My veg Patch

[Stacey]

About a week ago I planted all my veg seeds-peas,beans,carrots,lettuce,cabbage,Leeks,broccoli (green and purple),brussel sproutsparsnip.swede.turnip,beetroot,shallots and garlic.today i have done my potatoes and in the next week or so we will be planting out the tomatoes (the only thing we have started off indoors).we have used 600litres of organic compost,not covered things over,had the cats and foxes in it,I know there are red ants in at least 2 of the beds.and evrythings been planted together rather than one bed for brassicas one for roots etc.do you think we still have a chance? lol

[yoanbob]

quite possibly.

[Flummery]

Panic not Stacey. I like to think of things as guidelines rather than rules. You can be amazingly cack-handed in gardening ans still grow edible stuff in reasonable quantities. You sound like you have the right attitude. Enjoy it!

[Stacey]

I was lacking in space so we have put the lettuce seed in the middle of the pea and bean triangle structure things made from canes,the names really not coming to me right now sorry lol.do you think that was a good or bad idea? Also we have used whole seed packets in our rows,it said spread thinly and thats what we did but i have been reading other forums and people have just used a few seeds for parsnips and things like that.but not us! does this just mean a lot (if successful) of "thinning out" and if it does would it be ok to put some in containers cos we really dont have anywhere else to put things now lol xx

[Stacey]

incase i didnt say it clear enough the lettuce under the canes is just in one row straight down the centre,we have two varities so one has been put through the beans the other through the peas. And when I said about the seeds I meant that for every single veg on my plot that has come from a packet of seeds, i have used them all. With all my veg it has been put in either one or two rows. My four plots are roughly 6ft by 9ft. I hope that makes a bit more sense! xx

[Alice]

Panic not Stacey. What you have done is not perfect - but it will grow. It's all a learning curve and you will know for next year.
Usually you don't have to plant the whole packet, but it's a common mistake with beginners. If things come up fast and furious just pull up the ones you don't want. Don't be tempted to think you can save everything - better to save something.
Put something over the beds to keep the cats and foxes out. I find chicken wire works well. Good luck and keep us posted.

[yoanbob]

plants want to grow,so dont panic, you can allways thin your parsnips by taking early ones and leaving others to grow on, baby veg tends to be very sweet, yummy! plants will grow no matter what you do, all this stuff is about giving them best possible chance, but you really have to suck it and see, for your soil and area, and how much time you have.
do you want to win rosettes or just eat well?
if your short on space lettuce between rows makes perfect sense to me. good luck!

[Stacey]

oooh id love to win rosettes! but i wouldnt know where to start with entering competitions and things lol. In my family there is a history of farmers,however there arent many left and the ones that are still around live in Devon! So my advice mainly comes from my grandma,which unfortunately isnt always very clear. So its great that I have this site now too,and the magazine.I have noticed that my herbs are dying (i bought some unwins and had them on the windowsill,followed the instructions to a T). Anyway I wont have anything coming up for about another week yet so fingers crossed.Oh yeah I have some fleece and 2 polytunnels,what do you think I should cover?

[Stacey]

Yay,looked out into my garden and what do i see? two rows of turnip seedlings!! will DEFINATELY need thinning out though,lol not sure when,but im sure i'll figure it out (or balls it up). My garlic is shooting too yay!!!!

[TPeers]

Hi Stacey,

Welcome to the vine, don't worry about where you planted what, as long as you labled it and know what you have you can make sure you don't plant exactly the same thing in the same place next year - that is the basis of crop rotation!

As a general rule of thumb you should thin close sown crops and it is called general rule of thumb because you use it as a measure. So... thin by rule of thumb - one thumb width between plants.

You should aim to do this after the majority of a variety have germinated and have their first true leaves. For a variety which is a root crop, carrot, parsnip, radish.... throw the ones you take out, they will not transplant (move). for other varieties such as cabbage, lettuce, etc... you can generally transplant the seedlings assuming you have the space.

As the crop matures you may wish to thin further, remove every other plant, these second thinnings should be useable in the kitchen as baby veg.

Most crops can be grown in a container - I have even grow sweetcorn that way - just remember you are its sole support for food an water, and even if it has been raining all day your pots and planters may need watering!

Does you village/town have an annual show or fair? If so you could enter a few veg and see how you do. If not this year then at least go - you will get a good idea of the standard in your area and the types of class you might like to try.

Enjoy yourself

Terry

[Stacey]

I have no idea what my area has to offer its Derby city and from what I can make out theres jack all to do,apart from the "in bloom" thing. We have a fabulous horticultural college,oh its sooo beautiful but they dont have the funds to do as much as they could/should. I wouldnt know where to look for finding out about comps and things.

Is there really no way of saving some of my turnips when I thin them out? cos I have so so many lol, the pack of seeds was probably only about 50p but it seems such a waste - I HATE waste.

[TPeers]

Well..... you could try tansplanting them, they are part of the cabbage family which generally will take transplanting. Try making a deep slot with your trowel, hold the seedling in place with the roots hanging free and then cut a second slot behind and push the soil forward - that should distort the roots the least and gve you the best chance.

Might not work, but then again.......

[Flummery]

If they are left to get a bit bigger (3" high) before you thin you can use the turnip tops as greens. Eat your thinnings instead of chucking them away.

[Stacey]

maybe i should take a photo to show you just how close they are lol. re potted all my tomato seedlings last night. I have 114 altogether about 28 of which is moneymakers the rest gardeners delight.erm think i'll be giving a few of those away. Everything but my beans,peas,potatoes and shallots are coming up.I even have some onion seedlings,sown indoors 5 may,didnt think they would come up! I have a slight problem with my potatoes,that being that something is growing there but its definatley NOT my potatoes lol. I think its the cabbage i planted nearby. oh well at least i like cabbage and its not over the whole area of the potatoes. I have planted some marigolds in the corners of all my beds to encourage wildlife,has anyone else done this?

oh yeah evrything apart from the tomatoes and potatoes were planted on the 5th and 6th of May so I think things are coming up pretty quickly! xx

[moggssue]

Terry, I love the rule of thumb and will be using it for my thinnings (if I actually need to thin that is!). I sowed carrot seeds a month ago tomorrow and only last night did they finally begin to show after I'd just about given up hope!
Stacey, good luck for a bumper crop - let us know how you get on, it encourages me to keep sowing!!