I don't think I'll ever be a good gardener

[quark1]

I wouldn't worry too much - just grow what you can from the faster growing varieties of what you and family enjoy to eat.

Any unripe toms etc can be used for green tom chutney - plenty of recipes on this site.

Peppers and chilllies can be brought indoors as attractive house plants until they deliver their 'heat' - can also be overwintered to get eary start next year.

Think everyone with no greenhouse or indoor facility will be a tad behind this year due to long harsh winter and the late frosts in early May which killed many young plants and seedlings which were not protected.

I'm going to be about 2-3 weeks behind peeps buying from garden centres for beans etc. Fast germination (runner Celebration) and think next week I can plant out (2 weeks). Some sweetcorn on offer was just a blade of grass - so I'll just try a few at home and do the SAmerican thing and plant a couple of squash betwixt the plants.

Rhubarb crowns at £5 bar a penny! Looked great - but I'll wait and grow from seed to replace my casualties. Mean.....you bet I'm mean!

The word from the weather guys is that it is likely that the summer will last longer than usual so that should make up for late starts and us freezing various body parts off during the winter!

Hope you get some satisfying results none the less.

[Tomatoking]

I'm just not patient and organised enough.

I'm too late with my tomatoes so am gong to just have to buy any plugs I can get hold of. I chickened out of doing potatoes because I couldn't work out the logistics of planting and sowing etc and I want the chilli plants I bought yesterday to be ready for tonight's dinner!

Hi Pidge

I got back into growing last year after far too long, ok i do know a little about toms, but its like the guy that just puts the wheels on at a car factory, he know bugger all about the other bits.
However, I have found so much good advice on here, some of the people on here are really talented growers.
Just try not to grow too much of one thing to start with, and every season you learn a little bit more.

I have given up on potatoes as the blight from them spread to my precious toms, and there is no shame in buying plugs, with the difficult winter we have had trying to raise plants.

Just rememeber Rome wasnt built in a day, and chilli's dont produce over night.

Mr TK

[gemlady]

I would suggest having a go at easy things like radish, lettuce, beetroot, a few herbs. They grow quickly and easily and the success will give you confidence, but would agree with everyone else, have a go and see what happens. That's half the fun of gardening!

[Pidge]

Thanks chaps. This thread has made me feel much better ;o)

[weekendwellies]

for potatoes and seedlings, 'I am a dig a hole and chuck it in' kind of gardener, or for seeds it is a case of 'scrape a line and sprinkle it on' kind of gardener. If it grows great, if it doesnt, oh well, try again.

[hamsterqueen]

I've been growing my veg for about 30 years and helping my dad before that, I still am not organised and some things never grow well, others unexpectedly grow wonderfully..

one day I will find out how it;s 'sposed to be done

I have never quite got my head round the fact that May is so close to June..

and as for radishes..I have had about 4 edible ones in all tehtime I;ve been growing them