Veggie Club 2010

[Dumbledoresgirl]

Anyone interested in joining?

I have a large garden and want to develop a reasonably large veggie plot. I have a small side lawn which I want to start digging up this year with the aim of turning it all into a veggie plot in the next couple of years.

Up until now I have only grown the occasional veggie, eg last year, I had 5 courgette plants, so I am a relative newcomer to all this. I would love any tips about converting lawn into veggie plot and would really like to know what other people are planning on growing this year (and when you are starting!)

Based on what we like to eat, previous experience of growing veggies and reading through books, I have it in mind to try growing courgettes, runner beans, carrots, beetroot and maybe onions this year. Anyone else want to join me?

Mine have done really well when we were on holiday. Will have a tidy round & sort out & plant tomorrow if its fine,

Wasn't able to grow anything last year as spent the entire year almost with morning sickness .. but going to try and make up for it this year! Can only do pot-growing (er, growing in pots) as I have no proper garden, but should be able to do courgette in grow bags again, tomatoes, runner beans and salad stuff.

Any other ideas for a pot gardener?

Can I dip in too please?

Just starting out with veg this year. Have put garlic & onions in thus far and put some Charlottes in today. Have some Maris Piper to try as well. Working with two raised beds - dedicating one to potatoes (and then carrots when I lift the earlies) and the other for everything else.

Can someone advise me about leeks and dwarf peas please. Can I sow them directly outside now or do I need to start them off in seed trays/modules inside. Thanks

In pots you can do almost anything! I had masses in my yard in pots & a 6 inch deep ' raised bed'

been in garden this pm and realised dh has planted the shallots where the lawn is going!

And the bastard cat from next door has been shitting everywhere

Ha -It's working. Got out and did loads this weekend.
Made DCs help and we had quite a good time. Am not feeling so behind with it all now and actually reckon there was not much point starting early this year as it's been so blimmin cold.
Just waiting for the bindweed and brambles to poke up properly so I can nuke them then all my beds will be ready for action!

Anyone seen any good raised beds? We were going to build our own but they are way down the diy list so I persuaded dh if we bought some I can build them instead of both of us.

Just had abut of a tidy round dd1 watered while I moved the garlic & treeonions. We have loads now so will send some to dh school allotment.

I bought the linkabord ones - like this. They aren't elegant and wooden but they are so easy to put together, I don't think they look bad (I bought in black) and they won't rot... very satisfied customer.

I have one of those that I brought from my backyard but we want wooden elevated ones to do the permanent beds.

I was on a thread a while back and a lady got one of these.
Cost a bit but quite big. B and Q do much smaller ones for about £20 I think.

Hi

I'd like to join too :-)

I'm currently digging/preparing the vege/fruit patch at the back of our garden - one raised bed so far! Many to go!

I've got some tomatoes potted in the greenhouse and lots of seeds in my tin - have also been browsing through Carol Klein's "grow you own" book for inspiration and ideas.

We also have an overgrown fruit area which needs some clearing and attention - the rhubarb, blueberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants still seem to be alive but need rescuing.

Have done quite a bit of "grow you own" in the past - and now my daughter's turned two I'm ready to get back to it.
I have some great memories of growing veges/playing on my Dad's allotment when I was younger.....happy days :-)

x

How's it going everyone? I am pathetically happy to say I have pea plants growing! Both outdoors and also in pots on the windowsill as I thought the outdoor ones had not germinated.

I also have some tiny tiny seedlings coming up in pots but I have forgotten if they are tomatoes or spring onions! Time will tell.

Everything else hasn't germinated yet but I only sowed most of it last week so it is early days yet. I can't tell you how happy I am re the peas. I go out the check on them every morning before I have dressed even!

How long did the peas take to get going? I've been out peeping at mine in hope, but no sign yet, so was considering root trainers and a windowsill too.

Over 2 weeks. I planted about 40 seeds in all and have more poppping up each day (now 3 weeks since planting) - 15 currently. But the ones in the pots indoors were a lot quicker - less than 6 days.

OK I am up to 10 days, will wait until the weekend before i decide if I need to do some indoors. It is chilly out there, but I am a bit worried mice might have had them

Yes, I feared birds had had mine as I once caught a pigeon walking over the seedbed. You are supposed to net them but I am afraid I haven't done so, so my shoots will probably be had by some critter before long (hence checking on them every morning).

I have lots of tomato, chilli and pepper plants. I forgot to label some of the chillis and peppers and of course they look exactly the same as small plants, so time will tell.

Actually I have as always too many tomato plants. I always sow too many of too many varieties and they always germinate, so shall be giving some to school and pre school.

I have broad beans up in the veg patch and the first pea shoot came through yesterday ( 3 weeks after planting ). Like you guys, I got a bit nervous never having done peas before so have also sown some in guttering and some in pots indoors.

