Calling all AC Gardeners!

tillytop

Oh how true that is Julie - the "little beasties" - and that includes pesky sparrows - have often eaten more of what I have planted than we have

If you are anything like me, once you have tasted something you have grown yourself, even just a couple of salad leaves or radishes to go in a sandwich, you will be hooked! I love flowers but I find myself much more interested in veg growing these days.

I have just spent a couple of happy hours in the greenhouse planting lettuce, spring onions, beetroot, peas and rudbeckia flowers. I am also very excited because the carrots and spring onions I planted in the raised bed back in January are starting to come through I am a very happy Tilly!

PollySid

I knew I'd seen a gardening thread on here somewhere.
I thought my gardening and weeding days were over, but with an upturned linen basket (a strong one) with a pillow on top, my trusty walking stick, a hand fork, secataurs and a bucket I am managing, albeit very slowly to weed the little bit of flower garden left at the front of the bungalow. Mr.PS lawned over most of it as he hates weeding!

I have a raised bed near the back garden fence which is low maintenance as it is graveled over. It is managable though for me to trim the plants and dead head them in the Summer.

I have always had hanging baskets under the carport which I fill myself, and many containers and pots containing bedding plants.

I have yet to start growing my seeds in the kitchen windowsill. I must get them started or I will be too late.

Colin1

Hey Polly its great that your having a go. yes it is hard and it takes 10 times longer but the reward is great, to say nothing about the exersise and being out in the fresh air. Jet washed the greenhouse today with my good lady and started to get stuff ready for seeds. A beautiful Day hope its like this tomorrow thats if i can move after all i done today.
Colin

ritwren

Well done TT, thats a nice little list of seedlings you'll have on the go soon all being well.
I've got some beetroot germinating in between 2 sheets of wet kitchen roll in a plastic bag. It's a great boost to starting them off, when they start to develop their tiny roots they get put into modules and grown on before being planted out when they're a bit stronger.
I've got broad beans coming up very well and they'll get planted out in the allotment if the rain ever stops, if not this weekend then all being well next weekend.
I know it's difficult to garden with arthur butting in every chance he gets but the reward more than makes up for it for me anyhow.
I'm going to buy some perlite this weekend, I've used it a little but have read more about it and will use it a lot more this year I think. Has anyone any experience with it?

frogmorton

Hi All

lovely to see so much going on

l haven't done much this weekend - took me 3 days to get over my last gardening exploits Yes Tilly is was worth it

Ritwren - l have never tried perlite please let me know how you get on..... am l right it is used for seedlings etc and doesn't dry out as quick as compost??

Colin when you get 5 can you come and do my Greenhouse please

Polly l have a kneeler with handles on so l can get back up and my husband is always clearing up after me. I do the mess and he picks it up

Julie you will love eating your own home grown stuff...l did an onion rope last year l was so proud :oops:

Tilly :shock: how could you!! You've already beaten me with your carrots

Love

Toni xx

ritwren

Hi Tilly, as to Perlite, yes it can be used for potting on as well as actually growing plants. I need to find out a bit more about it but I've ordered some and it'll be delivered this week, they were out of stock when I visited the shop so they're going to drop it out for me. Very good of them as they are'nt charging me for delivery.This gives some idea of it's uses.
http://www.thegardensuperstore.co.uk/Perlite__uses_in_the_garden.htm

I've been sowing some more flower seeds and some beetroot as well. Last year I'd ordered some plugs of scented Pinks. This year I've been able to divide them up into enough for 3 window boxes.

julie47

Bought some sunflower seeds and sweet peas on saturday.
Rich brought me basil, mint and another herb (cant remember) in a kit from morribongos. 3 little pots and seeds....but no compost lol.
I am going to lidl this morning and will get some radishes and lettuce. (I have seen them it is just that i couldn't reach them) Will have to ask a passer by if they will help. Think they should be easy for a first timer

Then.....on thursday I will pot them all up and keep on conservatory window ledge.

hope you are all well, sunny but frosty here

love julie x

tillytop

Hello all - hope it's as sunny with you as it is here today!

I have just been and looked at my seeds but am having to be very good and resist the temptation to do anything gardening wise today cos I am going out this afternoon and need to save my energy :roll: Very frustrating though cos it is such a lovely day out there.

Pollysid - love your inventive upturned basket idea! It's amazing what we can come up with when we want to do something isn't it?

Colin1 - well done for sorting the greenhouse ready for seeds. Have you managed any seed planting yet?

Ritwren - brilliant tip about the beetroot seeds! Will give that a go. And thanks for the link to the perlite info, I will have a look at that in a min.

Toni - hope you have now recovered from your last bout of gardening! And "sorry" for getting ahead in the carrot and spring onion race

Julie - I am so pleased that you have some seeds to plant - and hope you manage to get your lettuce and radish seeds this morning. I think they will do really well on the conservatory windowsill and both lettuce and radish are very easy to grow. You should be aware though that lettuce prefers cooler temperatures to germinate so, if you conservatory windowsill gets very hot, you might be better to put them somewhere cooler. Hope you enjoy growing them - I warn you, it can be very addictive

Tillyxxx

julie47

Got them tilly Will plant them either tomorrow or thursday just got to remind OH to nip into the shed for the compost.
Thank you for telling me about the lettuce and that they like it cool at first.
Will let you know when I start seeing any growth.
No growth on the cornflowers yet :?

