🪴The Greenhouse Corner 🪴

[TheRealHousewife]

Hello Fellow Gardeners

Im in the process of getting a much longed for greenhouse to grow home produce and flowers. As a complete novice (apart from some veg crops grown in the garden) I thought it would be a good idea to start a thread to share knowledge, ideas & successes with like minded gardeners.

I've started seedlings off for cauliflower, cucumber, red peppers, chilli, zinnia,
cosmos, delphinium, lupin, dahlia, tomato, lettuce, carrots & brussel sprouts.
I get ridiculously excited when they start to sprout and I'll admit I treat them
like my babies. Currently they are lounging on various windowsills around my
home. I’ve already had a mishap when I dropped a seedling tray that had 4 (yet to sprout) seed varieties in. I scooped it all up and put it back in the tray, fingers crossed they take 😬

Im also going to plant spuds and I’m going to try my hand at courgettes but
waiting on seeds.

Anyone want to join me? What are you growing? Any advice for a total novice?

My ranunculus are blooming at the moment. Lovely
What are people's favourite plants in their garden? I'm fond of my St Ethelburga rose, which smells lovely and my rhubarb I planted last year from a plug plant. I like a lot of others too

I'm growing dwarf sweet peas on my window sill. I grew full size ones outside last year from seed

Following with interest as I've got the growing bug this year. I've grown a few seeds on my windowsill and they are now in my little Aldi greenhouse that I got last week. I've got nasturtiums, sweet peas and sunflowers which I have potted out and nigella and cosmos which I'll do soon.

Last night I planted a couple of different types of lobelia, nicotiana and echinacea. I've also got parsley and dill growing on my windowsill. They took ages to get going but I'll need to thin out the dill soon.

I feel very maternal to my little seedlings. DH suggested I get a proper greenhouse. We are doing the corner of the garden where we had the kids play stuff and so I've got a good spot for one. Just need to start saving up! The wooden ones are lovely.

Ulysses, sounds like you’ve really got the growing bug! When you have saved for your greenhouse, save a little more and get safety glass rather than horticultural glass. It’s so easy to knock or bump into the panes.

Yes, I really have and the advice about the glass is noted! I think that's a few years away unfortunately. I've got a north facing back garden so finding sunny spots to grow things is hard but my little seeds seem to be thriving so far. I really need to get more pots for the next phase. I've dug out a border at the back, which does get the sun this time of year, so want to put the cosmos there. I've got some pots around the front too for the sunflowers and the nigella. Not sure about the rest though, but the fun is in the process.

After a harsh winter the benefits of gardening are so illuminating. My mind is filled with it these days!

@Beebumble2 is humid environment something to be avoided? Is ventilation the way to go? On another thread I read that it’s a good idea to always have a bucket of water in the greenhouse but I’m thinking that would encourage humidity. I’m so thick at times … there’s so much to learn, but I’m eager 😬. I need to check the glass that’s coming in mine as I’m embarrassed I don’t know which it is. I’m so clumsy!

@FGSWhatNow < Love your username 😄Finding a secret greenhouse is awesome (might be others treasures hiding in the garden too) and such a bonus. As long as it does the job it doesn’t matter. You’ve a great selection there. I’ve also planted 2 Nimrod cucumber seeds on 01/05. I’m germinating in the house (as my greenhouse hasn’t arrived but I’m counting down the days 😅) and one seed has sprouted, is about 2 inch tall and looking to sprout it’s second pair of leave, the other seedling is barely out of the soil. Planted in side by side cells so I’m flummoxed as to why the delay on the second seed shrug 🤷‍♀️. Posted a pic. Exciting nonetheless. Not so successful with toms, chilli or red pepper. Might plant some more.

@Nigelladamascena Is it considered normal to the no greenhouse on allotment rule. In my ignorance I’d have thought they went hand-in-hand. Loving your flower selection! Are you happy to post pics when they bloom 😍

@CoralBells you seem to have very green fingers! I love sweet peas! Especially the highly scented ones.

Hi @Ulysses Im the same as you and I’m very maternal towards my growing nursery of seedlings. It’s the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing at night. They need nurturing and love to bloom & grow ❤️ This growing malarkey is very joyful and excellent for improving mental health (for those who suffer).

I got a bargain recently in B&M. Multi-Pack of mixed seeds 99p each.

The cat's favourite place and mine of course.

@TroysMammy Now that’s a very fine specimen….CatkinsFlooofsterFaunaBunda 😍

@TroysMammy Your toms & basil look healthy and robust. I’m too embarrassed to post a pic of my Tom seedling. I planted 4 and only 1 spindling one coming through. 2 leaves atop a 3 inch stalk. Not healthy or robust.

