Andy Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 I have recently gained an interest in garden related activities , and as the old student in me starts to willow away, my fondness of fresh fruit and veg in contrast to DIY ding meals, begins to increase! In particular, I have begun growing my own Tomatoes, garlic and peppers, as well as some herbs. My housemates think I'm a right plonk for taking up our garden with pots and containers, but I'm looking forward to savouring my own DIY veg come harvest time. However, being a complete novice, I don't think things will work as smoothly as anticipated! I may have planted slightly too late for starters, but I expect I may water them to little, or too much, and utilise the sun incorrectly! Either way, do any of you grow your own veg? and if so, what are you top tips for tomato, pepper and garlic growing! Any help is much appreciated! I think the garlic is really struggling by the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Well andy. Last time i was growing vegetables was wen i was 10 so bout 7 years ago with my dad Anyway. If i remember rightly watere them often morning and night on really hot days. Potatoes if you grow them you will get more if as they grow you put more soil on only leaving a truss or so at the top. Planting them at this time sounds abit late but you will get results just later on. For tomatoes they are originally a traling plant dont let this happen. When a new trus comes out you get bits inbetween the main stem and trus growing if tht makes sense. They want taking out so more energy goes into tomatoe growing. A good plant food helps alot. Same with peppers. And garlic aint got a clue Hope that helps you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbo Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Andy the problem with garlic is that it has a very long growing season, the sets should be planted before Christmas ideally in early December. As for tomatoes and peppers they are both best grown under glass, tomato skins tend to become tough if they are grown outdoors. The heat of the greenhouse also helps growth and fruit set especially during cooler years. Either tap the flowers gently to release the pollen or use a small soft paintbrush to transfer the pollen and aid fruit set. Some of the best advice you can get is from the "Expert" series by Dr Hessayon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegetable-Herb-Expert-D-G-Hessayon/dp/0903505460/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212161897&sr=8-1 best of luck and post some pics when it all comes to fruition ;) ;) ;) robbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerrabbit Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 I grow a lot of stuff in my garden. The veggie plot is an eigth of an acre and I have 3 10x6 foot greenhouses. All my surplus produce I sell to local shops and although these shops have their regular suppliers, they are always very keen to have my stuff, however small the quantity. I don't grow garlic 'cause I can't stand the stuff but I can give a few tips on raising other stuff. All red fruit and veg that grows and 'fruits' above ground likes the sun, tomatoes like to have their 'feet' in water all the time, not drowned, but 3 plants will happily take up to 2 gallons of water a day, water in the evening at sunset, growing them in a 'growbag' or soil that is very rich in dung or 'humus' is ideal, pinch out the side-shoots when they are big enough to do so and keep the 'leader' going, stake and tie each plant for support as it grows and feed with a fertaliser, liquid preferably, that has no Nitrogen content when the first truss of fruit has set, not before, once a week, 'Tomorite' mixed with the water. Diseases to look out for are grey mould, caused by a fungus which can be prevented by misting with a plant fungicide and the other disease to watch is potato blight, (the tomato is in the same family) prevent by spraying 'Bordeux mixture' (pale blue powder mix with water). Greenhouse varieties are Beefsteak, Alicante and varieties that will do uotdoors in a sheltered sunny position are Gardeners Delight and Moneymaker. These last two varieties are small fruits with many on a 'vine'. For the likes of runner, broad and other beans I find that they germinate quicker and do better in a late season like this year by soaking the seed in water to swell them (peas as well) and plant in individual pots in compost in the greenhouse in mid April and they will be ready to plant out in the garden by the second week in may but before planting out take the plants in and out of the greenhouse (out by day, in by night) to harden them off. Peas don't transplant well, sow these directly in the fine prepared soil in a 'drill' 1 inch deep x 8 inches wide and scatter the seed in to the required thickness. When peas are around 1 inch high, the birds like to pull them up and eat the pea, so you may have to take measures to prevent this. I could go on but I think that's enough for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted May 30, 2008 Author Share Posted May 30, 2008 Thanks for your help guys, I will get some pics up this weekend and show you what stage they are at. I bought the tomato and peppers as tiny plants. Another question, can the peppers take as much water as the tomatoes? I wasnt sure if enough or too much water was causing them to wilt slightly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbo Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 No Peppers don't need as much water as the tomatoes, as a rule of thumb water them when the surface of the compost dries out otherwise the roots will become waterlogged and will be unable to breathe. You start to feed them when the first flowers start to appear, tomatoes need to be fed every two weeks if not more but peppers will only need one or two feeds in total. robbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Ferguson Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Good for you Andy... Mrs F keeps on at me to get an allotment... I keep reminding what we both do for a living... but she thinks it would be 'fun'... i haveto say it would be like 'coals to Newcastle' to me to be honest.... but I do admire you for having a go mate... If you are doing Capsicums and Toms... why not try a cucumber as well - They seem easy enough to grow by the looks of things... treated correctly you can get