What can I do in my potting shed now the seedlings have gone?

[walkingtheplank]

I have a fairly new potting shed, similar to this: dunsterhouse.co.uk/sagemere-right-handed-potting-shed-w1-8m-x-d2-4m

I used it in the spring for seedlings and preparing other plants for garden. The last few weeks have been spent doing that planting and now the potting shed is looking forlorn. How do I use it over the summer?

I don't know what to grow in there. I was thinking veg but we don't like tomatos or courgettes which would be the obvious choices. Should I be preparing anything else for planting outside.

Thanks in advance for any wise words. I did try to find a book to advise me but garden centre and nurseries don't seem to stock garndeing books (only ones about WW1 and children's books!?)

Cucumbers and aubergines?

Basil and coriander?
I keep my indoor ( houseplant) cyclamen in there , repotted, as a summer holiday :)
But I also have tomatoes/cucumbers and aubergines to keep it company

Don't forget that next month is the time to sow biennials!

Thanks all.

You see I am so ignorant, I don't even know what to do with a biennial. Wish there was a good guide to this sort of thing.

Well, a nice basic gardening book is a godsend. Have you thought to go along to your library and asking - they will have some.
I have lots , but my go is this. Its a bit hefty, but worth every penny. I actually picked mine up in a charity shop.
RHS Encyclopedia of Gardening

It is really confusing at the start. I can remember feeling completely bewildered. Why does the seed packet say 'sow from March to May' - does that mean April? Why does it then say 'or September to October'? WHICH IS IT, DAMMIT?!

But you will get the hang of it. The thing is, there is some variation in what you sow when, depending on where you are in the country and what kind of weather we are having, hence the margins on the packets.

I found websites quite helpful - a lot of the seed companies have a 'what to sow this month' page. Perhaps we ought to have a thread along the lines of 'jobs I did this week', a bit like the Gardeners' World segment!?

herbs
growing on cuttings ( I am a bugger for nicking bits out of gardens )
sowing biennials such as wallflowers, foxgloves etc
chillis or aubergines or a melon??

I got a similar shed last year, and am in the same situation, I'm growing basil and coriander in there now plus starting a few fast growing things like peas but I want it empty for August as we will be away, planning to start seed sowing again for biennials/early annuals in September. I stored all my Christmas shopping in it last winter.

make it into your den for some peace and quiet. Radio, nice comfy chair, some fairy lights, books and mags and a G&T

Yes, I do have a comfy chair and radio in mine and usually have a cuppa to hand.

I do hanker after a potting shed that I could sit in. I only have a greenhouse, stuffed to the rafters....but I do have a radio in there, to listen to GQT!

Solution found. I did like the idea of growing peppers/cucumbers but I was conscious that we are on our hols in August.

Our lawn is dreadful - clay soil and totally ruined when the shed/fencing etc were being done earlier this year.
I was watching Gardeners World last night and Monty suggest growing plugs of grass inside and transplanting them 2 months later.

So, I have just planted 7 plug trays of grass seed. It might not work but we've reseeded the lawn several times and the pigeons have had a feast each time.

I still like the idea of a nice chair and a radio up there though...

I thought that Monty's grass plug thing was genius. I too have sown modules of grass seed today!

Ha, ha, I did wonder how many people would be sowing grass today!