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Allotment/garden thread 2013
Allotment/garden thread 2013
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Spring has arrived down here. Lovely weekend weather. IVe got chives, coriander and parsley on the window sill, they are growing great, but mold. On the soil, why is that over watering? Need to transfer them to bigger pots(which i have) soon but havent got a saucer tray to put them in. Went to b and q this morning and nothing doing, bit of a pain.. Any advice?
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Another question...
Just pulled up the hallway laminate flooring. Got sixteen x four foot x 8 inch boards plus loads of extras. Obviously not prepared for outdoor use, but anyone reckon they could be used for a raised bed or two, especially if i double or triple them up? Got bits and pieces of timber to stick in the corners for pegs. |
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i reckon one year of weathering and you will be doing the job again, not worth the hassle
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Up turned lids from Quality Streets / Roses etc are fine as saucer trays - depends how big you want to go and if aesthetics is important - next time at the household waste site scan the scrap metal section, usually something available.
Wood that hasn't been treated will rot ( though i'd have thought 3 years plus for it to go ), with the fungi / microbes that do it taking nutrients out of the soil as it does so. As delta says, the job will need to be done again at some point. Lobbing it on the local bonfire on 5th November and then collecting the ashes the nest day would be good nutritionally, smiles to Rob, recycling expert. |
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Mould does require damp, rob, but it's not necessarily overwatering - more usually inadequate drainage. Is it good quality compost? Have you mixed perlite into the compost? This is brilliant for soaking up excess water and releasing it when you forget to water. Are there enough holes in the bottoms of the pots? If there are, is there often a puddle of water in the tray? That would indicate overwatering.
The best trays imo are those in which mushrooms are sold in the supermarkets. I always save them for this purpose. |
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This may be teaching grandmother's to suck eggs, but I'm going to put it on here anyway:
I've just watched a programme where they included a piece on a 'best vegetables' competition in Ireland. The bloke who won it (who grew some magnificent veg) swears by seaweed for his compost. He said it was the best long-term supplier of nutrients. Anyone living near to the sea who is an avid veg grower might be interested and could take advantage of gathering some of 'nature's own' for free. |
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*grandmothers
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quite a few fertilizers already have seaweed extract in them Tommy but they do tend to be a bit more expensive
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but like you say anyone living near the coast would be daft not to take advantage
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I can imagine, BB. They showed the chap in Ireland at the coast picking up/cropping loads of the stuff and sticking it in his cart - all buck shee.
His vegetables were quite magnificent! |
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good thread
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Indeed BB - anyone living near to the sea would be daft not to help themselves.
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I'm only guessing but I would imagine they are high in nitrogen
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Those with their own allotments are going to save a fortune in the coming year judging by the report on Newsnight at the moment.
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what they saying Tommy bad winter forcing crop prices up?
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Indeed, BB.
Massive increases in the prices of veg in the coming year forecasted - as well as all other produce, as the animals have had to be supplied with feed at inordinate price increases because of the bad weather these last few months. |
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Freeze even more this year then boys.
Warming up now so can finally get some early spuds in. |
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onion sets in = this weeks job here! oh and peas...
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I've just finished cutting the grass in the back garden.
I'm knackered. |
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Well i planted spinach, lettuce, spring onions, broad beans, spinach, artichokes and something else 2.5 weeks ago. Hardly anything showing so far(when i looked very closely there were some little signs of something, hopefully not weeds. I watered them all this evening. Have repotted the window sill stuff of coriander, parsley and chives, in bigger pots, hopefully the mold will now disappear with a bit more freedom.
Is it right that a lack of good manure etc just means a lower yield as opposed to no crop at all? In a way anything in the first year is a bonus. i also ordered 12 asparagus crowns to be delivered in the next fortnight, hopefully will get them in before May. Early spuds defo have to go in this weekend, and perhaps some more lettuce, spring onions etc as mentioned above. |
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Is it right that a lack of good manure etc just means a lower yield as opposed to no crop at all?
not necessarily, am I right in thinking that you are planting in virgin soil? If so then nutrients should be at a premium and I would expect a decent crop 1st year especially where spuds are concerned. |
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Does virgin mean not used last year? Possibly. But it was not in total disarray so i reckon it was prob used in 2011.
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I was thinking more of a 5 year break from growing anything in it. See if you can get hold of a fertilizer called "GROWMORE" it comes in a sack the same as compost, you do not have to dig it in it can be spread by hand on the topsoil. It really is a very good product, also a handful around a tomato plant makes a big difference to the size and yield.
