Protecting crops

[mysteryduck]

I was going to collect rain water (thought it might be healthier?), so thanks for the heads up!

Also we’re moving to quite a small village, so we might be in luck!!! Great news!

[Penellype]

Hi veggiechicken! Thanks for the reply I have ordered all of the seeds.. carrot, broccoli, runner beans, french beans, mange tout, kale, pak choi, red onion, spring onion, mint, herbs, quinoa, popcorn, sweetcorn, inca berries, cucamelon, leaf salads, chard, and brussel sprouts.

Might have over done it slightly..

Welcome, mysteryduck.

A few tips that I have not seen others mention:

Mint - grow this in a pot. If you grow it in the soil it will take over completely and it is very hard to get rid of.
Carrots can be badly affected by carrot fly and are best protected with fine insect mesh.
Broccoli, kale, pak choi and brussels sprouts are brassicas and are very attractive to cabbage white butterflies, whose caterpillars can eat huge amounts of leaves. These are best netted with fine insect mesh too - the commonly marketed "butterfly net" does not have small enough holes in my experience.
Grow sweetcorn in a block, not in a row. It is wind pollinated and if you grow it in a row it can suffer from poor pollination = few corn kernels. I don't know about popcorn but I suspect it is very similar.

[muck lover]

Hello mystery duck and welcome.
Have a good think about what you like to eat and maybe what’s expensive or less tasty when shop bought when deciding what to grow.
Growing in containers is great as you can put good soil/compost in there but it doesn’t suit all plants and the watering can be tricky. Ultimately it might be worth considering preparing some ground for growing - what about a raised bed or two.
Finally maybe you could consider some fruit- black currants or autumn raspberries are easy, usually pest free and super healthy. Both freeze really well so you can enjoy out of season.
Whatever you grow best of luck.

[4Shoes]

Just enjoy.

Take it easy this year... A new house can eat up time. Just ensure you don't let any weeds take over when your back is turned. Focus on fast crops to get you into the spirit and things you enjoy most.

[mysteryduck]

Welcome, mysteryduck.

A few tips that I have not seen others mention:

Mint - grow this in a pot. If you grow it in the soil it will take over completely and it is very hard to get rid of.
Carrots can be badly affected by carrot fly and are best protected with fine insect mesh.
Broccoli, kale, pak choi and brussels sprouts are brassicas and are very attractive to cabbage white butterflies, whose caterpillars can eat huge amounts of leaves. These are best netted with fine insect mesh too - the commonly marketed "butterfly net" does not have small enough holes in my experience.
Grow sweetcorn in a block, not in a row. It is wind pollinated and if you grow it in a row it can suffer from poor pollination = few corn kernels. I don't know about popcorn but I suspect it is very similar.

A vote for the nets. Perhaps it's better to be safe than sorry! Thanks for the tips Didn't know that about mint or sweetcorn!

[mysteryduck]

Thanks again all! Tomatoes and raspberries ordered (I'll keep these indoors). Along with strawberries, parsnip, squash, and Actinidia arguta! Not sure if kiwis will grow in Scotland, but will give it a shot!

[muck lover]

You sound like a duck who maybe should look into getting an allotment....

[mysteryduck]

You sound like a duck who maybe should look into getting an allotment....

That sounds like a brilliant plan! Will have to see if I’m any good at it first though

[Cadalot]

That sounds like a brilliant plan! Will have to see if I’m any good at it first though

I had the most wonderful cauliflowers in my first year having an allotment in 2012 and I have yet to repeat the success, every year is different, but as your experience and knowledge grows it gets easier and harder. I you not understand that statement today but think about it once you have a few years growing under your belt. Don't be afraid to experiment just don't turn into Veggie Chicken!

[bikermike]

I'd net brassicas (cabbages/broccoli/etc - it'll say on the seed packet), as they suffer from lots of things
ditto carrots.
You might want to net fruiting plants like raspberries, strawberries etc. Mainly to keep toddlers off them... (and birds). Then again, with a small garden, you may not need to worry.

Other than that, I'd just take it easy.

[mysteryduck]

I had the most wonderful cauliflowers in my first year having an allotment in 2012 and I have yet to repeat the success, every year is different, but as your experience and knowledge grows it gets easier and harder. I you not understand that statement today but think about it once you have a few years growing under your belt. Don't be afraid to experiment just don't turn into Veggie Chicken!

