The "Grow Your Own" Thread

[Paddingtonwolf]

I hate weeds. Absolutely fucking hate them. This time last year I dug out all of the flowerbeds in one corner of the garden down to a depth of about two feet and removed all the root system. The fuckers have still come back. Whatever membrane the previous owners put down it is a pile of shite.

This autumn's project is going to be building raised flowerbeds, a new membrane, and then probably redo the patio. Going to be busy with that lot I reckon.

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

Gentlemen, tell me this...

I'm told that Tomato Feed is great for many early and young plants, even hedging that's just going in. Is it good also for Lavender Bushes?

Tom feed is great for flowers and fruit, its high in Potassium, all fertilizer is made up of Nitrogen (Leaves) Phosphorus (Roots) Potassium (Flowers) its displayed as N-P-K on the back.

A good all rounder will show equal amounts ie 6-6-6, where as the Tom feed is will have a higher last number.

I would imagine for cuttings you would want one that is higher in Phosphorus (Roots)

 

[lemonjelly]

Tom feed is great for flowers and fruit, its high in Potassium, all fertilizer is made up of Nitrogen (Leaves) Phosphorus (Roots) Potassium (Flowers) its displayed as N-P-K on the back.

A good all rounder will show equal amounts ie 6-6-6, where as the Tom feed is will have a higher last number.

I would imagine for cuttings you would want one that is higher in Phosphorus (Roots)

:devilsmile:

 

[Wolf Hunting]

So Long & Newbridge thanks for that.
They're actually in the ground and are about 6 or 7" tall, and I have 12 of them.
The soil is a little sandy but down around 8" there's a fair bit of grey clay.
I dug to about 12" when I planted them all and mixed in plenty of peat and compost. They've all got good green growth on them but I was encouraged by the guy in the garden center telling me if I planted this hedging I was looking at, and fed it once a week with Tomato Feed, it'll shoot up by the end of the season, so I was just wondering if it would have a similar beneficial effect on the other stuff I have including these new lavender plants.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Lavender doesn't really need a lot of help. A very low maintenance plant bar keeping it neat and tidy as it grows.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

Once the roots hit the clay (8") deep, will it stop it growing, or will the roots spread sideways...?

 

[lemonjelly]

Repotted my 12 cucumbers last night. Hope they'll kick on with the next stage of growing.

Did another load of weeding again. Still loads of weeding to do, but only 1 area left now!

Composters are overflowing, & the lawn needs a mow!

 

[So Long Architect]

Once the roots hit the clay (8") deep, will it stop it growing, or will the roots spread sideways...?

Lavender doesn't really like clay, it likes poor, free-draining soil.- So since you probably don't want to move house for the sake of a few lavender plants, your best bet is to add loads of organic matter and gravel. You could also raise the level of the bed or build up a mound to plant into to bring it away from the clay and improve the drainage.

 

[Parkins left foot]

Potatoes now above ground & broad beans looking very healthy.

After a slow start now seeing growth on a daily basis. Helps that the weather has warmed up a little down here. Do need to get out a do some more weeding on the veg beds though!

 

[darlowolf64]

3 weeks in and the veg is growing! Have gad to put little branches across to keep cats at bay

 

[Parkins left foot]

Good pic Mike.

My broad beans are coming on well & potatoes now breaking through, though its best to ignore the French beans as they appear to be dying off.

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b563/Parkin10/004_zps971438b3.jpg

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b563/Parkin10/005_zps748b3a82.jpg

 

[Kenny]

I think the seeds I purchased were labelled wrong

 

[Parkins left foot]

I think the seeds I purchased were labelled wrong

How can you grow cats - I have enough trouble with the ones that just wander into the garden without producing more

:icon_rolleyes:

 

[The Bear]

How does a couple of branches stop cats going on there?

 

[darlowolf64]

How does a couple of branches stop cats going on there?

No idea Bear but they have stopped! Strange creatures are cats (especially my neighbours cats)

 

[arklowolf]

Me dad used to put orange peel down around the veg plot to keep cats off. I don't grow veg and me dad's no longer with us so can't say how successful it is, but he swore by it.
I enjoy the garden but it's all shrubs and flowers for me except for what I grow in the greenhouse - toms, strawbs, herbs and peppers.
I have a nice crop of giant snails in the garden as well.

 

[PPB]

Snails, I am sure they have them here but odd that I never seen any. Used to hate it when accidently stepping on one of those , followed by the sound of cracking of the shells

 

[lemonjelly]

The hot spell has benefitted my tomatoes. I was concerned at the veritable lack of progress they were making, however the heat saturday/sunday/monday has made a fair few pop out!

I really need to repot all the beetroot I have.

Got away with a quick mow of the lawns monday before the heavens opened. managed to push all the trimmings into the composters (just). However I have a big tub of weeds I don't know what to do with, as I can't fit them in the composter yet. and in addition, I still have a mammoth weeding task to complete.

My onions seem fine at the mo. When is the right time to fold the leaf things in half to encourage the bulbs to grow?

Still no sign of life from the ginger sadly...

 

[lemonjelly]

Thinking that the warmer weather has enouraged the first batch of toms to get a move on. Re-potted 9 of them which had sprouted today. 2nd lot are still too small, so I'll leave them another couple of weeks.

Tried to get some of the greenhouse stuff out for a while in the sun today.

Recieved some chillis through the post earlier in the week. Planted them straight away. I'm not keen, but I'm sure I'll find a taker!

When do I fold over the onion leaves to encourage them to bulk up? I only grow onions to keet the carrot fly at bay anyway, so have no idea!

Hoping next weekend will see me eating the first lettuce of the year!

Project weedathon is entering its final stage! (for now...)



Alas, still no signs of movement on the ginger front though...

 

[Parkins left foot]

Had some of the first lettuce yesterday with a salad & a nice piece of Gala Pie.

Could actually taste the lettuce unlike the shop bought variety.

Potatoes are spouting well