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

alicef

Trees have been planted; haven't planted the raspberries yet as I need to weed the bed.  For the remainder of the week, (weather dependent) I'm hoping to:

Plant a rhubarb that I had potted up last year; cut down all the old raspberry canes and last year's fruiting canes of the tayberry & blackberries.  Spread & fork in the wood ash. Weed the asparagus beds. 

sammy_kaye18

alicef said:

Trees have been planted; haven't planted the raspberries yet as I need to weed the bed.  For the remainder of the week, (weather dependent) I'm hoping to:

Plant a rhubarb that I had potted up last year; cut down all the old raspberry canes and last year's fruiting canes of the tayberry & blackberries.  Spread & fork in the wood ash. Weed the asparagus beds. 

Is it fruit trees that you planted Alice? I cant remember you saying. Im hoping to find some small variety of fruit trees this year that I can put into large tubs. 

Im hoping that weather will behave itself soon so I can get out and do more because a costal mountain welsh garden is proving somewhat soggy and water saturated at the minute, with a few good gales to add into the mixture. Desperate to get out there and start doing things. 

If I can this week I think I will wrap up and get up and give the garden a clear up from debris that seems to have made its way in here. Put any rubbish out the front for bin collection and just generally put things in their rightful home. 

Also does anyone have experience with creeping Thyme? Is it invasive or if I plant it , is it easily maintained and kept in place. I have a rather large shed at the garden that is ok to look at but the foundations drive me nuts so Im thinking of filling the small trench between base lip and shed with a liner and compost/soil and planting it there to hide the breezeblocks - plus it will help encourage some flowers and pollinators into my rather flower sparse garden. 

alicef

Hi @sammy_kaye18 - yes they are fruit trees - though cider apple trees, (not really the munching sort of apple). 
I don't know much about fruit in pots as I only have blueberries in pots, (in ericaceous soil).  I'm dreadful when it comes to watering pots - or watering anything really - I'm more of a 'stick in the ground, water it in once and then it'll have to get on with it'  person - which is probably why my celeriac was rubbish last year!

The wind has been fierce but seems to have calmed down for now.   

sammy_kaye18

alicef said:

Hi @sammy_kaye18 - yes they are fruit trees - though cider apple trees, (not really the munching sort of apple). 
I don't know much about fruit in pots as I only have blueberries in pots, (in ericaceous soil).  I'm dreadful when it comes to watering pots - or watering anything really - I'm more of a 'stick in the ground, water it in once and then it'll have to get on with it'  person - which is probably why my celeriac was rubbish last year!

The wind has been fierce but seems to have calmed down for now.   

Yeah I did have a blueberry plant before but I dont actually remember what happened to it but I think I might try and invest in one again soon. Although I dont need Rhubarb as my mother in law has a huge wild crown of it in her garden and she regularly harvests it. I also have a strawberry patch as well so Im coming along nicely with fruit I think although I need to build a net/guard/tent over the top of it as my smallest dog seems to have developed a taste for strawberries! Little minx! 

Fosterdog

@sammy_kaye18 do you plan on putting the fruit trees in the ground eventually or will they stay in pots long term? Whenever we buy new fruit trees we keep them in large 60+litre tubs for a year or two then put them in the ground but if you want them in pots long term you can get some varieties sold for patios and more suitable for being in pots.

silverwhistle

sammy_kaye18 said:

Im hoping that weather will behave itself soon so I can get out and do more because a costal mountain welsh garden is proving somewhat soggy and water saturated at the minute, with a few good gales to add into the mixture. Desperate to get out there and start doing things. 

If it's any consolation it's everywhere not just welsh villages! I managed to grab some seaweed this week for my asparagus and potato beds on the only dry day this week. You really have to try and get out sharpish if you want to work in the dry. But the ground is so sodden and our weekend football games were called off yesterday.

In other news just a reminder that Wilko have got their seeds and gardening stuff in including their seed potatoes which are some of the best value around. They have some good value large pots which all the talk about fruit trees reminded me I need to pot on my citrus.

zcrat41

Hello everyone. Hoping to do a lot better with my garden this year. A few years ago we did the "farming retirement swap". Inlaws moved out of the farmhouse and we moved in. My Mother in Law is a cross between Mary Berry and Alan Titchmarsh. She'd always have a freshly baked cake to offer you on a table with a white cloth in her beautiful garden. Needless to say I'm not her! I have however tried to maintain her garden as I'd love to be a gardener. 

There's also a veg patch, greenhouse and orchard. 3 current bushes and a rhubarb bit. 

In 5 years here all I've managed is to grow tomatoes and last year I had some success with aubergine. 

The plan this year is to spend half an hour in the garden when the weather allows. I've already managed to weed nearly all the veg patch. Wish I'd read this thread before as I could have used that cardboard trick! 

I've started off some aubergines and have the seedlings popped up in our kitchen. Hoping to sit down today and make a realistic plan. I'd like to grow things we eat. So tomatoes, cucumber, strawberries, raspberries, salad, sprouts etc. 

hope to get to know you all a bit 

Glittering_M

silverwhistle said:

In other news just a reminder that Wilko have got their seeds and gardening stuff in including their seed potatoes which are some of the best value around. 

I got W1lk0's stuff last year and I was really disappointed, a mix of flower and veg seeds and the vast majority did nothing. They do have a germination guarantee on many of their stuff so I took it back and the cashier couldn't do it but I spoke to someone else and they got a bit sniffy as it was past 30 days but obviously some of the seeds I wasn't going to plant immediately given the time of year. They then tried to refund me the current price which was about 10p a packet so I said no, I want what I paid for and they did give it in the end, you just need to be firm. That might just be the branch I went to though that tricky.

That's put me off getting any from there this year, even though I know it is good value! Hearing others positive stories though, I might give them a second chance.

Kantankrus_Mare

How lovely to see so many new people on this thread for this year. Welcome to everyone!! Despite being a long time grower, I have a different kind of problem this year. I normally start my seeds off on the table in front window where we get the most sun. Its a through room but we have recently re homed a new dog. Its a beagle crossed with a whippet (we think). She is very agile and has on occasion jumped onto the table. Im just worrying that my seed trays will be destroyed. Shes quite a good girl so could try some and see how she goes but if its a no go,,,think I will have to buy plug plants which goes against what I think growing your own is all about.

KajiKita

Kantankrus_Mare said:

How lovely to see so many new people on this thread for this year. Welcome to everyone!! Despite being a long time grower, I have a different kind of problem this year. I normally start my seeds off on the table in front window where we get the most sun. Its a through room but we have recently re homed a new dog. Its a beagle crossed with a whippet (we think). She is very agile and has on occasion jumped onto the table. Im just worrying that my seed trays will be destroyed. Shes quite a good girl so could try some and see how she goes but if its a no go,,,think I will have to buy plug plants which goes against what I think growing your own is all about.

Could you fence it off with a fire guard or chairs or something?

KK