home grown veg

dougie ward

i am a big advocate of grow your own and recently planted my first crop pf sweetcorn. i want to know if anyone else grows their own,where they do it? what do you plant? have you a polytunnel or some sort of poly greenhouse? where to get one in galway? how much do they cost?
i just want to do it on a small scale first,rented accom so not too keen on digging up the garden!

any tips etc greatly appreciated.

twenty8

I have a small patch that I am trying to get a nice selection of veg and fruit.

At the moment I have a good few rasberry canes, gooseberry, blackcurrant and a good few strawberries.

I have also 2 drills of Rooster potatoes - which were planted late and are still not up - not sure if I will have much success with them!

Planted peas and scallions outside last weekend and also got a load of pots and planted sweetcorn, pumpkins, more peas, lettuce and tomatoes at the start of May.

I will plant all of them out when they get hardy - my pumpkins are flying, sweetcorn is just coming up and the rest are slow - different sowing times. My lettuces are nearly ready to go out.

This is just my 2nd year and it does take time to get used to things, how they grown and to appreciate how much space they need. My veg last year was a mess - but I am a lot more in control this year. I am sure that I will get the hang of it in 20 years!!!

gsxr1

here is my years attempt.

Lots of lettice. pot with parsnips , Carrots, spinach parsley and rocket.

I also have runner beans growing and peas that are just starting to emerge from the ground.

the high winds last week distroyed half of my lettice.
Big green pots have carrots , 1 month apart. large clay pot is the spinach. leavy pot at rear is parsnips. and the rest have a selection of space saving and Italian style lettice. Lots of colour


peas


french beans and runner beans

dougie ward

looks great, i will be going down the pot route! what have you got in the pots?

Geezer1000

The missus is after planting 2 drills of spuds, carrotts, onions, sage, rosemary, thyme. We made a raised bed from old railway sleepers. Hopefully itll work out ok. :rolleyes:

sharonl

We've just taken on an allotment in Roundwood and are growing lettuce, spinach, chard, sweetcorn, beans and peas, onions, carrots, parsnips, scallions, leeks, cabbage, broccoli, sprouts, cauliflower, pumpkins, strawberries raspberries, rhubarb, and at home in pots I'm growing cherry tomatoes, herbs, spinach and chilli plants. We've started blogging about it on www.plot103.blogspot.com. Pretty sure we're not gonna get everything but hopefully we'll be bound to get something out of all that. Good luck with yours!

sharon

gsxr1

sharonl wrote: »

We've just taken on an allotment in Roundwood and are growing lettuce, spinach, chard, sweetcorn, beans and peas, onions, carrots, parsnips, scallions, leeks, cabbage, broccoli, sprouts, cauliflower, pumpkins, strawberries raspberries, rhubarb, and at home in pots I'm growing cherry tomatoes, herbs, spinach and chilli plants. We've started blogging about it on www.plot103.blogspot.com. Pretty sure we're not gonna get everything but hopefully we'll be bound to get something out of all that. Good luck with yours!

sharon

thats a fantastic Blog.

saved it and will follow;)

mp22

So far so good in the green house this year.The green house is raised on railway sleepers with 9 x2 for the central walkway raised beds outside are 9x2 pressure treated timber

Dr Galen

very nice job mp22
MM wants one of those

at home this year, I've got more tomatoes than I know what to do with growing away. Aubergines, courgettes, peppers, chilli and all the usual herbs. In and out of my much less impressive greenhouse. then outside I've got the strawberries. Kinda stuck for good ground then in the garden.

Up in the allotment (approx 30m by 9m) I've got spuds, carrots, onions, leeks, a few experimental tomatoes (just gone out), peas of a few varieties, calabrese, cabbage, what will hopefully be a monster pumpkin, and a squash variety, few more things to go out in the next week or two, butternut squash being one, which I'm growing for the first time, so fingers crossed.

