Talkback: Sowing salad crops - Talkback

26/02/2008 at 13:07

There are several very intersting books on the subject of moon-planting or lunar gardening, it is soemthing wholeheartedly done by authors such as Nick Kollerstrom, but of course as the dates v phases cary each year you need to buy the book annually. It is certainly worth a try and many swear by it.

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26/02/2008 at 13:36

I am a manager of supported housing for people with mental health issues and we would like to start a vege patch out the back of the property. We really do not know where to start e.g. what veges do we plant at what times of the year? The garden will be ready to sow this week, and we would like to get the seeds/seedlings within the next week or so. The service users are very much looking forward to getting involved, but we need a starting poit. Hope you can help?

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28/02/2008 at 21:15

Things to plant now are broad beans and peas (but not mangetout yet). Also beetroot, parsnip and early carrot varieties can go in now. Shallots, onions sets and garlic can go in now (last chance now for garlic as normally they go in in the spring). Dig a trench and fill it with newspaper torn up, and veg peelings and then cover over ready for runner bean plants to be planted when the frost has gone (end of may roughly depending on where you are in the country) another one for after the frost but easy is courgette plants, big seed, easy to grow lots of veg.

Tomatoes need sowing now indoors ready for later and salad crops easy for a bit later. If you want easy fruit then think of strawberries and rhubarb? Hope this helps but I am sure someone else will give you some ideas as well...

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29/02/2008 at 17:50

I would highly recommend growing oriental vegetables. They are all 'cut and come again', and the flavour is good.

I grow mine in potato bags next to the wall of the house, which I assume provides some degree of protection. Even so they are still growing and cropping well, and despite the freezing temperatures of a couple of weeks ago they look better than ever.

Has anyone tried shungiku, otherwise known as spring chrysanthemum? I think it has a fantastic flavour and it is my favourite salad leaf. It seems to grow whatever the weather, summer or winter. I have been told by someone else that it is a bit like marmite, you either love it or hate it!

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20/03/2008 at 11:33

This may appear to be a silly question but I do not know the answer. Are red / green and yellow peppers from different seed stock and can I use the lovely big seeds from a supermarket bought sweet pepper to sow.

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02/04/2008 at 10:59

scarbrovegy the different colours are the different stages of ripening and yes you can sow the supermarket seeds as long as you dry them out first naturally tho not in an oven or anything similar.

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15/04/2008 at 22:21

Hi scarbrovegy. Someone told me that the only question that's silly is the one you don't ask!

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22/04/2008 at 20:50

This is a plea for knowledge. I know you can eat beet tops and they are lovely steamed. But are there other leaf tops that are edible, e.g. radish tops, swede, turnips, etc? I hate to waste things but also worry in case they are poisonous like rhubarb leaves!

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24/05/2008 at 16:00

I have runner beans started in green house now transferred to the garden with canes for support, they are about 3ft tall but the bottom leaves are drying out and withering, what do you think the problem is.

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08/06/2008 at 11:45

Jayne, you can eat the tops of swedes & turnips,the leaves of sprouting broccoli & many other green things often thrown away. Haven't tried radish tops, but I use wild garlic leaves & flowers (ramsons) & wild garlic mustard (Jack-by-the-hedge). Hope that helps.

Gardeners' World Web User

10/06/2008 at 17:55

HELP!! I have a garden, 50% of which is waterlogged due to a leak from my neighbours above ground swimming pool. The ground has been waterlogged for some weeks but I only realised yesterday that it was from the pool when I managed to get to the wettest part of the garden and found it reeked of chemicals, (? Chlorine). My neighbour has put a bucket under the leak, but I think the damage may well have been done. I'm really worried that any of my produce that actually survives will not be safe to eat. I'd also like someone with a bit of knowhow to tell me what long term effect swimming pool water chemicals are likely to have on my top soil. I have a 23ft palm at the end of the garden and all the leaves are turning yellow and dropping off. Some of my herbs also died but I threw them out before I realised what the problem was. As a pensioner I am worried that the cure is going to be costly. If nothing else it seems I might not be able to use the produce that I've grown this year, or plant out the seedlings which are ready to go in and were to make up my later crops, so I'm facing a financial loss there. Would greatly appreciate anyones advice.

Gardeners' World Web User

09/07/2008 at 14:09

POTATO FRUITS - we're growing potatoes for the 2nd year running and have discovered these on some of the plants. I've found out via the limited information on the internet that they're poisonous if eaten as they are but that you can yield seeds from them to grow new varieties (as they're the result of cross-pollination) but that it's generally not worth doing. Any professional advice on the best way to get the seeds out (slow mixing with water in a blender and then leaving the mixture to settle has been suggested), how to store the seeds and when to sow them would be very welcome. Many Thanks.

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19/07/2008 at 13:07

I have been given a rather run down greenhouse but aim to repair it and plant veg for my family to consume. I realise its probably too late for this year and I am a completes novice. Would like advice on growing salad veg and any other advice regarding getting started would be greatly appreciated.

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28/09/2008 at 22:32

Two years ago I got my first outside space and my first plants, I have a penstemon and osteospurnum which I did not prune in spring, they both went mad with new shoots all along the stems which have themselves got very woody, what I would like to know is whether I can prune them in spring and if I can, can I prune them down to the ground, into the old wood? I also wondered if I can use all the new shoots to take cuttings from? I also have two verbena bonariensis and I wondered if I can take cuttings from these and if so how? I would be very greatful for help, thank you.

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28/11/2011 at 18:30

Have you heard (Positive or negative) comments about Biometric Planting of Vegetable seeds related to lunar cycles? A friend from Spain told me that they plant their veg in accordance with the lunar phases(I can't remember which way round!) and seemingly achieve better results.

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