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sugarplumhalle

Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Posts: 50
Location: E. Yorkshire

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 4:38 pm Post subject: a good thing to start with...

So i'm very new here and have been reading lots of posts and finding out lots of things which quite frankly i wouldnt have guessed.

I do have a question though so hope I can have some help and also hope this is the right place to post this!

I am in the process of getting myself an alotment (luckily on the site i want, no waiting list!) but I am pretty much a gardening virgin. I want to start seeding and things straight away, decorating my window sills with tiny pots etc but wondered whats the best thing to start with? I have purchased some Chilli seeds for a variety called "Satans kiss" but think that might be getting a bit carried away.

So, whats the best thing to start with? I have very very limited space in my garden as I live in a student house....

Cant wait for the allotment though!

Also, can anybody reccomend any good books for newbies?

Thanks, Halle

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 4:44 pm Post subject:
Welcome aboard Halle Here are some book recommendations: https://forum.downsizer.net/about66.html

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 4:45 pm Post subject:
Chillis outdoors in E Yorkshire? Don't think so, unless anyone knows better. What kind of things do you fancy growing? Give us some ideas of what you like eating and we'll have a think.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 4:49 pm Post subject:
By the way this is the Grow Your Own web Links section: https://www.downsizer.net/option,com_bookmarks/Itemid,54/catid,1/

Mrs Fiddlesticks

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 10460

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 4:50 pm Post subject:
we grow our chillies more as house plants so they'd look very cool on a windowsill and of course you can eat them. Other than that what Tahir said... what do you want to grow?

twoscoops

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 1924
Location: Warwickshire

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 4:54 pm Post subject:
I was given Delia's Kitchen Garden for Christmas. The good thing about it is that Delia hasn't got much to do with it, and Gay Search (unfortunate name) gives lots of good advice for absolute beginners.

sugarplumhalle

Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Posts: 50
Location: E. Yorkshire

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 5:44 pm Post subject: thanks...

thank you..

have the book list open in another browser as i type

hmm, what do i want to grow? I love berries so strawberries and blueberries are definetly in. Also gooseberries, rubarb etc.
I would like to try some more wierd (well, not wierd but "different") vegetables rather than just the average lettuce....

Also raddishes, etc. In all fairness i'd like to grow pretty much everything but think I should probably start small.. big idea's.

Definetly wasnt planning on putting chillies outside, thought they would like pretty cool on window sills.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 5:54 pm Post subject:
Blueberries need acid soil, you'll have to check what yours is like, i'm sure someone at the allotments will know. There's a nursery in the links section called Rougham Hall that do a big range of gooseberries. Raspberries should do well for you

sugarplumhalle

Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Posts: 50
Location: E. Yorkshire

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 6:00 pm Post subject:
they would wouldnt they! I am allergic to rasberries, my luck eh!

Mrs Fiddlesticks

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 10460

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 6:01 pm Post subject:

blueberries can be grown in a container with ericacious soil.

When you get your plot have a good look round to see what others are growing and talk to your neighbours, they'll know the soil and what you can grow and what won't work on your site ( no one on our site can grow swedes!), what pests there are to guard against - we have a huge rabbit problem so have to net off areas before sowing lettuce for example.

Get it cleared a bit 1st then bung something in.

exciting though isn't it?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 6:23 pm Post subject:

Vegetables to grow:

Spinach

Carrots (if you like saag you can use the tops too)

Radish
Mooli
Turnips
Swedes
You can use the tops of all of these as greens, they're very peppery so good added to something milder like cabbage

Orach
My favourite leafy veg, it can grow up to 6 feet tall and is available in loads of colours.

Potatoes
Now is the time to buy your seed potatoes

Garlic
Still just about time to plant, and don't forget the leaves are good in stir fries.

Onions
Ditto

Parsnip
My favourite root veg

Kale
Much tastier than brocolli

Herbs
Rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, marjoram, chives, bay french tarragon are all easy and so much better and cheaper than shop bought

Coriander
Useful for seeds and leaves, sow every 4 weeks or so

Is that enough to be getting on with?

sugarplumhalle

Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Posts: 50
Location: E. Yorkshire

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 6:27 pm Post subject:
great, thank you verrrrrrry much.

nettie

Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 6:37 pm Post subject:

Would definitely recommend Swiss Chard and a permanent asparagus bed

Also you can never have enough potatoes or onions, they store really well and I never grew anywhere near enough last year.

Would recommend the Pocket Vegetable Expert by D.G. Hessayon, an almost idiot-proof (and portable) guide. And if you have enough room at home to have a plastic mini greenhouse then you will be able to get things started earlier. Good luck!

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 6:40 pm Post subject:

nettie wrote:

a permanent asparagus bed

On an allotment? It takes 3 years to crop doesn't it?

Agree about Swiss Chard. I suppose i'd grow a lot more onions and potatoes if I had the room.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 6:43 pm Post subject:

tahir wrote:

nettie wrote:

a permanent asparagus bed

On an allotment? It takes 3 years to crop doesn't it?.

You can buy the crowns at different ages, which is a good idea if you're setting one up anyway, you get a crop faster and they don't all need replacing at once.

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