Chillies, Toms & Sweet Pepper Growing 2012

[tedebear]

Oh and I forgot - we have chickens now too! Great for adding their poo to my composter (a green joanna). Its taken me a few years to get decent soil, adding my compost each year, and its still going to take a few more, but its well on its way. Its very stony though and each spring I sieve a bit more...

 

[supaseagull]

I'm having problems growing basil. I get the shop ones and always water them one to two days but they still end up looking a bit shit after a fortnight any advice?

 

[tedebear]

I'm having problems growing basil. I get the shop ones and always water them one to two days but they still end up looking a bit shit after a fortnight any advice? View attachment 32012

I put them in a shallow bowl type dish and fill up with water every few days, although by the time we buy them they have sucked the life out of the compost they are in and are usually pot bound. So I add a drop of plant food to the water, place them in full window sill sun, pick out those top stragglers too and use them for pesto, and hopefully encourage more growth at the bottom. If you have a bigger pot you can pot them up too.

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Great for a novice veggie grower like me to read all the helpful stuff on here. Please keep up the good work, it gives me great encouragement. I'm just getting into a serious attempt at growing veggies for the first time. Last year I had a go at toms from grow bags, plus a few chillies, resulting in a decent crop.

This year I felt the need to get a bit more ambitious so set aside a sunny but sheltered corner of the garden and built a couple of raised beds, filled them with some soil/compost mix and ordered a mix selection of seedlings from a recommended local supplier. The seedlings are coming along nicely indoors but are now probably at the stage where they should be planted out, but the weather is a nightmare. I did put some peas and broad beans out under small poly tunnels but these have been a bit mauled by the wind, fingers crossed they will survive. Just about ready to give them some canes for support.

I have some radish seedlings coming along very nicely indoors (wow they're fast) but understand they don't like being transplanted, so fingers crossed.

It's probably all my fault that the weather has taken another turn for the worse having just started assembling a Halls 6'x2' lean-to greenhouse (a good deal, ordered via Homebase) ready for chillies, toms etc. Just spent an entertaining but frustrating day fighting the wind, rain and hail whilst juggling various greenhouse components. Am almost at the point where I can start glazing (if the weather calms down) but the instructions aren't clear about fitting the frame for the roof vent.

The next thing I have to sort out is a watering system from the 3 water butts. Then it's some sort of protective netting/frame for the raised beds. I'm enjoying creating the set up and hopefully this will give me years of veggies to come, but need some proper summer weather soon!

 

[clapham_gull]

I'm having problems growing basil. I get the shop ones and always water them one to two days but they still end up looking a bit shit after a fortnight any advice? View attachment 32012

If you plant them outside (in a bigger pot)and let them grow for a bit they do quite well.

Probably not warm enough yet.

On the basil front I have a tip from a professional gardener / writer who works for Gardeners World. I was having trouble getting my basil to grow and the first thing he asked was...

When do you water it ?

I always watered in the evening (if need be) when I got back from work, but apparently basil hates being wet during the night and doesn't like cold water either.

So - in the evening put out a glass of water out and let it come to room temperature.

Water your basil with it IN THE MORNING.

Brilliant advice. It works. My basil (grown from seed) powered away then.

 

[clapham_gull]

This year I felt the need to get a bit more ambitious so set aside a sunny but sheltered corner of the garden and built a couple of raised beds, filled them with some soil/compost mix..

Same here, bought some decking and built a raised bed. Slightly shaded, got some Tomatoes going last year in there - but not really worth the effort to be honest. Weather wasn't great, unlike the summer before last because literally I couldn't keep up with the tomatoes.

This year I growing some peas in there, alongside some lettuce. Later, I'll probably buy some cucumber plants. Can't be bothered to grow them from seed (see troubles above)

I have a very small garden, all paved - but it's amazing what you can do - particularly with raised beds. Last year I was growing potatoes in bags.

Got a blackberry bush going in another small bed I build from timber I had left when my bathroom was rebuilt. The big raised bed had an underground irrigation system built from junk

Until the foxes dug it all up. I've now "invested" in an timed irrigation system. Does the whole garden all for under £100.

Self irrigation with Tomatoes is fun though. I used to build my own, but they sell them in garden centres now.

But if you aren't too worried about what it looks like - you can build a self irrigation system with a few buckets.

Google "Earth Box" - the tomatoes go mad in them.