Now that's intriguing..

As for experimentation.. I was thinking of taking a few pictures, whilst perhaps writing a few notes on my progress. Seems like a few others have done the same and dedicated a thread to it (seems like it would be a good way to get tips). Is there an etiquette to that? Are there unwritten rules that people abide by?

[mysteryduck]

I'd net brassicas (cabbages/broccoli/etc - it'll say on the seed packet), as they suffer from lots of things
ditto carrots.
You might want to net fruiting plants like raspberries, strawberries etc. Mainly to keep toddlers off them... (and birds). Then again, with a small garden, you may not need to worry.

Other than that, I'd just take it easy.

Thanks for the tips! .. and speaking of brassicas.. I was reading last night about brussel sprouts:

"Some vegetables such as peas and beans, root vegetables and sweetcorn prefer to be planted directly in the ground in their final growing positions.

Root vegetables can be sown directly into their final growing positions in spring. Legumes (such as beans and peas) and sweetcorn can be sown directly into the soil in early summer or grown in biodegradable coir pots that can be transplanted into the ground with the plant. This avoids root disturbance, which can halt growth for a few weeks.

Some brassica crops actually benefit from being transplanted. For example transplanting Brussels sprouts helps them develop a robust root system, which is particularly useful if your plot harbours the common club-root fungal disease. Seeds can be sown in rows in a seedbed (a nursery area where you start off plants as seeds) and then transplanted later."

So I ordered a windowsill self-watering propagation tray (the internet told me watering from above might be too rough on seedlings). My plan is to sew the Brussels in there, prick them out, and grow on in larger pots (whilst hardening off), before transplanting to outdoor containers. Is this right? All the terminology is confusing me a little. I'm assuming the "robust root system" occurs as a result of watering from below in smaller containers?

1 - Are there any other veg I need to look out for with this multi-stage process? (I was planning on sewing everything else in their final positions); or
2 - Is it better practice to always grow seedlings under shelter, in multi-cell trays? (assuming growing on isn't always necessary)

[mysteryduck]

Someone mentioned the Home Grown Veg Youtube channel in another thread. Regarding the spacing of carrots. In one of his videos he mentions growing the carrots above 60cm to avoid carrot fly. Has anyone tried this?

1 - If you grow carrots up high do you not need a net?
2 - Should I post all my questions here in a random jumble? If this forum is used as a resource, then separate threads would be more useful for others. If not, then I don't want to spam the forum with too many threads!
3 - Are there any other good YouTube channels I should be watching?

[Penellype]

I grow almost everything starting off in pots or modules indoors. This works if you are growing small amounts of veg, and it enables you to control the environment more - less sharp swings in temperature and less access to things like slugs, which can decimate a row of seedlings.

The exceptions are carrots and parsnips, which need to be sown where they are to grow if you want long, straight roots. Other root vegetables such as beetroot, turnips etc should be planted in modules or biodegradeable pots (eg toilet roll tubes or newspaper) so that you are not disturbing the roots too much when they are planted out.

[Penellype]

Someone mentioned the Home Grown Veg Youtube channel in another thread. Regarding the spacing of carrots. In one of his videos he mentions growing the carrots above 60cm to avoid carrot fly. Has anyone tried this?

1 - If you grow carrots up high do you not need a net?
2 - Should I post all my questions here in a random jumble? If this forum is used as a resource, then separate threads would be more useful for others. If not, then I don't want to spam the forum with too many threads!
3 - Are there any other good YouTube channels I should be watching?

Carrot flies fly low, and the thinking is that if you put a barrier round the carrots (or grow them higher up) the flies can't get over the barrier. This is somewhat naive thinking, as flies can be carried upwards by air currents, which will flow up and over a vertical barrier. If you want to grow carrots higher up without a net, try a dustbin with holes in the bottom. Unlike a straight sided bed, round sides deflect the wind around the sides rather than upwards, so the carrots are more likely to be protected. You can't guarantee that no flies will get in, but that goes for nets too.

How many threads you start is upto you - you may find others have asked the same question in previous threads.

I find this Youtube channel very good https://www.youtube.com/user/allotmentdiary