The 'Grow Your Own' Thread

tailwindhome

Anyone on here growing their own fruit or veg.

Thinking of giving it a go this year.




RIP

rick_chasey

Now I have a balcony I'm planning to grow a bunch of cooking herbs. Waiting till it warms up a bit first.

rjsterry

There's quite a few on here with a veg patch IIRC. Need to give the spuds a rest this year to avoid blight, but will probably try some more carrots in bags and the usual toms in the greenhouse. Not sure what else to try - runners did very well; brassicas were a dead loss, but I do have some insect mesh now. Hmmmm.

cyclingprop

Rick Chasey wrote:

Now I have a balcony I'm planning to grow a bunch of cooking herbs. Waiting till it warms up a bit first.

Dutch 'erbs?

rjsterry

Rick Chasey wrote:

Now I have a balcony I'm planning to grow a bunch of cooking herbs. Waiting till it warms up a bit first.

Start'em off as seedlings in a window cill propagator (seed tray with a clear plastic lid) so that they've got a head start

fill_uk

I was going to give it a go this year as i have a bigger garden and a conservatory that'll get warm enough to start things off in. Plus the kids are old enough to help out and learn a bit this year Currently in the process of ripping up a load of old plants and decking to try and make the garden safe/usable .

I'm just rubbish at growing stuff. There was one summer some time ago that was hot and i managed to grow loads of chilies, since then nothing so would be good to pick up any tips people have.

rhext

Yes, I'll be sowing a load as usual. Then I'll spend the rest of the year watching the resulting plants struggle to survive as bad weather, pests and weeds render them completely inedible. Also as usual!

The Fuggler

I had an allotment before I moved. Generally, it was very much trial and error and what would work one year, will not necessarily work the next! Well worth having a look for a book in your friendly local book shop to act as a reference. I think the RHS do a nice book. Can't stand the woman, but Carol Klein does a half decent reference too.

msmancunia

I'm going to give it a try this year. My garden is mainly paved with raised beds around the edges so it will mainly be pots and growbags, but going to at least attempt some strawberries and tomatoes and maybe a bit of salady stuff.

jds_1981

Got some mushrooms growing in the conservatory. Just found you can grow them on used coffee grounds (Which are given away at work) so think I'm set on Oyster mushrooms for life.
Had a polytunnel last year, only seeded quite late and the crud weather made it very unproductive, but got a good number of cucumbers

mudcow007

i did rhubarb, courgettes, toms, peppers, chillies, redcurrants, whitecurrents, strawberries an gooseberries last year

im thinking beans this year

notsoblue

Rick Chasey wrote:

Now I have a balcony I'm planning to grow a bunch of cooking herbs. Waiting till it warms up a bit first.

Tomatoes work well on balconies. I had a 3kg yield from some that were grown in a growbag on a south-east facing balcony one year. You just need to keep them well watered, and in the sun.

MrSweary

Growing courgettes, toms and possibly some spuds this year. Did courgettes, toms and aubergines last year. Toms and courgettes went great guns. Aubergines - we managed one. Perfectly formed, about 4cm long! The moussaka wasn't as filling as I'd have liked...

Wrath Rob

In general if you've got limited space then focus on stuff that's expensive in the shops but easy to grow. Salad, beans, mange tout, tomatoes and courgettes are all very easy to grow, don't take up too much space and produce good crops.

rjsterry

Forgot to mention our Jerusalem artichokes (stick in ground and leave - nice sunflower + edible tuber at the end of the season), and our black currants, and cherries. Have to watch the latter as pigeons tend to go for them just before they are ripe.

BTW, if you end up with a lot of unripe toms at the end of the season, they make the basis of a good chutney.

FoldingJoe

Yep, normally a few different varieties of toms in the greenhouse and runner beans, courgettes, peas or whatever takes our fancy outside in the beds.

Bizzarely, and I heard that this was the case on a R4 prog sometime last year, our plum tree only fruits every other year.

FoldingJoe

And the Good Life pic reminds me - leeks always seem to do well.

danlikesbikes

House move soon & can't wait. Would not say that I am green fingered myself and nor is the other half but I do love my cooking & like the idea of homegrown ingredients.

The place we are buying has apple, pear & plum trees and understood to have a good crop. Just need think about what else to plant - but guess peoples suggestions will be the simple & most often used things such as salad greens, herbs, leeks, courgettes etc

rhext

FoldingJoe wrote:

Yep, normally a few different varieties of toms in the greenhouse and runner beans, courgettes, peas or whatever takes our fancy outside in the beds.

Bizzarely, and I heard that this was the case on a R4 prog sometime last year, our plum tree only fruits every other year.

