[ANGEL_S]

Hi,

I am starting out growing my first ever fruit and veg all in containers as I dont have any beds in new garden. I have all my seeds and trays etc and looking at the sowing times a lot need sown around Feb. But I have some questions....

LEEKS - Starozagorski Kamus - it says grow indoors in traya jan - feb or outdoors march - april then transpalnt to growing position june -july. I am going to grow mine in big 75L trugs so am I better starting them off inside (does that just mean green house or actualy inside) or just planting them in trugs? And if in trugs would it be march - april or June-july? It says harvest July-Jan.

Aubergine, Tomatos and sweet peppers I am going to start these off in propogator in those wee seed cells and just multi-purpose compost. Is that right? Is there anything I need to add to the compost?

Sorry for the all questions just so excited to get started and want to do it all right.

[matron]

I start my leeks in seed trays in the greenhouse and then when like a pencil I transplant into the garden. Either start your seeds in the greenhouse Jan - Feb or outside Mar - Apr and then transplant your plants to your trug Jun - July.
I use grow bag stuff for my seeds but I am sure someone will be along to say that is wrong but 'it werks for me'. 

[Weessy]

Remember that your trugs will need drainage holes in the bottom! I think what you are going to do is fine with the propagator for the fruit, and multi purpose compost is great on its own, no need to add anything. With the leeks you just need to ensure they are warm enough to germinate but not too warm (keep them out of the propagator) so the greenhouse will be fine. they will germinate in anything from 5 degrees but do not respond well to being warm (above about 20 degrees).
Hope this helps

[ANGEL_S]

Thanks for the replys just wanted to make sure along the right lines. Will I need to heat my greenhouse while I start off the leeks?

[Yabba]

I started mine in a storage corridor that was a steady 16 deg+, once they'd germinated I just moved them into an unheated greenhouse.

¥

[DD.]

I start my leeks in the greehouse with just enough heat to keep the frost off. They're doing quite nicely despite the recent weather.

Like Matron, I just use grow bag compost.

Don't forget - anything in propagators should come out as soon as they germinate, don't leave them in there too long!

Oh - and do a search on "Aluminium Foil"!

[matron]

I've gt my aluminium foil working a treat on my windowsill with my tomatoes and onions. 

[DD.]

Here's mine a couple of days ago...

[andreadon]

Should the tomatoes really already be sown?

no wonder mine never go red before the season ends.
 

[DD.]

Only if you've got somewhere to put them like a heated greenhouse.

Very suprised that you've never got ripe ones down in Kent!

[andreadon]

Only if you've got somewhere to put them like a heated greenhouse.

Very suprised that you've never got ripe ones down in Kent!

I'm not very good at things like that.

Last year I made a "greenhouse" out of 2"x1" and covered it with plastic sheet.
It all went beautifully and I got loads of plants and I kept it watered and chopped off the leaves that Percy Thrower told me to and pulled the plastic back during the day and put it back at night.

And at the end of the season I was left with lots of green cherry tomatoes.

Then the bad weather kicked in before they went red and they all went black.
All that work for nothing!
I should have plucked them when they were green and made chutney. 

[DD.]

Sounds like blight - might have been better leaving the plastic on!

[andreadon]

(ps.  I'm very sorry to have hi-jacked this thread).

So, I'm guessing I shouldn't use the same ground as before?

replace the plastic and put new soil in and jeyes fluid the frame?

[DD.]

Always a good idea as a matter of course!

[ANGEL_S]

I sowed my seeds last night. I wasnt sure how many seeds to sow of each type, so I sowed 4 tomato plants and 2 of 3 types of aubergine and 2 of 2 types of pepper and thought I would sow another lot of same number next week or week after so not all flowering at same time. Is that a good idea?

Thanx DD looked up the aluminium foil but it is a heated propagator I got so shall I just wait until the seeds have germinated and then put the foil behind them when growing on inside before they go to greenhouse?

I did my leeks also, in a cat litter tray and also just a normal cell tray just to see the difference in them. I am going to start them in my conservatory (no heating on in there) cos I think the greenhouse might be too cold just now.