Newbie raised veg bed

[esamuel08]

Ok great. I think I just wanted to use lights so I had a reason to build a little indoor light rig

I have a large SE window in a spare room so I think I will put them there and use a very good reflective silver cloth I have like Kristen suggests and hang a polythene sheet up to make a litter enclosure to keep the heat in using a heater.

If i do get the tomatoes and pepper going and ready for outside conditions, will i need a greenhouse or some sort of enclosure to help them grow?

[Two_Sheds]

...hang a polythene sheet up to make a litter enclosure to keep the heat in using a heater.

If i do get the tomatoes and pepper ...will i need a greenhouse ?

You really don't need to "heat" your seedlings: indoor room temp is more than sufficient (about 18-20c). If you give them too much heat, and not enough light (even a windowsill is dark, having much fewer lumens than daylight), your seedlings will grow thin, tall, weak and "leggy".

Tomatoes & chillies can be grown outside in the UK, if we get a long hot summer. Otherwise, you'll need a greenhouse to keep them warm enough (it's our night temps that are too cold for them).

In addition, toms catch blight around August time, if outside (and sometimes in the greenhouse).

[esamuel08]

Thanks for all the help btw!

Ok well I've started the seed process for some of the crops and have prepared the bed for the sow direct crops.

Couple questions to add for these stages.

How many times a day do new seeds during propagation beed to be watered? Strawberries, Tomatoes, okra, bell pepper, leek, spring onion, cauliflower)

Also, this is a screen of the raised bed layout plan. Anything quite wrong with it? Possibly the potatoes should be done in a separate pot/bag?

http://www.growveg.com/garden-plan.aspx?p=514412

[rustylady]

How many times a day do new seeds during propagation beed to be watered? Strawberries, Tomatoes, okra, bell pepper, leek, spring onion, cauliflower)

Times a day?? More like times a week. You sow into moist compost, cover with clingfilm or a propagator lid and leave alone until the compost dries out a lot. You can tell by lifting the pot and feeling the weight of it.

[Kristen]

When I sow seeds in a small (say 9cm) pot I put the pot in a zip lock bag and never water it again until it has germinated.

For trays with clear covers same thing, provided the seeds germinate within a week or two - anything that takes months needs watering now and again (but I don't think there are any vegetables that are difficult to grow from seed)

For seedlings, rather than seeds, then it depends on how quickly they drink the water in the compost. The trick is to feel the weight of the container, and to water it once it feels light. You do need to know what the "feel" of heavy and light is though ... which takes experience.

Maybe weigh a pot, stand it in water for 10 minutes, then weigh it again and use that as a guide until you can judge just from the feel.