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Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

Veggie Club 2010

131 replies

Dumbledoresgirl · 25/02/2010 11:01

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?

OP posts:
Dumbledoresgirl · 17/04/2010 10:45

Boogeek! Yippeee!

My 18 outdoor peas haven't increased in number so I feel that might be that for them, and I also have no sign of my beetroot (supposed to be really easy to grow ) broccoli or spring onions outside.

But, I also have indoor peas, tomatoes, runner beans, nasturtiums (not to eat) and today my first courgette coming through, so still plenty to be excited about.

OP posts:
BornToFolk · 17/04/2010 12:48

I got my seeds from BBC's Dig In today. I got courgette, French beans, basil, carrots and mixed salad and a booklet with instructions. Oooh, and a sheet of stickers that DS loved.

However, I'm probably going to save it all for next year as I think I've got my hands full with what I've already planted. Just wanted to mention is in case they had any packs left...they are free!

littlerach · 17/04/2010 13:08

I have planted various tomatoes, including stripey ones
Yellow and green courgettes
spring onions
pumpkins
basil
coriander
various salad leaves

I am still to do the potatoes as I have found a new place to put them
Also going to try broad beans and spinach
and need ot get some peas.

Our couragttes were huge last year and from 6 plnats we got over 100 so I swapped lots with other people.

We also have raspberries, strawberries, redcurrants and bluberries.

Wiggletastic · 17/04/2010 14:06

I got my dig-in seeds today so I am going out to the greenhouse with them later to pot them up. DD is going to get the stickers when she wakes up from her nap . I have also planted the blackcurrant and redcurrant bushes that I got from Lidl for £2.50 each - bargain - well, it is if they grow and fruit... we will see!

Nymphadora · 17/04/2010 17:19

I have done some of my dig in seeds!

have a tidy of the greenhouse today moved some things out & planted things up.
Other greenhouse now has proper tomato plants in.

My fruit trees are starting to blossom & I have seom strawberry plants flowering , is this summer?

boogeek · 18/04/2010 16:51

Dumbledoresgirl you can eat nasturtiums!

Dumbledoresgirl · 18/04/2010 19:35

I know, but I don't fancy it, do you? I am growing trailing ones and hope to do some hanging baskets this year. But if all else fails, I will be searching for nasturtium soup recipes

OP posts:
boogeek · 19/04/2010 10:05

I don't fancy the leaves (though supposedly nice in a cheese sandwich) but I've been known to add the petals to a poncy salad

isthatporridgeinyourzone · 19/04/2010 10:29

We haven't had rain here for 10 days so have had to irrigate my beds. Have planted outside;

Salad leaves, coriander, parsley, dill, peas, broad beans, onions, garlic, borecole, carrots, potatoes, spinach.

Sown in poly tunnel; celeriac, basil, toms, sweetcorn, squash, courgette, tarragon, pumpkins (for DS), cucumbers, dwarf beans.

Strawbs are looking good and onions are up.

Nymphadora · 24/04/2010 09:11

MOved loads outside now.Still not had any proper rain so have been doing it with the hose every night. Patio is finished now so moved all the strawberries there yesterday & my Dad (doesn't know it yet) and dh will move my kiwi today to its new home. The new patio is on 2 levels and the bottom is v sheltered & gets loads of sun so perfect for it!

MrsChemist · 25/04/2010 11:22

Hello, is it ok if I join?
I've never really grown any veggies before so I'm nervous about them all failing. I'm growing a lot of herbs as well
I'm growing:
Potatoes
Carrots
Garlic
Onions
Chillies
Olives
Sage
Peppermint
Chives
Rosemary
C hamomile

The carrots and the herbs I bought as seedlings. The chamomile seeds are indoors on a tray of damp kitchen roll, and they are just sprouting. he rest are in pots outside.
The olive tree is currently living on my windowsill until it gets a wee bit warmer outside. As is the chilli plant.

Nymphadora · 25/04/2010 12:58

Herbs are good! Mint will take over so don't put it in with anything else. It's soooo much nicer though fresh from the garden

MrsChemist · 25/04/2010 17:05

Yeah, my mum planted some herbs in a big stone sink and the mint and the chives just took over everything.
I don't think it's sharing a tub, but DH potted them up, so who knows. If it is, it's only sharing with one other.

