Hello from a newbie

[thecornflake]

Just thought I'd say a quick hello. Found this forum browsing around and decided to join.

I have a small patio garden in Kent, this is my first year growing my own and I started fiarly late (June) so am limited to what I can grow this year. Plus I can only use containers.

So far I've got -

Spinach
Radishes
Carrots
Spring onions
French beans (2 varieties - dwarf and climbing)

I'm also experimenting with some exotic ones -

Mexican giant sweetcorn
Tea
Coffee

I'm waiting for some seed potatoes to turn up which will be planted in patio planters.

It's my eventual aim to get a smallholding somewhere and so I'm trying to be as self-sufficient as possible with what I have until I get a chance to realise my dream.
I have an original copy of John Seymour's book which has always inspired me.

I plan to try various different things once I've got the veg going, one planned project is building a small wind turbine from a dynamo hub. I also want to try making cheese etc. I've tried making my own bread before with partial success.

I'm keeping a blog of how I get on at http://thecornflake.blogspot.com. There's a badly stitched panoramic photo of the garden there as well.

[Scruffy Duffy]

Hello!

Hi and welcome to the Vine. I joined when I started gmo a few months ago and I've found this site a great source of inspiration, reassurace and fun.

Don't be worried about asking anything, there always seems to be someone who can answer, and you'll get lots of people either sharing your joy or comiserating with you.

Careful though, it gets addictive...

Best of luck growing and keep us all posted.

Scruffy Duffy

[SueA]

Hi & welcome to the vine Cornflake. You sound like you've made a good start to your growing, hope it all goes well for you. Let us know how you go on with tea & coffee, I can't imagine getting a crop from them in this part of the world ( definitely not rainy Manchester!) but you might have better luck in sunny Kent.

[JennieAtkinson]

Hello Cornflake and welcome! I'm sure you will get to know us all quite quickly, its a bit of a madhouse sometimes.

Keep us posted on your growing.

[Sue]

Cornflake
Hi and welcome to my first fellow Tunbridge Wellian!
And I'm intrigued about the tea and coffee, where did you get the plants/seed? I have just purchased some of the Tregothnan tea grown in Cornwall, and very good it was too and another item crossed off my food miles "bill".
Coffee is my food miles downfall, was even going to have a go at growing enough Dandelions next year as I've just found a good recipe for double roasting them to make a reasonable stab at an ertsatz coffee.
I've got a sugar cane on the go, now 6ft tall and growing by the day, doesn't seem that long ago that it was a tiny seedling... Unfortunately I won't be able to supply actual sugar to go with your tea and coffee, but I may get it to ripen and see what the stems taste like.
Sue

[thecornflake]

Cornflake
Hi and welcome to my first fellow Tunbridge Wellian!
And I'm intrigued about the tea and coffee, where did you get the plants/seed? I have just purchased some of the Tregothnan tea grown in Cornwall, and very good it was too and another item crossed off my food miles "bill".
Coffee is my food miles downfall, was even going to have a go at growing enough Dandelions next year as I've just found a good recipe for double roasting them to make a reasonable stab at an ertsatz coffee.
I've got a sugar cane on the go, now 6ft tall and growing by the day, doesn't seem that long ago that it was a tiny seedling... Unfortunately I won't be able to supply actual sugar to go with your tea and coffee, but I may get it to ripen and see what the stems taste like.
Sue

Hi Sue,

Small world! I got the seeds for the exotic plants from jungleseeds.co.uk and can recommend them. I'd be careful about visiting their site though, you might end up ordering all kinds of strange things like I did.
Sugar cane sounds interesting, I might have to try that one.

EDIT: I have various spare seeds if you're interested in a seed swap, including a couple of the exotic ones. No tea or coffee ones unfortunately.

[Sue]

Cornflake
Yes, I would be, I do enjoy having a go at growing different things, they don't always work but still.
Oh dear, I won't be able to keep away from the site now I know it's there.
Would you like some of the sugar cane seeds? I got them from Chiltern.
best wishes
Sue

[thecornflake]

Cornflake
Yes, I would be, I do enjoy having a go at growing different things, they don't always work but still.
Oh dear, I won't be able to keep away from the site now I know it's there.
Would you like some of the sugar cane seeds? I got them from Chiltern.
best wishes
Sue

What do they need, e.g. compost, etc? Bear in mind I'm restricted to containers although I might be able to find a small space in my tiny bit of flower bed if they don't spread out too much.

[Sue]

Hi
My sugarcane is in a pot, as it should be in the greenhouse according to the instructions, but thought I'd put it outside while I could still get it through the doorway....and I thought it would get all the lovely sun (!)
It's getting on for seven foot now and looks very similar to a sweetcorn plant, I've had to wedge the pot with others as it blew over in the recent high winds.
So, dainty it isn't - and I've sent off for that catalogue, I just knew I couldn't resist another seed and plant catalogue.
best wishes
Sue

[thecornflake]

Hi
My sugarcane is in a pot, as it should be in the greenhouse according to the instructions, but thought I'd put it outside while I could still get it through the doorway....and I thought it would get all the lovely sun (!)
It's getting on for seven foot now and looks very similar to a sweetcorn plant, I've had to wedge the pot with others as it blew over in the recent high winds.
So, dainty it isn't - and I've sent off for that catalogue, I just knew I couldn't resist another seed and plant catalogue.
best wishes
Sue

Ok, let me have a look tonight at what seeds I've got left. I've definitely got some giant mexican sweetcorn ones.

Enjoy the catalogue!

[chrissie the chippy]

ooooh, what does giant Mexican sweetcorn look like? That sounds cool

What you have described is exactly what we want to do. Although it is far too expensive here in the UK, we'll be going off to France
I can't wait to be making cheese from our own cows and goats, collecting eggs, eating meat that we have nurtured since birth etc

Hopefully in the next 4 years!!

You'll have to post some pictures of how your exotic stuff gets on, will be interesting to see

[thecornflake]

ooooh, what does giant Mexican sweetcorn look like? That sounds cool

What you have described is exactly what we want to do. Although it is far too expensive here in the UK, we'll be going off to France
I can't wait to be making cheese from our own cows and goats, collecting eggs, eating meat that we have nurtured since birth etc

Hopefully in the next 4 years!!

You'll have to post some pictures of how your exotic stuff gets on, will be interesting to see

http://www.jungleseeds.co.uk/SeedOrders/enter.html
Go to Vegetables O-Z, then scroll down to the Sweetcorn (Mexican White).

I shall definitely post pics of any successful plants, still waiting for germination (some of them take up to 4 months!) so might be a while. On the plus side everything else is doing really well.

I think France is a very good option - much cheaper, easier planning permission etc from what I know if you're planning to self build, and of course better weather. Something I will seriously consider when I get to make the move.