Martine from Woodbridge

[rainbox]

Hello everyone!

I'm Martine, I live on a barge in Woodbridge with my 9 months old daughter. I'm planning to make a container vegetable garden on the roof! I don't know a huge amount about gardening and although I've dabbled in the area before this will be my first "proper" garden. It's very exciting!

I'll probably be trawling this forum for helpful advice and tips. I'm already wondering if I've bit off more than I can chew with attempting to grow aubergines, as I've read that it can be quite tricky... Any advice?

[Two_Sheds]

Welcome!
Did you go to Potato Fair yesterday at Stonham Barns?
We did, and visited Woodbridge for the first time - what a lovely little town.

[selfraising]

Hello and welcome to the vine! Lots of good advice on the forums. How exciting, living on a barge! Not an expert myself but I think aubegines are quite deep-rooted so you would want a reasonably deep container. Mine have recently germinated. You can, however, get various baby aubgergine plant seeds which might not need as much depth. What else are you planning to grow?

[Two_Sheds]

attempting to grow aubergines, as I've read that it can be quite tricky... Any advice?

They are related to tomatoes, but need warmer conditions. Start them off back-end of March Growing Aubergines (Egg Plant), National Vegetable Society

[Herbie]

Hello and Welcome to the vine. Wishing you every success with your roof top garden.

[TonyO]

Hello Martine, & welcome to the vine,

I sometimes go cycling along the grand union canal - especially in summer, & some of the barges have lovely pots of flowers on their roofs such as busy lizzie, begonias, fuchias & geraniums - a real riot of colour, have also seen some with tomatoes,

I have never tried growing aubergines myself, please keep us informed as to how you get on with them.

Tony.

[di]

Hello,although I'm in Ipswich now....still consider myself more a Woodbridge girl!!(do you know Charsfield?)....miss it lots!!
Good Luck with the roof garden....bet it will be great....& welcome to the vine!!

[ixi1456]

hello and a warm welcome to the vine

[Samwise]

Hi, welcome to the vine it's awesome

[bobleponge]

Hi Martine and welcome.
Lovely part of the country you live in.
As has been said, leave the aubs till end of March, they do need a long growing season though to be successful, and a hot one, so here's hoping for you and us

[Nicos]

Hello- and welcome to the Vine!!
On a Barge eh???....lovely!

I wasn't successful with Aubergines when I tried to grow them in a greenhouse...BUT- it was a cold damp summer and I started the seeds off late.

Just a thought- is it worth you considering buying small plants to get a head start???

Good luck with them!

[Johnny Appleseed]

Why not try spuds in tubs?

Hi Martine - now is an ideal time for planning to plant seed potatoes in containers if they take your fancy. Plenty of advice on the forum on this subject - and welcome to you.

[Solebay Diamond]

Hi and welcome to the vine. Good luck with the aubergines. Let us know how you get on.

[rainbox]

Thanks everyone for your replies!

I have already sown a couple of aubergines that have just started to sprout but I still have more seeds left so I'll sow some more a bit later as well.

I have got some seed potatoes (Anya) but I'm not sure when to start chitting them, although I think it must be soon? On the packet it says to wait until after the last frost to plant them out but I'm not sure how long chitting takes anyway so maybe it's time to do that already.. Hmmm.

I'm also thinking of growing Onions and garlic from sets, is there anything I need to do to those before planting them?

Two_Sheds: No I didn't go to the potato fair, I didn't even know there was one. Was it good? And where is Stonham Barns? This is where I seem like an idiot for not even knowing my own area, but oh well:P

andi&di: Hello! It's lovely hearing from locals I don't know Charsfield either unfortunately, where is it? I think I really ought get out some more!
At least you're not too far away from Woodbridge, so if you miss it you can pop by

What I'm planning to grow:
Tomatoes - Red Robin, Gardeners Delight & Millefleur
Cucumber - Crystal Lemon
Sweet Peppers - Sunnybrook
Aubergines - Diamond
Alpine Strawberries
Carrots - Paris Market
Rainbow Chard
Pea - Sugar Bon
Lettuce
Potatoes - Anya
Onions
Garlic
Various herbs

and flowers:

Nasturtiums
Brugmansia Arborea

Oh, I'm also looking for suitable containers to but all this in, does anyone have any suggestions other that garden centre pots?
I was thinking of wooden or plastic crates maybe, but I'm really looking for somewhere I can get stuff cheap or free. Any thoughts?