Pumpkin and brocolli questions

[Bramble_killer]

Hello all

Just started a new garden plot this year and OH has been digging the garden over.

We have a space approximately 1 metre square for our pumpkin patch. I've got 3 pumpkin seedlings growing up, is that enough or too much space for them? They are the small mini pumpkins so I don't think they sprawl too far?

Also, the brocolli have now got about 4 true leaves, is it ok to plant them out to the brassica bed or wait until they are bigger? (we're in west sussex) And stupid question of the day does one seedling give one head of brocolli or more? I have 10 seedlings so I'm not sure if it's good enough or not.

And finally, have got some of the wilko's wonder gro stuff for plant food. Can I use this for all the vegetables or should I get a specialist liquid tomato feed? And can someone tell me how to make fertilizer from nettle? Just found a big patch and been told they are good for plant food. Obviously been eating the tips but there's a lot of nettles!

Phew, thanks for answering the newbie questions and hope i can contribute more helpfully soon.

Thank you!!

[maytreefrannie]

using nettles for feed - here's what I do:

Soak nettles in water, leave for at least 24 hours. the longer you leave it, the more potent and smellier it gets.

Use the feed by adding some of the mixture to water when watering. I'm not sure how much you dilute it, I think you use about one-tenth nettle tea to nine-tenths water. I'm quite careless about how I add it, I never measure.

Two Sheds gave us a good idea about this - she mentioned that she uses large 4-pint milk cartons to mix it and replaces the lid, thus containing the pong.

Comfrey or borage can be soaked with the nettle, if you've got some.

[terrier]

Hi Bramble Killer, welcome to the forum. Nettles are a good compost activator, I've got plenty of rough ground so I actually encourage the things to grow, they make good compost. I don't grow brocolli so I cant help there but squashes take up loads of room, even the dwarf varieties, so you'll need to be a bit inventive how you train them. As for fertiliser, I always get my potassium and my nitrogen etc, mixed up, so I'd better wait for an expert to come along to help there

[Spiderling]

Hi Bramble Killer. welcome! By broccoli, do you mean Calabrese...the veg which looks like a green cauli? Generally, it produces one central head and when you harvest it, leave the plant in the ground and it should produce lots of smaller shoots shortly afterwards. Yum! Last year, we were harvesting shoots from August through til January. There is also Purple Sprouting Broccoli, which is sown now, to harvest this time next year. It's in the ground a long time but provides you with a delicious crop when there isn't much else around. Hope this helps and good luck with your veg plot. Enjoy!