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Calling SMB veg growers

  • Thread starter Thread starter Deleted member 5265
  • Start date Start date

Peas in lengths of gutter, hardening off. Ready to go in. Red and white onions in. Leeks in pots under glass. Be ready to put in in a week or so.
Beetroot sown at the weekend.
Toms, cues, peppers all sown at the weekend in the gh.
All good so far.
Mixed leaves sewn outside too.
Don't do brassicas. Only grow what we like, and not keen apart from spring greens or brussells. For the amount we eat, not worth it really.
Bit to early for corn yet I think.
any reccomendations of what make of seeds and where to buy ?
I use suttons or fothergills.
Easy growers are Gardeners Delight, Moneymaker, and most of the cherry ones tend to be ok mate.
Buy cordons rather than bush if you have space in the gh mate.

Any garden centre will sell them marra👍
What we got going on now that we're into April ?

I put my first earlies in a week or so ago
Onion sets are showing good early growth after a month or so in the ground
My pea seeds in modules have failed, so I put some straight into the ground this week (boogie)
My cucumber seeds have germinated but been scorched by the heat/sun in the polytunnel, I got one maybe two that'll be ok, so might have to go again if I don't get 3 good plants.
3 varieties of tomatoes seeds germinating (golden sunrise, gardeners delight, red cherry) but at different rates
My brassica seedlings (cauli, cabbage, broccoli, sprouts) are all doing well in a plastic boxes I'm using as cold frames.
Planted 4 different beetroot varieties out into a bed.
Got some young Japanese (hardy) onions off an allotment neighbour so put them in the ground too for a winter harvest.

Got a ton of seeds/seedlings in the polytunnel but quite a few have suffered with scorching so have covered with horticultural fleece to keep the worst of the direct sun off and see what I have left in a week or so.
Really looking forward to this year.
Redecorated the whole house over the winter. New ceilings and ensuite done too.
So gof a free pass, guilt free from she who must be obeyed to fully hoy myself at the garden😁
I just love this time of year. So much to do, and got my little dog now to share all the outside time with.
Going to be a bloody good year.😁😁😁
 
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I use suttons or fothergills.
Easy growers are Gardeners Delight, Moneymaker, and most of the cherry ones tend to be ok mate.
Buy cordons rather than bush if you have space in the gh mate.

Any garden centre will sell them marra👍

Thank you ,my dad was a great gardener and i've tried to keep the tradition going ,past 8yrs i've had shit crops of tomatoes ,either all greenery with small cherry size tomatoes half that dont ripen (i use moneymaker) ,

I think im doing what you have to do i nip the shoots inbetween ,prune back greenery ,start to feed every 2 weeks after the first flower but i always end up with tiny moneymakers ,so any tips advice welcome ,i use soil with bonemeal and other stuff to make the soil rich in nutrients.
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I use suttons or fothergills.
Easy growers are Gardeners Delight, Moneymaker, and most of the cherry ones tend to be ok mate.
Buy cordons rather than bush if you have space in the gh mate.

Any garden centre will sell them marra👍

Thank you ,my dad was a great gardener and i've tried to keep the tradition going ,past 8yrs i've had shit crops of tomatoes ,either all greenery with small cherry size tomatoes half that dont ripen (i use moneymaker) ,

I think im doing what you have to do i nip the shoots inbetween ,prune back greenery ,start to feed every 2 weeks after the first flower but i always end up with tiny moneymakers ,so any tips advice welcome ,i use soil with bonemeal and other stuff to make the soil rich in nutrients.
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How many plants do you grow mate, and are they in a green house?
 
How many plants do you grow mate, and are they in a green house?
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yes in a 4 x 3 glass green house in builders buckets about 1ft between each bucket

about 14 alltogether
 
Perfect mate.
Couple of things that might help. I apologise if you already do these, but all I can think of that might help.

I always plant into a mix of composts and chicken manure pellets. Quite slow release food.

Wait until you have a truss set with small fruit before you start feeding mate. They get too comfortable and slow down on flower production otherwise.

Make sure that when you are nipping out side shoots, you only take the ones coming from the base of a leaf where it joins the main stem.

To help polination, I take a small paintbrush from stamen to stamen on each of the flowers to make sure the pollen is getting transfered to each flower. That might cure your issue with mostly greenery.

And don't take off too much foliage too early marra. Only do it to help the fruit ripen later on mate.

Shade them from really strong sun, and a good watering everyday mate, later in the day the better to stop evaporation.

