where to start?

BlueJ94 · 17 April 2018 at 10:29AM

Hello all! Kind of new to the forum, posted a few questions etc.

Wanting to ask about growing your own veg/fruit.
- when's the best to plant seeds
- Do i plant them indoors or outdoors?

any top tips? Looking to mainly grow tomatoes, carrots, spuds etc.

Thanks :T

Silvertabby · 17 April 2018 at 11:50AM

I've never grown carrots or spuds - garden isn't big enough - but I'm sure others will pop up with advice.

I do grow tomatoes and chillies. You've left it a bit late to grow them from seed this year, but the garden centres are full of little plants. Some tomatoes are best grown in a greenhouse, so if you don't have one (yet!) check the labels to make sure that the ones you choose are ok to grow outside.

Caraway90 · 17 April 2018 at 12:09PM

I'm keen to start doing this too, feel a bit clueless and overwhelmed by information but really wanting to give it a go! So far I have 2 pots that I'm attempting to grow potatoes in.
I'm thinking I may have it too late for seeds for anything else so I'm considering getting the little plants - maybe carrots, parsnips and leaks.

Farway · 17 April 2018 at 1:54PM

Depending where you live, plenty of time left to sow seeds, especially outside, the weather has only just started to warm up, look outside, weeds just starting to grow? Now it the time for you to sow your little treasures

Leeks & carrots no problem, sow outside. Parsnip are notorious for poor germination but still worth a go. If you have space, buy an old reduced FQS one and plant it, it will flower & self seed everywhere, 2019s parsnips for free

Time to sow runner or French beans as well, but I did spot trays of a dozen or so in a garden centre, £3 to £4, which is much same as a packet of the seeds, so depending on how many you need this could be a better buy

Silvertabby · 17 April 2018 at 2:06PM

Farway wrote: »

Depending where you live, plenty of time left to sow seeds, especially outside, the weather has only just started to warm up, look outside, weeds just starting to grow? Now it the time for you to sow your little treasures

Leeks & carrots no problem, sow outside. Parsnip are notorious for poor germination but still worth a go. If you have space, buy an old reduced FQS one and plant it, it will flower & self seed everywhere, 2019s parsnips for free

Time to sow runner or French beans as well, but I did spot trays of a dozen or so in a garden centre, £3 to £4, which is much same as a packet of the seeds, so depending on how many you need this could be a better buy

Still think it's a bit late for tomatoes, but will bow to your superior knowledge re the veggies. If OP is a gardening newbie, then buying little plants will almost certainly give her a better result than starting with seeds.

Farway · 17 April 2018 at 5:57PM

Silvertabby wrote: »

Still think it's a bit late for tomatoes, but will bow to your superior knowledge re the veggies. If OP is a gardening newbie, then buying little plants will almost certainly give her a better result than starting with seeds.

Agree too late for toms, unless greenhouse

But little plants could be awkward and disappointing with say carrots, parsnips or other root veg.

malebolge · 17 April 2018 at 7:50PM

Another one who agrees on the tomatoes. I sowed mine some time ago - they're decent little plants now. If you look at this page: https://www.gardenersworld.com/offers/ and scroll down, there's an offer on tomato plants - 6 free plants, pay £3.35 postage. Remember if you order anything else, their normal postage charges kick in. If by any chance it tries to charge you normal postage as well, just re-enter the code that's shown on the offer. You can order more than 1 lot & pay £3.35 per 6. With potatoes, you can plant maincrop ones now. mine are planted already but I grow them in sacks, and they can be planted earlier. You'll read about 'chitting' potatoes (forcing them to sprout). I tend to do this with my early potatoes, but I don't bother with my maincrop. Some gardeners reckon that if you put a chitted potato into cold soil, it hinders the growth. One thing - you've not said where in the country you are. This can make a big difference to planting times. I'm in the north west, and always plant about 2 weeks later than friends in the south. Have you thought of growing some salad veg btw? spring onions, radish, lettuce can all be sown now.

BlueJ94 · 18 April 2018 at 9:39AM

Thank you all! I'm new to this so will have a look at local gardening centres etc

andrewf75 · 18 April 2018 at 11:13AM

Try and find one of those calendars that tell you what to plant when.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/pdfs/vegplanner.pdf
There is always something that can be planted at almost any time of year.

Silvertabby · 18 April 2018 at 12:32PM

Courgettes can be planted now (start them off indoors). Very easy to grow - the seeds I planted just 6 days ago are already sprouting! I grow mine in tubs on the patio - if you intend to do the same, go for smaller varieties as some of them get very big.

Hint - don't plant them outside until June, as the young plants can be a bit nesh.

Just remember the old adage 'what's the difference between a courgette and a marrow?' Answer: '2 days'.

where to start?

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