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Rob - is the asparagus just going in to a bed - no timber for raised bed etc? The reason I ask is that asparagus in particular likes to absorb arsenic from treated wood - Don't want that to be the last thing you eat!
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No, perennials wont be going in raised beds.
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i wouldnt have planted two lots of spinach imo...
the rest you mentioned probably wouldn't being showing but this week with the bit of rainwater and sun - they will all peak through! |
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Delta.. I havent planted two lots of anything. I shall repeat the planting of all that i said earlier, bar the asparagus, this weekend all being well. I have some nasty looking rooty weeds that i suspect i have to get rid of mind.
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rob
i was pulling ya leg rob_dylan 16 Apr 13 20:21 Well i planted spinach, lettuce, spring onions, broad beans, spinach, artichokes and something else 2.5 weeks ago. |
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Ok, that went well over my head delta
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Planted my first seeds on Saturday. Seemed pointless before then with overnight temps constantly hovering around zero. Weeds weren't appearing, so crops weren't going to either.
Planted spring onions, radishes and kohl rabi in a small raised bed in the garden, plus some rocket in a big Belfast sink I'd discovered when digging over the bed. Still got a few daffs and tulips poking through the soil. Had dug over the bed multiple times in the autumn to add compost, but could never get rid of all the bulbs planted by the previous owner. The borders will soon be a riot of pink tulips. I think a gay Dutchman must have owned the house at some point. Proper leaves just forming on my pepper seedlings. Another week or two and they'll be ready to re-pot and, temps permitting, transferred to the greenhouse. |
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'Poking through'
There is a strange satisfaction when the first bit of green appears from something you planted and watered. It's probably the second best moment a gardener can have, after harvesting of course. Some out of date parsnip seeds ( 10p a packet ) I planted in February have just shown their first hint of green today, and as cheap thrills go it's a good one. On the other hand when somebody else's plants or flowers poke through it's right annoying. |
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you've done well there bongo with the Parsnip - the only seed that i have known to not preform when out of date for me, always have new now as fed up doing all the work and watching soil!
google confirms my experience Secrets of Sowing Parsnips Sowing Parsnip Seeds Most vegetable seeds will happily keep for a couple of years, which is comforting to know when you only need a few short rows from each packet. Alas, parsnip seed isn’t one of them. The number one mantra with all parsnips is the fresher the seeds the better. Seeds will only germinate from material harvested the previous summer. This means fresh seeds have to be bought every spring to sow immediately; any leftover will not be viable the following spring. This is probably the main reason why so many fail, but one that’s so easy to get right. |
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* perform
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Hi Delta , the sell-by-date was Jan 2013 which is a bit strange hence on offer, so only just gone over by a month. I planted about 4* the density recommended on the packet expecting a lot of duds.
Will go for new next time as per advice as roast parsnip is tasty and don't want to be gambling every year. |
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bongo most "fresh" seeds have a best before date of about 2 years that's why they were so cheap, I have grown toms from seed that were over 12 months past there recommended date so don't worry.
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Enjoyed a poking-through experience this morning thanks to the rocket I sowed on Saturday. A definite frisson seeing the rows of little green heads penetrating the warm, moist etc. etc.
Re keeping seeds. I store seeds I've saved, along with autumn end-of-season offers, in jam jars in the freezer. Close the lid tightly and try to store seeds together which you're going to use all at once. If you undo a jar to take out only a few of the seeds, you allow in air and humidity, which can spoil the contents. When you remove a jar from the freezer, put it somewhere cool and away from the light for a day to avoid a sudden shock to the seeds. I've kept pepper and radish seeds for years this way. |
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I don't know if this is of any use to any gardeners out there but I thought I'd put it up anyway.
