I have just cut back my jostaberries by half ( you can make cuttings from the bits you cut off). Like a gooseberry bush you should try to keep the middle open, cut away any branches that are rubbibg as well. They are a lovely fruit packed with vit.C and easy to care for and get a good crop.
Chard is good for first timers as no matter what you do to it it keeps growing! For carrots, mine in the veg plot where massacred by root fly but the ones I planted in some old potato bags were brilliant. I am going to plant more in bags this year and none in the veg patch.
i live on the n border of portugal in spain and this is going to be my first go at veges. i have a quarter of an acre!!! first the tractor then weeding and now the rotavator. i have planted some seeds in mini greenhouses in a mixture of household waste, good soil and a little sand. i have taken note that by putting basil near carrots keeps flies away. and on planting the seeds on a base of sand and newspaper encourages then to grow long and straight. also leeks should not be pressed in - just fill with water. would appreciate any advice
Hello All, this is my first post and first time growing Fruit & Veg.
I purchased a 2m VegTrug and have now planted a selection of veg, herbs and salads. I also have tomatoes and strawberries in hanging baskets with potatoes in a potato's planter.
Looking forward to my first produce in 10 weeks approx.
Good luck, I have grown tumbling tomatoes in hanging baskets and strawberries. I grow potatoes in the ground, as I am lucky enough to have an allotment. I would recommend to everyone the joys of having an allotment. What fun and hard work it is, and I like the satisfaction of it. But I do, as Stewart does, still like growing things in tubs and baskets in the garden too. I am trying globe artichokes this year (all advice appreciated here!!). And have one asparagus plant in a pot at present - really need to pop it onto the allotment I think.
Hi to everyone just joined i've just had a bad time with over wintered garlic put it in as described and at the right time with some onion sets, nearly all the onions have come up but not one of the garlic thought it was a good winter to do garlic any ideas cheers Martin
Hello to everyone. This is my first post so I hope I get it right! I retired about two years ago and since then have been using Mel Bartholomew's "Square Foot Gardening" technique, as featured in this month's Gardeners' World magazine. The reults have been very good indeed and hopefully will be even better once I've mastered successional sowing. Are many other people using the SFG technique?
Hello Spodlandman. Excellent! Its proving to be an incredibly efficient and productive method of growing veg or whatever takes your fancy. Have a look at the website 'Growveg.com'. They have a web-based programme with the facility to plan a Square Foot Garden and its brilliant. This is now my second full year of having two 4x4 SFGs and the quality and quantity of crops I'm getting out of it are absolutely amazing. Where possible I raise my plants in the greenhouse but the real art is making sure that you always have something ready to plant in a vacant square. I'm still trying to master that bit!
Hi Spotlandman, You'll have to get a shorter name than that, my typing is pretty much a one-finger exercise! I'm growing my plants in Rootrainers this year rather than as plugs and so far the results are proving to be very good. Have to be careful with the watering though because they do tend to dry out very quickly. Had some delicious fresh radishes and spring onions from the SFG for lunch yesterday and today plus for our Sunday roast we had fresh cabbage and frozen parsnip that I dug earlier this year, again from our two little 4' x 4' beds.
Fantastic tips from everyone! What a brill idea to grow the carrots in a bag! Never thought of it, & even though I could build Newgrange (or Stonehenge) with the stone from my garden, I think I can still have a go at parsnips using the 'old-timer's' method. Many thanks from everyone.
Posts
I have just cut back my jostaberries by half ( you can make cuttings from the bits you cut off). Like a gooseberry bush you should try to keep the middle open, cut away any branches that are rubbibg as well. They are a lovely fruit packed with vit.C and easy to care for and get a good crop.
Chard is good for first timers as no matter what you do to it it keeps growing! For carrots, mine in the veg plot where massacred by root fly but the ones I planted in some old potato bags were brilliant. I am going to plant more in bags this year and none in the veg patch.
i live on the n border of portugal in spain and this is going to be my first go at veges. i have a quarter of an acre!!! first the tractor then weeding and now the rotavator. i have planted some seeds in mini greenhouses in a mixture of household waste, good soil and a little sand. i have taken note that by putting basil near carrots keeps flies away. and on planting the seeds on a base of sand and newspaper encourages then to grow long and straight. also leeks should not be pressed in - just fill with water. would appreciate any advice
Hello All, this is my first post and first time growing Fruit & Veg.
I purchased a 2m VegTrug and have now planted a selection of veg, herbs and salads. I also have tomatoes and strawberries in hanging baskets with potatoes in a potato's planter.
Looking forward to my first produce in 10 weeks approx.
Stewart
Good luck, I have grown tumbling tomatoes in hanging baskets and strawberries. I grow potatoes in the ground, as I am lucky enough to have an allotment. I would recommend to everyone the joys of having an allotment. What fun and hard work it is, and I like the satisfaction of it. But I do, as Stewart does, still like growing things in tubs and baskets in the garden too. I am trying globe artichokes this year (all advice appreciated here!!). And have one asparagus plant in a pot at present - really need to pop it onto the allotment I think.
Hi to everyone just joined i've just had a bad time with over wintered garlic put it in as described and at the right time with some onion sets, nearly all the onions have come up but not one of the garlic thought it was a good winter to do garlic any ideas cheers Martin
Hello to everyone. This is my first post so I hope I get it right! I retired about two years ago and since then have been using Mel Bartholomew's "Square Foot Gardening" technique, as featured in this month's Gardeners' World magazine. The reults have been very good indeed and hopefully will be even better once I've mastered successional sowing. Are many other people using the SFG technique?
Hello Spodlandman. Excellent! Its proving to be an incredibly efficient and productive method of growing veg or whatever takes your fancy. Have a look at the website 'Growveg.com'. They have a web-based programme with the facility to plan a Square Foot Garden and its brilliant. This is now my second full year of having two 4x4 SFGs and the quality and quantity of crops I'm getting out of it are absolutely amazing. Where possible I raise my plants in the greenhouse but the real art is making sure that you always have something ready to plant in a vacant square. I'm still trying to master that bit!
Hi Spotlandman, You'll have to get a shorter name than that, my typing is pretty much a one-finger exercise! I'm growing my plants in Rootrainers this year rather than as plugs and so far the results are proving to be very good. Have to be careful with the watering though because they do tend to dry out very quickly. Had some delicious fresh radishes and spring onions from the SFG for lunch yesterday and today plus for our Sunday roast we had fresh cabbage and frozen parsnip that I dug earlier this year, again from our two little 4' x 4' beds.
Fantastic tips from everyone! What a brill idea to grow the carrots in a bag! Never thought of it, & even though I could build Newgrange (or Stonehenge) with the stone from my garden, I think I can still have a go at parsnips using the 'old-timer's' method. Many thanks from everyone.