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

Suffolk_lass

I hope to pot on some tomato seedlings today - having cleared up the mess in the greenhouse yesterday with help from DH so I have room to work out there. I also have red baron onion sets to plant as he managed to weed the intended raised bed. We must leave room for the banana shallots that I have ordered as they have not come yet (the order says delivery will be March onwards). I also want to transplant some strawberry plants as that bed is ready too. The huge butler sink they are in will be used for radishes and leaves, reducing the amount we grow so they are less likely to bolt.

Sadly we lost a tree in the recent gales to we chopped that down yesterday too. Not entirely straightforward with pup in tow, but we managed

Yes, I agree, the garlic needs to cold to split it into cloves

MovingForwards

Totally overdid it the weekend.
Planted up my first lot of spuds, harvested some carrots and leeks, did some weeding on Saturday.
Forked over one section, sowed parsnips and first lot of carrots. Tickled the soil round one section. Did some weeding and then watered everywhere on Sunday.

All my strawberries will eventually join up and it will cut down on weeding, while looking pretty; I saw something similar at a food warehouse not long after moving here, how I managed not to pick any I don't know.

MissRikkiC

We have had our first harvest of white sprouting broccoli tonight and it was just lovely. 

Durham cabbages are not to be, 1 has already bolted and since not a single other has a head I think the lack of frost early enough has meant they’ve not developed. I could get greens from them but the first lot we harvested from them were SUCH a strong taste I’m not sure I want to. I may test another before making the final decision but equally I know I’d be cross if I cooked it and it wasn’t to my taste. 

What to do… 

Early Nantes carrots (purchased more since ive lost mine!) and Channtane sown today, along with radish. Not sure we like radish but we’ve only ever eaten them from a supermarket and so not sure if we will like them when they’re HG. 

My propagator started seeds are all doing great now if not a bit leggy but leaving them a while longer for their leaves to start. 

In at the weekend went a few more chitted spuds, and I’ve sown a few leeks in loo roll tubes to see if anything happens. 

Finally, I don’t remember doing this however there are a few large thicker shoots popped up in a pot on the window sill which look like beans! I have no recollection of potting them, but they’re fast and can only assume they’re beans as their little head split into 2 symmetrical shapes. Absolutely not sure what to do next 😅

carinjo

Managed a few short sessions after work (we came back from spain on wednesday). Today the maincrop Sarpo Mira and the first earlies Swift went into the ground. Also doing a couple of growbags of the swift at home. 
The shallots started in pots went in. Done a stretch of weedsuppressing fabric with holes cut in for another bag of shallots, also done hoop netting over for the birds.
At home the tomatoes and beetroot seedlings all coming out last couple of days. The lettuce seedlings looks like didn't get enough light/heat, all flopped over. Will have another go in a few days. One of neighbours offered me loads of lettuce seedlings, so will get some later this week to pot up. 
My one purple sprouting broccoli made a few nice heads, harvested and all the soft leaves too. Will definately try growing it again.

Suffolk_lass

I think there is rhubarb I can harvest - just 2-3 sticks. Red Baron onion sets went in to the freshly weeded bed (shallots have yet to arrive) and finally, one fuego chilli has germinated, just as I was ready to write them off. I must must must pot on tomato seedlings today

droopsnoot

I planted some onion seeds last weekend, though now I feel the need to water the patch every morning as it's been dry. While I was there, I dug a couple of trenches with the intention of planting some of the potatoes that have started sprouting. I was unable to do that because while digging I found enough potatoes still in the ground that I missed when I was clearing it out a while ago, so I just moved them into rows. Now I think I'll pop a post on the local FB giveaway group and see if anyone wants any potatoes to plant.

MissRikkiC

I have started off way too many spuds @droopsnoot and was thinking of doing the same. That said, I think I’m best pulling those cabbages and so could pop some of the extra spuds in their place since they won’t take too long. 

