2023 - the good, the not so good but hopefully not ugly of growing your own!

Suffolk_lass

My seed-planting order is
Seed potatoes to chit, in late January
Chillies, sweetpeas (for companion planting) and tomatoes in February, might put onion sets in if the ground gets weeded
Potatoes get planted out in late March or April
Courgettes and other squashes in April, or even early May, along with Sweetcorn
Beans are mid-late May

All except the potatoes and onions are started indoors. In May and June I plant directly into the ground (roots) and add more beans for contingency

droopsnoot

I've put some chilli and pepper seeds into seed trays now, a mixture of seeds from packets and taken from bought peppers. I've had my first "crop" of mustard and cress, and thrown some more seeds onto the tray to try to keep it going. Tomatoes not showing yet, which is a bit concerning as the packet says "7-14 days". 

sammy_kaye18

I really do feel a bit behind this year. 
With the cold weather and not wanting to be too ahead of myself, I havent put anything into trays yet to start them off so I think I may need to get a small bag of compost to start some seeds with. I do have chilli seeds but I really need to look up some companion planting as well.

 I have marigolds seeds which Im sure I read go with Tomatoes but I think I need to get a few more plants as opposed to just veg. 

Glittering_M

Thanks @Suffolk_lass and @Farway! 

I have gone through it and split into piles of;
In date
Out of date perennials that I like the look of 

Out of date annuals that I like the look of

Everything else 🤣


I'm a bit worried that many packets for sowing soon want a heated greenhouse/propagator mostly 20-30c! I can't even use a warm window as our house is so cold (7.8c this morning, heating promptly went on but we don't have it on 24/7.

I'm excited though! Less excited about all the weeds that I've got to clear!

LessImpecunious

sammy_kaye18 said:

I really do feel a bit behind this year. 
With the cold weather and not wanting to be too ahead of myself, I havent put anything into trays yet to start them off so I think I may need to get a small bag of compost to start some seeds with.

There is a school of thought (popular among No Dig gardeners) that suggests nearly all seed-sowing should be held off until mid Feb, otherwise seedlings become leggy with low light levels, and have to be looked after indoors, taking up space, and getting bigger than their ideal planting-out/potting on size before outside conditions are suitable...Chilies would be an exception, but only if you have warmth and extra light (from heated propagator, grow lamps, or the like).... so no need to feel behind yet!

carinjo

A bit of a tidy today: cardboard and bark under the blackberry. Cleared some rubbish away.
I don't have a heated propagator/greenhouse etc. So everything have to wait till later. 
@Glittering_M i wouldn't worry too much about what the packet says, rather try and find out what is best for your area. I use a website called gardenfocused and set it to my area in Hertfordshire. Or just ask some neighbours or local facebook groups. @LessImpecunious i agree with the leggy (low light) issue. Last year i planted out the tomatoes on what was probably the wettest weekend on record! But any later and they would've flopped over and never got anywhere
 Adding to that: i found that last year the shallots i started in pots never took off, while the ones i direct sowed a few weeks later done much better. As with most things: a bit of trial and error. 
Today i had to explain to a new allotmeteer, that no, you can't stick potatoes straight into the ground just yet, too early! We had a lovely discussion about fruit trees grown as espaliers and the importance of a fruit cage. He has an empty plot, cleared of weeds and can do whatever he wants! Lucky man. I offered him gooseberries already, since taking cuttings will take ages, and i have about 8 bushes, so am happy to share the bounty. 
Someone mentioned plant by dates, i was shocked to realise that some of my seed packets were best before 2014!!! I binned the lot and have circled a few seeds from catalogues. Will visit my local garden centre before ordering, prefer supporting them instead. So if any of the seeds on my list is available at garden centre, will get it there. 
An additional note: i dumped the box of soil that had the tulips in last year over the blackberries, on top of the cardboard. I think the idea i have of boxes with hay, bark, manure and topsoil layers and then flowers, will work well. The idea being that at the end of the season, tip them over to help raise the levels on plot 1. Half the plot so low, a bit of rain and everything rots!. 
@Suffolk_lass, thank you for the feedback on which tomatoes work for you in...suffolk  I am planning on Roma and Costula Fiorentina on plot. 

Glittering_M

Thanks, just looked at Garden Focused, it looks great.

Glittering_M

Th0mpson & M0rgan and Sutt0ns both have clearance on seeds, might be worth a look for some?


Despite saying I don't want a propagator, I'm now looking at them. Are the non heated ones worth it? I feel like the same could be achieved with a plastic bag or a glass jar on top? 

KajiKita

Glittering_M said:

Th0mpson & M0rgan and Sutt0ns both have clearance on seeds, might be worth a look for some?


Despite saying I don't want a propagator, I'm now looking at them. Are the non heated ones worth it? I feel like the same could be achieved with a plastic bag or a glass jar on top? 

I couldn't justify the expense or the footprint that a heated propagator would need, so I just have a heat mat and I cover my trays, pots etc. with a cut open, lying flat freezer bag. I think I have been using the same cut open freezer bag for c. 3 years  now ....   

KK 

Suffolk_lass

@Glittering_M I use both. A covered unheated seed tray is great (and stops the mice nibbling, carefully removing the seed husk and eating the contents, if you have that issue, we do! ) but for certain things I plug in. I prefer not to and often the cabled trays are a PIA with a trailing cable with plug, when I shift things around. Maybe you could look for late season reductions to buy one in summer but invest in a couple of high top covers for unheated seed or watering trays. You could always put a warm microfibre cloth in under the pots. I stand a seed tray on top of the always-on bug zapper. [ETA it is always on as we have mice in the extension roof void and when they die (poisoned or trapped) we get flies, in winter as well as summer. I hate flies].