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

[Deleted User]

Hello, I'm new to mse so I hope it's alright for me to join in here? 

Is anyone else having problems this year in getting root crops to germinate in the ground? we're having non germination of carrots, beetroot and parsnips and if any do it takes weeks and we're getting the odd random seedling pop up.  It's new seed this year in all cases, we've never had a problem before.

Suffolk_lass

greenbee said:

@Suffolk_lass - you mention big trays for the pots that your tomatoes are in. I'm about to repot my toms into large pots (ones that roses originally arrived in), but only have small seed-tray sized gravel trays. What size trays are you using? And do you know where I can find some?!

The ones we have are 60cm square and I can fit two on the bottom of my benching table (I continue to use the second bench for pots on the bottom shelf and late germinating seeds on the top. I got my trays from a local garden centre (as opposed to plant-focused nursery) but I would expect Amazing to have some (link to potting drip trays). Although these suit my tables (I have two on top of each table with seed-trays in early in the year - they are the wrong size for growing. You can get two full sized seed trays in next to each other but not a third (across the bottom). You can get a half size tray across the bottom but it all gets a bit tight-fitting and I have split so many seed trays moving them about (which I do regularly!). I have three rose pots (about a 5" diameter but deeper than a standard 5L pot) and If I squeeze them on I can get between 6 and 9 pots to a tray - encouraging them to grow up and not bush out too much.

I prefer the trays that are a rectangle rather than a square as there is room to put these on the floor and still get me in and out easily for the tomatoes that won't fit in the benching "frame" - about two thirds so maybe 58x37cm. More expensive but also take 2 seed trays.

@taff my new greenhouse is 10' x 8' and lovely and tall (black aluminium with heavy safety glass - the kind that shatters). The old one is 6x6' and I used to have the benching on two sides (left and back) - new one has two down left with room for stuff like a bin and a roll of weed suppressant membrane at the end - across the bottom is a homemade bench (pallet box the glass came in, two draughtsmen's trestles and three old cedar panels from a cedar framed greenhouse we got from FB Marketplace to cannibalise) - I store my different compost under this one. I will be putting the remaining tomatoes on the floor (in trays) on the right, and moving the the chillies back up off the floor.

My tried and trusted is to give a watering can of water to each tray 2-3 times a week, with liquid feed in one of those.

greenbee

Thanks @Suffolk_lass - I think I'm going to be sensible and wait until the greehouse is here and up so I can measure before spending any more money!

In the meantime, having been let down by the handyman who should have been here this week to build me another raised bed and sort out my compost bins, I've made a start myself. This is where the previous owners apparently had their veg/herb garden (there's some garlic chives that I haven't managed to kill and are proving a nightmare to get out, some marjoram, and plant labels from sweet peas and tomatoes as well as the most fabulous rose which I think is a Gertrude Jekyll. Lots of rocks coming out of the soil, and no sign of a worm - the same issue I had with the rest of the garden when I first moved in. I'm going to clear a space just over 4ftx4ft, then compact it, cover it with builders sand (a good way to get rid of it), edge it with pallet wood so I know where I'm working, and lay some weed suppressant membrane. I've got a raised bed kit arriving tomorrow. It's annoying not to be able to use the wood I've already got, but I know my limitations. 

Once that's done, I'll clear the compost area, lay some slabs under the hotbin and use pallets to make what I hope will be a 2-bay compost bin (I currently have three tiny little bins that I really struggle with). 

I also need to persuade some courgettes to germinate. I suspect I've been over-watering them, so need to start another lot off. And some more climbing beans. 

-taff

@Suffolk_lass I have serious greenhouse envy now.....

Suffolk_lass

Aww @-taff - I've waited fifteen years and to give up work to get this one and I just love it. It has made growing seeds SO much easier. Mind you, I need to find another reason to clean my kitchen windowsill now...

Suffolk_lass

greenbee said:

Thanks @Suffolk_lass - I think I'm going to be sensible and wait until the greehouse is here and up so I can measure before spending any more money!