I'm pretty sure thats about it, more than enough work

Dr Galen

sharonl wrote: »

We've just taken on an allotment in Roundwood and are growing lettuce, spinach, chard, sweetcorn, beans and peas, onions, carrots, parsnips, scallions, leeks, cabbage, broccoli, sprouts, cauliflower, pumpkins, strawberries raspberries, rhubarb, and at home in pots I'm growing cherry tomatoes, herbs, spinach and chilli plants. We've started blogging about it on www.plot103.blogspot.com. Pretty sure we're not gonna get everything but hopefully we'll be bound to get something out of all that. Good luck with yours!

sharon

pretty cool blog there Sharon. it appears things are going well, and you've a lot down seeing as you only got the plot a little over a month ago, fair play.
My wifey wants to know where someone got the shiny green gardening coat. She says that if she can have one she'll help out more

Cabaal

I got 6 Potato Patio planters back in April and have to say I'm pretty impressed with them so far, cost me about 28e for the two packs and the seed potato's
Must post photos later,

gsxr1, impressive collection of veg

sharonl

Thanks all for the comments:D I believe the green raincoat was bought in Penneys for a steal:p

I'd love a green house but hopefully we will eventually be getting a polytunnel up at the allotment, until then my balcony will have to do. Richard Corrigans City Farm programme is on every tuesday night rte 1 at 8.30pm for anyone interested, its very good, we've been following it each week. Happy gardening!

sharon

Cabaal

sharonl, just had a look over the blog, interesting stuff.

I really should look into allotments locally, either that or talk nicely to my brother-in-law who might give me some spare space on his farm

dougie ward

bought some strawberry,raspberry plants yesterday along with some tomatoes and peas. all planted and buying a portable greenhouse asap. renting at the moment so unable to plant,but cant wait to chart the progress over the coming months.

how much does an allotment cost to rent? saw a sign near my house but did not get details,just wondering if its much? i am approx 5 miles outside galway.

I've dug up a couple of ridges down the back of the garden.
And banged in some seeds. It is my first time since I was a kid, I really hope something takes.
I've Scallions, Onions, Rocket, Watercress, Chard, Spinach, Beetroot, Mixed lettuce, Butternut Squash, Carrot, various herbs, Calabrese, and some strawberry and blackcurrent plants in.
I'm still digging and planting though.

Anyone know where I would get a spawn for field mushrooms?

deisemum

Cabaal wrote: »

I got 6 Potato Patio planters back in April and have to say I'm pretty impressed with them so far, cost me about 28e for the two packs and the seed potato's
Must post photos later,

gsxr1, impressive collection of veg

Is it too late to sow some potatoes? If not where did you get the potato patio planters? I'm in Waterford city.

I'm a complete beginner but have some seeds and plants to try out, mostly in tubs.

r3nu4l

gsxr1 wrote: »

here is my years attempt.

Nice photos gsxr1. Where did you get the netting you are using to allow the peas and beans to climb?

deisemum

deisemum wrote: »

Is it too late to sow some potatoes? If not where did you get the potato patio planters? I'm in Waterford city.

I'm a complete beginner but have some seeds and plants to try out, mostly in tubs.

No it isnt. Because I'm putting mine in tomorrow, and my dad would have told me if it was too late.
Homebase have kits.

gsxr1

r3nu4l wrote: »

Nice photos gsxr1. Where did you get the netting you are using to allow the peas and beans to climb?

Got it in B&Q for 6euro. 12' long 6' high.

seen it in lidl once also . but they dont really restock when it gone.

Pack of 6' canes cost a fiver and a roll of garden wire for 3 euro on sale in B&Q also.

Its the perfect time of year for bean plants now. They favour warm soil. I have sown more near these plants. I expect the new seeds to overtake the month old plants.

Wish I had a bigger back garden. Once I sell this house my priority in a new home will be a garage and decent garden.

not going to be anytime soon though.

gsxr1

seen this today also. may be of intrest.

none left in Naas store . There mine;)

http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20090514.p.AssortedVegetablePlants

deisemum

Moonbaby wrote: »

No it isnt. Because I'm putting mine in tomorrow, and my dad would have told me if it was too late.
Homebase have kits.

