Hello

[PaulG]

Having never been interested in growing or gardening i was a little surprised at how quickly this bug has grown on me after my other half (already a member here using the name RowanStar) started earlier this year.

For me the growing bug has come from the fact i love cooking, especially curries and hot foods, never from set recipes as i love to experiment and because i prefer to use fresh ingredients i decided to start growing chillis. Started a bit late really (end of April) but have a few coming on. Sowed 7 Aji Limon, 7 Long Slim Cayenne, 5 Bhut Jolokia and 8 seeds i took out of a packet of pre-dried Thai Reds. 100% on the Ajis, Cayenne and surprisingly the Thai, only 3/5 of the Bhuts, all around 2-3 inch but still only growing second sets of leaves.

Put up a cheap 6*4 greenhouse this weekend and bought 125w blue spectrum cfl so i have now split the load between GH and Lights, will keep you all informed how they go.

I have also found myself planning where to add Runner Beans, Sweetcorn to those my wife has been growing, and today we also sowed a row of Sweet Peas. Next on my list is to find an area to grow a selection of Herbs and Spices.

I look forward to reading and learning from a lot of you, and of course inputting stuff as and where i feel capable.

[Lemon]

Impressive chilli collection there PaulG!!! Well Done & welcome!

It's great how the gardening bug bites and you're hooked! Hopefully it wont be long before you get to taste the fruits of your labours!

[Incy]

Sounds just like me and my hubby. He loves to cook too so loves me growing veg for him to experiment with. The chillies did so well last year in the GH that we still have some pickled ones left. As he says you can never have too many chillies

[Two_Sheds]

I have also found myself planning where to add Runner Beans, Sweetcorn to those my wife has been growing

ah, competitive gardener! My corn is sweeter than yours

what about French beans? Nicer than runners, and more variety.

[shirlthegirl43]

Hello and welcome to the vine. Bet you will be putting up a bigger greenhouse soon

[PaulG]

Thanks all for the replies.

Lemon, now that i know what i am doing next year i will try for more varities but maybe not so many of each, will also start soing in Jan instead of April.

Incy, i agree that you can never have too many chillis, tomatos and onions and mushrooms are also used at a very rapid rate, something else to find room for next year i think.

Two_Sheds, not really competitive but perhaps not properly explained, the wife already has Turnips, Beetroot, Spring Onion, Carrots and Tomatos so the new ones are just to add more variety in the garden. Will think about the French varieties next year, we are rapidly running out of room in the garden and its a nightmare for digging. Our neighbour who has lived here for 43 years said that in all his time the ground has never been dug so the soil seems good, just the amount of stones that make it hard going, in each square foot area digging down just one fork depth we are removing somewhere in the region of 1-200 stones each 2inches or bigger.

Shirl, we already know that a bigger Gh is needed but i think what may happen is that next year we will add another small one and use one each.

[NOG]

My chillis grew without any extra light last year. Nice to have you on here.

[Iamhanuman]

welcome to the fold - you will find some right chilli nuts on here!!!

[Two_Sheds]

the amount of stones that make it hard going, in each square foot area digging down just one fork depth we are removing somewhere in the region of 1-200 stones each 2inches or bigger.
.

My lotty is really stony too ... I'm building a Roman road with them.