YewJay

Growing veg with little space

If you have as much as 4 foot square, please try  'Square foot gardening'.  Using the special mix I get a Six foot row of carrots in two one foot square units  i.e. two foot by one foot!  You can also get very good results with Beet, Beans, Peas, radish etc.  I grow No tomatoes outside as there are too many potato growers in the area and the blight is the same on spuds  and toms. Nature grows nothing in rows, and neither do I!  The special mix is free draining but holds moisture and is 1/3 Peat, 1/3 Garden Compost and 1/3 INSULATION grade Vermiculite. the seedsowing grade Vermiculite from Garden Centres is much too fine.                 I am 75 but still get good crops.

Talkback: How to grow ring culture tomatoes

This is NOT the correct ring culture . The correct equipment is a bottomless pot with a 'moat' around it. Liquid feed is applied to the pot and the moat filled at the appropriate time - when the first truss has set - and normal watering is OUTSIDE the moat. Tomatoes have two root systems and this applies water and feed to the right places. I have been using this system with spectacular results for over five years.

Talkback: Wet weather on the veg plot

Luckily, all my vege crops are either in a polytunnel or in raised beds. I mean RAISED beds 28" high and with a special mix which is water retaining but free draining so the vegies are fine. The courgettes are in the tunnel and are producing profusely: broad beans just big enough to pick - also in tunnel, and the runners were raised in roottrainers and are happy and healthy at 2foot plus high. They have a 2foot 6 fleece protection about 2foot 6 away and it helps!!
Outside veges are grown using 'square foot gardening' with a mix of one third each - compost, peat and Insulation Grade vermiculite (very thick pieces)plus fertiliser which is topped up each season. This has been working well for the last 5 years. Square foot gardening is great!!

courgette seedlings

I grow 'Parthenon' self pollinating courgettes from seed in a Polytunnel which does get quite hot, but as long as they are kept watered they produce well.  I have two fruit on each of my two plants that are 3" long, with many more showing.  Once they get going I seldom pick less than four to five fruit per week, at 6 to 8 inches long.

Talkback: Wet weather on the veg plot

Luckily, all my vege crops are either in a polytunnel or in raised beds. I mean RAISED beds 28" high and with a special mix which is water ...