Show Us Your Veg Patch - You Know You Want To!! (Merged Thread)

CandyB101_2

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Well buying manure from a garden centre can be very expensive, has by any chance your uncle got a source, as he's grown there for many years?
Tbh, I didn't realise he was still alive, just do what he says, unless you want to do things differently....... which of course you do and that's not a negative comment. Trawl the forum on here and http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/index.php you can get loads of good advice,

Grass could be couch grass, ask the uncle, if it is, rotavating it will make it worse.

Thank you so much for your help. I'll definately have a read up on that link.
I would say it looks pretty much like couch grass.
Both my auntie and uncle have some mental/learning disabilities so he's a bit stubborn and hard work to speak to at times
I know that the last few years of their gardening they didn't succeed with much, hence the reason for him giving up, but speaking to my other auntie, as much as they told him, he never rotated the crops, sowing the same crops in the same place for years.
Knowing him, he probably fetched the manure fresh and straight from the farm :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

paintpot

So glad to see this thread so active again. I read it alot last year and last year was my first attempt at growing my own.

I've not had time this year to date to do anything but I've been to the garden centre today and will be making a start.

I've bought some seeds e.g lettuces, rocket, radish, carrots, toms etc.

I still have seeds from last year so will they be ok to use again this year?

I had quite alot of success last year and was chuffed to bits but twice last year I tried to grow onions and beetroot and both times the small seedlings shrivelled and died early on.
Do they require anything specific that I missed?

I am a novice and just keep trying!

Thanks for any advice.

Happy growing everyone!

Lotus-eater

CandyB101 wrote: »

Thank you so much for your help. I'll definately have a read up on that link.
I would say it looks pretty much like couch grass.
Both my auntie and uncle have some mental/learning disabilities so he's a bit stubborn and hard work to speak to at times
I know that the last few years of their gardening they didn't succeed with much, hence the reason for him giving up, but speaking to my other auntie, as much as they told him, he never rotated the crops, sowing the same crops in the same place for years.
Knowing him, he probably fetched the manure fresh and straight from the farm :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Well try to find out what he planted last and where and do exactly the opposite, sounds like you know what you are talking about anyway, so please provide us with photos of your stunning crops in the summer

Btw you don't know it's couch grass till you dig in the soil and see the roots. Then you can start sweating

Primrose

Paintpot - all your seeds from last year should be OK to sow this year if they've been stored in a cool dry place. The only seeds which you need to sow fresh every year are parsnips which don't store well. I've just sown some tomato seeds from a packet marked 1998 !! They germinated perfectly well last year and there were still some left so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Don't believe in wasting.
As for your seedlings and onions shrivvelling and dying, if you sow them straight into the ground in a row, draw out a shallow row and water it first before putting the seeds or onion sets in. Then sow the seed or push the onions in gently and draw the soil back over. Perhaps sow half a row at a time to hedge your bets. Soil and night time low temperatures could make a difference and sowing a second batch a fortnight after the first batch might make a difference. It's very important to keep all young seedlings well watered in their early life if we don't have regular rain to keep the soil moist.

CandyB101_2

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Well try to find out what he planted last and where and do exactly the opposite, sounds like you know what you are talking about anyway, so please provide us with photos of your stunning crops in the summer

Btw you don't know it's couch grass till you dig in the soil and see the roots. Then you can start sweating

I've read up on growing veg over the years, but it was always maintained in pots.
I just hope there are actually vegetables and not just weeds ..... couch grass in my photo's.
I've definately noticed many white roots so I take it i've got my work cut out.
Maybe I should have a 'easter garden digging party' and invite my daughters friends round for a dig, a prize given to the one who collects the most roots :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

CandyB101_2

Sorry, another question .........

As we are new to this, would you recommend us starting all seeds indoors, rather than straight in the beds ...... we do have room.

paintpot

Thank you Primrose. I'll use my old seeds and see how they go - waste not want not!. I was very good at watering last year, everything else thrived but those two crops failed twice but I'll try again I realise it's trial and error sometimes.

I'll be back to popping outside every day (several times a day:rotfl:) waiting for the day when something pops out of the soil. I find it very exciting even if I do have the odd disaster I just wish it would stop raining here......... I want to be outside planting and enjoying the garden.:rolleyes:

Primrose wrote: »

Paintpot - all your seeds from last year should be OK to sow this year if they've been stored in a cool dry place. The only seeds which you need to sow fresh every year are parsnips which don't store well. I've just sown some tomato seeds from a packet marked 1998 !! They germinated perfectly well last year and there were still some left so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Don't believe in wasting.
As for your seedlings and onions shrivvelling and dying, if you sow them straight into the ground in a row, draw out a shallow row and water it first before putting the seeds or onion sets in. Then sow the seed or push the onions in gently and draw the soil back over. Perhaps sow half a row at a time to hedge your bets. Soil and night time low temperatures could make a difference and sowing a second batch a fortnight after the first batch might make a difference. It's very important to keep all young seedlings well watered in their early life if we don't have regular rain to keep the soil moist.

mcspanna

Just a quick update - I've sorted out half of the mess of a 'plot' that I posted last week!

I'm vaguely following square foot gardening due to the lack of space:

L-R beetroot and carrot (under squash bottles) 6 x strawberries and the courgette under the robinsons bottle cloche...

paintpot

Thanks mcspanna, well done you! Which veggies etc need to be protected and for how long do you all reckon? I am about to start sowing seeds and don't want things to be bitten by the cold so I am going to start saving bottles and using them like you mcspanna! :T

mcspanna wrote: »

Just a quick update - I've sorted out half of the mess of a 'plot' that I posted last week!

I'm vaguely following square foot gardening due to the lack of space:

L-R beetroot and carrot (under squash bottles) 6 x strawberries and the courgette under the robinsons bottle cloche...

skintscotslass

hathor wrote: »

Nice idea, Lotus-eater. Skintscotslass may be able to take advantage of it, but sadly, mine is the wall of the building, not a boundary wall, so the only way I could "use" it would be to find a structure to give me a sort of free-standing shelf above the containers on the floor.
Thanks for the thought, though; this is such a friendly forum: people really try to help & support one another.

Mine is an outside wall as well. Are you in a rented property? Is it worthwhile asking your LL if you could attach a bracket? If this isnt possible, how about a hanging basket stand? See the linky. My local DIY shop had them for about a tenner, its just to give you an idea what I'm talking about

http://www.gardenxtras.com/catalogue.asp?catcode=1

I'm exhausted. We spend 6 hours in the garden clearing a space for my 6 x 6 raised bed. This involved clearing various trees, bushes, hedges and jaggy things and 4 trips to the dump with a trailer! Hopefully I'll get some pics on tomorrow whe DD returns with the camera lol