Brand new polytunnel - what can I put in it?

[Trix]

I didn't plant any tomatoes, cucumbers or sweet peppers because I had no undercover space this year - it's my first year gardening. However, we've just been given a polytunnel and it's looking decidedly empty!

I've put my chillies in and a couple of sickly looking melons - does anyone have any suggestions to 'fill it up' or am I too late for everything else this year? I don't want to spend much so rushing out and buying lots of fancy plants is not an option, though one or two might be ok ... seeds might be ok but I think it's too late for most stuff?

[WendyC]

I think a lot of garden centres etc will be selling of tomato and cucumber plants now so you could get yourself a bargain. Tomatoes recover quite well if they are a bit starved or pot bound.

[Nicos]

I have nowhere( at the moment) to grow seedlings apart from a small blowaway so a lot of my plants need to be bought from a garden centre/market ( cheaper)

still plenty around...plus the bonus of elbows which haven't been pinched out on tomato plants!!

[Bigmallly]

plus the bonus of elbows which haven't been pinched out on tomato plants!!

Are they just below the armpits Nic?....................

[Nicos]

...........ha!!

[Trix]

Thank you all - I'll check out the local garden centre when I get a chance. I actaully picked up two toms and one (I think) cucumber from Morrisons for 25p each this morning - they're small but look healthy so fingers crossed!

plus the bonus of elbows which haven't been pinched out on tomato plants

I'm not sure what this means - off to Google it...

[Bigmallly]

If they are what I think they are but knowing Nicos they may not be what I think they are........................now I don't know what I'm talking about.........oh, goggle "Sideshoots"..................

[stevie_r]

Lettuce is a very fast growing filler, especially rosso....?

[Nicos]

Sorry Trix

I meant Armpits.. (I've been too involved with replumbing recently!!!! )



it's the sideshoot the guy is holding in the piccie..if you put them off and replant them , they will root, so you get 'free' plants

[Nicos]

You're going to need a small comfy chair to have a brew in there when it rains!!

[Trix]

Ah, I love the armpits/free plants idea - that's a great tip! The ones I bought don't have these sideshoots yet but I'll look out for them. Thanks to a generous neighbour I now have five tomato plants. My melons have cheered up since being undercover in this warm weather and two of my chillis have started flowering.

I wonder if anyone here knows what type of cucumber I am likely to have bought from Morrisons - I'm guessing/hoping that their range is generally limited to one or two types? It was reduced and the label was not attached so it's a bit of a mystery but I've read a bit about removing male flowers from some types? It's nowhere near flowering yet but it would be useful to know what to expect.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Trix, head back to the garden centres. Bound to find quite a few tomatos, and chillies. I popped into my local h^mb^se, and nearly keeled over with the number of plants that needed a good home. Sadly, I can't adopt any more. Wish my poly was bigger! You could plug in aubergines, melons, if you wanted!

[Trix]

Ooooh, I didn't think of aubergines - would love to grow those. I'll try my local garden centre later today and see if they have any bargains I'll need some more Morrisons flower tubs too!

I already had a few melons which desperately needed somewhere to go so they're happier now!

[horticultural_hobbit]

There might be some grafted aubergines around, trix. With my aubergine experiment, only three out of 12 doing anything. And they are grown from seed.

Good luck though!