The Vegetable Patch Mark 2

[MereDintofPandiculation]

A continuation of the thread for those of us growing edibles, to share triumphs and failures, swap expertise and solve problems

I don't think anyone can really recommend one as they all taste different to be honest, but they will nearly always taste better than shop bought so you could say 'all of them'.

I've grown hundreds of varieties and hands down one of the best medium size vine is Green Zebra. One of the best large cherry size as a bush is Red Alert. I could give you a long list of others but they are quite rare or expensive or hard to get hold of so the above are easily available and do taste amazing.

Many people start with Moneymaker which is usually given away with magazines.

By “medium” do you mean “not cherry, and not giant beefsteak”

Yes exactly this. Something a bit more substantial than a cherry but ready quicker than a beefsteak. My cherry tomatoes last year developed thick skins and my large tomatoes took ages to get going.

Something suitable for a sandwich!

Try Red Alert, they are slightly larger than cherry and they are always my first to ripen. And they can be grown in pots as they are a small bush tomato.

Thanks @AlisonDonut I'll have a look at those!

I've told myself I'm not allowed to overdo the seed sowing next year. No doubt that will go out the window!

Gruschovka tomatoes from real seeds are lovely. They're a decent sized plum tomato in a blushing pink. They're grown as bush tomatoes and they did really well outdoors this year, ripening at the same time as my undercover cherry tomatoes, so very early! Just make sure you support the various branches otherwise the slugs will get them.

Hello you lovely lot ... may I join you all?

I got my first greenhouse this year so still consider myself very much a learner.

I've got garlic, beetroot, carrots and saffron crocus in my veg beds. Just harvested my spuds. Quite a poor harvest but what I have look healthy and should be ok for Christmas Dinner.

In my greenhouse I have started a few sweet peas off. Only 3 have sprouted so far.

Looking to learn from you all ... no pressure 😬

Gruschovka tomatoes

🤔 Another one to look up! 👍 "we're going to need a bigger boat". (Greenhouse)

Welcome @TheRealHousewife 🤗

@PoseyFlump grow them outdoors!! They're early enough to.

Thanks @CuriousEats! I think the dark nights are getting me down so I'm starting to plan what to grow next year. Christmas doesn't excite me anymore (apart from the break from work!) so I need something to focus on. Roll on February. Although I did read yesterday some people sow aubergine seeds in January.

When do you all sow your first aubergine, chilli, tomato seed?

Chillis in Jan, tomatoes 8 weeks before the last frost date- I don't have greenhouse propagating space, just a conservatory that I also use as a dining room so they cant take up too much space! Never grown aubergines but I have heard that the grafted plants are worth buying for the extra vigour they offer.

And yes, I have been planning too. It's a lovely thing to do sat by the fire of a frosty evening.

Thank you @DobbleDobble 😊

Hi @TheRealHousewife what did you grow last year? When I first started I found it helpful to keep lots of notes so I could look at them the next year and adjust my methods for my growing area. It's fascinating that we all experience different successes and failures. This year some people on this thread struggled with courgettes while others were overrun! I think I get more of a thrill watching things grow from seed than actually eating the end product 😊

@CuriousEats I usually start my chillies feb but going to start them along with aubergine in January I think! My aubergine were fine last year but would like to give them a head start.

Can I join you ladies please?
I don't have a greenhouse - but am now the proud owner of three raised beds.
And not a clue what to do.

Where do I start? Can I start sowing things in January? Inside I am guessing... I have a south facing window ledge that could be used.

The problem with south facing window ledges is they get very cold at night.

I have been gardening for years and still buy some pre started veg, last year it was some tomatoes, some sweet peppers and a sweet potato. There is nothing wrong if you are starting out, in buying stuff that professionals have got going for you.

My orphaned feral kittens are currently using my plant heat mat for under their sleeping area, and I'm not taking it away from them so I'm starting all my stuff later this year. Last year I lost loads of early seedlings even though they were on heat mats and in an insulated garden room in a late hard freeze, so there really isn't alot of point sowing too much if you haven't got space to keep it frost free once it is all potted on. If I was still in the UK I'd sow a few chillis and aubergines early, with a few of the early bush tomatoes [Red Alert is my go to for this] and aim to have 4 of each of the above in one tray, so that's 16-20 square pots that all fit on my one large potting shed tray. Any more and it ends up costing more in heating that you will save in veg. I'll do the main seed sowing in March. They soon catch up as it warms up.

I managed to get down to my allotment today. Have only had it for 18 months and managed some good potatoes and onions this year but not much more as work ft and one of my children was struggling with their MH. I swapped the plot (to help another plot holder out) so no idea what’s been grown on mine previously. Looking forward to getting stuck into it - sorted all of my seeds out into paper bags for each month so hoping that might get me
going this year!

I've this last week week:

Sieved soil from the removed and upended turf from this time last year, it still has thick roots in it but when it is sieved give a lovely loam so that's going into a pallet collar outside my polytunnel for a batch of strawberries and garlic.

Sieved soil into a pallet collar in the polytunnel and sowed pinches of carrots and spring onions - about 20 pinches of each in a grid pattern.

Made another compost bin over the area that is very sub soily - hard orange soil that we moved from under an old ground level pool that the old ownwers got rid of years ago.

Removed a load of last year's gubbins, old achocha, bean, pepper plants that got frosted and started raking the bed flat ready for this season's plantings. Used this as a base for the compost bin I made as above.

Weeded a patch that was a year ago thick weeds, but I put cardboard and anything else I could [upside down turf, mowings, old compost, anything we had] and grew potatoes in last year. Most of the area is now weed free but some creeping buttercup and couch grass had crept in so that is now just the winter veg I sowed early autumn and lovely raked soil ready for new plants.

Harvested: Sprouts, parsnips, lettuce, beetroot, kale, cabbage, carrots [these were so, so hard to get going and didn't really germinate until late last year so finding finger sized ones is a delight.

Has your growing season started already @AlisonDonut ?

Mine doesn't end. I grow year round and have done for years. You just need to rember to sow late summer and plant stuff out in the autumn.

Its that summer sowing timing that I find so difficult! I had a couple of radicchio this year but the hard frost we've had has killed the rest off, and my bulb fennel wasn't worth harvesting either. Try again this year!

I need help with patience.

I have my seeds, my propogator and grow lamps ready but I KNOW it's too early to start even the chilli seeds.

But I am too keen to start!

Those that are growing from seed: when are you starting this season's sowings?

Chillies, middle of Jan
Other hardy spring sown veg like peas, onions, non bolting beetroot etc, valentines day onwards!

I usually start Valentine's Day but think I'm going to start aubergines and peppers soon.

I use a cheap heat mat designed for lizard tanks with a control on it. I use a probe thermometer and test the soil temperature and it gets nice and hot, 30 degrees plus, and I had no problem last year germinating aubergine seeds. The propagators without control, according to reviews, sound like they only get a few degrees above room temperature.

I like the 'target' of valentine's day for everything but the longer season stuff (chillis, aubergines, peppers).

I use a propogator without control and chillis/aubergines both germinated fine last year so, fingers crossed, they will again. I just wish I'd noted when I'd sown them! I just know it wasn't quite this early.