Thoms diary

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Thomassio
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Thoms diary

Post by Thomassio »

Guess I should start a diary now I've started veggies! This will be my first 'busy' year of growing. In the past I have had tomatoes, aubergines and courgettes in grow bags and chillies on the windowsill as well as plenty of herbs.
I'm chomping at the bit to get into my new house (it's the garden I'm excited about really!) and get some raised beds filled up. Determined not to let the move spoil the months of April and May, and was planning on 'liberating' some plants from the inlaws. To keep me busy I decided to grow everything from seed, or at least try.

Started sowing about ten days ago, and so far have 6 courgettes germinated, one beetroot (bolthardy) is showing through the soil, a couple of mange tout, a couple of sugar snap peas (waverex). I also have 4 varieties of chillies, two varieties of tomatoes and two varieties of sweet peppers all in the propagator and airing cupboard.

It might be a little too early but I'm hoping I can get away with it by keeping them indoors for a few weeks, if not then I will be starting again in the not too distant future!
Thomassio
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Re: Thoms diary

Post by Thomassio »

So far my courgettes are doing great, I'm keeping them inside as long as possible in hope that I can miss any frosts. I have 7 that seem pretty strong although I definitely don't need 7. All my other seeds seem to be doing really well, almost all of my tomatoes, moneymaker and gardeners delight, are growing nicely although I wasn't expecting them all to germinate. I won't be needing 30 tomato plants! Also, 8 sugar snap peas seem to be doing well and 8 mange tout. Won't need all of them either.......see the pattern developing here?! Only my couple of varieties of sweet peppers and lots of chillies yet to sprout but not expecting them to come through for another week or so. Fingers crossed I get away with it and manage to keep a few of each alive and healthy to reach the garden in the new house.
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lancashire lass
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Re: Thoms diary

Post by lancashire lass »

Thomassio wrote:Also, 8 sugar snap peas seem to be doing well and 8 mange tout. Won't need all of them either.......


actually, I easily grow well over 50+ plants (just for myself) - they are short season so after the initial flush of pods, you might get a second crop if you keep up with picking but thereafter they do poorly - that's when I leave the pods to mature and save seed for the following year. The best way to grow peas is to sow a few at a time spread over the weeks from March until about mid June (thereafter the risk of fusarium wilt seems to rise - so disappointing when peas are about ready to pick but they are slimey and mouldy)
Thomassio
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Re: Thoms diary

Post by Thomassio »

)t' thank you LL, always appreciated. I won't have room for those sorts of numbers once things get underway, but I guess some tactical rearranging and successional sowing should see me right. Hopefully.
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Re: Thoms diary

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So the house move has been held up. Surprise surprise. I sometimes wonder what solicitors and estate agents actually do for their money.....anyway, that's nothing to do with veggies but I'm glad I got a few bits started as I'm unlikely to be moving until mid April.
The tomatoes are doing well, but I've just planted some tumbling toms and tomatillos which I'm excited about.
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The downside to getting started before the move is that what started as a couple of seed trays, after a bit of potting on, is taking over the living room. I don't mind at all, but the DW mutters and chunters about it from time to time - will be a different story when she wants some fresh salsa for a BBQ in the summer though won't it??!
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Still got heaps more tomatoes, chillis and peppers to pot on. The mange tout and sugars nap peas are doing well and the courgettes are taking over too.
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Richard
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Re: Thoms diary

Post by Richard »

Hi,

Good for you. We'll be following your progress with interest.

You'll enjoy it, nothing beats home grown )t'

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Re: Thoms diary

Post by davina112 »

Going great guns, I like your duck in the background )t'
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Thomassio
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Re: Thoms diary

Post by Thomassio »

So far most things I started from seed are doing pretty well, I just want to get things planted out now! Unfortunately I csnt just yet, I have my raised beds constructed now but im waiting on someone I know to sort me out a ton of compost which will be saturday hopefully. Its free though so I cant complain!

