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Growing Your Own

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I've never actually tried to grow strawberrys from seed. I pick up seedlings from the garden centre and plant them out, they really come on and grow radpidly :) I have 16 strawberry plants now lol.

If you are planting from seed I'd start them in trays in a protected area, perhaps a little propogator. Not too warm but protected from frost.
 
Ah okay thanks :) might make a trip to the garden centre then! I've got some seeds someone gave me so will plant those too if it's not too late, and see which turn out the best haha. Is there anything else that's good for "beginners"?!
 
Erm, lettuce is easy but you need to put closhing over it to protect it from slugs. Any kind of berry plant is easy. Peppers and chillis and easy but they all need protection from slugs. Carrots and taters are SO easy, just pop them in a grow bag and let them grow! Tomatos are easy too, just make sure the pots they are inhave good drainage and that they ahave strong sticks in to tie them to as they fruit because they become very heavy and can break the plant.
 
Forgot about our fruit. We've got strawberries, raspberries, red sweet gooseberries, blackberries and loganberries, pears, plums and apples all in a small patch of front garden. I'm hoping to buy some strawberry plants from Ken Muir online to plant in some planters on our patio
 
Lettuce wise again watch out for slugs. I recommend copper tape round pots to stop them climbing in. Also go for a cut and grow again type so it keeps growing after you've pulled some leaves off.

I grew chard from seed straight outside last year. I pulled off the leaves when they got big and left them with 2-3 small inner leaves late last year. Now I can see it growing again so the pigs will be very happy
 
Yeah cut and grow is fab, I was overrun with the stuff last year lol.
 
So on Friday i planted my pumkins and lettuce. Over the next week i'll plant my sweetcorn, peppers, cucumbers, tomato's, peas in a pod, herbs and kale. The polytunnel will hopefully be going up tomorrow! Love the start to the season :)
 
After reading this thread I have been inspired to plant some of my own this year! Can parsley and coriander seeds be sown straight into medium sized pots or should I start of with them in little pots then upgrade pot size as they grow? Also might try mixed lettuce and maybe some strawberries in baskets too :)
 
Our mint has started to come up again! :D I did nothing to it since last year, left it in the pot outside. Plenty there for our boys to nom on :)
Our tomatoes are rubbish this year along with a few other veggies, I think it was a dodgy batch of compost :( only one of my chillies has germinated out of six.
 
Tim said:
Our mint has started to come up again! :D I did nothing to it since last year, left it in the pot outside. Plenty there for our boys to nom on :)
Our tomatoes are rubbish this year along with a few other veggies, I think it was a dodgy batch of compost :( only one of my chillies has germinated out of six.
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same with my parsley and chives Tim, was amazed when I saw they'd grown again haha!
 
I have just went and bought some seeds and tubs and hopefully sow them tomorrow. Can I put parsley, coriander and dill seeds on in one long tub? (not mixed in with each other)
 
Haha. Alan Titchmarsh will be shaking in his boots!

I hope my dandelions will grow better than last years.
 
aimzer said:
I have just went and bought some seeds and tubs and hopefully sow them tomorrow. Can I put parsley, coriander and dill seeds on in one long tub? (not mixed in with each other)
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Yes they can grow in tubs, just make sure the tubs have holes in the bottom so they don't flood and that you keep an eye out for slugs :) Nothing better than growing your own stuff!
 
Flutterby said:
Yes they can grow in tubs, just make sure the tubs have holes in the bottom so they don't flood and that you keep an eye out for slugs :) Nothing better than growing your own stuff!
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Yeh I will drill holes in the bottom of the tubs. My Dad is a dab hand in the garden so hopefully he can give me tips along the way :)
 
After reading this thread i have bought some watermelon and green bean seeds which me and my kids will hopefully plant tomorrow! Its a small start but not sure which else to get. Tried growin potatoes and carrots a few years back and failed miserably!
We do have many fruits in the garden though but I'm aware my piggies cant have too much fruit so wanted to grow some veg for them and us.
 
Last week I did some planting. I have a new planter which my OH built me for the driveway at the back of the house and I hope to grow peppers, carrots, tomatoes and courgettes. So far my courgette seed has germinated and I have a lovely seedling :) I also found a bargain in B&Q last time we were there... in what we like to think of as the "adoption" section where you rescue unloved, unwanted plants for a small donation :)) we got a sage and parsley plant for 10p each so they have gone in my 5 tier herb planter along with some thyme, basil and oregano seeds. I also put coriander seeds in then realised I had planted them a couple of months too early lol!

I don't know if anyone has seen this but its a fantastic idea... plantable wrapping paper! I saw it via the RSPB as I'm a member but there is a whole range so you can give a gift and then the recipient can plant the wrapping paper instead of throwing it away, the paper biodegrades and the seeds grow :) http://seeds-plants.mr-fothergills.co.uk/search?w=plantable wrapping paper#.VTKRKel0ypo
 
So as of yesterday we now have planted:

Pumpkin
Mixed leaf lettuce
Peppers
Cucumbers
Chilli
Lettuce Rossa
Peas in a pod
Tomatos
Red leaf Kale
Parsley
Cariander
Cabbage

Over the next few days/by the end of the week we will have also added:

Potatos
Carrots
Corn on the cob

:) :)
 
well I have 4 tomato seedlings which are almost big enough to go out, a courgette plant which could go out now, my peppers are finally germinating and I have a good bunch of carrot seedlings. That will fill my planter this year so will have to wait for my OH to build me the second one lol
 
I've started mine late this year! The pumpkin and lettuce have been out a week or so but the rest only went in last night. Still in plenty of time for growing but late for me, I usually started things beginning of April. I've never grown courgette, we don't really like them but I bet the piggies would!

Yes, get a second one. Tell him you NEED it! :P
 
Ooooooh I didn't post a photo of my finished planter! It even has drilled drainage holes with drainpipe attached so we can use the shelf underneath to store stuff on :)

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Tim said:
Our mint has started to come up again! :D I did nothing to it since last year, left it in the pot outside. Plenty there for our boys to nom on :)
Our tomatoes are rubbish this year along with a few other veggies, I think it was a dodgy batch of compost :( only one of my chillies has germinated out of six.
Click to expand...

Mint is great for that! It kind of flourishes when it's mistreated :))
 
Wow that's a great little planter! Very well built and clever! I want one! :P
 
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