Any gardeners? Are you planting more than normal?

[LooseleafTea]

I thought rather than panic buying I would try and enjoy the garden a bit more and make it a bit more productive as it’s good anyway for diversity etc and I just bought lots of heritage seeds from the Real Seed Company that sounds lovely.
Whether or not I’ll manage to grow much is another matter! as our soil looks really poor and i haven’t much energy to sort it but I might try some gro bags to start with and like the idea of doing something positive as we all love homegrown veg.

So far I’ve ordered peas, French beans, Brussel sprouts and chard! No particular reason other than like them

I love Real Seed Company. The pack of mangetout seeds I bought from them 2 years ago have done magnificently.

I bought a load of reusable shopping bags from the charity shop today as they're 25p each there and I've heard can be used for growbags.

Definitely look up Charles Dowding on YouTube, I've been growing my own for ages but he makes it so much more productive and easy. He has a good timeline on his website too. I love the Real Seed Co too, and also use Chiltern Seeds for the widest range and Moreveg (moreveg sell small quantities of seed for 50p a pack - nobody needs more than 3 courgettes plants!)

I am now also in love with the real seed co, thanks for the tip!

Ordered the broccoli mentioned and perpetual spinach.

Loved reading the stories about rare and near extinct veg they've raised from the brink; bough some of the giant mange tout for fun :) hope kids will like them.

I can't believe seeds from 1940 or older germinated?!

We've got an allotment and I've got tonnes of seeds, so should be spending a lot more time there this year.

I was replanting our patio pots yesterday. With everything that's going on, it makes you feel a lot better. If we are stuck in a lot, at least our surroundings will be nicer. Just feels like it's something you do have control over. I've noticed a few neighbours seem to be doing the same.

Yep just did two big buys.

Just rtft not food! Just more plants. Nice to be outside.

Neurotrashwarrior i actually avoided the rarer ones as was worried I wouldn’t be a safe custodian of them . I am going to try storing seed this year if manage to plant everything ok though as I think they guide us on how to which sounds really nice

Yes MarshaBradyo I agree good to be outside . I find the news quite worrying if correct we are a couple of weeks behind Italy and plants are very positive and cheering

I felt a bit bad as it was all ££ - including a couple of big ones. But I’ve wanted a columnar blossom and other nice ones for ages and at least it has positive effects on my well being.

My perpetual spinach has survived the winter outside and I’m picking it in small amounts again.

I had planned to give over some of my veg beds to flowers but I might revise that now.

Im putting more fruit trees in this year. I planted six last year and Im putting six more in this year. Hopefully we might get something off last years this year.

I have raspberry runners cropping up everywhere. I might let a couple of them just do their thing rather than pulling them up.

I am because I have just bought a new house and have a brand new completely neglected garden that needs my attention.

I planted a red gooseberry from Victoriana Nursery and it did really well--lots of fruit in the first year. Hopefully I won't kill it...

Oh loose I hadn't thought of that! I quite like the idea of giving that nursery my money as they clearly love their work and are doing it for the species as much as anything.

Mind you if they can last 60 years in a jar in a basement, if I don't plant them all this year, they'll be ok for a few more.

Yes, we bought several trees from Victoriana nursery and they cropped quickly, put down really strong roots and are doing really well.

I've got a small new build garden. We usually do peas and beans but weren't going to bother this year as I struggle to find the motivation sometimes to keep up but I was just saying to DH last night we should get back into it with everything going on. This threads really helpful.

I'm in Southern Hemisphere so now in our autumn - still warm now tho (30c for the next week) so have been putting seed in for spring onions, kale, perpetual spinach, mix of Asian greens. Am going to nursery later in week to get some mature seedlings too.
Basically putting in everything and anything... fortunate to have mild winters so should be able to keep most things going til spring.
Trying to channel concern into productivity...

soloula if you are lacking motivation with peas do look up Huw Richard’s you tube video on it as he plants them in a bit of gutter pipe in a much easier way and it looks so satisfying I am going to try it.

Whathefronti that’s exactly what I’m trying to do and I feel there’s nothing lost either as we can always share veg with friends and it really helps me do something good at an anxious time !

I dug over and planted this weekend. So far potatoes, radish, carrot, red onion, spring onion and rhubarb. Got some cucumber seeds going indoors too. Planning to do more this weekend (lettuce, courgette, tomatoes and runner beans).

Any suggestions for a very shallow raised bed? What would grow well in just a couple of inches of soil? My radishes were the only think that really flourished in there last year.

Salads / lambs lettuce/ cauliflower/cabbage/ Brussels sprouts/ broccoli should work well in a shallow bed I think

@looseleafTea thank you!

Was just saying today that we need to get planting more so glad to find this thread for ideas.

I always have kale & it keeps growing all year & needs no attention. Anything wet & bomb proof is what I need

Put in beetroot (mainly eat the leaf - salads), more spring onions, bom chop, Asian green mix. Prob buy some Asian broccoli seedlings, and more kale tomorrow. Quick growing and ability to be served in stir fry, soups, salad/wraps is my main requirement. Water is usually our problem (Australia) so buy thirsty veg from supermarket and just grow greens and herbs usually.

Yep, we're stockpiling on seeds and plants and soil . Really so that we have something nice and relaxing to do if we end up being confined to the house.

I think we should share photos of any successes as helps me to have positive things.
My tomato seeds have sprouted so happily and squash seeds didn’t so I was nosy and dug into the pot to check on them and they are actually sprouting , I just hadn’t been patient enough as they are slower.

Does anyone know a good place to get compost online ?