Wanted to say hello as a new poster on this site. I have a smallish garden but am lucky enough to have an allotment two minutes walking distance away. We first acquired the allotment in February this year so there's still lots of digging left to do for next year. I'm hoping for lots of advice from this forum.
hi all ,I was wondering if anyone has tried to grow artichokes from seed.I think you are to start them now ,and they need to be kept in the frig for a while. I would love to hear from someone who would know . thanks Debra
This is probably a really dumb question and, if so, I apologise for it in advance!!
Can anyone tell me why none of the commercial fruit/veg growers in this country grow cos (or similar) lettuce under cover in the winter? I am so fed up having to eat
tasteless, flabby, imported lettuce in the winter and don't really like the bags of
mixed salad leaves in the supermarkets. Also I like to eat British produce as much
as possible - so please can anyone answer this question for me?
Our nearby farm shop sells locally grown Baby Gems throughout the winter - they're not as well hearted up in the winter as during the rest of the year, but they're lovely and they're local
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks a lot for that Dove. I don't often get to a farm shop as I don't drive but I'll get
my OH to take me there this weekend, to see if they have Baby Gems. It just it shows it can be done, but perhaps it doesn't pay the growers if they try to
grow too much lettuce here in the winter months - I love salad all the year round
but I expect lots of people don't like it in the cold weather.
FFB, you could grow your own in a greenhouse, polytunnel or coldframe. I can't see winter salads being of interest to UK commercial growers given the vagaries of a British winter and how much it costs to maintain even growing conditions - shelter, heat, water and nutrients plus labour costs for sowing, pricking on, weeding and pest control and then quality control and packing and transport.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Steven - Put the topsoil in your raised beds and then leave it a few days to settle. It's too early for sowing most plants yet as the days are too short so the seedlings will not have enough daylight to keep them sturdy and healthy. You might get away with sowing broad beans and sweet peas depending on where you live.
You could cover your beds with black plastic to warm them up so that when you do sow or plant, your babies will get away faster. In the mean time, get a good basic veg growing book such as the Dr Hessayon one, have a look at this almanac for ideas of when and what - http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/ Check out seed catalogues online and order some of what you fancy growing then arm yourself with seed trays and seed sowing compost and give it a go,
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Posts
Wanted to say hello as a new poster on this site. I have a smallish garden but am lucky enough to have an allotment two minutes walking distance away. We first acquired the allotment in February this year so there's still lots of digging left to do for next year. I'm hoping for lots of advice from this forum.
Hi Dave, welcome.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Welcome Dave; just start a new thread if you have any questions.
hi all ,I was wondering if anyone has tried to grow artichokes from seed.I think you are to start them now ,and they need to be kept in the frig for a while. I would love to hear from someone who would know . thanks Debra
This is probably a really dumb question and, if so, I apologise for it in advance!!
Can anyone tell me why none of the commercial fruit/veg growers in this country grow cos (or similar) lettuce under cover in the winter? I am so fed up having to eat
tasteless, flabby, imported lettuce in the winter and don't really like the bags of
mixed salad leaves in the supermarkets. Also I like to eat British produce as much
as possible - so please can anyone answer this question for me?
Our nearby farm shop sells locally grown Baby Gems throughout the winter - they're not as well hearted up in the winter as during the rest of the year, but they're lovely and they're local
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks a lot for that Dove. I don't often get to a farm shop as I don't drive but I'll get
my OH to take me there this weekend, to see if they have Baby Gems. It just it shows it can be done, but perhaps it doesn't pay the growers if they try to
grow too much lettuce here in the winter months - I love salad all the year round
but I expect lots of people don't like it in the cold weather.
FFB, you could grow your own in a greenhouse, polytunnel or coldframe. I can't see winter salads being of interest to UK commercial growers given the vagaries of a British winter and how much it costs to maintain even growing conditions - shelter, heat, water and nutrients plus labour costs for sowing, pricking on, weeding and pest control and then quality control and packing and transport.
Steven - Put the topsoil in your raised beds and then leave it a few days to settle. It's too early for sowing most plants yet as the days are too short so the seedlings will not have enough daylight to keep them sturdy and healthy. You might get away with sowing broad beans and sweet peas depending on where you live.
You could cover your beds with black plastic to warm them up so that when you do sow or plant, your babies will get away faster. In the mean time, get a good basic veg growing book such as the Dr Hessayon one, have a look at this almanac for ideas of when and what - http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/ Check out seed catalogues online and order some of what you fancy growing then arm yourself with seed trays and seed sowing compost and give it a go,