The all new 2019 growing your own thread!

unrecordings

Depends where the cold frame is - as its usefulness is dependent on a number of factors, for example down at the bottom of the garden in a frost pocket is going to be not good, but against a south facing wall of the house is going to be much better (if not the best position). I built a cold frame out of scaffolding boards and an old double glazing unit, but anything I'm sowing now is going on a windowsill indoors

As for cat protection - canes & sticks

https://unrecordings.blogspot.com/2016/06/punji-sticks.html

zafiro1984

devildolly wrote: »

I have just bought a cold frame which is exciting. Can anyone advise whether this would be enough to protect seedlings in this weather or should I wait a few weeks before starting things off?

I'd wait a few weeks as I don't think we have had the worst of the weather yet. Certainly where we are (Hampshire) the worst weather is usually Feb and March.

I've found my seeds :j, my daughter had 'hidden' them in a box in the greenhouse. She is staying with us for a few months so the greenhouse is full of her stuff, patio furniture, tools, lawnmower, gazebo, barbecue - to mention just a few things. You literally can't get in without climbing over things. We've given her a space in the barn so I'm going to tell her (not ask her) to move her stuff so I can start growing things but I'm sure there'll be a mammoth clearing up job to do first. - such is life.

Jazee

I spent an hour in the garden earlier and planted out some flowers which have been in the greenhouse and sowed some lettuce and broad beans.

unrecordings

Managed a couple of hours today preparing a propagator for my first batch of tomatoes and spreading the chipped xmas tree along the paths at the bottom of the garden - I always sieve out a tub of fine chippings for use in the house

Primrose

I,m a little late joining as it has felt too cold for much outdoor work yet but will bee growing my own again this year despite it becoming a litttle more of a physical effort. Still it,s a good way of getting some exercise in the open air.

i've dug and weeded my tomato and climbing bean border and my autum planted garlic is growing nicely. Sowed my chilli and pepper seeds last week and they're currently on lounge window sill waiting to germinate.

Any further activity will probably have to wait until we get some sunnier and dryer weather.

Kantankrus_Mare

Karmacat wrote: »

I've been lurking along for a few days, after Suffolk Lass mentioned the thread, and had to join in when I saw Kantankrus Mare mention watering right now - I've been starting to wonder about winter watering, actually ... all my garlic is in pots and containers this year, I'm needing to dig up a lot of the garden to get at bramble roots. Anybody got any feedback on watering in winter? I'm actually wondering about the plants freezing with water all over them, things like that.

I dont water anything in the ground over winter. Our good old british winter sees to that but I do pop maybe once or twice a week to water my sweet peas that are doing well in the greenhouse and my strawberry plants which are in plant pots in the green house ready to fill the gaps in my beds in spring.

Slowdown

Good morning everyone,

Please may I join in?
I have a vegetable patch at the bottom of my garden along with a fruit cage. We have two apple trees, a pear tree, strawberries, black and red currants, rhubarb and a blueberry bush I planted last year but might not be up for a second season. Last year we grew potatoes, runners, beetroot in the patch and chillies, bell peppers and tomatoes in tubs. All were successful but I think they could have been better.

I'm currently waiting for my seeds to arrive and I have drawn up a planting plan of sowing and planting out times. I'm really excited because this is my dedicated pastime this year and I'm really hoping to grow a wider variety of veg in greater amounts this year.

We moved into our house nearly fourteen years ago. Yesterday I ventured behind the shed at the bottom of the garden for the first time. The previous owner was a dedicated gardener and I found all manner of things behind there. There was an old, intact cold frame without glass, some metal poles, rigid plastic that looks like it was a self assembly raised bed, old bits of metal, shed roofing felt, a lovely garden pot, more metal rods that have moveable parts that I've yet to decipher, lumps of wood, four half pipes that look to me like asbestos (I'll dispose of as per regulations) and other odds and ends. I had to saw off branches from the beech trees to get to it!

And so my garden year has begun! I'm loving reading all your news and tips.

Happy Gardening:)

Living_proof

Welcome Slowdown! The back of your shed sounds like my allotment - I have inherited all sorts of treasures and I look forward to discovering what they are used for.

A question please on mypex weed membrane. Would it matter if I put it down in this cold weather? I garden on a very windy site but the next few days are forecast to be fairly calm. I just wondered whether it's the best thing for the soil.

Slowdown

Thanks for the Welcome Living proof.

Sounds like we could set up a reclamation yard between us. I'll be back down there at the weekend to repair the shed roof (the reason I started the clear up at all), so I'll let you know if I find any more treasures! Keep us posted on your allotment discoveries.

Slowdown

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/thompson-and-morgan/#51133

Anyone interested? Ive just used this link to take advantage of this deal for fruit bushes and seeds.