I've just been looking at the MoneySavingExpert.com site (as I'm raging about a Virgin mobile bleedin' phone, again) and noticed on their 'deals of the week' thing that Park Promotions are doing some cheap deals on salad leaves, herbs and vegetable seeds (£1.99 instead of about a tenner, according to MSE): http://www.park-promotions.co.uk/acatalog/mse.html |
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And here's a bunch of flower seed and bulb deals from the same company:
http://www.park-promotions.co.uk/acatalog/mse02.html |
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the growing Tomatoes from seed thread off here is very informative , so C + P'd below
Growing tomatoes from seed topics refresh reply Show per page sort by: bigmo 23 Apr 13 06:06 It looks like I might be struggling again this year and am stating to think timing is vital and more is needed than just chucking the seeds in standard compost and leaving on the windowsill. Anyone do well from seed? Joel 23 Apr 13 06:08 Punnets are better imo screaming from beneaththewaves 23 Apr 13 07:59 No, in a word. I grow peppers from seed instead, with excellent results. Tomatoes are native of southern Mexico, close to the equator, and just seem too delicate for the UK climate in early spring unless you have all the facilities. I think it's the lack of humidity which makes it difficult, even if you have the temperature high, but that's a pure guess. I'm more than happy to spend a few quid buying tomato plants from the garden centre when I'm sure we're past the point of frosts. The garden centre can take all the hits with failed or shrivelled up plants to that stage, not me. Maybe I'll start thinking about it next week. Have a glance at the gardening/allotment thread. bix 23 Apr 13 08:21 Tomatoes also like a steady temperature without the wild swings we get here. screaming from beneaththewaves 23 Apr 13 09:33 Good point, bix. It explains why just plonking the seeds on the window sill doesn't work, unless your house has thermostatically controlled central heating. bigmo 23 Apr 13 09:47 I take everyone's points on board and know it's far easier buying the plants but it's an interest for me now I'm retired to have a go.The plants are about 9 inches high now but the stems look a bit thin to me.Last year I was very late sowing the seeds and with the wet weather actually achieved not one tomato. Still have a couple or more weeks yet before thinking of putting them out.If it's another disaster I'll look at getting plants next year. screaming from beneaththewaves 23 Apr 13 10:12 I know what you mean, bigmo. But a man's gotta know his limitations. My interest in gardening is partly curiosity - I like saving seeds from good results and improving the breed, as it were - and partly just acquiring skills, so if I ever do need to grow food out of necessity, I know what to do. So in that spirit I've discovered that if you're hungry, forget about growing tomatoes from seed and go with peppers instead. I get some lovely sweet, early and rounded corno di torro peppers now from saving the seeds each year of the sweetest, earliest and most rounded fruits. They live in a jam jar in the freezer and offer a trivial bit of insurance against hard times. roadrunner46 23 Apr 13 10:17 tomatoes need a lot of plant food to grow well and pruning, so you don't waste growth on leafage.gl iamajambo 23 Apr 13 12:49 Best to start the seed in a propogator.You can get one for about £20.Best time to start is mid-Feb,if living in the South,for outdoor tomatoes.I usualyt get a germination rate of 80-100%. Burton-Brewers 23 Apr 13 12:54 not a problem I have ever had. Could I suggest buying one of the seed trays that have the clear plastic lid with it, so you are in fact creating your own mini greenhouse. Deltâ 23 Apr 13 14:09 agree with the above - which will get the seed to germinate [7-10 days]- but then [avoiding frost/cold etc] take the lid off in the day else they zoom up and you get them long spindly things. Put lid on overnight [inside or in greenhouse] until better consistent temperatures and then they should grow on nicley with a steady rate and good stalk bigmo 23 Apr 13 16:28 Cheers,the idea of using a propogator sounds a good one and at £20 not too expensive. treble 23 Apr 13 19:28 Tomatoes from seeds in UK is best left to the experts. Nothing wrong with picking up young plants. You will stand a far better chance of a good crop. bix 23 Apr 13 20:39 If your young tomatoes have run up you can always plant them much deeper and they will root from the stems because they are the same family as potatoes. Smar Tarse 23 Apr 13 22:00 I do well from seed bigmo. I grow toms every year and have never bought a plant. The key is the temperature to get the seeds to germinate. Like as been suggested, in the uk we need to get them going early in a heated propagator. Make sure the seedlings have plenty of light and turn them every day so they don't grow leaning over to one side. They don't like a sudden change in temps, a cold snap can stop them in there tracks, so keep them out of cold winds etc. If your plants are leggy you can cut a large plastic plant pot, cut the bottom off it and slide it over the plant and then fill the plant pot with soil, like bix says they will send more roots out then and the plant should thicken up and be stronger. Don't forget to pinch the side shoots out, if you don't they will just create long vertical stems, taking energy away from the main growth. I also remove all the stems with just leaves on, early on just the bottom foot or so and by the end of November my plants have no leaves at all, just lovey sweet toms Love Good luck Cool Petrus Romanus 23 Apr 13 23:08 Just sowed 144 seeds in a propagator at the weekend, 3 in each well, half of the wells are cherry toms and half aren't. I will update on progress as it happens. Smar Tarse 23 Apr 13 23:55 My tom seeds germinated in the polly tunnel this year (my heated propagator broke) and i used last years seeds (Money Maker and Tigerella). Had to open all vents today as it was around 40c in there. Show per page sort by: topics refresh reply |
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wots on the agenda this w/e then lad....
leeks here! |