Gardening

[Cepp]

Bit of an old man thread but I've been interested in doing this for a while now.

I have a south facing back garden in need of a trim as per the image below which I'll be doing shortly. It's nice to have but it's not really being used for much at present.



What I really want to get into is gardening, or more specifically, fruit and veg growing. Ultimately I'd like to turn my back garden into my own little allotment.

I've been reading John Seymour's The New Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency to get me started. It has some good bits on food growing in your garden (as well as allotments and much bigger spaces if you have access to them) and I'm starting off simple with tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, strawberries and rasberries.

Just wondering if anyone else is into this? And if so do you have any tips for a beginner

[vanpeebles]

I grow my own peppers and Dad grows all kinds, tomatos, brocolli, potatoes etc etc. You will need a greenhouse.

[Brad]

Just started (month ago, just before all this kicked off) growing all sorts. Some, very slow, success as I started form seed. Managed to kill off some corriander by letting it get too hot outside one day so I'd say it's not completely easy. Got some tomatoes doing ok though. Good luck. I'll post some pics later.

[fuse]

Managed to kill off some corriander by letting it get too hot outside one day

I knew you had powers, but this is a surprising development

[Cepp]

Seed delivery times are quite lengthy right now. I guess everyone has the same idea. Also, strimmer line and spades seem more expensive than I'm used to seeing. Perhaps I'm just cheap though.

I might have to visit the local Wilkos/Poundstretcher during the next shop and see if they have anything. I can pay for the good stuff in the future.

@vanpeebles A greenhouse would be nice to have in the future but it's a bit early for that now.

@Brad I'd love to see some pics!

[vanpeebles]

You can grow tomatos outside but they are far better in a greenhouse.

[Cepp]

You can grow tomatos outside but they are far better in a greenhouse.

Oh I don't doubt it, just a little pricey is all. I did grow some out of pots a few years back that turned out OK. They didn't yeald a huge amount but what did grow tasted nice.

I could try something like this - https://www.amazon.co.uk/GroZone-Gar...284493&sr=8-40 as a starter though.

[Anpanman]

Oh I don't doubt it, just a little pricey is all. I did grow some out of pots a few years back that turned out OK. They didn't yeald a huge amount but what did grow tasted nice.

I could try something like this - https://www.amazon.co.uk/GroZone-Gar...284493&sr=8-40 as a starter though.

Tomato plants smell great in a greenhouse, but that would be a good start. Make sure you keep it open during the day so the wonderful bees or wind can pollinate, you can DIY with a cotton bud or as I used to do with a wad of cotton wool on a cane, gently dab a yellow flower to knock some of the pollen onto the cotton then dab the pollen part of the cotton onto another flower on another flower and keep going.

Love gardening, used to do loads of veg as a teenager, lived in a council house with a huge garden with a couple of greenhouses one of which was huge with a concrete path up the middle.
I even entered my veg in the local summer show, got a 'Recommended' for my purple podded peas.

I'm on the allotment waiting list but might have to wait a while yet before I get one.

Anyway, peas are good for the soil, they put lots of nitrogen into the ground particularly if you break the roots up into the soil after the crop, the variety 'Onward' has an even higher nitrogen content.
Lettuce are easy but you have to start them in seed trays, do a new tray every couple of weeks or so then you'll have a constant supply through the summer.
Sprouts are good, need to turnover the ground a bit deeper than other veg and they do like some **** (manure) but they harvest later in the year and the roots break the soil up well in preparation for the following year, plus since the plants are quite big it gives a nice sense of achievement.

If you are growing carrots, put them in-between rows of onions or spring onions, the smell of the onions helps to keep carrot flies away.

Tip for the winter, about once a month get a fork into the ground where your plots are, rain will get into the holes and on cold nights will freeze, and also help to break the soil up.

That's all I can think at the mo, good luck with it though, veg growing is the dogs.

[Cepp]

Tomato plants smell great in a greenhouse, but that would be a good start. Make sure you keep it open during the day so the wonderful bees or wind can pollinate, you can DIY with a cotton bud or as I used to do with a wad of cotton wool on a cane, gently dab a yellow flower to knock some of the pollen onto the cotton then dab the pollen part of the cotton onto another flower on another flower and keep going.

