The even newer good, bad and ugly of growing your own in 2021!

RelievedSheff

Another newbie here. We moved into our current house almost two years ago and being a new build it hasn't got the largest of plots but it has been a blank canvas for us to put our mark on.

We already have a selection of herbs growing in pots hung from the garage. We currently have mint, two types of rosemary, lemon thyme, two types of sage and corriander. We plan to add to this, this year.

We are also having a go at growing a few vegetables in pots. So far we have sown carrot seeds and parsnip seeds. Later in the year we will have a go at growing some pumpkins. Oh and we have some chilli seeds that we really should plant and get started.

We are not avid gardeners I will admit but we are willing to give it a try.

zafiro1984

Welcome 'RelievedSheff'  New garden means exciting times ahead - good luck

 Popped my head in one of the tunnels today and low and behold the 2 apricot trees are starting to come into blossom. Carefully wrapped them up in bubble wrap as I have never managed to get a decent crop from them as the frost usually nails them before I wrap them up. here's hoping.

It's cold, wet and very windy. Fortunately none of our trees have come over but one of the neighbours trees came over and blocked the lane this morning. I think it was ash as several neighbours were only too willing to help move it with the aid of their chainsaws. 

MovingForwards

@RelievedSheff I only started properly since moving to this flat, last time I was a kid.
What I did last year was buy gardening mags, the ones with the free seeds, I've ended up with a biscuit tin full ready to sow.

Went through my seeds today. Hopefully there will be a nice day over this weekend so I can get some in the ground. Also planning on getting my chitted spuds in, but will grow them in sacks again this year.

Fosterdog

@madlyn and @RelievedSheff welcome. Most of us start off small but the gardening bug takes hold and before you know it you'll want an allotment and will find every possible space in your garden to grow more.

RelievedSheff

Thanks for the welcome guys 👍

fahoo

I've started on the windowsill with some peas and beetroot and tomatoes!

carinjo

Welcome @RelievedSheff and @madlyn. @fahoo that's a nice selection to start off with. Which tomatoes have you planted?
The room refurb hit a snag and took 2 days out of my long weekend off. So got a few hours thia morning before it supposed to start drizzling. Got enough compost and grit (after asking advice from  H0meb0se staff who also got an allotment in the area) for one raised herb bed. Bless, her massive polytunnel she put up beginning of last year blew away with rough weather last week!
My leeks have stuck their heads through the soil and i have managed to rescue one of the repotted lavender. All 3 of the propagated sage survived too.
L1dl is selling some thick weed suppressing fabric next week (not sure of the size) will try and get some for the area i want to cover for a season and grow squash over it.
Hope the weather has calmed down for most.of you by now, happy digging!

-taff

Went to the GC the day before yesterday and picked up my compost for this year, 4 bags of New Horizon. Anyone got anecdotes about it's usefullness? I usually buy Levingtons with John Innes and not had a problem but it's been a while since I had peat free. Bought myself 4 pts of established thyme for the front garden.

Also picked up some cordyline that was dug up from a large bush but not sure if that will make it because there are not many roots on it.

I'll be sowing my tomatoes tomorrow and probably some lettuce type gubbins.

MovingForwards

Sowed raddish, beetroot, spring onions and leeks today.
- I'm waiting for two more sections to be finished for my root veg, carrots and parsnips, OH has said another couple of weeks and then I can use them.

Same as last year, I've put chitted spuds in bags, will get more on the go over the next few months.

OH has confirmed which section is ready to have the cabbage, cauli's and kale in. Will do those in the week.

Feels like my growing year has started now and the herb garden is coming alive after hiding in winter. Even the rosemary and thyme don't seem to have slowed.

Fosterdog

I was hoping for a really nice day today to get lots of seeds started and do some general maintenance and tidying around the garden but we had a washout of an afternoon. I finally got to check on my wind blown blueberries, I'm hoping they will survive, they don't look too bad considering.

I did get some sowing done and have started my broccoli (purple and calabrese), peppers, tomatoes, marigolds, calendula, and livingstone daisies for some nice colour and the onion sets I planted two weeks ago are doing really well. I'll try and get some sunflowers started in the next few days and my first early potatoes will go in maybe next week but otherwise all other planting will wait until April when hopefully the worst of the windy weather will be over and not too many days of frost left.