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what to grow next year

im new to growing and for the last 2years iv not done to good with the wether image

i was thinking of growing sweetcorn and cucumbers, will they do better in greenhouses or outside in pots

thanks ximage

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,612

    Sweetcorn will do best outside planted in a block, in the soil not a line. They are wind pollinated.

    You can get indoor or outdoor cucumbers.  The long ones you get in the supermarket are indoor cucumbers grown in a greenhouse.

    You can grow short "ridge"cucumbers such as marketmore outside.

  • Sandra, those are both fairly tricky veg to grow well.  Sweetcorn needs a good Summer in the UK and cucumbers (at least greenhouse types) are prone to a number of pests and diseases and need a lot of tlc.  I would look for F1 seeds that have been specifically bred to be grown in the UK.  These cost more but it's generally worth it. I had good results with sweetcorn 'Lark' a few years ago and cucumber 'Carmen' cropped well in the GH (but the seeds were over £1 each and only 2 of the 4 germinated!)

    Are there any other veg you really like?  I'm not saying you shouldn't try sweetcorn and cucumbers - everyone has to learn by actually trying things - but there are lots of easier things to grow as well - don't want you having a 3rd disappointing year! image

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,612

    I have grown swift f1 sweetcorn for the last 2 years and have had a fantastic crop despite the weather. Sweetcorn like a lot of water. last year it got watered naturally. this year I used a hosepipe. I start them indoors at beginning of  may and plant out at end of may. we have been eating them for two weeks now.

  • I have had a very good sweetcorn crop. Bought a small pot of seedlings, split them for planting. Combination of this year's heat and loads of water means I have had one for my lunch for weeks. Gardeners delight and sweet million toms in my GH have done well too. No need to pinch, just water and stand back.

  • Zoomer44Zoomer44 Posts: 3,267

    Sweetcorns best planted in the ground, outside, not in a pot. It likes to have deep roots so  a pot isn't ideal. If you decide to grow sweetcorn plant it in a groove in the ground, like spuds, then earth up as it grows so you end up with it planted on a mound of earth.  

     

     

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