The highs and lows of growing your own dinner 2015

[Deleted User]

Morning all, the snow is beginning to clear here although more is forecast. I have bought a small selection of seeds to start me off.


So far I have some strawberries, salad leaves/lettuce, basil, coriander and rosemary as well ad some tomatoes. I tried tomatoes a few years ago but they didn't do well. I think it is because we didn't remove new shoots to encourage the plant to fruit. Instead it just grew into a big bush green trifid.

This afternoon I am hoping the weather stays ok so it will be pleasant when I start clearing out the potting shed.

Dizzy_Ditzy

Hi and welcome Steph!

I want to try the toilet roll inner thing too but have the same worry about them disintegrating before I get them into the ground

Davesnave

I've used loo roll inners for parsnips.They stay together so long as they are packed tightly into whatever container you use, supporting each other. They can go tad mouldy if the weather's warm.

Don't just plant one seed, though! It might not germinate. Plant at least two or three, and then thin to the best one later.

Happygreen

queen_of_cheap wrote: »

Hi and welcome Steph!

I want to try the toilet roll inner thing too but have the same worry about them disintegrating before I get them into the ground

I did "compared planting" a few years back and I found that seedlings grew better in black pots. I wondered if it was either the glue holding the rolls together or if the black plastic maintained the heat better.
I put several rolls in a mushroom tray and leaned them tightly together so they wouldn't come apart. Let us know how you get on!

Bambywamby

This week I am chitting potatoes, sowing basil, tomatoes and Early Nantes. My utility room windowsill is going to look a bit of a mess for a few weeks but as soon as Spring arrives... they will be out in the veggie plot.


Trying courgette this year for the first time. Everyone has told me they are wonderfully easy to grow and as they make a good low-carb substitute for pasta ... I shall be sowing plenty.


Very cold yet sunny in East Yorks at the moment... a lovely day to tidy up the edges of the veggie plot.


Have a lovely day all you green-fingered folks. xx

Dizzy_Ditzy

Bambywamby wrote: »

This week I am chitting potatoes, sowing basil, tomatoes and Early Nantes. My utility room windowsill is going to look a bit of a mess for a few weeks but as soon as Spring arrives... they will be out in the veggie plot.


Trying courgette this year for the first time. Everyone has told me they are wonderfully easy to grow and as they make a good low-carb substitute for pasta ... I shall be sowing plenty.


Very cold yet sunny in East Yorks at the moment... a lovely day to tidy up the edges of the veggie plot.


Have a lovely day all you green-fingered folks. xx

i have a two tier shelf in one of my windows and right now there are loads of chitting potatoes

Scottish_Mike

Hi, can I join too?

I've currently got loads of potatoes chitting in the spare room. My heated propagator is also standing by, and I'm trying to hold my nerve and not plant everything way too early!

I shall be ordering a greenhouse at some point over the next month (my present to myself for becoming debt free!) but realistically it'll be April before that's up and running, so don't want to be starting seeds off too soon, as I'll have nowhere to move them on to. My kitchen is pretty draughty and doesn't get a lot of light, seeds failed there last year.

We also have an allotment that we took on last year, that we haven't done much with yet, so once the weather improves a bit I need to get down there and do a lot of work. Already got garlic in, and there are some jerusalem artichokes to harvest, but also have strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb and grapes to get in urgently.

So, lots to do. I also foolhardily decided to redesign the garden, so I've slowly been working on that the last few weeks. I want a kitchen meets cottage garden style, mainly flowers but with vegetables dotted around here and there.

Bee70

I have just put all the potatoes out to chit, so at least one job done. Sadly we have a bit of a repair job since the gales and snow have completely wrecked our blow away greenhouse. OH is going to go and attack it with gaffa tape!
I have heard that loo rolls are good for things like beans and root crops, and we are going to try this this year as well - we have been saving up for a year, so have a fair few now!

grassgirl

Planted a few veg seeds last night after being at work 15 hours, still had the energy to do it - proves that it makes me happy !

Lad wants an allotment, will have to see about that, just have my kitchen window sill for now !

zafiro1984

queen_of_cheap wrote: »

i have a two tier shelf in one of my windows and right now there are loads of chitting potatoes

Me too, I've loads of earlies chitting, decided against growing main ones this year.
I've got mine on one of the bathroom floors, OH never ventures in that part of the house so fingers crossed he won't find them: