 weeks maybe from memory. It was used to grow lettuce in late winter/ early spring and yep he would grow melons in it. Had to renew it to keep the heat up if May/June were cold and damp.
There are probably better modern methods of building one than he had back in the 60s'70s And yes the smell was dreadful.

I've seen the most wonderful squashes growing on hot compost heaps, so decided to try it myself. The slugs and snails thanked me for the generous snack I had provided them with and ate it over night. So I didn't try it again.

Probably a stupid question but can slugs climb? Was thinking I could grow these vertically and support in nets ( ever the optimist!)

the_worm

Hi everyone.can I join in please. We've got half an allotment and a small veg patch at home. We still have sprouts, leeks, parsnips and swede to finish off from last year and can't wait for this year's growing. I have already sown a few onion seeds and planted up shallots and some of the onion set's in the greenhouse.I've got the overwintering onions under cloches and a few hardy lettuce..so a busy rewarding, I hope, time ahead.

annie123

seemasfriend wrote: »

Probably a stupid question but can slugs climb? Was thinking I could grow these vertically and support in nets ( ever the optimist!)

No such thing as a stupid question.;)
Oh yes they're great climbers, snails too. I have more snails than slugs, which according to Monty Don is common for London.

Every garden will have a different amount depending on the soil, plants and local wildlife.
The garden next door to me has an empty bed of earth each side of a path, he doesn't have a problem as there's nothing to eat. So his share come in my garden The local birds are well feed so they don't eat them.

There are lots of threads on here for ways to stop snails and slugs, have a look via the search.
I use copper tape, vaseline, traps which work and tried all the other barrier methods which didn't work except water, that does but a ring of water around each tub, plant and the compost heap isn't practical. And you get more in wet years than dry.

We'll all be on here in a few months complaining about something being munched, it happens to everyone.
Do try what you were going to, you may find you have a low level in your garden and you can keep on top of it.
Trial and error is part of the fun of growing your own.

grandmasam

I have just put the bag of compost in the greenhouse ready to sow the 'hardys', and also get the broad beans and onion sets going.
Marked out another raised bed and sorted the old scaffold boards to make the sides. Another job to be done, along with building a new permanent chicken run, as the chooks can create havoc!
Hope your'e all ok,
Caz

trollopscarletwoman

seemasfriend wrote: »

Probably a stupid question but can slugs climb? Was thinking I could grow these vertically and support in nets ( ever the optimist!)

They can certainly climb. Both slugs and snails.

However, in a raised bed situation you certainly get less damage
on salad crops et al. So it apperars not so much as if the crops were at the traditional ground level.

annie123

The bad news....Went into Aldi for hubbys fruit teas and came out with 8pkts of seeds:o
The good news......Marked up at 39p went through the till at 19p :j
Mixture of flowers and veg. The annuals are a test for what will survive on the shed roof and spinach and tall peas weren't on my list so I know I haven't doubled up.

I also went into Wilkinsons to get him a new shaving brush. I also came out with 4 bags of 1st early spuds It was just too tempting, but I'm going to contain myself when I go to the potato day at the end of the month.

sparrer

Welcome worm

Help, my seed potatoes are chitting too fast! They're in the kitchen which is quite cool but wonder if they'd be better off in the shed where it's very cold. Anyone know, or do I just have to let them get longer than the 3" they already are? At this rate, by the time the frosts are over they'll be ready to pull !

annie123

sparrer wrote: »

Welcome worm

Help, my seed potatoes are chitting too fast! They're in the kitchen which is quite cool but wonder if they'd be better off in the shed where it's very cold. Anyone know, or do I just have to let them get longer than the 3" they already are? At this rate, by the time the frosts are over they'll be ready to pull !

Rub them off and start again, it won't affect the crop.
Cool north facing window is fine around 6 weeks before you plant out.
Or if you only want to store them, then yes your shed will be fine 'till it's time to chit.
Are you sure they are 'chits' rather than the long white growth you get when they're left in the dark? only ask because 3" is very quick growth. You should have a sort of green / purple / dark coloured short stumpy growths.

My first ones will go into warmed ground at the end of Feb if we don't have snow and I've not started chitting yet.

mansars

Little_Vics wrote: »

Ooh - which app is that? I need all the help I can get!

Welcome to all the newbies too. The more the merrier!

Hi Little Vics

the app is the Grden Plan Pro, it was a bit tricky to set up initially ie getting everything to scale (especially with my dodgy digits) however, once set up its been brilliant and shown me what i can grow when & where.

Hope this helps

sparrer

Thanks annie , the sprouts are all white except one which is a strong, tough little dark green one with whiskers, so have left that one on and have moved them to the shed for a while.

My 'Adam the Gardener' neighbour always keeps some of the previous years crop back to use the following year, he gets more than enough for the two of them so I might try that this year.