2020 new Gardeners’ thread

[FoolsAssassin]

I think there will be a lot of people this year looking to grow veg and things generally. Thought I would be goof if those of us who have been growing for a bit could help those getting started,

I’m far from expert but a few allotments over the years and I know there are lots of people on here who are far more knowledgeable than me. So if anyone has any questions please feel free to ask and will see what we can do.

@FoolsAssassin the cucumber & some of the tomatoes. On reflection I think they were just thirsty. They look a bit perkier this afternoon. I just didn't expect it as they had damp soil. It's been more overcast today so perhaps they aren't so hot?

Which patio fruit trees have you planted?

Yes they might be, greenhouses can dry things out when you least expect it. Two are apple trees and the third has lost the label but I think it’s an apple too ! I have a fig tree I was given last year that needs a home but if we move I would like to potentially take it with me so maybe a pot, am new to figs.

May I please join in? I decided last autumn that 2020 would be my first foray into growing food, and I'm starting small - put the mini-greenhouse up today, and have tomato, chilli & spring onion seedlings to move there from our back bedroom windowsill. I reckon my tomatoes will be ready for potting on by this weekend given the nice weather (first pair of real leaves are just coming through), chilli plants maybe the weekend after. Still to plant are my salad leaves (on a rolling basis) and runner beans. That's enough for me for this year!

Welcome Eggysmom

Food plant your fig in a big pot. They like their roots to be restricted. Put it up against a sunny wall, if you can, as they also like to be in baking sunshine and the heat from the wall helps.

Thank you Beebumble. Do I want it much bigger than the existing pot it's in? That means the front wall of my house I think as gets lots of sun
.
Anyone got any old newspaper around it can be turned into pots:

www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/diy/how-to-make-paper-pots/

The one I had was in a 45cm diameter pot, I left it at my old house, but it was doing well.

Thanks thePitts for your tip about the noise.
I'd say you would have heard me

Will have to see what I can sort, thanks Bee.

TiddleTaddleTat Yes, should be autumn, or at leat during the wintr preparation and digging, but there's still nearly 3 months before planting out. I think it's more for water retention than nutrient. The usual reason for waiting for stuff to be fully rotted is that it has a higher nitrogen need while it's rotting, but that won't worry the runners because they can fix nitrogen from the air.

Can't get hold of any canes so not sure what to do! Have you any trees or bushes you could cut supports from? Could you string up a line rather like a washing line, and dangle strings from it for things to grow up?

I grow my butternut squash in a raised bed, I can fit 2 or three plants in a bed about 2 x 3 m. livingthegoodlife - so assuming your raised bed is 1ft high with no direct access to the soil beneath, each of your 3 plants has about 0.67 sq m soil. Whereas in a pot 18 inches square and 18 inches high, my single plant has about 0.13 sq m. So on pure nutrient availability grounds you'd expect mine to have fewer squashes.

A few of my plants in my greenhouse look a bit sad. I've watered but not sure if they are thirsty or too cold at night? Or too hot in day! They are a bit wilted. Damp soil though. I find plant can wilt during the day just because of the heat, and then be absolutely fresh next morning.

7Days Rats are very cautious, don't like disturbance. Try turn over the compost with a fork, and make sure you're very obviously disturbing things round there on a daily basis. And tell the cat they'll be a handful of dreamies for every dead rat he produces. (No dreamies for live rats, though).

@FoolsAssassin We moved a 4ft x 4ft fig tree when we rebuilt our porch, it's now giving us up to 200 figs a year. But in your situation a pot is probably best. Although if you think your move may be a bit further away, you could start a cutting to take with you, and plant the main tree in the ground, making sure you line the planting hole with slabs to restrict the roots.

They like their roots to be restricted. I thought it was more that they think "help, I can't get my roots out, my days are numbered, I'd better start reproducing"

Thanks Mere I might give this a go with the runners I plan to plant.
Suddenly got a new spot available as the bare root raspberry I planted a couple of months back seems to have died. It's a sunny spot and I've already stuck a few peas there. Might save it for runners as I already have a wigwam up.
Sunny and warm here this morning so I've started gardening off nasturtium, marigold, verbena, night scented stock, dill seedlings and am sticking my larger tomato seedlings out in direct light for a bit.
My tomato seedlings are not growing as fast as expected - I'm probably overwatering so will slow that down. I have noticed in the past that they seem to thrive when I ignore them...

Hardening off, I mean.

Btw I asked a while back about out of date dill seeds. The pack said sow by 2016 I think - all seeds came up within 10 days! So always worth a shot with old seeds.

Love all the talk of figs. I might have to put it on my "plant in the future" list.

@MereDintofPandiculation I'm sure you are right about the squashes. I guess I'd never thought about it before or encountered only one fruit as mine have always been in raised beds. I learn something new every day 😊

I must go and water the greenhouse plants. It's so hot in there. I have to prop the window open with a bucket because the window arm broke!

Apparently it’s not great to put coffee/tea in compost- but I guess it depends on how much you are using! I drink a lot of coffee!

The caffeine is used by these plants to inhibit growth in their competitors.
www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/oct/23/coffee-grounds-are-not-good-for-plants-its-a-myth

tiddletaddle can you help a newbie understand what hardening off is pls?
My understanding is that it Is gradually getting seedling used to being outside instead of in the greenhouse? Is that right? Do you bring them out in the day and move them back at night? And how do you know when to start and how long to do it for?!

Thanks!

Yes that’s hardening off. Put them out when they’ve got 3 or 4 pairs of true leave and the day is warm. Like today, avoid cold or wet days.
They can then be planted after the danger of frost has passed, mid to end of May. Depending where you live.

Yep that's the ticket. Seed packets say 10-15 days of putting them out on warm days, increasing from one hour upwards but I don't know that I'm going to be that careful about it. LOL!

Suddenly got a new spot available as the bare root raspberry I planted a couple of months back seems to have died. That's the spirit - a dead plant is not a dead plant - it's a planting opportunity.

Thanks again!
More questions from me. I think I need to do something with my calabrese according to the packet of seeds. I think I need to move lots of the seedlings to their own little pots for now, leaving well spaced ones behind.
Is that what you would do? I am going to have way too many but would be nice to give some away.

Chewbacca those are seed leaves, you normally wait until the true leaves grow before you prick out.

Oh right, thanks Arthur.
It is hard for newbies to know what to do, the packet says ‘as soon as the seedlings show their first pair of leaves’. Even that sentence is confusing - what is a pair of leaves?! Two leaves?
Trial and error I guess but no one wants to lose their precious potential veg!