[pumpkin-queen]

Hello Matt & welcome. This forum has been the single best source of info and cos you hear everyone's trials, tribulations & successes, it keeps your confidence up. We learnt that good soil is the key to growing anything, get that right and you're well on your way. And huge increase in productiveness this year just by organising our seeds into monthly order. Helped remind us to sow successively too. Have fun!

[senrab_nhoj]

"The only thing grown early is disappointment"

[LivvyW]

Start with growing what you'll eat.

A little bit of lots of things, you'll learn about more things more quickly. A small but varied harvest will ensure you catch the bug.

[GrannieAnnie]

Also if you don't have loads of growing space, lots of runner beans which grow up canes, and you can get Alderman peas which I also grow up canes as they get to 6ft tall too!

[Yabba]

Allotment Beer Fridge

By six o’clock I was taking a break and thinking I should have brought some water down to the plot as I was thirsty. Therese from plot one came over and offered me a can of lager. Half hour break as we downed a tin and put the world to rights.

Nice as the lager was, it could have been improved by cooling. So here’s how to build a beer cooler for an allotment shed, and it doesn’t need energy! Take a tray or large pot saucer and put about an inch of water in it. Put your bottles or tins in there and cover with a clay pot, soaked in water.

The water will evaporate from the pot and it will suck up more water from the saucer below to evaporate. The evaporation causes the temperature to drop and, hey presto, a green fridge for your plot.

Source

:roll:

¥

[roo5ter]

Well, let's hear them from you all.  What one thing would you suggest to a man who so far has managed tomatoes from plants (not seeds) and a few carrots in pots.  I'm building some raised beds to more than double my growing space to about 5 square metres in total, and then I'll grow in pots tubs and chimney pots  :shock:

Give me things to grow, things to do, things to avoid and general tips, comments and warnings, ... or tell me to stop cheating and learn the hard way   :!:

Thank you in advance for the bountiful harvest I am hoping for next year.

 :rambo: the ninja made me do it

plant potatoes in sacks therefor leaving space in your raised beds and with very wet weather just close the top of the sack.1st roll the sack down place 1 chitted potatoe in about 6" of compost or soil when the plant grows roll up the sack and place more soil in untill it is full. dark sacks only and dont forget to perferate the bottom of the sack

[SnooziSuzi]

don't worry if it all goes wrong... there's always next year to look forward to  

[Matt Whalley]

Snoozi Suzi

Now that really is good advice, I'm getting bitten by the bug big time and I've only managed a few toms and carrots !!

Popped into the garden centre on the way home tonight and marvelled at all the lovely seed varieties they have for me to try - the hardest thing for me os going to be deciding what to try !!

Thank you all so far - and keep em coming !!