Today I will mostly be growing

This is my Summary page with pictures of how I built a raised bed and how I am growing different vegetables from seed. This page will be continually updated everytime I move on throughout the year with my sowing, planting and harvesting. Click on a Project below for more details.

Projects

Recently Added - April 2008

• How to Pot On or Transplant Tomato, Cucumber and Pepper Seedlings.
• How to recycle a BBQ and convert it into a plant stand.

Other Projects:

• How to Build a Raised Bed
• How to grow Tomato’s
• How to Pot on Tomato’s
• How to Grow Potatoes in Buckets or Large Pots
• How to Store Potatoes after harvesting
• How to Grow Dwarf and Runner Beans in modules
• How to Build a Wigwam Cane Support for Runner Beans
• How to transplant Dwarf and Runner Bean Seedlings into the ground
• How to Grow Radishes
• How to Grow Cabbages
• How to Grow Carrots
• How to Grow Chard
• How to Grow Chicory
• How to Grow Kale
• How to Grow Mini Leeks
• How to Grow Spring Onions

How to Build a 5ft x 4ft Raised Vegetable Plot/Bed.

You will need:
8 x 6ft by 1ft Tanilised Timber (cut to size),
6 x 2ft by 2ft Pine stakes,
32 x galvanized screws,
4 x bags 72 litre multi-purpose compost,
1 x bag farmyard manure,
1-2 bags of Topsoil,
A club hammer, a cordless drill or similar, a garden fork, a rake.

Instructions:
1. Screw tanilised timber to stakes in a rectangle shape,
2. Using club hammer, hammer stakes into the ground until bottom board hits ground,
3. Fork over bottom of bed to loosen soil,
4. Fill with compost, manure and topsoil (no manure with carrots/onions) and rake until level.
5. Start sowing seeds.

Completed Project Picture

More Details from other posts:
Timber
Cost to Build
Soil

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How to grow Tomato’s

When do I grow them? February to March.
When will I harvest them?June - August.

You will need:
Tomato Seeds (I’m using Roma VF, F1 Tornado and yellow bell),
Windowsill propogator,
Seed Compost,
Vermiculite.

Instructions:
1. Fill the propogator cells with seed compost,
2. Lightly water compost.
2. Open the seed packets and push one seed in each cell.
3. Cover seeds with a thin layer of seed compost.
4. Sprinkle vermiculite on top of cells of retain moisture and prevent mould on surface of soil.
5. Water again lightly.
6. Close propgator lid and put on windowsill. Monitor to check for overheating, if so remove lid.

Completed Project Picture:

More details from other posts:
Tomato Varieties.
Red tomatoes Slideshow.
Yellow tomatoes Slideshow.

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How to Pot on Tomato’s

When do I pot them on? - Pot them on when you have 2 pairs of leaves (4 all together).

You will need:
Tomato Seedlings in trays, pots or cells. (I’m using Roma VF, F1 Tornado and yellow bell),
Individual Pots - 4 to 6 inches diameter (1 pot for each seedling),
Multi-Purpose Compost,
Dibber.

Instructions:
1. Fill the individual pots with multi-purpose compost.
2. Use the dibber or your finger to make a hole to put your seedling in.
3. Very gently pick out your seedling holding the leaves and not the stem.
4. Transplant seedling into your hole and fill compost in around seedling.
5. Water well.
6. Repeat for all seedlings.

Note Your seedlings may need a few days to recover from being transplanted. Just water every day and you will see new growth.

What do I do when the seedlings outgrow these small pots? You will need to pot your seedlings on again to their final position in a pot size of 10 inches diameter or larger or in a growbag. You may need to provide a bamboo cane for support when the plant starts to fruit.

When do I feed them with tomato fertilizer? Fertilze when the first fruits are appearing, this gives the plant a boost and helps produce further fruit.

Completed Project Picture:

Slideshows
Red tomatoes Slideshow.
Yellow tomatoes Slideshow.

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How to Grow Potatoes in Buckets or Large Pots

When do I grow them? Plant potato tubers between March and April. (You can buy them from December to February from catalogues like Mr fothergills, suttons seeds, marshall seeds etc).
When do I harvest them June - August when flowers and stems have died back.

Can I grow new potatoes for xmas? Yes buy from online suppliers late June - July and plant tubers as per below in late August - Sept for harvest in Nov-Dec but remember to cover with fleece to protect from frost. Xmas potatoes do not need to be chitted, just plant them out.

You will need:
Potato Tubers (buy from a supplier - Dobbies, Mr Fothergills, Suttons (they are only available until the end of July and demand is high) or local garden centre.
Old Egg boxes or plastic propogator lid to chit potatoes in,
Buckets, dustbin or large pots with a few drainage holes,
Multi-Purpose Compost.

