The Vegetable Patch

[MereDintofPandiculation]

Now bookbook has sadly left us, and stirred into action by @DobbleDobble, I think it’s time to start a general thread for those of us who try to grow edible produce, fruit, veg, herbs, to share successes, failures, questions and answers

I have planted some dahlias in pots today (in the greenhouse). Went to get compost this morning and bought more bulbs.

Just planted my first lot of peas in

Oops, posted too soon…

Planted peas in the greenhouse and some money maker tomatoes, wasn’t going to do tomatoes this year as I’m the only one that eats them but decided to just plant a couple. Had to sort my compost bin as I think rats are getting in there 😬. Trying to keep things simple this year and not planting any root veg or anything that involves netting so I’m mainly growing, peas, beans, courgette, cucumbers and maybe some lettuce.

May I join, please? Have been reading MN for yonks, never been brave enough to post in Gardening as I'm mostly just winging it, no discipline 🙄.
Have enough raised beds, need to improve the soil though as have been growing beans and courgettes in same plots forever and getting mediocre results.
Wind is proving to be a problem as things tend to lean over, want to find stuff to plant that is resilient to elements.
Have greenhouse and do tomatoes,aubergines and various herbs there, planning to try peppers as well.
Decided that Cavalo Nero is nice but purple kale is not.
Looking for potato growing tips in containers.
Apart from manure, how do you improve soil for vegetables?

Oh if anyone is on the look out for fruit trees, B&M had bare root apple & pear trees £6 ea or two for £10. Would have got some myself but our garden is too small for another tree (have a cherry). Also picked up a yellow climbing rose & something else (can't remember the name, a flowering shrub anyway) from Sainsburys for £2.50 ea - they were called dormant plants, so going to have a go with those in tubs probably. Had hoped to be moving house this year, but with all the price increases that's looking less likely but I'd like to keep as much stuff mobile for as & when.

Welcome @valerianaofficiana! I have no discipline either and even when I plan something in the garden, things can have completely changed.

Today I've moved a pot pond as I realised it was in totally the wrong place even though I've been thinking about it for a year. Now wondering where the hell I am going to grow the scorzonera I impulse bought, when I already have mad numbers of tomatoes and aubergines.

@LoveMusic33 I always say I won't bother with tomatoes and then do. They were the first edible I ever grew so I always feel a bit of FOMO if other people are growing them and I'm not.

@APurpleSquirrel great bargains. I would love to find room for more apples but definitely would need to snuggle new plants in unseen at this point.

Does anyone else consider roses as part of their edible garden? I have a bit of a thing for making jam out of the petals.

@valerianaofficiana

May I join, please? Have been reading MN for yonks, never been brave enough to post in Gardening as I'm mostly just winging it, no discipline 🙄. Have enough raised beds, need to improve the soil though as have been growing beans and courgettes in same plots forever and getting mediocre results. Wind is proving to be a problem as things tend to lean over, want to find stuff to plant that is resilient to elements. Have greenhouse and do tomatoes,aubergines and various herbs there, planning to try peppers as well. Decided that Cavalo Nero is nice but purple kale is not. Looking for potato growing tips in containers. Apart from manure, how do you improve soil for vegetables?

I grow potatoes in containers, it’s really easy and I don’t really do much to them, I don’t chit, just chuck 3 in each pot, mix some compost with a small amount of horse poo and let them do there thing. I did my first lot of potatoes yesterday and will do some more late this week. I have grown carrots in containers too.

I've had a productive day - potted 4 roses & one Deutzia Scabra. Pruned the raspberry cane, & some thyme & weeded the Wild Garlic tubs.
Also sorted out a few herbs to give to preschool for their sensory garden.
Also bought some seed potatoes to chit. We use potato bags - they work well but have to say, despite lots of foliage we don't get that many potatoes. Many we're doing something wrong?

Could I ask how big are the pots you put 3 seed potatoes in, please? No chitting? Do you get a good crop? I'm trying my favourite sort, Elfe, as can't find them in supermarkets anymore an we love their yellow fluffiness!

@valerianaofficiana

Could I ask how big are the pots you put 3 seed potatoes in, please? No chitting? Do you get a good crop? I'm trying my favourite sort, Elfe, as can't find them in supermarkets anymore an we love their yellow fluffiness!

