Hi! I've come over here from the "how can I learn how to garden" thread

[AntiGrinch]

I have some very silly questions that I would appreciate some help with:

• if I buy 100l of compost in a single bag, will I be able to lift it? And keep it in my garage?

• Should I feed a little (Autumn fruiting) raspberry plant? If so what with? can you use Baby Bio outside - is that the right sort of thing?

• same question for gooseberry

• Can you put little coriander seedlings in the ground outside? I can't remember every seeing coriander in someone's garden

• What about tomatoes? I have a sort of cluster of seedlings in each pot. Do you only plant a few out? Should I put them in big pots on the patio?

Thank you!

Iam not as knowledgeble about gardening as some but can give the benefit of my experience on the lifting 100 liters of compost front.I carried 2 40litre bags of compost home in a rucksack (dragging another 40 liter bag behind me in my old lady style shopping trolley). Hefting the whole 80 Litres onto my back took monumental effort though (as did the walk home). Also I buggered my knees up for two weeks afterwards. So in theory if you are strong you probably could lift 100 liters in one go but I definately wouldn't recommend it! If you have a car though you could probably wheel it to the car and then ask someone/several people to help you heft it in. And the coriander.... I HOPE so, because I have some coriander seedlings outside now which seem to be doing ok. They do have a tendency to bolt when transplanted though so that's something to watch out for (generally sowing direct is better I think)

Just to add I think each 40l bag of compost weighed about 20kg (maybe 25 as an upward estimate but that's probably just how it felt). So 100 litres would be about 50kg or so...

Welcome! [grin[

To be honest the 40L bags are plenty heavy enough for me! 100L is very heavy. I've had no problems with Aldi multipurpose compost if you have one nearby, it's only £2 for 40L.

I'm going to leave the fruit queries to sombody else as I don't have much experience

Tomatoes yes I would prick them out and pot on into larger pots (one per pot) then transfer into your large patio pots or growbags in a sheltered sunny spot in another couple of weeks. Don't forget to harden them off. Stake them, water well and get some tomato feed (Wilko is cheap)

ps not silly questions at all!

Your fruit trees will enjoy organic matter like rotted manure or blood, fish and bone.

Great that you sound so enthusiastic, I hope you enjoy the rewards of your efforts.
100L is very heavy to lift, 50L is just manageable. A bag of compost will be fine in a garage, I leave mine outside. Once open I use pegs to keep it closed.
I'd put the coriander into large pots, it can go into the ground as a larger (6 inch) plant, but the soil would have to be fine and in a sunny position. It's easier to manage in a pot.
The fruit bushes need organic dressing, bought in bags like the compost. Or you can get pelleted/ granular dressings in places like Wilkos.
The tomatoes can be pricked out into pots and then when bigger into large pots. ( one plant each) or into grow bags. They must be watered well and fed with Tomato food.
Good luck and enjoy.

Thanks!

"pricked out" - does this mean individual plants taken into separate pots? so a two stage process: bigger pots now and then ultimately big pots on the patio?

stake them - tie them to a little green stick?

"hardened off" is that little day trips onto the patio?

As you can see I really am clueless. I have a friend who is like this with cooking and the books are useless to her because she is all "what is simmer?" :) I am the same in gardening!

Also thank you for answering about the compost. I am on a budget and was looking online for cheapest compost - aldi was a good tip though because I don't have one but it made me think of lidl, which I do have, and they are apparently doing 40l for 1.49.

7.08 post - all correct! 😊

See, you're a natural!

Loving the term 'little day trips onto patio'. I am going to start using that when giving garden advice.

Btw a warning about cheap compost from the likes of Aldi and Lidl - it tends to be very coarse and of varying quality.
If you want to use it for seeds or very young plants you would be better off paying a little more for something from a more reputable source.

Home bargains also good for things like blood and bone meal, seed trays etc to help keep costs down. One thing to watch for with compost - if you have mice in your garage they may well chew a hole in the bag and make a wee nest inside, a lesson I learned on reaching in to grab a handful of compost and getting a handful of mouse instead! I keep mine in a plastic dustbin now to avoid a repeat...

Yes, I bought some Aldi compost this year and it is full of big lumps of bark etc. Having said that my seeds have all germinated and flourished in it.

Start watching Gardeners World on a Friday, you see practical demonstrations and it's good for guiding you as to timings.

• if I buy 100l of compost in a single bag, will I be able to lift it? And keep it in my garage?

As previously mentioned, possibly not.

• Should I feed a little (Autumn fruiting) raspberry plant? If so what with? can you use Baby Bio outside - is that the right sort of thing?

Is this in the ground? Raspberries are pretty tough old boots - I've never fed mine and they are coming up for 8 years old now. They are related to Blackberries and grow really well in waste ground, so don't waste your money. By all means mulch them but unless they are in a pot, they won't need alot else. If they are in a pot, you might want to feed them, during the flowering and fruiting stage, with a tomato feed.

• same question for gooseberry Ditto.

• Can you put little coriander seedlings in the ground outside? I can't remember every seeing coriander in someone's garden

There are two types of coriander. Coriander, grown for the seeds and cilantro grown for the leaves. I have grown coriander in the ground, I use it as a companion plant for carrots. However you have to chop it back daily or it will bolt. I find for cooking - best grow in pots and use regularly.

• What about tomatoes? I have a sort of cluster of seedlings in each pot. Do you only plant a few out? Should I put them in big pots on the patio?

They need to be separated into small pots, then potted on into bigger pots and then into their final position - grobag/pots etc. So it depends on how big they are as to what size pot to put in next. When you feed them, you only need to feed once they are flowering. Once a week with a tomato feed. If you are putting them in pots - keep them in saucers [the biggest pots you have] and water the saucer to allow the plant to take up the necessary water it needs. But feed from the top as the feeding roots are near the soil.

Staking is probably more like a 3 or 4ft cane once they're in final position. You can use those little green sticks in the pricking out pots before then but it's probably not necessary as they won't be at the falling over stage!

Yep you're right about pricking out and gardening off!

I read someone on another thread refer to removing the 'armpit' growth on tomato plants once they get going! i.e. the new shoots that appear in the 'armpits' of established branches This ensure energy is put into flowering and fruiting of the original branches. Hope I've explained that well. I'm always behind with my tomatoes so hopefully someone can indicate when the proper time to do this is!

*hardening off!

Thank you! I really appreciate all this advice.

You're welcome! Keep on asking questions, it's the best way

YouTube is useful for gardening vids if you need a visual on what you're supposed to do. Come and join the potting shed (chat thread!) as well