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

miss_empty_piggy

unrecordings wrote: »

On the face of it a great idea, but I see there might be resistance. Maybe a pen to avoid problems with other allotmenteer's dogs ?

Our allotment is fully enclosed but I see your point. Thanks.

K.Mack

Good afternoon all,

Sorry if I'm asking in the wrong thread.

Are there any seeds I could sow now indoors. Someone suggested leeks could be started now if I keep them on the windowsill and possibly start chitting potatoes. Is this correct?

Thank you

Zazen999

K.Mack wrote: »

Are there any seeds I could sow now indoors. Someone suggested leeks could be started now if I keep them on the windowsill and possibly start chitting potatoes. Is this correct?

Chitting potatoes is really just keeping them in the light so that they don't grow the long stems that potatoes get in the dark so yes absolutely.



You can sow chillis and peppers now, they need a long run up to cropping.



You can sow leeks now, and onions.

K.Mack

Zazen999 wrote: »

Chitting potatoes is really just keeping them in the light so that they don't grow the long stems that potatoes get in the dark so yes absolutely.



You can sow chillis and peppers now, they need a long run up to cropping.



You can sow leeks now, and onions.

Thank you. Every little bit of information helps

crv1963

miss_empty_piggy wrote: »

I have a question about chickens.

We have an allotment where we are not allowed to keep chickens which is fair enough. We were thinking about taking the chickens up there while we're working as a 'day out' like others do with their dogs, but also so they can help us get rid of slugs. We'll need to get permission obviously but wondered what others thought? TIA

The problems with taking them there daily will be 1) Catching them morning and night- they can be quite nervous and can move at speed when you want to catch them! 2) They like to have a place to lay and can lay at different times of the day, so usually go into the hen house where they roost for this so if they are somewhere different they may either lay eggs all over the place or stop laying altogether and finally 3) If they have free rein over your allotment then they will eat everything- your seedlings/ sewings/ dig holes where you don't expect!

So while it sounds a good theory the practical side of me says it won't work.

crv1963

K.Mack wrote: »

Good afternoon all,

Sorry if I'm asking in the wrong thread.

Are there any seeds I could sow now indoors. Someone suggested leeks could be started now if I keep them on the windowsill and possibly start chitting potatoes. Is this correct?

Thank you

I have onions and leeks which I sowed on New Years Day- the onions are through- they're in a heated propagator, I'll be putting chillis in when I move the onions out.

Potatoes depends where you're at in the country and what frost protection you can give.

miss_empty_piggy

crv1963 wrote: »

The problems with taking them there daily will be 1) Catching them morning and night- they can be quite nervous and can move at speed when you want to catch them! 2) They like to have a place to lay and can lay at different times of the day, so usually go into the hen house where they roost for this so if they are somewhere different they may either lay eggs all over the place or stop laying altogether and finally 3) If they have free rein over your allotment then they will eat everything- your seedlings/ sewings/ dig holes where you don't expect!

So while it sounds a good theory the practical side of me says it won't work.

ah I had forgotten about the laying aspect. Thank you - that's absolutely perfect and just what I needed.

Suffolk_lass

crv1963 wrote: »

We had an old greenhouse demolished and as it was on a brick base the original plan of a straightforward new one didn't work as it was 7x5 feet and I couldn't find a suitable replacement. Long story short I had several tons of hardcore compacted- each one carried up 17 steps from curb level to garden level- and a new base laid, onto which I have a spanking new 8x10 foot greenhouse.

I have got bench and a higher shelf along one side, a high shelf at the back and a potting bench. I have electricity run down there, so have a fan heater with thermostat set to 5 centigrade to keep it all frost free.

In the greenhouse I currently have 180 winter onions growing in pots to go into the ground once I have it ready- March at the latest, also a collection of plants I didn't know where else to over winter.

For Christmas I got a Vitopod, extendable by 3 layers to be quite high to accomodate larger plants as they grow, with lamps designed to provide Sun Light for the seedlings/ plants. I set it up New Years Day and set it at 20C sowing onions and leeks. Once they are through the plan is to move them to an unheated propagator in the greenhouse. Then sow Chillis, once they are through drop the temperature down sow Tomatoes and grow on until it warms enough to put them in the greenhouse.

Interesting that you have gone for a fan heater in your greenhouse. I like the fact that they move the air around to prevent any cold spots or fungal problems and so I have these under consideration for my new greenhouse (been delivered, footings dug but not filled yet). My previous greenhouse (and my old LandRover Defender ) featured electric tube heaters which are excellent for just protecting the space from cold and are v cheap to run and unobtrusive. I had been exploring what size and looking around I found this page on an allotment web site.

In previous years I have germinated all my tomatoes on top of the bug-zapper on my kitchen window-sill. An excellent substitute for a heated propagator, if limited for space

crv1963

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

Interesting that you have gone for a fan heater in your greenhouse. I like the fact that they move the air around to prevent any cold spots or fungal problems and so I have these under consideration for my new greenhouse (been delivered, footings dug but not filled yet). My previous greenhouse (and my old LandRover Defender ) featured electric tube heaters which are excellent for just protecting the space from cold and are v cheap to run and unobtrusive. I had been exploring what size and looking around I found this page on an allotment web site.

In previous years I have germinated all my tomatoes on top of the bug-zapper on my kitchen window-sill. An excellent substitute for a heated propagator, if limited for space

Hi, I have the 2.8 Phoenix heater featured on the website, I can confirm that it is quiet, powerful and as it isn't too cold at present has not really come on much. So I'm not sure what the running cost will be!

I also have a tubular heater which I haven't rigged up yet, I was going to do so for a constant low background heat to stop the fan heater coming on too much, I think I'll probably put it in my shed.

I additionally have bought a parafin heater in case of a powercut but at £8 for 5 litres of parafin and an anticipated 5 litres use every week that may be an expensive way to go.

I like that the fan heater can be set to run fan only which may be useful when I am away every week for work.

My Vitopod with lights is according to the smart meter costing about a pound a week although it's only been on a week so that may change especially when I sow my chilli seeds and I go for a high temperature and 16 hours a day lights.

Suffolk_lass

crv1963 wrote: »

Hi, I have the 2.8 Phoenix heater featured on the website, I can confirm that it is quiet, powerful and as it isn't too cold at present has not really come on much. So I'm not sure what the running cost will be!

I also have a tubular heater which I haven't rigged up yet, I was going to do so for a constant low background heat to stop the fan heater coming on too much, I think I'll probably put it in my shed.

I additionally have bought a parafin heater in case of a powercut but at £8 for 5 litres of parafin and an anticipated 5 litres use every week that may be an expensive way to go.

I like that the fan heater can be set to run fan only which may be useful when I am away every week for work.

My Vitopod with lights is according to the smart meter costing about a pound a week although it's only been on a week so that may change especially when I sow my chilli seeds and I go for a high temperature and 16 hours a day lights.

I would be most concerned about the running costs for a 2.8kw heater. Our 4-oven electric Aga runs up our electricity (we don't have gas) bill significantly in the winter months and with three-quarters of a ton of cast iron it relies on stored heat and does keep the whole house warm (not radiators, just open doors) but costs approx £40 per week and I recall being told it was like having your (1kw) iron on permanently. Obviously 5 degrees means it won't be on all the time but offset against your costs of production of what you are growing it will increase your costs dramatically.

I don't mind some extra cost because I like home-grown food but it is worth considering.