I use the flexi tubs, from B&Q (usually Aldi or lidl do them around this time of year too). I planted 2 more pots today and when emptying the compost from last year I found around 20 potatoes which I must have missed last year, I had really good success last year, maybe because we had quite a bit of rain. I have planted 2 varieties this year, one is Charlotte and the other is a red potato (can’t remember the name), last year by best crops were from red potatoes.

I use potato bags and throw in a few comfrey pellets when I plant the seed potatoes.

@Lovemusic33 do you punch holes into your flexi tubs for drainage?

I finally sowed my tomato seeds today. Arms still aching from yesterday's battle with the allotment brambles. A male blackbird keeps coming to visit me and seems to enjoy being told how pretty he is!

I'm going to wait for couple of weeks before sowing tomatoes, or... should I take the plunge and sow them now, they will be going into greenhouse?🤫
Have ordered the apparently blight resistant Crimson Crush and Mountain Joy or somesuch varieties.
Should also use the soil testing kit that has graced my shelves for couple of years and use a bit of science instead just chucking FBB and similar about.
Time to start weeding.
Oh joy.

@PoseyFlump

I use potato bags and throw in a few comfrey pellets when I plant the seed potatoes.

@Lovemusic33 do you punch holes into your flexi tubs for drainage?

Yes, I drill holes for drainage (quite a few of them).

@Lovemusic33 I like the idea of those flexi tubs, can you move them about when full or do they rip easy?

@valerianaofficiana I started my toms this time last year and I got a good crop before blight hit my outdoors and my greenhouse ones never got blight.

[quote PoseyFlump]@Lovemusic33 I like the idea of those flexi tubs, can you move them about when full or do they rip easy? [/quote]
I have moved them around when full, haven’t damaged any yet but I do believe after a few years they might start to break, I’m on my 2nd year with them.

Great @Lovemusic33 I saw some in Wickes yesterday, I'll check out how much they are.

I've done potatoes in flexitubs before, but they're more expensive than the potato bags you can get in wilkos. The handles have come off mine when moving but otherwise they're still ok.

This year's first fresh meal from the garden - purple sprouting, Asturian tree cabbage, and a bit of kale. Makes me feel the year has begun.

(We've been eating mulberries, alpine strawberries and figs from the deepfreeze, and our stored apples ran out at the end of Feb)

Thanks @tizwozliz all food for thought!

Has anyone had a go at growing sweet potatoes? YouTube videos show cutting them in half and putting in water so I'm wondering how many plants this gives and how many sweet potatoes I need to start with for a decent crop?

@deplorabelle that sounds amazing re rose petal jam! We've finished planting a very small rose garden this winter so it would be lovely to use some in this way. What sort of roses do you use and what recipe?

Also, does anyone have any recommendations for books on storing/preserving fruit and veg?

Do you freeze your mulberries, figs etc whole @MereDintofPandiculation? Have got all those growing in the garden but haven't ever had enough to worry about storing..

@StyleDesperation I base it on this recipe www.feastingathome.com/rose-petal-jam/ (very annoying page full of waffle apologies but if you scroll down to the picture with a notebook in it the recipe is written out on the notebook and it works)

Basic rules of thumb are some petals must be red or pink (white petals work fine but the colour of the jam is an uninviting brown. It's fine to use say three white roses and a dark pink). I only use fragrant petals, and contrary to the cookbooks, I wait till the flowers are going over so I can enjoy the roses' beauty before eating them. There is still enough scent left to perfume the jam.

Rose petals are quite chewy so I sieve the petals out after stewing them, or sometimes I keep them in and chop them very small. Once you've boiled your petals and strained out the liquid, add lemon juice to bring the colour up and lower pH, and sugar, pectin etc as needed. You need plenty of pectin to set it as there's none in the petals so either combine with another pectin rich fruit (I don't cos I'm a purist) or add a good dose of commercial pectin. I am really crap at making jam, but if you've ever made jam or jelly you'll have no problems.

PS I always like to take a picture of the actual rose bush in flower to print on the jar label 🙂

Has anyone done square foot gardening and no-dig?

Square foot gardening recommends using a third compost, a third vermiculite and a third coir. Whereas no-dig says all compost (preferably homemade but I haven't got any yet)

I've used square foot method in my smaller home beds and they worked well but working out very expensive for the large allotment beds. Will using all compost really be okay?