The plants on the left of the photo are peppers, aubergine and padrons chillies, these are an experiment this year as I usually grow about 4 varieties of tomatoes. In the pots left to right are more padrons and cucumbers. My tomatoes are sungold and Roma. The cat is Haribo or Haribolicious as we sometimes call him, not when he's digging in the earth though 😃

@TroysMammy I’ve just noticed you’ve planted straight into the ground. My greenhouse is going to be erected on a solid base. The manufacturer stipulated that and we’ve had to send in photos to evidence it was suitably appropriate to build on. Being straight into the earth is so much better! All your plants look very healthy. I bet you get bumper crops 👍The kitty is quite lovely 😍

Hello Everyone

I found my seedlings of my chilli and tomato really struggling to even germinate. On reading around it might have been my soil/environment not warm enough. So I’ve invested in a heat pad and will be here tomorrow.

Do any of you ladies have experience with heat pads and seed germination? TIA 😊

I am new to this greenhouse lark. My parents bought us one for our 25th wedding anniversary a couple of years ago and this year is the first year I have been able to get going in it (a problem buying shelving which was solved with my dh making me some out of free wooden beds we collected from Facebook marketplace).
I sowed a load of different tomato, chilli, sweetcorn and sweet pea seeds, and have the grand total of four chilli plants, 8 sweetcorn, and one tomato plant just holding on for dear life. I do have a couple of giant pumpkin plants which are for hallowe'en and a couple of small watermelon plants growing though, which is nice to see.
The thing is, my previous seed sowing has always been outside and the plants have taken fine. I feel they know they are in luxury now, what with having their own house, and are being fussy 😉 I shall try again with my chillis, tomatoes and sweetpeas and fingers crossed they will take. Hopefully next year, or rather later this year, I'll get my sweetpeas in early so they will be more established for planting out next year.
I look forward to reading about all of your adventures with what is successful and what is less so🪴

Chilli and tomato are the only seeds that need starting really, really early. Certainly with chillis you would not get fruit if you sowed now. I keep them in a very warm place in kitchen and covered with an upturned plastic pot - the sort you get grapes in. Just until they come through. I imagine a heat pad would do the trick.

Hi & welcome @longtompot I share your frustration! My flower seeds are doing great as is one cucumber but not my chilli, tomato or pepper. I went to buy some more compost and whilst in store a Tom, pepper & chilli plant fell into my trolley … Oups 😬Just 1 of each as I need something a bit more established to nurture whilst my seedlings get going😍. How clever of your husband to make you staging, very nice!

Several weeks ago I planted my bean/seed green beans and sweet peas straight into soil outside and they have germinated fine and are coming through. I have always planted straight out with these crops and not had a problem so far. I’ve never tried sweetcorn and will give it a go if I see any planting kernels (if that’s what they are called) to buy.

@NotWavingButGardening I think you are totally right. On reflection I was late starting my seeds this year, not sure why. Time just ran away from me I think.

I’m proper getting into now … I’ve even bought Alan Titchmarsh’s Greenhouse Gardening Book 😬 I only need a flat cap now …

It's raining here so I'm hoping my newly planted out seedlings don't get eaten by snails 🐌

I put my dill seedlings into pots last night after watching a You Tube tutorial. They are looking a bit floppy at the moment but hoping they will perk up.

@CoralBells I’ve potted on my 3 shop bought plants and had them outside this afternoon … as it’s drafty and rainy and cold I’ve brought them into the sitting room 😬I’m praying for a milder more pleasant day tomorrow as I have other stuff to plant out.

in regards to snails I’ve read that Vaseline or Vicks around the rim acts as a deterrent but haven’t tried it myself yet. Which reminds me I’ve seen a few nibble holes in my hostas so ought to try it out myself.

That looks an ideal book!

Funnily enough my fennel completely collapsed when I moved it from a pot to the garden. Apparently they don't like being moved. I'm hoping it'll perk up

They are planted in the garden now. They were in pots indoors until the other day, so no rims. Hope my hosta is OK too that's been there for ages

Thanks anyway. The book does look good

@Ulysses Fingers crossed the Dill perks up … I quite like dill, especially in a white sauce to accompany fish.

Hopefully they will be fine, more so if that’s how you don’t them previously 👍

Last part of previous message was @CoralBells sorry missed the tag 😊

@TheRealHousewife he was very pleased with it and it's super sturdy. Here's a photo before it was covered in pots and seed trays