What are you growing?

[Woody girl]

So, it's almost time to start seedling ready for 2023.
What did you learn from last years high temps, ? what plans for the next growing season?
For me, I have now got two water barrels at the top of the garden to help water top down, instead of carting watering cans up the sloped garden. I think,...nay....I know, I'll need more water storage.
It's difficult, as the house is downhill from the beds, so collecting rainwater from the roof, doesn't cure the carting of heavy water up to the top of the garden. I'm relying on water collected in buckets to fill the barrels this winter.

 

[British Red]

Have you thought of running a transfer pump from the house to the beds? Its a game changer for us

 

[Kadushu]

I bought a little 12V pump for just this purpose and run it from either a battery or a solar panel.

 

[Woody girl]

I have the added problem of only two downpipes. One feeds straight into the pavement just outside my back gate on a public footpath, the other is in the front garden on the corner of the house, on my uphill and narrow drive.
So narrow that passengers have to exit before you put the car on the drive!
Sticking a water barrel on that isn't an option either.
So the barrels are at the top of the garden next to my back fence.
I'll have to look into a pump, I have a solar panel. I do wish there was an easier option. A pump would have to pump uphill and raise water about 9 feet higher than the bungalows eaves. Tall order for a little 12 v pump?

 

[Stew]

Quite doable for a whale pump.

 

[Woody girl]

Next problem.....where to site the water barrels where they do not end up on a narrow public footpath between two houses, or block the drive at the front of the house!
My place is so badly configured, both inside and out. The guy that designed it must have been on something perception bending!!!!!!!

 

[Woody girl]

I'm so excited!
I've been experimenting with growing from kitchen waste, and just before Xmas I had some blueberries from the reduced section in the supermarket, a couple of which were a little on the too soft side, and showing signs of going mouldy.
I was about to chuck them in the compost bin, when I decided to try and see if I could germinate some plants from them.
I put a few handfuls of used compost from the carrots I'd grown earlier in the year into a clear washed out kefir tub , moistened it, cut the berries in half, lay them cut side up on the soil, and put the lid back on.
Left in a warm low light place for a few weeks, and today when I checked...I have seedlings sprouted, about half an inch tall.... so now I have put them, lid off on the kitchen windowsill where I can keep an eye on them and watch them grow on. Future free blueberry bushes....gotta be good. they are expensive to buy, and I've never had enough money to buy them.
Obviously, I probably won't get berries this year, but carefully tended, perhaps next. If they don't survive, it's cost nothing.

 

[huntersforge]

Looking forward to getting the seeds started in the greenhouse this year. With food costs rising I feel as if it has more purpose than ever. Tomatoes, cucumbers, chillies ,chives and lettuce these are the things we use most .

 

[British Red]

I'm so excited!
I've been experimenting with growing from kitchen waste, and just before Xmas I had some blueberries from the reduced section in the supermarket, a couple of which were a little on the too soft side, and showing signs of going mouldy.
I was about to chuck them in the compost bin, when I decided to try and see if I could germinate some plants from them.
I put a few handfuls of used compost from the carrots I'd grown earlier in the year into a clear washed out kefir tub , moistened it, cut the berries in half, lay them cut side up on the soil, and put the lid back on.
Left in a warm low light place for a few weeks, and today when I checked...I have seedlings sprouted, about half an inch tall.... so now I have put them, lid off on the kitchen windowsill where I can keep an eye on them and watch them grow on. Future free blueberry bushes....gotta be good. they are expensive to buy, and I've never had enough money to buy them.
Obviously, I probably won't get berries this year, but carefully tended, perhaps next. If they don't survive, it's cost nothing.

That is awesome

 

[Kadushu]

What a manky, mouldy winter. Aside from my rifle sling going mouldy last autumn, the seatbelts and head rests in my van went mouldy over Christmas and loads of plants have succumb to botrytis in the greenhouse. Some, such as the pelargoniums, do it every year but others have been unusually affected. Lettuce, lavender and ranunculus have suffered major losses. The lettuce is annoying because autumn sowing and overwintering worked really well last year and freed up limited bench space early on for other things.

 

[slowworm]

Anyone got any spuds in the ground yet? I'm hoping to put in some of our first earlies next week in an area I can cover if it gets too cold. Perhaps a tad early but worth risking a few.

 

[FerlasDave]

My spuds were due to go in last week until the weather changed. Should be warm enough here for me to plant them this coming week though.

In the meantime the beans and courgette are in their nursery, and the ginger went in yesterday. Garlic is almost ready for harvest after a long winter.

 

[Stew]

I’ve held off on everything so far. A combo of frost concerns and being busy!

Potatoes are chitting away nicely though.

 

[mikehill]

Over winter onions are growing away and lettuce coming along in the trays. Just waiting to get tomatoes going

 

[slowworm]

We've got overwintered onions and garlic overwintered in the greenhouse. Also good to see a nice crop of young nettle shoots growing which we leave on purpose for spring greens.

Planted a dozen first early spuds and starting off some mange tout and broad beans in pots.

 

[Wander]

At the top of the garden we've got an area that's shaded and no good for man nor beast.
So I've littered it with native wild flower seed that grows in shaded areas for the good of the bees and butterflies.

 

[TeeDee]

Planning on planting a fair bit of stuff in the G/house this year.

Although the soil is good I want to ensure the plants get all the nutrients that they potentially need.

What the cheapest/best/efficient way to make a green soup to feed them? Shredded nettles and Pee in a big tub diluted with water and left to brew?

Whats a cheap easy to make 'feed' I can concoct?

 

[huntersforge]

When I was young my father was an avid vegetable grower. We used to go out with a pointy stick and pick up sheep poo and put it in a sandbag. He had a big old water butt he used to put said filled sandbags in. Filled the watering can from it . Rocket fuel on the veggies. Adle he used to call it

 

[CrispyDuck]

Wrong time of year really, but comfrey leaves make great feed. It’s high in potassium, so good for things like tomatoes.

 

[slowworm]

Urine can be used fresh, normally diluted at least 10 parts water to 1 part wee. I would avoid using it if you're ill or on medication. Plenty of info online and a much underused resource. I tend to add mine to the compost heap.

As for a liquid feed, nettles would provide mostly nitrogen so I'd look for something to provide other minerals. Traditionally comfrey is used as it has deep roots and brings up minerals from the subsoil but if you don't have any I have thought about using dock leaves but seaweed, washed, could be used.

I've managed to pick up some cheap fertilizer being sold off for pennies at the end of last year's season, worth looking out for.