The all new 2019 growing your own thread!

zafiro1984

Spadoosh, I once built a cold frame with left over breeze blocks, no cement, just stood them on each other and put an old window still in its frame on the top - it worked very well.
Another idea is to use large polystyrene boxes. Fish mongers or florists are usually happy to let you have a couple and put plastic over the top. I've got one in use at the moment and being white it reflects the light.

The battle with weeds - I'm not winning

It's been quite windy today so I've spent my time under cover, slow progress but at least I'm getting something done and the knees are not complaining quite as much. I was having a conversation with DH earlier and we both said that in our day (a long time ago) we would have just said 'the wind's got up a bit' - now they give it a name 'Storm Hannah' how things have changed!!!

Anyone having a battle with rabbits? As soon as I put things out it gets eaten, any ideas on how to stop them apart from netting everything?

tibawo

I've been driving round the last few days with some strawberry plants in the boot and today, in between the rain, I managed to get them in my new strawberry bed. The bed is now how I want it and the idea/hope now is that they will multiply and it is one less expense for the next few seasons.

My two new rhubarb plants seem to have settled well into another and my onions into a third. I've also got potatoes in bags.

This is all new to me so am enjoying reading this thread!

System

Hi I'm totally new to gardening as well and I've been loving this thread. So far, I've only tried planting courgettes. I planted six seeds indoors hoping two or three would grow but I've got six nice little plants outside (so far). I'm also growing mint and basil from stems in a glass of water. Then I was given a basil plant so I'm going to be overrun with that I have some cat grass that my son wants me to try as well. I've no idea what else to try at the moment.

Does any one have any YouTube recommendations to watch? I'm totally addicted to watching "Robbie and Gary Gardening easy" and can sit and watch video after video, loving her garden tours and everything. But she's in California so a completely different climate to here.....I wonder if there is a UK equivalent, I've not found anything yet.r

Suffolk_lass

rachelja wrote: »

Does any one have any YouTube recommendations to watch? I'm totally addicted to watching "Robbie and Gary Gardening easy" and can sit and watch video after video, loving her garden tours and everything. But she's in California so a completely different climate to here.....I wonder if there is a UK equivalent, I've not found anything yet.r

This link is quite good

System

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

This link is quite good

Thank you

Living_proof

I haven't been posting for a while as simply too busy with the allotment. I have the poly frame up and secure but it's been way too cold and windy to get the cover on, so the greenhouse is groaning with all the produce.

MEGA excitement today as my okra grown from seed (which all germinated but I have only kept about 20 in pots) has its first flower! It is like a hibiscus so a very attractive plant. Each flower becomes an okra, which I love if picked young and cooked quickly. My sweet potatoes are going great guns but looking at Youtube people get very mixed results. I have also grown some asparagus from seed bought for 50p in the B & Q seed clearance, and every last one of them seems to have come up. I chose the most likely looking and now have 30 potted on waiting for the bed to be prepared.

Usual gazillions of tomatoes, peppers, chillies and aubergines in pots awaiting the cover going on the PT. How will I ever eat it all?

I bought a three tier potato tower at a car boot sale a couple of years back. The idea is you add another tier as the potatoes grow and fill with earth until all three layers are brimming with potatoes (???). Has anyone tried this please? I can of course use the three parts separately if push comes to shove.

-taff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNh4DYm0GzY

dancing_star

rachelja wrote: »

Hi I'm totally new to gardening as well and I've been loving this thread. So far, I've only tried planting courgettes. I planted six seeds indoors hoping two or three would grow but I've got six nice little plants outside (so far).

Crikey, I hope you like courgettes and you have a large family!


I had two courgette plants last year. I live alone.


One week I had eight of the wretched things to eat.



I made courgette chutney (twice), pickled a load of them, and had courgette frittata most days for lunch.



You'll probably be able to hold a market stall!

Kantankrus_Mare

Not quite sure why but I have never had success with spring onions.

I put some in the ground around a month ago and no signs of life but just been to water in the greenhouse and checked where spring onions are sown and lo and behold.....some tiny little shoots are coming through . Yay.... maybe this is my year . Sown another row to hopefully have a succession.

Primrose

I smiled about a couple living near us who were so enthusiastic about getting an allotment after a five year wait. They only had a tiny garden so were real amateurs about growing vegetables. They sowed about 20 courgette plants. i never discovered what they did with them because after about 6 months they gave up the allotment saying it was too much hard work !

There are only two of us and I now just grow two courgette plants instead of four and pick them all very small so they're also capable of being sliced thinly with tomatoes and eaten raw in salad mixtures . I also grow a couple of these mini cucumber plants outside in a border and they are enormously prolific too.

Am just about to sow some punnets of dried soup peas. If you've never tried them they're worth experimenting with. You only need an inch of compost kept moist and the peas soon soon shoot and grow delicious pea shoots for garnishing soups and other dishes.