Grow your Own 2012

[BensGrandad]

Trying to start my veg from seed this year rather than buy plants. Seeds cost about £1 per packet for approx 100 as opposed to about 25p each plant.

In yoghurt pots have planted:

Black Russian Tomato
Alicante Tomato
Money maker Tomato
Telegraph Cucumber
Marrow
Courgette

in plug trays have planted leeks

and in 1/2 seed trays

Greyhound Cabbage
Primo Cabbage

Covered all with cling film and left them on the window sill indoors. After about a week green shoots have started appearing, so removed cling film, after few more days thinned the cabbage out in the 1/2 trays so that there is about 6 left in each. Everything is now growing but is about 3 - 4 in long and very thin with just the two original leaves on the tops of each stem and nothing else forming what should I do now to help them form further leaves and thicker stems to form into actual plants to get ready for transplanting.

Have also planted Broad Beans in toilet roll holders and left them in the unheated green house to get the frost etc.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Cheers for the reminder. Time to bounce the chilli growing thread

 

[BensGrandad]

Just noticed one of the cucumbers is really long and thin. How can I slow down the growth. I know they need light so would putting them in the dark slow it down so that the get thicker. There must be somebody on here that knows the answers and can give some advice.

 

[sydney]

that's the trouble with seeds mate ..........you have no control over them at all, they will do their own thing , dont put them in the dark......they won't grow at all , you could back off on the water but probably wont make any diff. nature innit....

 

[chucky1973]

I planted my carrots and Garlic yesterday in the garden, thought it might be a bit early with our weather, but I do honestly think winter has passed now and good weather is going to stay.

This weekend I am gonna plant my tomatos, Sweetcorn, Peppers and Chilli's.

 

[BensGrandad]

I didn't know if there was anything I could do to help them grow and if I was doing anything wrong, although I have followed the advice given on the various websites about this.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

This year is my 1st year with my own allotment (I am also a co-worker on [MENTION=2223]e77[/MENTION] s allotment).

Looking forward to planting the 1st potatoes soon, plus the shallots and onion sets.

Will be starting Tomatoes, Chillies, Courgettes and spring onions indoors soon. Do I need to start sweetcorn indoors now as well?

 

[BensGrandad]

Wish you luck on your new allotment I am sure that you will enjoy having it. I have had mine for a few years now and was hoping to start everything off from seed and avoid buying plants at a much higher price but not sure that is going to work as everything has germinated and is growing but very thin and spindly.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I didn't know if there was anything I could do to help them grow and if I was doing anything wrong, although I have followed the advice given on the various websites about this.

Lighting will have a lot to do with 'spindly' seedlings. I think you might need to provide better lighting conditions. Another interesting thing I read is that seedlings grown indoors lack the effect of wind, which natually strenthens the root-ball and stem strength; so you get slender, tall stems.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

[MENTION=451]BensGrandad[/MENTION] In fact read this:

Are your Seedlings too Tall? --Home Orchard Society

 

[The Large One]

Garlic in yesterday. First earlies (spuds) this coming weekend.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

............... First earlies (spuds) this coming weekend.

Tomorrow for me, dug the veg patch over completely yesterday morning but was then dragged off to the pub to watch the rugby. The rest of the day is a bit of a blur.

 

[The Large One]

Tomorrow for me, dug the veg patch over completely yesterday morning but was then dragged off to the pub to watch the rugby. The rest of the day is a bit of a blur.

I'm doing my spuds in bags rather than open ground.

Helps prevents little bastards getting to them.

 

[beorhthelm]

my attempts were fairly crap last year so will focus on simple stuff this, hops and chillies, and maybe herb garden.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Planted both normal garlic and elephant garlic on the allotment way back in January ( I had been told you should plant on the 21st December but why nobody can tell me ). Early potatoes going in over the next couple of weeks. Tons of seeds to grow in my new greenhouse thanks to the "Grow Your Own" magazine ( so many in fact that I won't need to buy any ! ).

 

[KNC]

Apparently, a frost is essential for garlic to separate the cloves.
From what I'm reading about corn, Papa, once there is sign of the seed sprouting, that's the time to plant outside.

 

[BensGrandad]

[MENTION=451]BensGrandad[/MENTION] In fact read this:

Are your Seedlings too Tall? --Home Orchard Society

Going to try that and give them a shake.

 

[cammac]

plenty of light to stop them becoming lanky, also airflow is important to strengthen the stems, when they are strong enough get them outside for a couple of hours a day to harden them up then build up till they are ready to go outside..

 

[banjo]

Trying to start my veg from seed this year rather than buy plants. Seeds cost about £1 per packet for approx 100 as opposed to about 25p each plant.

In yoghurt pots have planted:

Black Russian Tomato
Alicante Tomato
Money maker Tomato
Telegraph Cucumber
Marrow
Courgette

in plug trays have planted leeks

and in 1/2 seed trays

Greyhound Cabbage
Primo Cabbage

Covered all with cling film and left them on the window sill indoors. After about a week green shoots have started appearing, so removed cling film, after few more days thinned the cabbage out in the 1/2 trays so that there is about 6 left in each. Everything is now growing but is about 3 - 4 in long and very thin with just the two original leaves on the tops of each stem and nothing else forming what should I do now to help them form further leaves and thicker stems to form into actual plants to get ready for transplanting.

Have also planted Broad Beans in toilet roll holders and left them in the unheated green house to get the frost etc.

Normally the information is on the back of the seed pack, when to thin out and when to plant out. if the weather is as it is now without a frost I put them out over night to start hardening them up. Try this for a about a week keeping near the house it's generally warmer. Don't put out if a frost is forcast. Then they should be ready to plant out. Put tomatoes in pots, they will do better in them. cabbages, courgettes and marrow's can normally be planted directly where you want them to grow in the garden.You can always search on the tinternet for more info.

 

[middletoenail]

Just out of interest, how much does it cost to have a allotment? I appreciate that it depends on how big they and other variables but are they generally something which is under personal ownership or is rental the done thing?

I'm 28 by the way so please excuse my ignorance!