I sowed my french beans and courgettes last weekend and the courgettes germinated within 3 days in a heated propagator. Salad leaves are poking through in my planter and herbs are growing in pots indoors.

In fact the only thing I am a bit worried about are my potatoes. How long before I should see some shoots? I planted International Kidney about a month ago.....

We are in a south facing plot in Kent.

Peas should be quite quick to come up. No idea about pots as they are dh job hence us not having any yet

Market day today so going to go before work & see what plants they have. Usually dead cheap & gives a quick start!

Taffetacat, sorry, not ignoring your question about potatoes but I am afraid I don't know anything about them, never having grown them. Hopefully someone else can answer you soon.

Well, I now have another 3 pea plants poking out of the ground, so that makes 18 in all and it is now 3 weeks since I sowed the seed. So don't give up on your pea plants yet boogeek as mine are still coming.

Also one bean in a pot today, and the unidentified shoot is beginning to look like a tomato. So exciting!

I've just been out for another look and something has defiitely been having a dig in the bed (though not where the peas are cos I netted that bit). Suspect pesky blackbirds, hope they haven't eaten carrot and beetroot and salad seeds.
I think potatoes show in about 3 weeks from planting but it has been cold so I wouldn't give up - also depends how deep you put them and the variety. I think potatoes will always come up (presumably they were shooting before planting) - they are impossible to stop and you will never be rid of them IME!

about whatever has been digging in your bed.

I took my children to see the peas coming up the other day and pesky ds2, aged 12 fgs, not 2, started rolling around on the soil where I had sown my spring onion and broccoli. So I will know who to blame if they don't come up.

Ooh, can I join?

Have grown stuff in raised beds in the past, but this year have a lovely new big veg patch to get excited about!

So far have peas coming up - I know what you mean about checking them, they're like my babies!

I've planted two broad bean plants, some salad leaves, some rocket in a pot, sown salad seeds, onion sets (red and white), garlic and new potatoes.

I think it was getting on for a month ago when I planted my first early potatoes and they're only just starting to come up now.

I've got courgette, sweetcorn and pepper seedlings growing on my windowsill, and will be planting some runner beans when it gets a bit warmer.

I have planted (all done the weekend before Easter) -

Potatoes in potato bags outside. Nothing doing yet but maybe it's just been too cold? They were sprouty before I planted them and I just covered them in compost, that's right isn't it?

Rocket in a tub outside - this was the first to sprout and I now have a pot full of lovely little seedlings! Will give them a bit longer, then thin them out

Carrots in a tub outside - was beginning to despair of these but I saw some sprouts last night so have hope now.

Peppers on the windowsill - there are some seedlings in the pot but I suspect it's something that's blown in the window as there are similar in the courgette pot...but we'll see...

Courgettes on the windowsill - one seedling! Very excited as had given up hope.

Also various herbs on the windowsill - oregano, basil, chives and parsley. Only just planted these though.

Still to plant - tomatoes. I have a kit thing but they need to be in a greenhouse. Am going to ask for a standalone greenhouse thing for my birthday (mid-May) and start them off then.

DS's sunflowers are doing brilliantly and we also had success with cress in an eggshell!

Have been lurking on this thread.....so I feel as though I've already joined, sorry! We inherited a big veg garden when we moved into our current house, and I threw myself into growing things - having never done anything like it before (parents were fairly keen gardeners, though). Now grow tons of things every year, and love it. Millie was asking about leeks - theoretically you can sow them direct, but as I've never had any success with this, I always now sow them in deep pots of compost until they've grown to thin pencil size - then tip them out, separate them, and plant them out. Cuts out a lot of faff, and they do brilliantly. I suspect you need to get on with it at this point, though, so they can make enough growth.

My tomatoes are coming on by leaps and bounds at the moment - just need to pot them on (but where to put them? aaargh! running out of space....)

Nearly everything is now sprouting in the greenhouse and on my window-sill. I have planted out the mangetout in pots and made my own 'wigwams' for them out of bamboo and twine. Carrots are also planted out in pots. Raised beds have been dug over and fertiliser added. I am going out with the 'Nemaslug' tomorrow evening in preparation for lots of things getting planted out early May time. I will be keeping the tomatoes and cucumbers in the greenhouse as it is just not warm enough up here in the frozen north for them to do anything outside.

I am getting very excited about it all now, I just love seeing the little seedlings poking up from the soil, it is like a little bit of magic .

Peas! Little teeny sprouty peas!
Nothing in the carrot beetroot salad bits though, where the birds have been poking about.
I'm going to buy new parsnip seeds next week as (I tested them on kitchen roll) I have had 1/40 germination which is a bit rubbish.