 

[supaseagull]

If you plant them outside (in a bigger pot)and let them grow for a bit they do quite well.

Probably not warm enough yet.

On the basil front I have a tip from a professional gardener / writer who works for Gardeners World. I was having trouble getting my basil to grow and the first thing he asked was...

When do you water it ?

I always watered in the evening (if need be) when I got back from work, but apparently basil hates being wet during the night and doesn't like cold water either.

So - in the evening put out a glass of water out and let it come to room temperature.

Water your basil with it IN THE MORNING.

Brilliant advice. It works. My basil (grown from seed) powered away then.

Thank you - I'll give it a go

 

[saslowi]

I'm having problems growing basil. I get the shop ones and always water them one to two days but they still end up looking a bit shit after a fortnight any advice? View attachment 32012

Split them up into individual pots and pinch out the top to make them bush out. Keep warm, give them good light, regular feeds and watering.

 

[Muzzy]

For anyone interested... Try this link for all things veggie growing...Be warned it's very addictive but a brilliant and friendly forum site:


The Grapevine

I have signed up as Cue the Toms if you want to add me as a friend. Maybe us NSC members can start a seed/plant swap thing going?

This keeps us all interested in a summer hobby while the boys are away sunning themselves anyway lol.

 

[BensGrandad]

Has anybody tried nematodes for getting rid of slugs if so what is the opinions on these as I am thinking of buying some as I believe slugs will be a problem this year with the rain we have had recently.

 

[tedebear]

Has anybody tried nematodes for getting rid of slugs if so what is the opinions on these as I am thinking of buying some as I believe slugs will be a problem this year with the rain we have had recently.

I tried them last year and did notice a bit of a difference, although I do have more of a problem with snails which they didn't touch at all... I think they work underground which is why they don't affect snails. I can't use snail pellets anymore becuase of our chickens so am interested in alternative snail reduction methods - other than picking them off each evening!

 

[BensGrandad]

I tried them last year and did notice a bit of a difference, although I do have more of a problem with snails which they didn't touch at all... I think they work underground which is why they don't affect snails. I can't use snail pellets anymore becuase of our chickens so am interested in alternative snail reduction methods - other than picking them off each evening!

Did you have to make more than one application of them and if so did you think that they were value for money as most on the web seem to be about £8.95 ish.

 

[tedebear]

Did you have to make more than one application of them and if so did you think that they were value for money as most on the web seem to be about £8.95 ish.

I only did one treatment the week prior to putting the seedlings out and didn't do a second, they made it through the young and tender stage that way. I have to be honest I didn't pay for them as I got them as part of a deal with Marshalls seeds when I bought the potatos I think...

I don't think I'd have tried them if they weren't free...

 

[BensGrandad]

I think that I may give them a try as I dont like using slug pellets and the slugs are a nuisance.

 

[Muzzy]

It seems a waste but a bit of beer in a tub is still the best thing to do.... Nematodes won't work if there is too much rain as it just seems to wash everything away!

I have more of snails and cat problems than a slugs one, but they're both just as much of a pain.

 

[jevs]

The beer trap works well Muzzy but empty them regularly...the smell of dead pissed slugs is one of the most revolting things ive ever smelled !!!

As for seed swaps....there's a seed swap in Preston Park this sunday at 10am...i presume by the bowling greens.

Here's the details Friends of Preston Park | The community for users of Preston Park in Brighton, UK

 

[tedebear]

Seedy Sunday was good in Hove shame they don't do a seedling Sunday for swapping seedlings which have come about from swapping too many seeds on Seedy Sunday!

 

[Muzzy]

The beer trap works well Muzzy but empty them regularly...the smell of dead pissed slugs is one of the most revolting things ive ever smelled !!!

As for seed swaps....there's a seed swap in Preston Park this sunday at 10am...i presume by the bowling greens.

Here's the details Friends of Preston Park | The community for users of Preston Park in Brighton, UK

Cheers for the heads up on that mate... Unfortunately I'll be working all day.. Bloody typical!

 

[Muzzy]

Forecast is for a mini heatwave this week. Bout bloody time! This should help our fruit n veggies a bit.

 

[BensGrandad]

Forecast is for a mini heatwave this week. Bout bloody time! This should help our fruit n veggies a bit.

Hopefully I shall get my runners in his week as they have been growing in the green house since before we went away on holiday after the Brum game.