What are you growing this year?

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What are you growing this year?
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Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 05 5:33 pm Post subject: What are you growing this year?

Think I've been a bit over ambitious in the seed ordering again, and wondered if people could make me feel better by assuring me they're growing too much too.

Also, we might pick up a few ideas off each other and even potentially arrange some seed swapping if anyone sees anything they're desperate to try. So I'll start you off then with my newish orders that spring to mind...

Lime basil
Sungold tomatoes (and GD again because TKG keeps sending them)
Paprika pepper - conquistador I think
Earligold melon
5 squashes - Marina di Chioggia (kee-odgah, apparently), spaghetti squash, Black Forest, Cream of the Crop and Custard White
Courgette Greyzini
Chillis from chileseeds.co.uk...Caribbean Hot, Joe Somebody (Parker?), Mulato (I think), Poinsettia, and another very hot one
Chilli de Bresse
Aubergine Moneymaker

And some others. And the usual suspects like salads (lots of packs to use up), beetroot, parsnips, etc. Garlic has shot up a lot in the last month but otherwise we've yet to start.

Potatoes and shallots we have yet to buy, the one thing we don't tend to bother with any more is onions as they always seem to bolt for us, and shallots seem to make better use of the space.

Oh, and I have a bundle due from the RHS distribution too.

Does anybody have a spare garden they can lend me?

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 05 6:17 pm Post subject:
Mostly salads and greens, as always. The unusual stuff this year is a tomato called micro tom (see at: https://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/seeds/pages/veg5.htm), purple tomatillo, celtuce, purple potatoes and purple carrots. Other than that it's the usual mix of a few beans, a few shallots, some chard, pak-choi, and other bits and bobs.

*Fluffykitten*

Joined: 03 Dec 2004
Posts: 74
Location: Merthyr Tydfil

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 05 9:13 pm Post subject:

I also have far too many seeds for my measley plot. Ive gone for basic varieties as ive never grown very much before now. Maybe if this years a sucess then i'd go for more unusual / challenging stuff next year.
So far ive got:
Garlic (which is doing extremely well in two patio pots)

Cherry Tomato 2 varieties (going into hanging baskets)
Butternut Squash and Patty Pan (maybe thats a little ambitious)
Early and Main crop pots (going into huge tubs on the patio)
Red and White onions (going into huge tubs too)
Courgettes (again into tubs)
Rhubarb -Victoria (going into what little ground i have)
Chilli 2 varieties (in pots on the sills)
and i also have a thriving Bay and Rosemary plant which havnt died yet but its early days!!

Oh theres also two sticks of Rasberry and 1 gooseberry from Wilkys going into the ground and a Patio Pear and Apple tree I bought on ebay for much cheapness!!!
Oops - dont quite know how im going to manage all this but i feel good with myself for trying. The worst thing that could happen is everything will die / not grow but at least im having lots of fun trying and it has sparked a huge enthusiasm for all things edible and home grown

Happy days!!!!!

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 05 11:49 pm Post subject:
I put 50 garlic in the ground two weeks ago, and am now chitting my spuds. (earlies). Onion sets are raring to go in, but I want the frosts to go first. Space isn't the problem, lack of knowledge regarding timings is....Everything says its too soon, but I can't wait!! Why don't we do some sort of swap shop of left overs?

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28233
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 05 11:55 pm Post subject:

Madman wrote:

I put 50 garlic in the ground two weeks ago, and am now chitting my spuds. (earlies). Onion sets are raring to go in, but I want the frosts to go first. Space isn't the problem, lack of knowledge regarding timings is....Everything says its too soon, but I can't wait!!

Why don't we do some sort of swap shop of left overs?

RC run a seed parcel system, I have just passed it on. Don't know whether our own would make sense at this stage?

jema

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 05 11:59 pm Post subject:
it would be a damn handy way of ensuring no waste, and rather nice, a kind of co operative, sharing our excesses between the group. I'm referring to the swap shop idea here, don't know what a seed parcel system is. Plz enlighten.

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28233
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Sat Jan 29, 05 12:02 am Post subject:

Madman wrote:

it would be a damn handy way of ensuring no waste, and rather nice, a kind of co operative, sharing our excesses between the group. I'm referring to the swap shop idea here, don't know what a seed parcel system is. Plz enlighten.

An ever circulating parcel each member gets the parcel takes the seeds they fancy adds their own spare seeds and sends to the next person on the list.

jema

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Sat Jan 29, 05 12:10 am Post subject:
Perfect. Lets do it?

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sat Jan 29, 05 11:34 am Post subject:

same problem here - wasn't too mad with the seed order this year, but went totally mad last, so still have those to make up for! I really, really tried to take all the good advice, and grow the things that we like and that are much better fresh or are expensive. Here's what I narrowed it down too (and it was hard!)

courgette (singular!) baby pumpkins, patty pan
baby beetroot, purple sprouting broccoli, mini cabbage and calabrese.
tomatoes - san marzano, marmamde, roma, sungold and santa.
French beans safari and blue lake, peas early onward and kelvedon wonder.

In pots on a stuplidly located patio - baby carrots, spring onions, watercress, rocket and spinach, peppers, chillis, aubergines, a few types of lettuces (spiky, little gem and tom thumb) and tumbling tom tomatoes.

In most cases I will only be having one or two types of each plant. Lots of things are going on the patio in pots, and I suspect one or two things might have to wait till next year, as my guessing at spacings might turn out to be optimistic! I have tried to fit two crops into one space if possible (like spinach and sweetcorn) and have lots of baby crops that I can eat young! I'm growing as many things vertically as possible, and hope to avoid too many gluts with successional sowings (except of tomatoes, peas and beans, that I'll freeze. And courgettes I expect!)

Some shallots and potatoes came in the post yesterday - I wonder where I was planning to put them?

Oh - by the way, my veg patch is about 3x4 metres!

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Sat Jan 29, 05 3:56 pm Post subject:
In answer to the subject the answer is brambles Seriously, we're just clearing up at the moment, want to put some potatoes in, not sure how we will proceed as want to sort hens out as well. I think a seed parcel sounds a brilliant idea.

*Fluffykitten*

Joined: 03 Dec 2004
Posts: 74
Location: Merthyr Tydfil

Posted: Sat Jan 29, 05 10:29 pm Post subject:
IVE BEEN WEAK!!! Was just showing my Mum VidaVerde and Nicky's Seeds online and somehow by accident i managed to order a few more veggies for myself!! So now i have to find room for: two more tomato varieties 3 small pumpkin varieties Sorrel Will I ever be cured of this new found obsession Hope not!

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Sat Jan 29, 05 10:31 pm Post subject:
It's starting to look like we need a support group. There's so much promise in a packet of seeds...

*Fluffykitten*

Joined: 03 Dec 2004
Posts: 74
Location: Merthyr Tydfil

Posted: Sat Jan 29, 05 11:38 pm Post subject:
Know what you mean bugs with each seed there is a sense of hope and optimism. Hope to god something grows!!

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 05 12:03 am Post subject:
Just bought three types of chilli seed from Chileseeds. Now have to try to be strong.......

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 05 12:05 am Post subject:
Anyway, got my extra early onion sets ready to be planted Monday, Going to dick up the horse s**t ...oops, manure which is well rotted for the spud beds, got to rack my spuds, ...enough for now. Someone tell me please, with my 6 by 8 greenhouse, once it's fully bubble wrapped and I've got a heater, (yet to be bought)......what can I do with it now? Lloyd

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