I also got horseradish, does anyone know if that might be better in the ground instead of a pot? I saw one on TV last night and it's roots where massive and won't really fit into any of my pots.

Fizzylemonade · 26/04/2010 10:19

I have been lurking, I am growing veg for the first time ever, I have

Potatoes in those big bags (all 6 have shoots)
Tomatoes - on windowsill (questions about those)
Herbs -rosemary, sage, thyme,
Salad -rocket, lollo rosso, some green leaf ones

Tomatoes and questions - I grew them from seed, repotted into 9cm pots, they are growing really well, big strong stems and about 18cm tall.

There are roots coming through the bottom of the pot, in Gardener's World mag they showed them staying in those 9cm pots until they were huge and planted them out into growbags or massive pots. You could see in the photo that the roots were wrapped around the soil and there seemed to be more root than soil.

Do I re-pot mine now?

Snobear4000 · 01/05/2010 21:58

Count me in.

I discovered that purchasing pre-cut raised beds and then screwing them together myself was a hell of a lot cheaper than building them from scratch.

And I did not miss going to Wickes, asking for xx mm of timber and some jointy bits and screws, only to have the bloke ask, "now what're you going ta make wiv that?"

"Raised Garden Beds, Sir".

" 'ere you don't wan to use that kind of timber, you need the half-inch treated stuff, and you're gonna need these triangly bits..."

Then the other bloke at the counter begins, "Nah wot you wanna do is get the twobeefourbee and the allen-nuts and the wd40"...

Then from across the room, "Wots he making? Garden bed? 'ere, wot you wanna use is..."

I left them to argue it out between themselves and got a pre-made from the garden centre.

Anyhow, last year's dodgy summer meant my tomatoes all rotted, courgette even failed, onions went mouldy. The year before I tried sweetcorn which failed as well.

I am having another go at courgette as it is so prolific and generous.

Recent successes are Rocket (Rucola), which grows anywhere at all in any soil and even becomes a weed. Chilli peppers in pots. Spinach and salad leaves. Garlic.

My strawberries, raspberries, blueberries have all gone mental and I expect a massive crop this year. So far, the mange tout seeds I planted last week have almost all sprouted and are looking very strong.

I had to change the site of the Rocket as last year they were infested with that jumping fly that likes leafy things.

And as they are very expensive in the shops, I went nuts growing all the herbs I could. Not much success with coriander but my goodness, the Sage plants have blossomed beyond my wildest dreams. Filled a big half-barrel tub with horse poop and compost and one year on, I have sage coming out my earholes. Lovely.

Earthymama · 02/05/2010 00:44

Hello lovely to hear about everyones successes. Although we were warned to expect a horrendoues day re weather its been ok here in Wales, though it's chilly this evening and I'm wrapped in a blankie
It rained for a while yesterday and did the garden, particularly the allotment, a power of good!!
The potatoes I planted 6 weeks ago have popped out (Taffetacat, I hope you are having the same results), parsnips have germinated, mixed salad is bounding away and the broad beans are doing well.
In the greenhouse the celariac is germinating, as are the tomatoes at last, I was late planting. I have parsley, spring onions peppers, and French beans peeping through.
The sweetcorn is a pain, and runner beans are very slow. I'm going to try a new variety from an online company.
However, the yellow courgettes are looking wonderful and after my first sowing of peas did not germinate, I have planted 72 peas out today!!
I have purple sprouting and romanesco to pot on tomorrow and plan to put up the wigwams ans the fruit cage protection for the raspberries, strawberries, gooseberry bush and blackcurrants.
Anyone else have trouble germinating sweetcorn? Can anyone give any advice please?

Earthymama · 02/05/2010 00:45

PS someone said on lottie sage was a good companion for potatoes, anyone else do this?

OverflowingMum · 02/05/2010 09:08

oh, hello...just found this thread
Can I join? (yes,late as always LOL)
In my smallish veg patch I,ve so far got:
Stawberries
Mange tout
peas
runner
beans
french beans
spinach
lettuce
callabresse

in large pot courgettes(will go in veg patch after lettuce and spinach)

In pots on window sill(out on warm days)
Tomtoes (3 types)
sweet peppers

peas and mange tout only just germinating...
no sign of runner beans yet
lettuceand spinach doing well

need to get some netting over to stop birds...and out my pea netting up....

have had more rain this week, so that should help!