I’m having issues with storing shop bought spuds though, they’re all sprouting with a few weeks. They were in a hessian shopping bag in the back of a cupboard in the kitchen but still have lots of arms and legs. Anyone got any better ideas of how I can store them as else otherwise I’m not sure I’ll grow many more. 

sammy_kaye18

Hello everybody, 
May I join in on the shenanigans? 
Im hoping this year after some ill health and mental health problems to finally start being able to use my garden to grow my own fruit and vegetables. 
The last few years I have spent it tidying, organising and returning my garden to a garden. 
Me and my son hacked down a huge wall of brambles, have found the lawn finally under trampolines / slides etc. 
My 17 year old son has made me two low raised beds and we built a bed from old cinder blocks we had laying around. 
I have brought a selection of seeds off a website that was really cheap. Happy to share site name if allowed but Ill report back on how good the seeds are. Although it might just be my failure to grow anything if they don't! 
But Im willing to learn. 
First mistake I made though was ordering plenty of compost and then realising that I actually need compost AND SOIL to grow veg. (I have some ordered - its coming Monday)
Bare with me people - you could be in for some very stupid questions. 

But so far I have.
- found out when my last frost is (few days ago) I'm in South Wales
- I have two fairly big raised beds, a variety of containers and a small ground area I can grow in.
- My garden gets sun all the day but is shaded slowly after about 4pm
- I've worked out what veg we actually eat regularly or plenty of and I think I have most covered without being too over the top for my first year growing!
- I've researched companion planting.

Anything else I should be looking up or anything else I've missed?
I hope your all well. I look forward to learning and seeing your adventures and growing successes / failures too. 

x
 

Suffolk_lass

MissRikkiC said:

I have started off way too many spuds @droopsnoot and was thinking of doing the same. That said, I think I’m best pulling those cabbages and so could pop some of the extra spuds in their place since they won’t take too long. 

I’m having issues with storing shop bought spuds though, they’re all sprouting with a few weeks. They were in a hessian shopping bag in the back of a cupboard in the kitchen but still have lots of arms and legs. Anyone got any better ideas of how I can store them as else otherwise I’m not sure I’ll grow many more. 

One of our number of Reverse Meal Planning stores them in a cold garage on the stone floor in a bag and maintains they don't sprout. Ours don't know that and are growing better than the seed potatoes I bought 🙄

I potted on my first batch of tomato and peppers today. Very small but hopefully they will thrive. They are all in the unheated greenhouse with a cover over them in case there are mice in there!

@sammy_kaye18 Sounds good to me. My guiding principles are to grow things that we eat (as you suggest) and to then grow things that are either expensive even when in season, or things (like carrots and sweetcorn) that taste so much better when you grew them and eat them straight away. I also always start the classic 4 crop rotation with potatoes because they "clean" the ground and will break up clay - the classic sequence is potatoes, then roots, then brassicas, then legumes. Good luck and welcome

sammy_kaye18

Suffolk_lass said:

@sammy_kaye18 Sounds good to me. My guiding principles are to grow things that we eat (as you suggest) and to then grow things that are either expensive even when in season, or things (like carrots and sweetcorn) that taste so much better when you grew them and eat them straight away. I also always start the classic 4 crop rotation with potatoes because they "clean" the ground and will break up clay - the classic sequence is potatoes, then roots, then brassicas, then legumes. Good luck and welcome

Thank you lovely. 

I ordered more compost today to help fill the veg beds with. 

Ive just put a bag into the bed I intend to grow strawberries in and one bag into the veg bed. 

And as soon as I went out to start - it’s snowing. 

I’m a bit late to planting this year but I will be out tomorrow getting all my seeds started that can be and then I will go from there and slowly add bits as and when I can or think I need to such as supports etc. 

Also thank you for the rotation advice. 

Ive also kept my compost bags as well to use as either more growing space or to use as weed suppressant sheets!