Succession Growing - eh?

[noidea]

Hi there Scruffy Duffy

I am new here too but everyone has been really helpful so far. There seems to be so much to take in! We are also growing for the kids. We have 4 and they are all really enjoying it so far. the 6 month old has a thing for pulling over cucumber plants so there is a definate interest.

We have a much smaller area than you to grow in but are trying to use as many pots as possible to bulk up. We are also saving a tiny of bit of space to try out stuff that we wouldn't normally buy, just to experiment.

Alice... we have just ordered some pak choi seeds... are they fairly easy to grow??

C

[Alice]

Alison I got seeds for Mei Qing Choi from Nicky's seeds and Cantong White from (?) but says Eden Project. I think I bought them in Lidl. I don't have much of a slug problem, but I did grow some of the Pak Choi in a container to see how it would go - did great. you could try some in a container standing in a tray of water (slugs can't swim). Definately recommend it. We've been eating it for weeks so good for an early crop.
http://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/seeds/

[Alice]

Noidea, I would say the Pak Choi was sure fire. Plant and stand back. Eat in 4 to 6 weeks. I'll try to post a pic tomorrow.

[Alison]

Thanks Alice, may give it a grow as it's a veg I really love.

[noidea]

Thanks Alice. I will definately get that one in.

C

[Flummery]

Pak choi steamed with peas and a not-too-thick cheese sauce is a meal in itself!

Have you thought of courgettes or squashes? Good time of year to get them going and they make lovely chunky plants (if you can keep the slugs off them!

Welcome to the vine - you'll love it here. Big gang of friends all ready to help.

[OverWyreGrower]

Courgettes get my vote, they're really heavy croppers apparantly!

I didn't understand successional planting at first, hence why I planted a whole packet of pepper seeds and now have 30 pepper plants all growing merrily (at the same rate, damn it!).

Welcome to the Vine!

[TPeers]

Courgettes get my vote, they're really heavy croppers apparantly!

I didn't understand successional planting at first, hence why I planted a whole packet of pepper seeds and now have 30 pepper plants all growing merrily (at the same rate, damn it!).

Welcome to the Vine!

At least yours have germinated. My seed from T&m is ok but the Unwins stuff is useless! All new seed to, I'm really quite cross.

[Scruffy Duffy]

Many Thanks!!!

This is all great stuff.

We want to do pak choi, as we love it but it's so expensive in the shops. We're getting our seed from Focus of all places.

We have a big slug/snail problem here in Hadfield so I'm going to have to arm myself with some sand or bran or something, but I love the sound of the tray of water.

Bought my seeds and plugs today after finishing filling the beds, but it's pi***d down all day so not a chance of doing anything else. I'm really keen to get going as I don't want to miss too much of the season, but at least I know my seeds won't have washed away. It's as if April and May got their order muddled.

Hope to speak to you all again soon

SD

[Alice]

Lidl have Pak Choi seeds for 28p. Cantong White. Bought some and they're going fine. Posted the pic on another thread - Pak Choi - if you want to see it there.

[Cutecumber]

Don't forget that Pak Choi is a brassica - get those root-fly collars on the little plants asap.

I've never even managed to grow CCA oriental greens before the little wotsits killed 'em.

*sobs*

[noidea]

Root fly collars??? Oh dear... what are they and how fast can I make them!?

Ours arrived in the post this morning. I hadn't been able to get the Pak choi around here. I was going to sow them into the raised bed today as one of the wee ones noticed the packet and is desperate to get outside with them.

C

[Cutecumber]

That's fine - sow away. Didn't mean to scare you!

Root-fly gets any brassica I grow unless I protect the area around the stem. Having said that, I don't get carrot fly, which everyone else seems to suffer from, so you never know - you may be lucky.

I make collars from thin bits of foam or I buy a packet of ready-made ones (all garden centres have these in my experience). You can also cover the whole crop with something if you need. Brassicas do seem to attract a range of pests, so be on your guard.

Are your other brassicas ok so far?

[noidea]

Ahhhh... my other half was talking about this the other night but it didn't click.

We have no other veg at all in the raised bed yet! We built it 10 days ago and have been waiting for it to settle a bit. It's only a wee thing as we have a shared garden so can't take over too much. The weather has been awful too so have held off doing anything with it so far.

I had a look at netting yesterday at the garden centre. i don't know if they were just low in stock but they only had very very course wire stuff that was really expensive and about 2inches (the holes in the netting)... They had packs too that were like bags which I though might work on canes for the strawberries as they are in a planter.

Am rambling now aren't I??? You just don't get a decent plant conversation from a toddler during the day ...LOL!

C