Love gardening, used to do loads of veg as a teenager, lived in a council house with a huge garden with a couple of greenhouses one of which was huge with a concrete path up the middle.
I even entered my veg in the local summer show, got a 'Recommended' for my purple podded peas.

I'm on the allotment waiting list but might have to wait a while yet before I get one.

Anyway, peas are good for the soil, they put lots of nitrogen into the ground particularly if you break the roots up into the soil after the crop, the variety 'Onward' has an even higher nitrogen content.
Lettuce are easy but you have to start them in seed trays, do a new tray every couple of weeks or so then you'll have a constant supply through the summer.
Sprouts are good, need to turnover the ground a bit deeper than other veg and they do like some **** (manure) but they harvest later in the year and the roots break the soil up well in preparation for the following year, plus since the plants are quite big it gives a nice sense of achievement.

If you are growing carrots, put them in-between rows of onions or spring onions, the smell of the onions helps to keep carrot flies away.

Tip for the winter, about once a month get a fork into the ground where your plots are, rain will get into the holes and on cold nights will freeze, and also help to break the soil up.

That's all I can think at the mo, good luck with it though, veg growing is the dogs.

Mate, that's a massive help, cheers! I definitely want to get in on growing some peas and I'll keep in mind the lettuce and carrot info

I keep trying to get my dad to put himself on an allotment list. He loves gardening and can't do much of it at his current place. How long have you been waiting if you don't mind me asking?

[Anpanman]

Happy to help!

Just reminded me to get in touch with the council, I've been on the list since 2007 but they said that I could be waiting twenty years on that set of allotments.
I suppose it depends on the area and allotments in question, tell him to get on the list. He could always turn it down when his turn came if he changed his mind.

[vanpeebles]

Allotments are a ton of graft, my uncle grew tobbaco on my Grandads allotment in the 80s. He had hens and all kinds.

[Cepp]

Happy to help!

Just reminded me to get in touch with the council, I've been on the list since 2007 but they said that I could be waiting twenty years on that set of allotments.
I suppose it depends on the area and allotments in question, tell him to get on the list. He could always turn it down when his turn came if he changed his mind.

Bloody hell, 13 years! I hope you get one soon in that case. I'll sign my dad up just for the hell of it, I'm sure he'd jump at it if he actually got a call to say a plot was free for him.

Allotments are a ton of graft, my uncle grew tobbaco on my Grandads allotment in the 80s. He had hens and all kinds.

Siounds badass heh. Keeping chickens or maybe quail would be really cool tbh.

[Soundwave]

Fun thread guys

I have quite a big garden (70' long) that I've been meaning to start working on...in fact we were due to start sorting with my mum & dad's gardeners at the end of April but that's on hold for now

This is the current VERY blank slate that needs a lot of work



We are planning full decking at the back here where whoever had the house before had done whatever & have a whole bunch of hardcore & concrete to cover



Also have access to this brick shed which will eventually be tidied, re-plastered & turned into a gaming/man cave




Lastly a new wooden shed will occupy this area next to the brick shed (the slabs next to the brick shed are ready for laying the base which I will be doing this weekend)



Going to be fun seeing how this thread progresses over the next few months

Neil

[Cepp]

I'm jealous of that shed Neil, that'll make a great little gaming room. Just check on the felt roof, I had to kick out a lot of claims for wear and tear back when I worked in house insurance because the felt was over 5 years old. It's one of the most common repudiations and it'd suck to lose all of the gaming gear inside.

[Soundwave]

I'm jealous of that shed Neil, that'll make a great little gaming room. Just check on the felt roof, I had to kick out a lot of claims for wear and tear back when I worked in house insurance because the felt was over 5 years old. It's one of the most common repudiations and it'd suck to lose all of the gaming gear inside.

Ha ha yeah it is pretty sweet going to be good when I finally get it sorted
It won't house much...probably an arcade cab, my old Panasonic G20 plasma & most likely an analogue SNES & MD combo tied to Emulator carts along with Saturn & DC (Both of which I'll look at getting Rhea & GDEMU conversions done)

All of that should be plenty lol

Thanks for the heads up as well
I'll have a word with next door as its shared in their garden too & look at splitting the cost for a new roof just to be safe

Neil