Instructions:
1. As soon as you receive your potato tubers, you will need to ‘chit’ them by placing each one with the potato eyes upwards in old egg boxes or in a propogator lid. If there are any cracks potatoes or mouldy ones, dispose of these.
2. Place your egg boxes or propogator lid in a cool and well lit place but not too hot and not in direct sunlight. For example a windowsill with net curtains or a shelf away from bright sunlight.
3. Leave in place until shoots appear and it is the right conditions for planting out.
4. Fill your bucket or container a third of the way up with multi-purpose compost.
5. Place a maximum of 4 -5 tubers spaced apart on the soil with shoots facing upwards.
6. Cover all potatoes and shoots with soil gently without breaking shoots.
7. Water well and wait until shoots and leaves appear above the soil.
8. Earth up / put more soil into bucket to cover new shoots, do this until you reach the top of the container.
9. Keep watering and let it grow.
10. Harvest June - August after plants have flowered and died back, this is usually 10-12 weeks after planting.
11. To harvest tip pot on its side to loosen earth, tip out onto patio or sheet and gently use your fingers to pull potatoes out of the soil and roots.
Be gentle or you may be having mashed potatoes for tea!

Remember: To water in dry periods.

Completed Project Picture:

More details from other posts:
Potato Varieties.

Slideshows
Potatoes in Pots.

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How to Store Potatoes after harvesting

You will need:
Your harvested crop of potatoes,
Hessian or Paper bags (can be purchased on Ebay or suppliers - Thompson & Morgan, suttons, or local garden centre)

Instructions:
1. Place your potatoes in a dark, frost-free place in either hessian or strong paper bags.
2. Tie the tops to prevent light from sprouting your potatoes again.

Completed Project Picture:
Slideshow of growth Potatoes in pots.

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How to Grow Dwarf and Runner Beans in modules

When do I sow them? April to July.

You will need:
Dwarf Bean and Runner Bean Seeds (I’m using Mr Fothergill’s Ferrari Dwarf Beans, White Lady and Red Rum Runner Beans)
Root Trainers, Seed Tray and Propogator lid,
Multi-purpose compost,
A Dibber.

Instructions:
1. Fill up your root trainers with multi-purpose compost and bang on hard surface to settle contents.
2. Lightly water soil.
3. Use a dibber to make a hole 2 inches deep.
4. Put one bean seed into each hole.
5. Cover up the hole with multipurpose compost.
6. Label your seeds with plant labels.
7. Water and put on propogator lid. Put in mini greenhouse and monitor progress.

Completed Project Picture:

Slideshow
Beans.

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How to Build a Wigwam Cane Support for Runner Beans

You will need:
10 Bamboo canes (each 6ft high),
String and scissors.

Instructions:
1. Put four bamboo canes in a square shape with one cane in each corner of the square and push into the ground.
2. Tie the four canes together at the top of the canes.
3. Repeat points 1 and 2 but position the square next to the other canes.
4. Use the last two canes to form high support bars that rest ontop of the string that tied the other squares together. Secure the support bars with string to the square shaped canes.
5. The structure should stand on its own, make sure that the canes are pushed as far in the ground as possible so the structure doesn’t topple.

Completed Project Picture:

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How to Transplant Dwarf and Runner Bean Seedlings into the ground

When do I sow them? April to July in modules then plant out after frost May to July.

You will need:
Dwarf Bean and Runner Bean Seedlings in modules (I’m using Mr Fothergill’s Ferrari Dwarf Beans, White Lady and Red Rum Runner Beans)
Trowel,
An already constructed beanpole or wigwam,
Multi-purpose compost.

Instructions:
1. At the base of your cane wigwam or poles, dig two holes one either side of the cane to accomodate the seedlings.
2. Put some multi-purpose compost in the bottom of the hole and water.
3. Pull apart the root-trainer modules and carefully plant the bean seedlings in the holes with a slight angle towards the cane. Firm down and fill in hole with compost or soil.
4. Water well.

Note: The transplanted seedlings will take a while to recover and grow, once they do train them to grow up the cane by wrapping the tendrills from the stem around the cane.

Completed Project Picture:

Slideshow
Beans.

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How to Grow Radishes

Popular Varieties of Radish:
French Breakfast 3,
Scarlet Globe,
Sparkler 3.

When do I sow them? February to September.
When do I harvest them? About 4 weeks after sowing.

You will need:
A packet of Radish seeds (I’ve used the variety French Breakfast 3)
A pot filled with compost or a raised bed,
Multi-purpose compost,
A Plant Label,
Water.

Instructions:
1. Sow your Radish seeds thinly about half an inch or 1.4cm deep in the pot or raised bed,
2. Try to sow the seeds about an inch and a half or 3.8cm between each seed and then you will not need to thin (take out of the ground) your seedlings which are too close together.
3. Sprinkle multipurpose compost over the area to cover seeds,
3. Water the line of radishes.
4. Label your seeds.

