The all new good, bad and ugly of growing your own in 2020

Suffolk_lass

unrecordings wrote: »

You reminded me about something Monty Don said last year about xmas trees and ericaceous compost - can't find the exact advice, but I vaguely remember chipped xmas tree eithr mixed in or used as a mulch helps with ericaceous requirements. Actually try this link as well: https://charityxmastreecollection.com/news/did-you-know-that-christmas-tree-chippings-can-help-with-growing-raspberries-in-your-garden/

Yes that is right - very timely but actually most of the dropped or pruned parts of conifers are a good (free) source of natural acid and a good mulch for acid-loving plants

unrecordings

Taking the tree down today or tomorrow, so need to get that workshop door fixed. At least it's mild today and I'm not too tired. Once I'm out there hopefully I'll get my mojo back (though I have been saying that for the last six months). I've pretty much sorted my seed catalogues and determined that I don't need yet another exotic tuber (Yakon in this case), that tomatillo is sort of like tomato, so fair game, and I'm going to give Society Garlic a try, via potted plant rather than seed. Might need to top up on wildflower seed, but I'll get that locally

[Deleted User]

I'd love to join in this year!
I'm going for a full garden revamp at the end of December so have a temporary plan
We have decided to remove everything from our large mixed (shrubs/flowers/fruit/veg/herbs) bed, put it all in pots for the year (as it will all need to be in pots during the renovation anyway) and give the bed over to veg for this year!! :j
While I'm very excited about the prospect, it's also daunting- the garden is a total mess at the moment and it's been a while since I've done anything vaguely physical so it's a scary prospect! :rotfl:
I'm going to grow butternut and spaghetti squash; courgettes; tomatoes; beetroot; carrots; potatoes; sweetcorn; broad beans; French beans; garlic; onions; plus a variety of other things I find when I start looking I'll also have a raised winter bed elsewhere in the garden for winter cabbage, parsnips, celeriac, Brussels, cauliflower, swede etc that I can keep until towards the end of the renovation period.
I'm a sporadic gardener (or have been previously) due to life getting in the way but I really enjoy growing veg and fruit and should have the time this year to devote to it - just need to make sure the kids look after it while I'm on holiday

silverwhistle

unrecordings wrote: »

I don't have any experience with this, but I did see some in Ikea last year so I assume they'll be a good/cheap starter option

They have some indoor growing systems (see online catalogue) but I bought a single ES lightbulb which goes in any old lamp which might do and has the advantage of flexibility.



Here you are. had a look for you but it appears to be going out of stock..: https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/vaexer-led-bulb-for-cultivation-par20-e14-50317474/

unrecordings

I made it out !. Two hours including getting some shoes on. Got the workshop door in a serviceable condition (you need mole grips to open it now), I've retrieved the spare spindle so there's one in the house and one in the workshop, and I had a bit of a tidy. I rescued the pots of Oca that got abandoned in the greenhouse back in July and retrieved the tubers, two or three are edible, the rest will be re-sown, maybe in the raised bed where they've gone wild

miss_empty_piggy

Been up to the allotment today which was really nice. Although it was a mess and there's lots needs doing in preparation it was good to see how much further we are on from our initial start last Jan. Also, I love the feeling of anticipation of what is to come. The allotment is like my quantum of solace and I just love being up there. Also picked a load of leeks so yummy leek and potatoe soup. Have a great evening everyone cxx

Zazen999

Dizzy_Ditzy wrote: »

What do you like to grow?

I grow mainly veg at my allotment which I've had for 12 years, and which i converted in 2018 to raised beds. I also have a greenhouse there. I mainly grow tomatoes, chillis, onions, salads, strawberries, gooseberries, and after those basically beans and anything else i can grow in the space I have.

Dizzy_Ditzy wrote: »

Are you going to try anything different this year?

I always try something different, last year I had a huge amount of old seeds that I had from teaching and so I planted loads and to my astonishment, hundreds if not thousands germinated. I've decided to not grow winter squashes any more, to cut down on potatoes, to increase onions and to make sure every inch is used all year round. I've recently really got into Kale and so I've got quite a few varieties now to be growing. I have some seeds from Baker Creek that a friend has bought for me that are due and one of them is Pink Celery so I cannot wait to grow that.



