advice please

[Maffie]

Hi everyone

I grew some veg and herbs last year with varying amounts of success and this year hoping to turn a full garden into a veg plit. Anyway I started quite late on last year and grew some veg from plants. This year I have all seeds so what equipment should I have as a basic start. ie pots trays etc. I'm looking to grow this year some from starting indoors other things i'll be starting straight outdoors.

So I have seeds for

Herbs (im ok with these)
Carrots
Runner beans
sprouts
marrow
courgette
peppers
tomatoes
kale
cauliflower

any other items that would be easyish to grow? I have space for containers too, was thinking of potatoes too

[HayleyB]

Peas and lots of them - I didn't grow enough last year and they never even made it to the pan Got loads of Feltham Firsts in that are doing well at the moment.

Maybe onions, I've got hundreds planted because I use tons in my cooking. Same goes for garlic, I've got 83 of those in various sand/compost mix containers - so relived when their little green heads poked through - I use a lot of garlic too

I think a lot depends on your soil, we are on clay so my carrots will be in trugs and buckets. My potatoes will be grown in 10 gardening bags £3.48 each from B&Q. I used a lot of manure last year and the beans, sweet corn and courgettes loved it.

I'm no expert though last year was my first and I started late, there'll be loads of advice from those who really know what they are on about shortly.

[Maffie]

I started late last year what I did try to grow worked well. We eat loads of onions and garlic too. We've eat 95% veggie so use loads of fruit and veg

[Two_Sheds]

You need to grow what you will eat. No point otherwise!
What about French beans? I don't eat mine fresh, I dry 95% of the crop for winter use as kidney beans

PS. I'll post you some in exchange for a pinch of sprout seed

[Maffie]

ohh using them as kidney beans sounds good are they easy to dry.

Happy to post some two sheds, just pm me your address. There's not many seeds in the sprouts but i'll only use half as im limited on space

[Maffie]

Just need advice on a decent place to get seed trays and pots and unheated propagators

[zazen999]

Maffie

I have used all sort of seed trays, pots, cardboard tubes, et al.

i would recommend 2 things.

Firstly, a tray of root trainers - I now sow nearly everything into these - they are a tad more expensive than seed trays but so worth it. They have lids so you can pop these over the top and it keeps the heat in.

Secondly, use the individual seed modules rather than a whole seed tray.

I would try freecycle, and post a want ad on - this will get you started. Failing that, Wilkinsons is very good for cheaper gardening goods and I've got seed trays and modules bought from there that have lasted a few years.

Carrots - sow directly into the soil but you need to look into your carrot fly prevention

Squashes/courgettes etc - sow into smallish pots as these very quickly fill up the space in any seed trays/roottrainers.

Going back to the veg - peas and beans and onions have all been mentioned but I'm seconding all of those.

[Maffie]

I did carrots in containers last year and they did ok, i've got marrigolds to plant this year

I've been looking at module instead of plain seed trays just wanted to see what does best

Thanks everone all advice greatfully received

[MrsC]

You need to grow what you will eat. No point otherwise!
What about French beans? I don't eat mine fresh, I dry 95% of the crop for winter use as kidney beans

PS. I'll post you some in exchange for a pinch of sprout seed

Well said TS, I grew beetroot last year, why I don't know, can't stand the stuff!!!! Only growing what I like this year!

[Maffie]

I love beetroot!

[allotmentlady]

Dwarf french beans? Easy to grow, provide lots, what about dwarf sweetcorn? I loved these for the stirfry last year.

[RedThorn]

Perpetual Spinach and/or Chard? You actually have to try hard to kill and I'm still harvesting from mine.

[HayleyB]

Yep Chard, we don't like it and nothing has killed it, still growing after those heavy frosts, feed it to the horses or chooks now, luckily I've only got 5 plants so they aren't taking up space really.

[Yuccaman]

I really like my chard and I'm still harvesting it too! Last year was my first 'proper' year and I likewise had varying success. A couple of other things I've done well with are leeks and swedes.

[gojiberry]

Don't try to buy all the pots and trays you need all in one go as it will cost you a fortune. Always try to improvise to save money. An awful lot of food from supermarkets comes in containers suitable for use as seed sowing containers. and some of them even have a clear lid to use as a mini propagator. Over the years I have built up my tray collection to about 1000 ind square pots 500 round pots and 150 seed trays and I still use loads of other stuff as well like loo rolls and special trays for starting beans and peas off. It would cost a fortune to go out and buy that lot in one go. I usually get my pots from Trago Mills down in Devon as I have not seen anywhere as cheap as them.


Ian