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

alicef

Soontobeoap said:

If I buy coriander or any herb really that I dont use up I chop it and put in tub in freezer and use when needed. Agree with you though @alicef the cheapest wat is to grow it yourself. 

Hi!   I've tried freezing the remnants and also making herb butters in ice cube trays - but often what happens is that I don't bring them out again and just buy another packet! 
I've sown the seed into 1/2 trays but perhaps I should have sown into small pots like the living herb pots from the supermarket.  I'll see how it goes.  

Suffolk_lass

I received some living pot herbs from the SM (very sad as unwatered) in a TGTG bag last year and cut out the worst, watered and then when they revived, moved some to another pot in the garden, so I had two pots on the go - that worked well.

Suffolk_lass

The yellow pepper seeds I sowed, admittedly last year's seeds, are very slow to germinate. I can only see one green loop so far. About ten days and they are indoors, on the heated propagator, on the windowsill. Everything else is in the greenhouse. No sign of cut and come again salad leaves yet out there

Soontobeoap

I suddenly have lots of little pepoer plants appearing. I am beyond excited. I would just love to be able to keep one or 2 alive. Off to google when to pr!!k out. 

Glittering_M

Treated myself to a heated proprogater and I'm loving it. I just wish it was bigger! I'm fairly new to growing my own and I love the fact for some seeds you can physically see the difference by the start and end of the day!

alicef

Suffolk_lass said:

I received some living pot herbs from the SM (very sad as unwatered) in a TGTG bag last year and cut out the worst, watered and then when they revived, moved some to another pot in the garden, so I had two pots on the go - that worked well.

That's a v. good tip.  I think I'll switch to living herb pots rather than cut packets in the short term, if I need the annual herbs, before my seed germinates.  I can always find a use for the pot they come in, as I grow quite a few plants for the village fund raising sales and I only have a limited number of loo roll inners.

All toms/chillies/peppers/aubergines potted on now, (bit of a relief).  Must get going on to sorting beds outdoors.

MissRikkiC

At the weekend I got on with sowing some more bits, sprouting broccoli and green magic, sweetcorn, more broad beans, more aubergine and I’ve tried to help my leeks a little however likely I’ve killed them off so will need to restart. 

Garlic and red onion sets have gone out at the weekend and today rocket, spring onions and lettuces. Fingers crossed they do okay. 

Rhubarb is coming on so well! 

Farway

Glittering_M said:

Treated myself to a heated proprogater and I'm loving it. I just wish it was bigger! I'm fairly new to growing my own and I love the fact for some seeds you can physically see the difference by the start and end of the day!

Hope I'm not telling you what you already know, but don't leave them in the heated propagator too long, or they'll get leggy & drawn

Take them out once germinated, or at least remove heat & top to keep the air circulating to prevent damping off or mould

Glittering_M

Thanks @Farway , I'm still getting the hang of it. I realised I needed to do something different when my cosmos leaped up! 

Silly question but how do you define 'germinated'? When you can see a little bit of green poking through? a stalk and a leaf? a cm high? Also, do you react when you have one or wait for more.

carinjo

Glittering_M said:

Thanks @Farway , I'm still getting the hang of it. I realised I needed to do something different when my cosmos leaped up! 

Silly question but how do you define 'germinated'? When you can see a little bit of green poking through? a stalk and a leaf? a cm high? Also, do you react when you have one or wait for more.

Oh yes please! I am looking at my lettuce and i have a true leave or two on some. 
Recovering from covid (and a canx trip to portugal) so at least can look after tomato seedlings.