In the meantime, having been let down by the handyman who should have been here this week to build me another raised bed and sort out my compost bins, I've made a start myself. This is where the previous owners apparently had their veg/herb garden (there's some garlic chives that I haven't managed to kill and are proving a nightmare to get out, some marjoram, and plant labels from sweet peas and tomatoes as well as the most fabulous rose which I think is a Gertrude Jekyll. Lots of rocks coming out of the soil, and no sign of a worm - the same issue I had with the rest of the garden when I first moved in. I'm going to clear a space just over 4ftx4ft, then compact it, cover it with builders sand (a good way to get rid of it), edge it with pallet wood so I know where I'm working, and lay some weed suppressant membrane. I've got a raised bed kit arriving tomorrow. It's annoying not to be able to use the wood I've already got, but I know my limitations. 

Once that's done, I'll clear the compost area, lay some slabs under the hotbin and use pallets to make what I hope will be a 2-bay compost bin (I currently have three tiny little bins that I really struggle with). 

I also need to persuade some courgettes to germinate. I suspect I've been over-watering them, so need to start another lot off. And some more climbing beans. 

Maybe - but all my squashes have been a bit temperamental this year and the green courgettes are now sulking, along with some of the squashes - you know, just sitting there waiting for a slug before they get going now they are planted out. I have one Crown Prince Squash that is still in it's pot doing sweet Fanny Adams while the other one is a foot high.

I think you are meant to soak them overnight and then put them at least 1cm down pointy end up in moist compost and leave them for about 4 days before you water the tray they are in and discard any surplus water after they have soaked some up, the theory is they go looking for moisture (tomatoes the same). Sarah Raven's site is quite good on advice for different seeds. My dormant Crown Prince has even been in the airing cupboard to try and prompt it!

GunShotResidue

I'm always amazed at how much you guys manage to get done. I'm not growing a huge amount this year, hoping to increase it each year. I've not managed to kill anything this year though, so that's something! We've had quite a few strawberries, I'm waiting impatiently for the raspberries to go red. 

Lots of watering today, it is so hot! Plus a bit of weeding and some re-sowing. I sowed 18 parsnips and only about 6 have grown, so I'm going to try and fill the gaps. The leaves in one of the potato pots are going a bit yellow, I'm not sure why, I'd appreciate any advice!

[Deleted User]

boazu said:

Hello, I'm new to mse so I hope it's alright for me to join in here? 

Is anyone else having problems this year in getting root crops to germinate in the ground? we're having non germination of carrots, beetroot and parsnips and if any do it takes weeks and we're getting the odd random seedling pop up.  It's new seed this year in all cases, we've never had a problem before.

Most probably the late frosts we had at the beginning of the month, the harsh drying winds after that and now a prolonged hot dry spell. I always chit my parsnips and never had an issue but carrots have failed on me before despite mothering them to fruition. 

Suffolk_lass

Noaidi said:

boazu said:

Hello, I'm new to mse so I hope it's alright for me to join in here? 

Is anyone else having problems this year in getting root crops to germinate in the ground? we're having non germination of carrots, beetroot and parsnips and if any do it takes weeks and we're getting the odd random seedling pop up.  It's new seed this year in all cases, we've never had a problem before.

Most probably the late frosts we had at the beginning of the month, the harsh drying winds after that and now a prolonged hot dry spell. I always chit my parsnips and never had an issue but carrots have failed on me before despite mothering them to fruition. 

Everything here has been a bit temperamental this year but starting to fly now. I have two pots of beet seeds in the greenhouse and three of carrots that are just showing - as you suggest, a bit weird and I have also put it down to the clod snap in May - it was like the seeds knew it was coming. 

On one of the gardening advice forums on FB lots of people have had the same thing too so we are not alone. And loads of people with garden centre plants (often Dutch and forced under glass or fleece) have been frost licked and look terrible, just a week or two after purchase. I hope it does not put them off.

Jazee

Morning.  You may remember that I didn't get sowing until late March early April but mostly successful so far.  Carrots, potatoes, spring greens and salad leaves all doing well.  The spring greens and salad are delicious.  All fruit is also coming along, although the birds are getting to the strawberries before me so I need to net those today.