The even bigger and better and hopefully not lower bits of growing your own in 2022!

Suffolk_lass

Welcome to the gang @basketcase
You sound as though you are pretty organised. I always (well 3 gardens) grow some soft fruit that is expensive when in season so that accords with the MSE ethos. Apart from chucking some compost rund it and an annual prune there is no maintenance.  

I've only got potatoes, tomatoes and chilli seeds starting so far. We are often cold in Spring, here in the east, albeit a long way south of you. My big issue is that we are away to the NW of Scotland at the end of April and DS will house and cat sit but has no clue re watering tbh. I'm raring to go but must hold fire.

Re your leeks - just be careful of the outer green leaves - I lost a batch of soup as it had turned into cellulose. The onion-like quality was lost here too with many of my leeks having solid cores. I've never had that before. They are fine cooked but I did compost a few because they were more like a wooden stick

basketcase

@Suffolk_lass

Thanks for the welcome - and the tip about leeks.  I'll watch for that.

Organised?  Moi?!    Better than I have been, mind you.

I get a magazine with loads of free seeds, but don't use a lot of them.  Either we don't, or one of can't, eat them.  eg Tomatoes make me ill, so I don't grow them.  This year I may grow them to sell as plants. 

Currently, I give most of them to fellow plotters.  I asked about the possibilities of a seed swap or if they thought anyone could use unwanted seeds.  I think they were a bit stunned when I left a carrier bag full and set up a stand for seeds and surplus plants that anyone can just take.

If there are newbies and/or hard-up posters here who want to have a go message me,  Times are hard and getting harder, so I'm willing to send a mix of stuff for a SAE. 

If we strike now, there'll probably be time to sow and plant them.  (There certainly is in the frozen North!

MovingForwards

Welcome @basketcase I'm east side too.

I've had my first hard garden frost, temperatures are picking up and my seeds arrived. I'm hoping my OH will bring some compost up to the flat tomorrow so I can start sowing.

basketcase

MovingForwards said:

Welcome @basketcase I'm east side too.

I've had my first hard garden frost, temperatures are picking up and my seeds arrived. I'm hoping my OH will bring some compost up to the flat tomorrow so I can start sowing.

Hi, MovingForwards!

Thanks for the welcome.

Roughly where are you?  (If you don't mind me asking!)  I'm Aberdeen.

I'm sorting through my seeds this weekend.  I'll sow them in trays and keep them in the flat till they're big enough to survive marauders.  Or I get more of the allotment covered - whichever is the sooner.  Luckily I've got quite deep windowledges, although the cold saw off a lot of the things I had on them.

My biggest /most urgent job is constructing a frame so that I can net my verandah.  $£**&% pigeons!

MovingForwards

@basketcase couple of hours further south, but I supply MIL, who is in your part of the country with some veg plants. I also supply SIL with loads for her allotment, she lives a few miles from me and we often compare weather differences.

If you're on FB it's worth joining the group mentioned in this thread.

You'll get the hang of growing seasons, what works and what doesn't, tweaking and adapting with each new year.

MissRikkiC

Good morning growers. 
After what was supposed to be a totally dry weekend here we did have patches of intermittent rain but it didn’t stop the erection of the new fence separating the 2 sides of the garden. There is a path down the middle already but last year, we laid wrap and gravel and added 5 small high raised beds. This took up almost half of the one side. This year we have dug over the other half of that side and will now wrap and lay 1m3 of playsafe bark which will be for the children (1 currently, soon to be 2). 

We have a spaniel and he still has plenty of space but we wanted a safe, doggy free zone for the children and I decided to extend the fencing past the play area and house in my veg garden too. Anyway, that’s what this weekend has been for, not very growing related as such. 

In a bid to stay more on topic, I have purchased and mixed then laid, enough ingredients of Mels Mix (square foot gardening method) for 1 4x2.5ft bed and topped up the 5 afore mentioned smaller beds (they’re 2x1ft) as they already have stuff growing that was overwintered. I have erected a small bit of trellis in the larger bed to try and take advantage of vertical growing and will have some peas in there first off. The beds have settled now with the little rain we’ve had so just need to grid them up with some twine and we’re good to go. 

Potatoes, 2nds and 1sts are now all chitting nicely and will be ready to go out when the time is right. Onion (shallot) set is not there yet, but there is a couple of shoots coming. 

I have a few seeds germinating but probably need to perfect things for the peppers as I’ve heard these are the most difficult to get going and I’ve just ordered some tomato seeds this weekend. 

Lastly, of what is already growing, there is white sprouting broccoli on its way with some lovely looking curds formed, cabbages still with no hearts (eeeek) and a couple of cauliflower curds hidden in amongst the many many leaves around them. The ‘spring onions’ I pulled in February were actually Japanese bulb onions so probably should have just trimmed these however I’m still hoping I’ll get something from them later this year and if nothing else, overall, having topped up the beds this weekend it’s clearly highlighted that I have a lot of space left in between what’s growing now for some fillers which I’m pleased about. 

Off to do some work now, would much rather be in the garden this morning, especially as the sun is out ☀️ 

carinjo

@MissRikkiC, love that you able to do all that and have a little one on the way! Will you be able to use non peat moss in your Mel's mix? Read it being banned in a couple of years.
Ms C and I made use of a day off together to finish the first dig of main crop potato bed, dug over the shallot, leek and beetroot bed, second dig for lettuce and radishes. Realised we do have enough space for a row of barlotti beans 
At home built a couple diy seed trays from pallets that i got instructions from a gardening magazine. Using that and gifted long planter: repotted gifted brocolli and pointed cabbage seedlings, 2 types lettuce, spring onion, chinese cabbage (which can grow to 2.5kg each apparently!!), tarragon. Also trying beetroot in modules, some websites says can't transplant, others says one can, so fingers crossed. 
Ran out of seedling soil and energy, so no tomatoes yet, will have to wait till next week. Mr A, one of our allotment neighbours said none of his seeds he planted a few weeks ago germinated, so no rush. He also gave us advice on what to prune on the plum tree he planted about 10 years ago from a cutting from his tree, gifted to the previous ladies on our plot. I love to hear the history of our plot and of those around us. 
Have a look at repurposed window, hoping to generate enough heat in soil to do couple rows of lettuce. More of an experiment to create a cloche. 

MissRikkiC

I love that you’ve made your frame @carinjo i keep toying with the idea but equally feel I’m forever adding to my list of things to do and with 9-10 weeks to go before baby arrives I should probably be holding back a bit! Let us know if it holds in any extra warmth! 

I’ve spotted the house on the corner of our road have done all of their gardening in their front garden rather than the back. They have a greenhouse and a mini one, a few beds and many pots and containers. Frustratingly they’re using the mini GH as a shed for empty pots but I’m only jealous because I am being tight and won’t go and buy one! 

I did in fact use a peat free mix, it was a recipe of peat free compost, coir, top soil and vermiculite. The compost underneath the top 20cm wasn’t peat free but it was from last year so was reluctant to replace the lot. I added a fair amount of manure as well (and less top soil as I feared it had grass seed in) so the soil feels extremely light and airy.  I certainly don’t think growing anything which likes to be formed in would work very well as it’s really quite loose however based on what I’ve read it seems this is as it should be! 

carinjo

Nine weeks! Best to take it easy then. Will give your Mel's mix time to settle down at least 

Suffolk_lass

Aldo's have got wooden cold frames for £34.99 online only. We bought a plastic one last year and I have just ordered one to add to it.

My first chilli seedlings have appeared, and two of the yellow bell pepper seeds have germinated too