Any novice veggie patch people want to share the anticipation and hope of growing our first edible things from the garden?

[ilikeyoursleeves]

Hi, I've made a raised bed for a veggie patch, spent silly money on soil and compost, and finally planted some seeds in it a few days ago. I'm totally new to this so I've no idea how it will go but I'm quite excited about the possibility of it working. it better anyway after the money I've spent on it

I've only got a 1x2m bed at the bottom of the garden but I've planted:
-strawberries
-spring onions
-spinach
-carrots
-courgette
-leaf salad
All of the above are direct sown (cos I didn't know how to propagate and all that) apart from the strawberries which I bought as plants.

And I've got two separate trough planters for peas plus three bags to grow potatoes. Oh and two blueberry plants I bought last autumn.

I have dreams of nibbling through delicious fruit and veg all summer. Anyone want to join me in the veggie adventures? Or give me any advice?

:)

[rhihaf]

Ohyoubadbadkitten: What's a slug nematode?
Ilikeyoursleeves: chin up! Give the garden another month and you'll be harvesting your crop and hard-earned veggies. Don't give up!

not that I'm ever able to take my own advice I do find that when I care less, more seems to grow! Honestly! When I shove stuff in anywhere without giving a damn, it seems to thrive, and the module trays of stuff I really nurture never seem as gung-ho.

Does anyone on here earth up their spuds?

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

they are weeny little creatures that you water into the ground and their natural host is slugs and they kill them off.

[ilikeyoursleeves]

Can you tell us more about these wonderful sounding nematode things, pleeeeeease?!

[lolalotta]

Google nemislug ilikeyoursleeves, I just started a thread on it!!!

[lolalotta]

Nemislug is also organic is safe for veg plots apparently, only discovered it this evening on Amazon!

[redwellybluewelly]

Can I join in?

I'm not a novice as such, but this is my first year of growing veg again after two years with no garden. My first garden had a 4 x 3 m veg patch which I created, I built a custom made greenhouse and used runner beans as climbers over trellis and garden arches. I adore growing veg but as I am organic often don't get a vast crop.

Anyway. This year after we moved house to one with a fabulous but rundown garden my DH bought me a rocket garden windowbox garden and it arrived on Friday! Dug it in today into my one 1.2m2 raised bed and spent my last garden vouchers on buying a cover for it to shelter the plants and hopefully protect them from cats.

Last weekend I potted up sunflowers, courgettes (2 types), tomatoes (2 types) , and some guords for DD. Don't have the room yet for anymore squash.

Big fan of nematodes and companion planting. I also encourage small birds who do insect patrol, we have nesting robins and blackbirds, and doves.

Must get in some strawberries though...

[redwellybluewelly]

Oh and I'm also having a baby in 3 weeks so my ability to garden is severely affected!

[rhihaf]

Hi Redwelly
Your garden sounds fab! I am intrigued by these nematode thingies - fabulous! Anything that helps the garden and the birds has got to be a good thing.

My potatoes (Foremost and Arran Pilot) in patio bags have grown so much in the last week that they have almost completely defeated my lettuce on top! So much for lettuce being a speedy crop

My chives all survived last winter and have come back strong in the herb garden; and the gooseberry twigs bushes I got from Lidl have put on really healthy-looking green leaves.

Come on the summer! How is everybody else getting on?

[redwellybluewelly]

rhihaf my last garden was truly amazing, the veg patch (which was pretty much all of it) was my pride and joy.

This garden makes me weep, so so much potential and was left effectively derelict for over twenty years. We've found the traces of a very lovely 50's style vegetable garden complete with the foundations of a greenhouse. Talking to a neighbour they've told us where the cold frames and fruit cages used to be as well. Such a crying shame.

[redwellybluewelly]

rhihaf my last garden was truly amazing, the veg patch (which was pretty much all of it) was my pride and joy.

This garden makes me weep, so so much potential and was left effectively derelict for over twenty years. We've found the traces of a very lovely 50's style vegetable garden complete with the foundations of a greenhouse. Talking to a neighbour they've told us where the cold frames and fruit cages used to be as well. Such a crying shame.

[redwellybluewelly]

Oops.

Thats what happens when I attempt to edit.

I am in awe of potato growers, something I've never had much success with either in the ground or in the proper bags. I've agreed with DH we'll have another go when we take on an allotment next year or the year after.

[ilikeyoursleeves]

Hi all long time no post! How is everyone getting on? My patch is looking ok ish... Peas are growing really quickly so I think I might need to stalk them soon? Can't quite work out how to do it though, I've got some bamboo canes and string but not sure how to put it together.

My strawberries have flowered and I read that you get a better crop next year if you take the flowers off but I can't bear to not get any strawberries this year! So I've taken the flowers off one plant and left them on the other two :)

Courgette plants are growing slowly, as are my spring onions and spinach. Potatoes have gone a bit mental too and my blueberries are looking fab and you can see the teeny berries already forming!

Not doing much other than watering the patch ATM. The slug pellets have killed a few of the feckers :) do I need to keep adding more pellets?