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This will be a miniature polytunnel and my other 8x4 bed will have some sort of frame over it and be covered in a fine net (scaffold net). Just desperate for a couple of dry days!
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Re: Thoms diary

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Well so far, most seems to be going well. I have what I suspect is a vine weevil issue in one bed so time will tell how that goes.
I have all sorts coming through in the 'polytunnel', beetroot, pak choi, various salad leaves and a few other bits. They have all germinated well but maybe I was a little heavy handed with the seeds and I'm going to have some thinning out to do in a couple of weeks.
Currently in the process of building another monstrosity in the garden in the shape of a huge cold frame/small green house. It's 12ft long and 4ft wide. I had a bit of space spare and a friend sent me 5 super hot chilli plugs when I moved in, along with the other 30ish I have grown from seed, I'm going to end up with a whole lot of hot food this summer hopefully!
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Re: Thoms diary

Post by Thomassio »

Here's the large cloche, I lovingly refer to it as my mini polytunnel, I will give it a few more days and post up a pic of what's inside! Below it is my latest garden creation, my DW is pulling her hair out! :-D So far it only has a few bits in, chillis, tomatillo, and tomato just to see if it stays warm enough before I fill it.

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billnorfolk
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Re: Thoms diary

Post by billnorfolk »

Hiya Thomassio

I do like the small polly tunnel looks very neat and tidy ,but while you are experimenting with bigger structures which I am sorry to say a good gust of wind and they will be off ,why not treat yourself to a proper polly tunnel as I guess time you buy wood and plastic sheet one of these may come cheaper in the long run ,mine is in its 4th year and next year may need another cover that are available cheap on ebay ,it withstood the winter gales and is busy growing, already we have lettuce and radish from it this year and will be filled with dwarf beans in a week or 2.Have a look at this.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-5m-x-2m-Pol ... 1c30ecb6e7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Thomassio
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Re: Thoms diary

Post by Thomassio »

Thanks Bill, I've been thinking about doing exactly that. The bigger structure is fairly sturdy, post-created in place, and the polythene is heavy gauge (1000 maybe) but I'm concerned the wind might pull it through the clout nails.... Time will tell! I had most of the wood from our local tip and polythene was cheap - for the quantity anyway!
I think a tunnel will be on the cards for next year, if I buy one now after what I have already done in the garden then she-who-must-be-obeyed will have a meltdown!

Thom
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Re: Thoms diary

Post by Thomassio »

Just a quick update, the raised beds are doing well although I have planted things far far to close together. The tomatoes are doing brilliant in the polytunnel. In fact everything is doing really well although the beet root and pak choi are going to struggle due to space.
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The bed that's uncovered is slower but still looking good......
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Peas and mangetout are starting to flower and the later sowing is coming up nicely too
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And my first courgette
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Here's the polythene covered 'greenhouse' thing....... It's a little temperamental in terms of temperature. At night it's around 12 or 14 but yesterday was the hottest I recorded at 41! Ridiculously hot, even for the chillis. It's ok as a one off but if we have a good summer I will need to keep it open a little.
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My other chillis are indoors, some on a windowsill and a few 'superhots' under lights which will soon get moved out.
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Also, a couple of strawberries starting to look good
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Richard
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Re: Thoms diary

Post by Richard »

Well done there, all looking very healthy!

I wouldn't worry about the closeess too much, square foot gardening and all that, just eat some of the Veg on the young side, a good way to thin out !!

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Thomassio
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Re: Thoms diary

Post by Thomassio »

Well things have been growing great here. I have been eating salad leaves, spinach and radishes for the last three weeks. Spinach got out of hand, as has the mizuna and oak choi. The tomatoes are growing brilliantly, heaps of flowers but as yet, no fruit. Few chillies and peppers starting to come on nicely, photos of the rest of the chillies to follow.
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I'm trying to figure out what to do with my makeshift greenhouse, polythene creation. As the weeks have gone by and the sun has changed, it now doesn't get the sun until about 11:30. It wouldn't be a problem in a proper greenhouse I'm sure but as it's 'well ventilated'! It's temperature can range from 12 degrees at night to 42 in full sun! I'm taking care to open it when it gets too hot but I would still rather have it get sun through the day. Any comments from anyone?
That said, the chillies are doing fairly well and I have tomatoes and tomatillos in there that are touching the top, and flowering really well (photos to follow!).
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