I think there's something you can do about that. I believe it's a symptom of it fruiting too heavily one year and then needing a year to recover, after which it has another bumper crop because it recovered too well. There might be some advice on the internet - eg about pruning it or feeding it or thinning the fruit.

rhext

FoldingJoe wrote:

Yep, normally a few different varieties of toms in the greenhouse and runner beans, courgettes, peas or whatever takes our fancy outside in the beds.

Bizzarely, and I heard that this was the case on a R4 prog sometime last year, our plum tree only fruits every other year.

There you go:

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/pro ... px?pid=280

greg66_tri_v2.0

tailwindhome wrote:

Anyone on here growing their own fruit or veg.

Thinking of giving it a go this year.

As I suspected.

This whole thread is a euphemistic announcement that you're going to undergo snip reversal treatment in 2013.

It is, isn't it?

I knew it.

team47b

planted ten each of these seeds as earlies so far this year:

tomato seeds up
courgette seeds up, transplanted to bigger pots
Aubergine seeds up
peppers up

globe artichokes (Perennial) about a metre high
Chillies scotch bonnet (Perennial)
Sweet potatoes (Perennial)
Everlasting cabbage, just gets taller as you pick lower leaves will need steps soon!

garlic and leeks are growing themselves, just leave them in.

meanredspider

Depends what the farmer plants this year....

I was hopeful of fresh lamb but the sheep have gone.

Gotta get some revenge for his fertiliser over-spray that means the grass needs cutting about twice a week!

alanjay

Chillies and lots of them - got Moruga Scorpions, Yellow 7 pods, Chocolate 7 pods, Brain Strain, Trinidad Scorpions, Padrons, Etna, Thai Dragon & White Habanero currently on every available windowsill in the house waiting for warmer weather so they can go in the greenhouse. Last year was a rubbish year for chilli due to the distinct lack of sun so hoping for better this year.

Got fed up with poor return for veg the last couple of years so just growing herbs & fruit outside this year.

For those who can't be bothered with the whole seed business then www.rocketgardens.co.uk do some great boxes of plants ready to go out.

Wrath Rob

FoldingJoe wrote:

Bizzarely, and I heard that this was the case on a R4 prog sometime last year, our plum tree only fruits every other year.

Victoria plums? Sounds about right, though if you strip some of the crop well before its ripe you'll help promote a better crop in the lean years. Our plum tree is fantastic, there's nothing quite like the sight of a big bunch of fresh purple plums ripe for the eating.

No double entendres please, its too easy

Plumby Baby

I got three allotments. Had em for about 6 years now. Only one of a few things better than cycling...

corriebee1

I've got an allotment. I love it!

This year however will ne the first time my new habit (the bike) and my old one (the veg) have had to compete! We'll see

Last year I grew:

At the allotment:
Potatoes
Spinach
Horseradish
Leeks
Sweetcorn
Beetroot
Golden Beetroot
Broad Beans
Runner Beans
Carrots
Radishes
Spring Onions
Carrots (Chantenay)
Courgettes
Shallots (millions of 'em!)
Red Onions
Onions
Salads

Strawbs
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Gooseberries
Blackcurrants

On the back of the plot we have brambles and Blackthorns for blackberries and Sloes

At Home:
Tomatoes
Blueberries
Honeyberries
Salads
LOTS of chillis

We don't have the time to keep our plot looking amazing, but it's amazing what you can get done in a short space of time. We love our food, so having fresh produce is great. I just ate my lunch with some of our shallots and leeks in a carbonara. Very nice!

supersonic

House is built on the site of an old chemical works. Unless I want arsenic and lead in my salad, I'll probably have to have the soil tested first!

veronese68

supersonic wrote:

House is built on the site of an old chemical works. Unless I want arsenic and lead in my salad, I'll probably have to have the soil tested first!

Or you'll be disqualified from the large marrow contest at the village fair for doping.

tgotb

team47b wrote:

planted ten each of these seeds as earlies so far this year:

tomato seeds up
courgette seeds up, transplanted to bigger pots
Aubergine seeds up
peppers up

globe artichokes (Perennial) about a metre high
Chillies scotch bonnet (Perennial)
Sweet potatoes (Perennial)
Everlasting cabbage, just gets taller as you pick lower leaves will need steps soon!

garlic and leeks are growing themselves, just leave them in.

For a moment you had me worried that I'd somehow left all my planting too late, then I saw your location!

Anyone had any success growing sweet potatoes in a UK (London) climate?

msmancunia

anyone had any luck growing leeks? I've never done it but I love them (I only attempt to grow things I like!) but everytime I go past an allotment and see all those leeks poking out of bits of drainpipe it puts me off as a bit of a faff. Do you need to do that or is that just for those guys that show veg?