newbie -hello

[saffron]

hello everybody

just joined the forum and this is my first post, just thought i would say hello from sunny Pembrokeshire. Have been reading very interesting posts here and I know that I have been saved valuable time and effort already, before I even start on my raised beds, also I'm eagerly waiting for the council to deliver my 'dalek' (composting bin). Every household in the county is being given one, whether they want it or not!

I can see that this forum is going to be very well used while I'm on my steep learning curve, but you all seem to be a very happy and helpful bunch.

Saffron

[Geordie]

Hi Saffron,

Welcome to the forum, I hope you find it usefull. Maybe you could tell us a little about where you garden, ie allotmaent, back garden etc and what you are growing?

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Saffron ! Welcome to the grapevine. Pembrokeshire is a lovely place to live. We fell in love with the place when we went on holiday to Fresh Water East.

[plot 11 pam]

What are you going to grow saffron?

[Daddy Pig]

Hi Saffron - if everyone in Pembrokeshire is getting a free compost bin whether or not they want one, it might be worth asking around to see if you can 'adopt' some of the inevitably unwanted ones... I'd say you can never have too many on the allotment!

[saffron]

thanks for the welcome, I am only going to be doing my small back garden (north facing), we have plans for two 8' x 4' raised beds initially with some pots and containers for some things, I have already planted tumbler tomatoes, french beans, broad beans and peppers in pots.

Probably at the weekend the beds will be ready and will take the plants that are waiting to go in, so far they include onions, leeks, swede and sprouts and lettuce. If I can find seed potatoes one bed will have those. I like the idea of new potatoes for Christmas so will experiment with an empty compost bag.

I have sounded out a few people about unwanted compost bins and have two spares already, the nearby town have had theirs so hopefully I will have them soon - seems such a waste not to make use of them even if they don't have a garden, there would be plenty of gardeners more than gratefull to take it.

Yes - Lesley Jay it is a lovely place to live, I'm on the north coast of the county.

saffron

[sewer rat]

Hi Saffron and welcome to the 'vine - sure you'll enjoy your visits. Good luck with your garden and let us all know how you get on.
I'm also in my back gareden, have four raised beds each 8' x 4', two small beds along one side and the back of my greenhouse, and 8'x6' greenhouse, two home made cold frames, another bed I am reclaiming from the perrenials and shrubs it has housed for the last five years, a rhubarb patch, 12 buckets of potatoes, two half whisky barrels for my french and runner beans, a basin full of carrots and an old cattle feeder full (I hope) of British Queen spuds. However, I will be growing lettuces, cabbages, calabrese, psb etc in amongst my perrenials too.

[bramble]

You must have a big back garden Rat. Never thought to put my carrots in a basin, will give that a try.

[sewer rat]

My veggies only take up a quarter of the garden - though plan to increase this on the sly over next couple of seasons after OH gets taste for home grown veg

[supagranz]

Hi Saffron......Welcome to the vine from damp Surrey

[nick the grief]

Hi Saffron, Welcome to the Vine. I know Pembroke very well as we used to go Haverforwest (well near there) for Hols. Lovely part of the world.

Get all the compost bins you can, I've got 3 at the moment but may have sourced a few more

Speak to our Jax, he'll give you the low down on Square foot Gardening & you'll soon be growing more stuff.

[shirlthegirl43]

Hi Saffron,

Just joined the Vine today. I am also in Pembrokeshire - very sunny and too hot for gardening today.

I am also keenly awaiting my compost bin - due next week I think in my area. Hubby is starting to moan about bags of stuff waiting!!!

This is my first year of growing veg in the garden and I have a 6' x 4' plastic greenhouse from Instore which houses some toms and cucumbers.

All good fun!!

Happy gardening
Shirley

[saffron]

H Shirley,
Welcome to the vine, you'll find loads of good info and advice here, they're a real fiendly bunch. Are you north or south Pembs? I know what you mean about the heat, watering seems to be the main job at the moment. I started very late with planting, so haven't really started to harvest anything except a few tomatoes and broad beans, and a sneak preview of some spuds - another couple of weeks and they will be ready. All I've got is one of those tiered mini greenhouse things with 4 shelves - good for starting things off but not big enough for tomatoes or cuc to live in.

If you've got any questions, ask away, there is bound to be someone who has the answer.

Saffron

[shirlthegirl43]

I am just in North Pembrokeshire, about a mile and a half from the bridge.

Have been enjoying cucumbers though they have paused for now, new potatoes grown in buckets, and had some calabrese - all great. Also some cos lettuce which I have been taking the outer leaves from - makes them look strange but you can only eat so much lettuce at once!! Looking forward to the first (and only?) cauliflower with Sunday dinner if it cools down enough to do a roast!!

Delighted to find a gardening site with someone else from Pembrokeshrie!!

Think you can take out the upper shelves in those mini grenhouses to have toms in a growbag in the bottom but not sure as I haven't seen one up close