[tomato-joy]

I am pretty sure that there's no way that I can grow any carrots or parsnips on my plot as it's so stony, so I had this great idea of growing them individually in old 2 litre water bottles.

Is this a great idea or am I being foolish? Not that there's any sign of my seed germinating yet, sigh.  

[Aidy]

why not hunt around for some old baths, you will get more in???  

[tomato-joy]

Is a great idea Aidy, and have seen a few posts on here where people have used various containers like that for carrots etc. Haven't found anything despite looking for the last few months, so in desperation am considering the single-measure option!

[WG.]

Try this post : http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?p=26465#26465  I ended up trying scorzonera in them - so far so good.

No reason why pop bottles couldn't be used provided you figured out a frame to hold them up in the wind.  One plant per bottle.  Remember to fork up the soil underneath so that they can get down an extra few inches.

[little sweetpeas]

I am pretty sure that there's no way that I can grow any carrots or parsnips on my plot as it's so stony, so I had this great idea of growing them individually in old 2 litre water bottles.

Is this a great idea or am I being foolish? Not that there's any sign of my seed germinating yet, sigh.  

I have done it and it works but sure about carrots I do however grow them in the black buckets that flowers are sold from, they are 10ich wide with a similar depth or you could use tyres. If you use two tyres that would be quite a depth.  On our plots people us the tyres to weight the black plastic down in the winter and then use them to plant stuff in the Spring/Summer. This year I'm growing runner beans and pea wigwams in mine placed on carpet covering an area I haven't been able to clear as yet.

[WG.]

Another way would be to grow a ball-type carrot direct into the soil

[GrannieAnnie]

I've got some old 5 litre artex pots, which I cleaned out, and just to try it for size, I cut the tops and bottoms off 6 2 litre pop bottles.  Half filled the pots with almost pure sand, stood the bottles in that, then topped up the bottles with the sandy soil and planted 2 parsnips in each one.  Nothing yet, but my other prasnips are coming up now, so hopefully, won't be long!!!

Also, Joy, have you tried freecycle for old baths?  I'm sure people would love you to take their old one away if they are renewing, as baths are a pain to get rid of aren't they??  Some new people are moving into a bungalow 2 doors from us soon, and its a near derelict where the old man died, so I'm going to ask them if I can have the one they take out.  that'll give me 2 baths to use!!!!!!

[Aidy]

took the words right out me mouth GA, freecycle is good for that stuff or drive around, it seems that time of the year for new bathrooms, i got two in last couple of days, just knock on the door and ask.

[tomato-joy]

all good advice - Am going to have a go with the bottles, as I want to try and use up my empties...will have a think about a frame, as there's nothing to push a cane through to anchor them down...

thanks everyone.

[loubylou29]

Ooh how intersting, baths are controvercial on our site, IF you already have one it has been suggested they are sunken, as they are considered unsightly!
Newcomers are discouraged from using them at all! :cry:

[WG.]

Newcomers are discouraged from using them at all!

Sounds like my kinda place!    

[Oscar Too]

One of our neighbours has spent months digging, sieving and otherwise tittivating a carrot patch to the depth of eighteen inches.  He is on DLA and can spend 40 hours a week on the plot.

Another has simply put up a type of box and filled it with a fine mix of topsoil and peat to a depth of 8-10 inches.  This one has a full-time job and spends about 4 hours a week on the plot.  Grows great carrots.

[David.]

Ooh how intersting, baths are controvercial on our site, IF you already have one it has been suggested they are sunken, as they are considered unsightly!

Messy?



They are screening the messy old pigsties behind and will be fitted with smart pallet board bath panels. I believe rice can also be grown in them.

For tap rooted plants could you knock a crowbar into the stony ground, work it round in a circular motion, fill the hole with fine soil and plant your seeds on top?

[WG.]

For tap rooted plants could you knock a crowbar into the stony ground, work it round in a circular motion, fill the hole with fine soil and plant your seeds on top?

I haven't tried it but I don't see why not.  Only thing to watch out for would be polishing the sides of the hole too much which left them almost impenetrable for root hairs.

[diggerjoe]

My sympathies Tomato-joy my plot seems to have more stones than soil. I have scrounged a few big mail bags from the postie at work they are those woven ones and I'm going to try my carrots in these  -almost like getting them ready bagged. Anyone else grown yellow carrots from Italy if so were they any good?