A newbie needing some serious help! please!

[squashysu]

Hi there

I am really new to this and I am feeling a bit thick reading all your posts!!!

I have a few questions, so please can someone help me!!

1. Squash - i see now that these have to be climbing??? Can i use pots to save space and help them climb by way of a trellis??

2. Cucumber - i thought these grew on the ground (sorry if i am thick here), read somewhere that they too need to climb, can i grow them in the greenhouse like the toms??

3. I have sorted out my plot and now covered it over to warm with lots of manure as it was very alkaline, my garden is on a slope but should be ok, shall i row horizontal or vertical??

4. I have potted some carrots in those biodegradable pots in the greenhouse in a propagator, the pots are going mouldy, shall i ditch the prop??

5. Runner beans, can i grow these in pots as well to save space?

6. Sweetcorn - can i grow these in pots too or do they prefer the ground?

I have only sown some of the all the seeds i have, just in case of mistakes, my toms are growing well and have radishes already germinating.

In my old house i didnt have a garden and had lots of flowers in pots, so moved all the pots to my new home and have lots available to use.

Thanks and sorry for being so dim!! You never know if you dont ask and there is only so much a book will tell you.

SS

[Pompeylottie]

Your certainly not thick - just learning, like we all had to do - and I'm still very much learning 5 years on. When we took our plot over we had two allotment neighbours who gardened completely differently, and yet both got fab produce - so there there are different ways to do most things, the fun of it all is experimenting and finding your own way.

I haven't grown sweetcorn or runners in pots so I cant help you there, but I grow a few tomatoes in pots as they seem to crop earlier than the ones I grow in the ground, but they take a lot more maintenance as they have to be watered much more regularly.

I dont personally climb any squashes and mine grow okay on the ground, I might try this year just to see though. Happy growing!

[smallblueplanet]

1. Squash - i see now that these have to be climbing??? Can i use pots to save space and help them climb by way of a trellis?? - No they don't have to be grown as climbers, but people do to save space.

2. Cucumber - i thought these grew on the ground (sorry if i am thick here), read somewhere that they too need to climb, can i grow them in the greenhouse like the toms?? Depends on the type, in the g/h is good and they can climb and 'sprawl'.

3. I have sorted out my plot and now covered it over to warm with lots of manure as it was very alkaline, my garden is on a slope but should be ok, shall i row horizontal or vertical?? Try to grow to get the most sun, so check your plots orientation.

4. I have potted some carrots in those biodegradable pots in the greenhouse in a propagator, the pots are going mouldy, shall i ditch the prop?? Stick them in the ground, don't know abot starting carrots in such a manner.

5. Runner beans, can i grow these in pots as well to save space? Yes, grow them up canes, but they are heavy feeders.

6. Sweetcorn - can i grow these in pots too or do they prefer the ground? Probably, but they are big plants and prefer the ground.

I have only sown some of the all the seeds i have, just in case of mistakes, my toms are growing well and have radishes already germinating.

Good luck, enjoy your growing.

[Paulottie]

Hello.
Just for the future..you can search the forums at the top in the green task bar.
We tend to use different threads for different veg.
You need a simple beginners book, I always recommend Dr. Hessayon's Veg and Herb Expert.
just this once ...here we go:
1. squash: don't have to be grown up anything. They tend to be big plants that ramble around; this may be a good thing if you have space to fill as they supress weeds. Of course they are easier to contain on a tripod. It must be strong though.
2. cucumbers: there are 2 sorts greenhouse(either all female-easy but expesive) or standard(eg. telegraph improved) that need the male flowers(without tiny fruit) removing regularly to stop fruit going bitter. They are trained and sideshoots stopped.
'Ridge' cucumbers(eg marketmore) are grown outside, although sometimes cloched in early season, they are smaller prickly and easy to grow..no faffing about
There are a couple of fancy Japanese varieties suited to both glasshouse or sheltered spot outdoors and are kind of a mixture of both.
3. Rows tend to be north south so as to give each crop a chance of some sun. Unless you are very clever and grow the tallest north side ..this will make a rotation very awkward though
4. Sow carrots direct....don't need a propagator anyway. every chance they have rotted. They do take a while ..approx a fortnight-3 weeks to appear though
5. Runner beans need lots of water and although you are used to growing in pots. you will not get as good a yield. top heavy too. dig a hole fill it with straw shredded paper half rotted compost and replace topsoil...this will act as a reservoir.
6. Sweetcorn is rarely successful in pots they need to be in blocks as they are wind pollinated ...chances are you'll end up with sparse or empty cobs asnd they will topple over at the first puff of wind. plant it out and grow your squash underneath

[davefromthechipie]

Hi there

I am really new to this and I am feeling a bit thick reading all your posts!!!

I have a few questions, so please can someone help me!!

1. Squash - i see now that these have to be climbing??? Can i use pots to save space and help them climb by way of a trellis??

2. Cucumber - i thought these grew on the ground (sorry if i am thick here), read somewhere that they too need to climb, can i grow them in the greenhouse like the toms??

Both 1 and 2 They dont need to climb But people to to save space . Try the large grow bags ( not grown in pots but seen it done


3. I have sorted out my plot and now covered it over to warm with lots of manure as it was very alkaline, my garden is on a slope but should be ok, shall i row horizontal or vertical??

Never grown on a slope before but id keep them in line horizontal then you can keep the watering the same per plant/type ie put veg that dosnt need much water on top and grow veg that loves it on bottem

4. I have potted some carrots in those biodegradable pots in the greenhouse in a propagator, the pots are going mouldy, shall i ditch the prop??

If that bad! bin them if not repot them

5. Runner beans, can i grow these in pots as well to save space?

never done but i cant see why not just keeping um feed use a big pot 12"+ what my neighbor uses, he dose ok

6. Sweetcorn - can i grow these in pots too or do they prefer the ground?

I did 40% of mine last year in pots they did well 3 corns per plants some 4 ( not many ) . used big pots 16"+ using small pots they will get stunted :/

I have only sown some of the all the seeds i have, just in case of mistakes, my toms are growing well and have radishes already germinating.

In my old house i didnt have a garden and had lots of flowers in pots, so moved all the pots to my new home and have lots available to use.

Thanks and sorry for being so dim!! You never know if you dont ask and there is only so much a book will tell you.

SS

Your not dim squashysu asking we all have to ask and It dosnt matter if you have been growing for 1 week or 50 years we all learn new things every day hope this helps

[squashysu]

thanks everyone for your help,

i am already lucky as i have a south facing garden with a good size plot, i think i will have to see what is good and what isnt so good and keep a note of it all, i didnt do a lot with the carrots, so yes they are probably rotten and i will get rid and start them in the ground.


I have got a couple of great books, but they dont always give a straight answer.

thanks again and happy gardening everyone.

SS

[Two_Sheds]

So many questions! Other people have answered you well, esp. PaulLottie.
I would add, as to your planting in rows, think of the sun and the shade it will cast. I plant my crops in lines roughly facing south-north, so when the sun passes over from east to west, nothing is in shade for long (esp.from tall dense crops like climbing beans).

If you plant east-west lines, everything on the north side will be in shade - good for lettuce perhaps.