quite a harvest from one plant as well Would love to see the pics.. Anyone remember Percey Thrower and the Blue Peter Garden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 Just an update on my "Grow your own" experiment Have a few images to show too! One of the tomato plants, which Ive forgotten which variety it is, is really going some in terms of pushing a few tomatos out and showing potential for a lot more. My other larger tom plant is developing ok, albeit a little slower than the other one. My cherry tomotoes are also going well with lots of flowers forming now. My Pepper plant is so so, not sure if they grow slower than tomatoes, but I guess the weather hasnt been brilliant to date. Also got to try out super macro mode on the camera which was fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 Final two Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1/32 farmer Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 well done andy my wife killed mine off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Wel done andy. Spuds next year? well done andy my wife killed mine off Care to explain how? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Ferguson Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Nice one boss... I'll give you £4.00 per box (6kg) when they are ripe enough :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Light Land Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 I've grown garlic for years,in fact I've been out planting mine today seen as it's mid winter here. I've always found that it's best to "sprout" your garlic in doors till you have a few mm of green poking out the top of the clove and then set your garlic with just a hint of the green sprout showing above ground as this process takes for ever in cold wet soil,then when the ground warms in late winter/early spring the clove has already started putting down roots and is away like has been said above garlic realy needs all the season it can get even in a warmer country like nz. Other gardeners may do it a diffrant way but that is what seems to work for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gav836 Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 I've tried a couple of things in our gardden this year, used to have a large veg garden at our previous house but still fancied trying something here to test the soil out. Sweetcorn and runner beans have been tried this year, after early slug problems the beans seem to be doing ok now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gav836 Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Thought I'd bump this topic again as I've created a veg garden at my house. It's just about all planted up now apart from the greens and runner beans. Just having problems keeping Buster off it hence the string and canes The carrots, onions, beetroot, parsnips, radishes and beans Potatoes and what will be greens Still waiting for my greenhouse to be delivered, got seedlings and several windowsills at the minute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tractorbob Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 me and my son been planting today we have a 2 acre feild(behind house) and he wanted me plough it . i said we would start small so boxed some of garden off....phew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerrabbit Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Still a bit early in these parts for tilling up the garden as there is still a month or so to go before the risk of a frost gets less but I have planted my spuds in the garden today, 3 rows of second earlies and 5 rows of main crop. Next week will be planting up runner bean seeds in pots in the greenhouse to plant out second week in May. Last week in April will be the time to put in the broad bean and pea seed in the garden and plant sweetcorn seed in pots in the greenhouse. Also at this time put in the onion setts and till all the small seeds like carrotts, beetroot, spring onion and parsnip in the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Gav you should have brought the 6920 in with the ridger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gav836 Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Couldn't get it in there, could have done with an auto reset ridger, god knows whats under my garden, the rotovator kept bouncing out of the ground Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Couldn't get it in there, could have done with an auto reset ridger, god knows whats under my garden, the rotovator kept bouncing out of the ground Get digging then might be very hard rock or something worth a fortune Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractorman810 Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 that fencing doesnt look exactly dog proof mate does it :D our spuds have been out about 3 weeks now, along with other bits and bobs, aint got that big an area to grow stuff but we get by Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerrabbit Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 I find that sheep netting, the electric fence type put around the garden keeps the dogs off, and children. No need to hook up a fencer unit to it unless you get trouble with badgers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gav836 Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 that fencing doesnt look exactly dog proof mate does it :D our spuds have been out about 3 weeks now, along with other bits and bobs, aint got that big an area to grow stuff but we get by It works as it gets caught on his collar........if that fails then chicken netting will go up or if I get really hacked off in the meantime an electric net I find that sheep netting, the electric fence type put around the garden keeps the dogs off, and children. No need to hook up a fencer unit to it unless you get trouble with badgers. Thats exactly waht I was thinking along the lines of, although we do have a spare energiser at work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractorman810 Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 you doing any fruits then gav?? we have goosegogs, blackcurrants, raspberrys and strawberrys so far, mind you only have room for them as the spuds are in big sacks of soil, not in the deck, amazing how well they grow like that to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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