Love julie xx

skezier

Hi Tilly,

Just dragged my bench in and claimed this wild bit again

The deer has his family now and we are sat here eating custard creams while the grass and hedgerow grows ((((( ())))) and I am going to plant some veg this year though the deer and his friends might eat it Cris xx

Colin1

Yes got some seeds in the light box i have started a couple of dozen of everything i'm going to grow this year in the hope of selling some bedding plants round may/june
Carnations Trail and bed, Snab dragons, Salvia, Lobelia trail and bed,
Marigold several varieties as they are so easy to grow, Pansy and giant pansy, Cineraria Silver Dust, coleus, a couple of different varieties of Dahlia
Geraniums, Lupins, Nasturtium, Gladioli, Lilies, Alyssum, Impatiens some other stuff as well but to early for my brain. plan is to start the rest off April and may so they flower for best part of the summer. I enjoy easygrow stuff as tou can see. Have you noticed how dear seeds are now Had to give up on many trailing plants for the baskets Petunia £4 for 25 seeds

frogmorton

Ok Tilly

l forgive you Still have some of last years springie though l am still eating so does that count??

Hey Cris and Deer....hope you have some wildflower seeds there??

Colin so you are a flower grower?? How lovely l may just join you there....as you say the cost of seeds is ridiculous isn't it??

Maybe they have cottoned on to the fact more people are 'growing their own'??

Love

Toni xx

frogmorton

Gardener's world is back on TV as of tonight

YIPPEEE!!!

and my eldest is 17 today so a good day all round.

Love

Toni xx

julie47

The Cornflower seeds are poking through

and happy birthday to your girls toni

love juliepf xx

frogmorton

Mmmmmm

had our leeks about 2 weeks ago Rehab...very tasty they were too.

Julie....well l am pleased about the cornflowers Charley had a great birthday thanks....and 1st driving lesson....(she drove herself home :shock: ),step-daughter has about 6 weeks till hers

Anyone fancy helping me do my nemaslug today??? just dont think l have the energy :? .......

Mind that's what husbands are for...will send him up to my shed...for the watering cans

Toni xx

julie47

The cornflowers, Richard had to pick every one out and re pot in some different compost (another new one) as on saturday one of the little shoots was wiggling on its own :shock: .....whe rich lifted it out there were no roots, something in the compost was eating my little flowers

Hopefully now, they will continue to thrive

Toni, how exciting for charley to be learning to drive but expensive for you :shock: , I remember Lisa learning.....8 years ago now :shock: (next month)......gosh....I didn't realise that until just now

love julie x

suncatcher

The sweet peas are growing well, sun flowers, Canadian poppies. I have cucumbers strawberries lettuce theres just an explosion of growth here.
The garden is my therapy i feel really good.

Colin1

Yes all the garden is great therapy no matter what you grow, It keeps our minds and bodys busy and something to think about. The warm summer days seem to make it so much better for us all, and an insentive to carry on regardless. I have a sterio system in my greenhouse and during the warm weather spend most of my time in the garden i really look forwar to it. The seed box seems to have worked and i now have summer plants coming up. I'm going to grow them in batches so that i have flowers from june to september. roll on Summer
Colin

suncatcher

I am cheating with surfinas i had em delivered this morning. I have had a new climbing variety it comes with a climbing cage. I did not put em in till this evening. I have been too busy getting things organized for the awareness week. I came home shattered but very eager to put them in.

Colin i can just picture you and your stereo. what are you listening to?
joanne

waddle

hi, has anyone any ideas as to what to put into a semi shaded boarder that is idiot proof for a new gardener?

sorry to interupt.

waddle

Thank you Rehab44

i will take a look in wilkinsons when im next shopping, i only have a border around my little garden and i will be putting some pots around the patio so it will be little bits at a time, cant do too much these days xx

suncatcher

Waddle
Hostas, lovely foliage on them
Ornamental grasses im sure others will have more ideas following from joanne

waddle

thank you joanne, i will take a look.

is it to late to plant sweetpea seeds/plants (which ever it is) i have a meter wide bit of wall, lots of sun and very dull to look at, if i remember right from when i was a kid (many moons ago) they grow up quiet high, mind i dont know what to do with them or if they would take over etc. i dont want to be eaten by a giant triffid when i go out in the garden

waddle

thank you rehab44. i will pick up some tommorow and have a go. with all of your help and ideas i may just end up with a lovely little garden this year. who knows i might even try some fruit and veg next year if they can be grown in pots, charlie dimock you may just have some competition

i think i may enjoy learning all the plant stuff and enjoy my garden this year.

barbara12

Hi all
Just bought some easy fill baskets off a shopping channel...they are brilliant..I have put pansies in them for the min but cant wait for the summer flowers...