Loved hearing about all your veg
This is only my second year of doing veg....but am hopeful for some success

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 02/05/2010 10:14

I've been lurking, hope you don't mind me posting. Earthymama, last year I stuck my sweetcorn in a Tupperware container on damp tissue with another damp bit covering. Put on top of a hotwater bottle in a picnic cool bag and they all germinated within 2 days. Then suck them in compost filled loo rolls and planted them straight out once big enough and hardened off.

I've just resorted to doing this with cucumber seeds as couldn't get them to germinate and within 24 hours the roots had started coming on nearly all of them. Couldn't find the hot water bottle so used a microwavable wheat bag .

taffetacat · 02/05/2010 11:25

Earthymama - I have potatoes!!!! Exceedingly and unreasonably excited. Lots of sprouting leaves which I have swiftly mounded over with manure and compost.

Also have peas and broad beans outdoors, some carrot sproutings and lots of healthy looking salad leaves. No sign yet of the spring onions but I only sowed them 2 weeks ago. The rasps, strawbs and blackcurrants are going great guns.

Indoors the peppers, chillis, tomatoes, dwarf and climbing French beans are doing well. I have just moved the courgettes and some of the beans into the cold frame, hopeful for a mid May plant out.

I am thinking its going to be a good year.....what a lovely rainy day!

FreeButtonBee · 03/05/2010 11:12

can I join too?

I only have a small roof terrace but have now got a little placcy greenhouse which is increasing my options. So far I have runner beans (bought as 4 inch seedlings), french beans, chillies (apache) and mixed lettuce.

Plus my tomatoes have just germinated so I have 6 tiny little tomato plants. I am utterly obsessed with them; have taken to measuring the, photographing them, I am all but stroking them. They are "Sweet Olive" - a cherry tom that I grew with great success last year, although I did buy plants last year. Lots of lovely little fruits.

Also have strawbs, basil and mint in pots (I seem to be able to kill mint, which is supposed to be impossible) plus a belfast sink with thyme, rosemary, chives, oregano and sage. The rosemary in particular is going great guns this year. It's now 3 foot tall in places.

Am going to try to grow Thai Basil as well as it's impossible to get and is great in thai stir fries and things. Didn't have much success with courgettes last year so might give them a miss.

I have just bought a hose so that'll be why it's now raining so much - sorry!

Loujalou · 03/05/2010 11:18

Can I join?

Bought some tomato, pepper and cucumber plants on Saturday and am strangely excited. This is the first time I have tried. Have also got a blueberry tree and thinking of buying raspberries and strawberries as my son loves them.

FreeButtonBee · 03/05/2010 12:08

Tomatoes are great! They are my absolute favourite.

They do like plenty of soil and need good support plus regular watering. No need to feed until you are getting little mini fruits on one truss. Also you might need to pinch them out as they grow. This frightened the life out of me before I knew what it was. It means taking the little sprouts out of the 'armpits' of the plant so it concentrates of growing fruit rather than more and more leaves. I found googling the variety a good way to find info on how to grow them. Good luck!

Loujalou · 03/05/2010 20:26

What is the best mini-greenhouse to get? We have the plants but have been warned that the frosts might kill them.

We looked at some from B&Q and the garden centre but are none the wiser of what is the best.

We are thinking of getting a proper greenhouse next year but need to clear part of the garden first.

BornToFolk · 04/05/2010 14:44

FreeButtonBee, I kill mint too! I've tried different varieties in pots, or in beds and it never does anything. It's a shame as I really like mint.

My containers are coming on well. I actually ate some of the rocket the other day. The leaves are pretty tiny but I couldn't resist trying some.

I have a question about potatoes. After a slow start, they seem to be growing really quickly. I need to top up the compost pretty much every day. Can they grow too quickly? Is it better to top up little and often, or give them a good, thick layer of compost less often?

Also, what's good for keeping slugs and snails off? Something has been nibbling my salad seedlings...I don't want anything toxic as pots are all at toddler level and DS is very interested in them.

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