Like I say mate, works for me, but sorry if it comes across as patronising.
Not meant to marra.

Oh, and make sure you have drainage holes on the buckets they are in mate.

Good Luck👍👍👍
How many plants do you grow mate, and are they in a green house?
yes in a 4 x 3 glass green house in builders buckets about 1ft between each bucket

about 14 alltogether
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Just noticed how many you plant in there too mate. Way too many mate.
I've got an 8×6 greenhouse and I plant 7 marra. That is probably your main issue mate. They can't stretch their legs and breath mate.
 
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Is it too late to sew tomato plant seeds ?
Not at all, I try to to sow at different times to stagger the crop but I usually find the later sowings (with the warmer weather) catch up with the early sowings. You can't go far wrong with Gardener's Delight, plentiful cheap seed a very tasty small tomato. A more expensive type is Shirley, excellent quality, big and tasty - you only get about 8 seeds in apacket though, so maybe better if you are confident in your germination technique. I wouldn't use garden soil to grow Tom's in as there could be potato blight in the soil which will ruin your whole crop just as the fruit is getting ready to be picked. Much better to buy a few bags of sterilised compost or John innes no 3.
.

To help polination, I take a small paintbrush from stamen to stamen on each of the flowers to make sure the pollen is getting transfered to each flower. That might cure your issue with mostly greenery.
I never have probs with flowers setting to fruit and I just mist the flowers and tap the stems of the plants. I'm sure a paint brush will work but must be quite time consuming.
Lot of good advice in your post.
 
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I never have probs with flowers setting to fruit and I just mist the flowers and tap the stems of the plants. I'm sure a paint brush will work but must be quite time consuming.
Lot of good advice in your post.
Thank you mate.
FiL switched me on to the paintbrush thing.
It is time consuming, but thats what lazy summer days in the garden are for in my world marra🙂
Tomato seeds are very reliable. If you just want common varieties most supermarkets sell them.
This year I'm growing Alicante, Outdoor girl and a plum (San Marzano).
They do benefit from help with pollination.
San Marzano is a lovely tomato marra.
 
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I never have probs with flowers setting to fruit and I just mist the flowers and tap the stems of the plants. I'm sure a paint brush will work but must be quite time consuming.
Lot of good advice in your post.
I also do the tap the stems thing (or the cane) and it seems to work for me for not a lot of effort. I do do the paint brush for my chilli's though.
 
Are all seed manufacturers equal ? Seen some in asda ( Irwin brand ) but didnt know if 1 brand is better than another for germination/ crop etc.
 
I also do the tap the stems thing (or the cane) and it seems to work for me for not a lot of effort. I do do the paint brush for my chilli's though.

During the summer when my tomatoes are flowering the door of my greenhouse is open all day, and night if we have really nice weather. Always has bees in it.

Its a 12' x 6' with 16 plants in and always have a heavy crop. Shirley is my preferred variety but this year Ive added Harbinger. It would have been filled with Grenadier but the breed is now obsolete.
 
Last year I paid £3.99 each for grow bags. God knows what they are this year. Has anyone had any success growing tomatoes in garden compost? I have a bin full of the stuff and it looks the business, completely rotted and almost black. Made mainly from kitchen scraps such as veg and fruit peelings.
 
Last year I paid £3.99 each for grow bags. God knows what they are this year. Has anyone had any success growing tomatoes in garden compost? I have a bin full of the stuff and it looks the business, completely rotted and almost black. Made mainly from kitchen scraps such as veg and fruit peelings.
I use it every year, with chicken manure pellets mixed with it, in large pots marra.
Worked every time. Just keep them fed after the first truss sets with fruit.👍👍👍
 
Last year I paid £3.99 each for grow bags. God knows what they are this year. Has anyone had any success growing tomatoes in garden compost? I have a bin full of the stuff and it looks the business, completely rotted and almost black. Made mainly from kitchen scraps such as veg and fruit peelings.
I bought some Carrots, and some Parsnips for 19 p a bag yesterday. I don't know why you all bother :lol:
 
I use it every year, with chicken manure pellets mixed with it, in large pots marra.
Worked every time. Just keep them fed after the first truss sets with fruit.👍👍👍
That's the answer I was looking for. I have one grow gag left from last year so will do a trial to see which does the best.
I bought some Carrots, and some Parsnips for 19 p a bag yesterday. I don't know why you all bother :lol:
Any tomatoes going for 19p? I suspect not.
 
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