I always try to grow a few new tomato varieties and always go for Heritage seeds if I can. I love growing trombocino type long summer squashes.

Dizzy_Ditzy wrote: »

Did you try anything different last year? Did you like it? Would you grow it again?

Red Ursa Kale is absolutely gorgeous - so sweet and delicious. I want more of this.



Yard Long beans which are notoriously hard to get growing in the UK I managed to get mine to give me a 8 inch long bean, when some experts i know struggle to get the plant 8 inches high. I'll try them again tho.



And also Chinese Long Bean which is not a bean but a gourd...mine made it to around 8 inches long again, and didn't mature enough to feed anyone.

Dizzy_Ditzy wrote: »

Do you have any tips for growing?

It's all in the soil really, having good soil to sow into, knowing what temperature seeds germinate at and when and where they can be sown, and what they look like when they are young is half the battle.

Dizzy_Ditzy wrote: »

Do you make anything with what you grow?

Loads, anything that I don't eat gets preserved if it won't store. I do love a bread and butter pickle and we are still eating last year's preserves. Quince is one of my favourites just to make quince jelly - love it.

Dizzy_Ditzy wrote: »

How much does growing your own save you?

Well, I view it as 'does this purchase wash its face'. Last year I bought 150 overwintering onions, at 1p each, and sowed around 200 seeds that were bought for about £4. So £5.50 for all the onions we harvested. We started eating them in June, and we still have a good months' worth to eat. As we would go though £5.50 worth of shop bought in 2-3 weeks, then yes it has saved us a fortune.



Onto today; I've bought 50 Sturon sets for £2.99, and three bags of 50 sets for £1 each in the sale today; so 200 for £5.99. These have all gone in today either in the greenhouse or under mesh to keep the onion fly at bay.



I grow year round so currently i have growing: Spinach, Kale [around 5 varieties], pak choi, Mizuna, Mispoona and around another 5 brassicas that i can't even remember [all from Real Seeds]. I have bunching onions in, and beets, carrots, kohl rabi [probably a bit tough tho, so not for coleslaw], leaf beet, chard, lettuces all growing now.



My garlic went in last year. In 2018, I sowed from the stuff I had left over from one of my courses, and i have enough to last the full year and probably more. Probably from two garlic heads.



I also have potatoes, onions, beets, kohl rabi and parsnips [so many parnsips] all stored at home. Plus garlic and chillis from last year's crop.



I love gardening and my allotment is definitely my happy place. :happyhear

ancientmum

Can I join in again please. I did not post much in 2019 but appreciated all the information from those who did. I got my allotment in February and basically just used what was already there like rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries and blackcurrants. Potatoes, runner beans and mangetout were successful and I would like to grow a bigger quantity of each this year. The beetroot and radishes disappeared completely, and the cabbages and broccoli suffered from slugs and/or pigeons. DS 1 is helping me put up a shed in March and I've got some pallets to break up to make seperate beds for the grandchilxren to help out and make the large area more manageable. I planted broad beans already and they look sturdy, but no sign of the cabbage or broccoli seeds or elephant garlic sprouting yet.
So, this year is the year to get organised, and hopefully be rewarded with a more productive plot.

unrecordings

Nice to hear (both). I love kale, but got kind of stuck in a rut with the Tuscan variety. In the 70's (when I was little) we grew curly kale which to this day I really love if I can find it, the stuff that really wilts down when you steam it.

Suffolk_lass

unrecordings wrote: »

I made it out !. Two hours including getting some shoes on. Got the workshop door in a serviceable condition (you need mole grips to open it now), I've retrieved the spare spindle so there's one in the house and one in the workshop, and I had a bit of a tidy. I rescued the pots of Oca that got abandoned in the greenhouse back in July and retrieved the tubers, two or three are edible, the rest will be re-sown, maybe in the raised bed where they've gone wild

Well done for getting that workshop door released - that has been stuck for ages, hasn't it! - If you achieved nothing else it was worth going out to liberate the workshop contents!