Re: Growing your own Veggies?

I'm no expert, but have been growing veggies for decades; will help if I can with any questions. And there are other more experienced growers here too who have a mass of knowledge......

Re: Growing your own Veggies?

Very impressive garden Plantman
Have you got any Gooseberries there?
My 3 year old Gooseberry bush has already been struck by Sawfly caterpillars . I am picking them off daily with tweezers.

Re: Growing your own Veggies?

You will all be pleased to hear that me spuds be up

Re: Growing your own Veggies?

Thanks Meg, lots of work in there over the years!

I've got four gooseberry bushes and have never had a pest problem. I cut them hard back last year though to tidy them up and put new life into them so I don't think we will have much fruit from them this year. It looks like being a bumper Victoria plum crop though, after very early blossom and no frost, the four year old trees have set very well.

Me spuds are up as well FF, I'm growing Charlotte this year which will serve as both earlies and maincrop, I just leave them in the ground until they are needed and harvest them then.

Peas and beans are looking good and my outdoor cherry toms are ready to plant out. All in all a good start to my garden this year, and as long as we don't get any late frost....

Re: Growing your own Veggies?

I have got tommie plants coming out of my ears! I sowed Shirley, Vanessa, Marmande, Big Boy and a yellow variety back in mid Feb and I think everyone germinated.

This year I'm going to try Burpless cues outside after last years disaster with mildew.

I will post some pics when I get my camera back from the menders.

Re: Growing your own Veggies?

You are lucky I think I have sorted the caterpillars. I won't use pesticides because of babies and dogs going in the garden so I made a strong solution by steeping garlic and chili in boiling water then spraying it on the bush, the garden smelt like a Chinese restaurant but I haven't seen any more creepies .

Re: Growing your own Veggies?

I'm hoping to put a gooseberry bush in my new raised bed - glad to hear that you have had no pest probs. You say you cut them hard back last year is this something you should do every year or just periodically.

Re: Growing your own Veggies?

Plantmann may I say that I am super jealous of your garden space. Well done!

I have a semicircular garden with flowers then two other little spaces with flowers and this year I intend to buy a tiny greenhouse to grow vegetables. I live in a house that is divided into apartments and I'm at the back far away from the road with the parking lot as my view, yuck. So I built the gardens when I moved in 4 years ago to try to improve my views but I'm buying the greenhouse this year. It has a plastic cover and I'm afraid the many, many racoons and squirrels that have actually bitten large holes into the garbage bins will bite their way into my little greenhouse.

I'm self-employed and I run a home daycare and I want the 5 children in my care to experience growing veggies in the little greenhouse. Any advice to keep the animals away from our veggie greenhouse would be greatly appreciated.

Re: Growing your own Veggies?

I normally only prune gooseberries lightly to keep the bushes light and airy, which avoids mildew forming. The problem is that the fruit forms on older wood, and because I cut them hard back to re-invigorate them last year we will have very little fruit this year whilst the bush re-grows new wood. So no, don't prune hard back every year, or you will never have any fruit...

Re: Growing your own Veggies?

Can't say I know anything about racoons SuzyQ, but would wire netting or similar around the bottom of the greenhouse help to deter the little critters?