Thanks

I'll try and get there tomorrow.

I picked up several packets of seeds in Aldi today at 79c each.

Cabaal

deisemum wrote: »

Is it too late to sow some potatoes? If not where did you get the potato patio planters? I'm in Waterford city.
.

I got the planters in B&Q for 10e each for a pack of 3, you'll have to ask B&Q staff to get them as they are up on a higher shelf down where the rest of the veg is kept inside near the exits to the outdoor garden section.

Woodies have the same planters but they are priced at 15e I believe,

It took me a visit to 6 gardens centers to find seed potatoes though ....eventually found some in Hennesys garden center on the Carlow road outside Kilkenny, they didn't have many left when I bought them though, if I had any left I'd give you em
Best to give a ring around if you still need them,.

They planters look something like this


The instructions on the back of the packs are dead easy follow

deisemum

Well I've planted some potatoes today, pentland javelin that I got in Homebase. All local shops hadn't any potato planter bags left but hubby remembered he'd 6 jute bags with handles that he was given a while back and weren't ever used. I put 3 potato seeds in each bag and have put them in a shelved unit that has a plastic cover over it for the next day or two until the weather isn't as wild.

I'm going to sow a variety of salad and herb seeds tomorrow so I can get the children I mind plus my own involved.

skywalker_208

Planted some potatoes few weeks ago. They are up a good bit now. Just used some heavy duty black plastic sacks.... filled with compost and stuck some potato seeds in and bobs your uncle

Hope to get a variety of Lettuce seeds in over the coming days.

The Sweeper

My straw bale potato bed has it's first potato plant. None of the others have emerged yet. Must fish emulsion the bales today for nutrients. Am very interested to see how it goes.

Cabaal

Here;s three of the six bags I have of potatoes, maybe its not adventurous but I wanted to grow something easy first

sharonl

They look great! Might try some of these up on the allotment. All the beds are already allocated cos we thought we were too late but I've since found out we're not for some types of spuds. Gonna get some bags and a few spuds. Anyone looking for seed potatoes, they are still doing them in Mr. Middletons garden shop on Mary street, went in there over the weekend and the place is brilliant! 25 cauliflower seedlings for 3.99.

sharon
www.plot103.blogspot.com

davenewt

sharonl wrote: »

I've since found out we're not for some types of spuds. Gonna get some bags and a few spuds. Anyone looking for seed potatoes, they are still doing them in Mr. Middletons garden shop on Mary street

Interesting, tempted to add to my existing selection with some spuds! I take it Mr. Middletons has some of the later varieties then? And also assuming that's Mary street in Dublin?

Edit: Read your blog and see you even have a link to their site and a photo of the shop, nice one! Now to see if I can actually get there... thanks Sharon!

sharonl

I presume they are late varieties, I'm afraid I'm a bit of a newbie when it comes to growing veg on a large scale, this is our first year with an allotment so its our learning year! Yes its on Mary street in dublin It just struck me when I saw them in there over the weekend that we mustn't be too late for spuds after all. I then read up in some books that you can plant up to July for spuds for christmas day! One of our goals this year is to grow all of our christmas day veg and eventually grow maybe 70% of our total veg needs! Ambitious I know but gonna give it a go. I link on my blog to any site I find useful, I hope there aren't rules about that kind of thing:eek: I'm a newbie to blogging too so I'm not all that up on ettiquette yet :rolleyes:

sharon
www.plot103.blogspot.com

Honey-ec

Jeez, I'm well impressed with everyone's results!

I've a raised bed but all I have in it at the moment is oregano, which I planted out last year after growing indoors from seed and it is almost obscenely healthy. Must start cutting and drying it for cooking.

Then in my shrubbery I have rosemary and lavender, and in pots I have mint (not doing so well since being moved outdoors) and thyme, which is still indoors but which I might start hardening up for an eventual move to the garden.

I have seeds for Little Gem Lettuce and Cayenne chillis, which I might pot this evening, seeing as it's such a nice day for pottering around on the deck for a few hours.

deisemum

Is it too late in the year to build a raised bed?