Completed Project Picture:

Radishes after 2 weeks - thining is required as I sowed the seeds too close together.

More details from other posts:
Radish Time Lapse Slideshow.
Other Radish posts.

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How to Grow Cabbages

What month do I sow them?:

• Summer Cabbages - Sow Jan-April in modules or under cloche/fleece in raised beds. Harvest May-July,
• Autumn/Winter Cabbages including Savoy - Sow March-May on your plot. Harvest October-January,
• Spring Cabbages - Sow July and August into plot. Harvest April to May,
• All year round cabbages - Sow Feb-July for harvest June-November or July/August for Harvest throughout Winter months.

Instructions:
1. Refer to your own seed packet or take these instructions as a guide only.
2. With your trowel or dibber, draw a row or line in the raised bed soil that is no more than 0.5cm or quarter inch deep.
3. Sow thinly so they have enough room to establish.
4. Then keep moist.
5. When the seedlings have two or more leaves thin them to 40cm apart and firm them in the ground with your fingers.
6. Water well until established.
7. If sowing summer cabbages between February and April, cover with a cloche or fleece to prevent frost.

Tips on Growing:
Think about covering the plot with a fine mesh netting to prevent root fly, aphids, caterpillars, whitefly which could all destroy your crop.

Approx No of Weeks til Harvest:
Summer Cabbages: 20 - 35 weeks, Autumn/Winter Cabbages: 28 - 32 weeks and Spring Cabbages: 36 weeks.

How to Harvest:
Pull outer leaves off the stem of the plant or cut head off plant at the base of stem just underneath all the leaves, or pull entire plant out of ground can cut stem and roots off plant.

Completed Project Picture:

Slideshow:
Summer Cabbages.
Spring Cabbages.

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How to Grow Carrots

What month do I sow?:

• Summer varieties sow March to June to harvest in June to November.
• Autumn Varieties sow March and August for harvest in June to November.

Varieties:
Container: Parmex (globe shaped), Early Nantes’ or ‘Chantenay’.
Summer Varieties: Amsterdam Forcing, Flyaway, Resistafly, James Scarlet Intermediate, sugersnax.
Autumn Varieties: Autumn King 2, Cortina F1.

What growing conditions do carrots like?:
Carrots like well drained soil with no stones (as the carrots will grow forked) and no manure (this will burn the taproot).

Instructions:
1. Refer to your own seed packet or take these instructions as a guide only.
2. With your trowel or dibber, draw a row or line in the raised bed soil that is no more than 1.5cm or half inch deep.
3. Sow thinly so they have enough room to establish.
4. Then keep moist.
5. When the seedlings have two or more leaves thin them to 5-8cm apart, then water well to flatten soil removed from thinnings. Always thin seedlings at the end of the day and when it is dry. Then water straight after to remove the scent of carrot to carrot flies.
6. Repeat sowings fortnightly for more crops.
7. Water well until established.

Tips on Growing:
Use environmesh or fine netting to prevent carrot fly or grow a carrotfly resistant variety. Also grow spring onions or chives either side of your carrots to throw the carrot fly off the scent of carrots.

Approx No of Weeks til Harvest: 12 - 20 weeks.

How to Harvest:
Pull the carrots out of the ground using the feathery leaves. Use straight away or refridgerate for summer varieties. For autumn varieties store in sand or crushed/shredded newspaper.

Completed Project Picture:

Slideshow:
Summer Carrots.
Autumn Carrots.

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How to Grow Chard

Description: Chard is also known as swiss chard and is a leaf vegetable. Chard is very popular in the mediterranean countries and a very colourful vegetable to have in the kitchen garden. The young and tender leaves can be picked and so can the mature leaves and the stem can be eaten. Chard has a very short life in a refridgerator only 2-3 days. The leaves can be treated like spinach to cook.

What month do I sow?: April - May

What variety to choose?:
The most popular is ‘Bright Lights’ which is a mixed colour stems but mostly red. It is very easy to grow.

What growing conditions does chard like?: Chard likes ordinary garden soil in sun or partial shade.

Instructions:
1. Refer to your own seed packet or take these instructions as a guide only.
2. With your trowel or dibber, draw a row or line in the raised bed soil that is no more than 2.5cm or 1 inch deep.
3. Sow thinly so they have enough room to establish.
4. Then keep moist.
5. When the seedlings have two or more leaves thin them to 5cm for small leaves and 10cm apart for larger leaves.
6. Water well until established.

Tips on Growing: Keep well watered to prevent young plants from bolting in warm weather.
Approx No of Weeks til Harvest: 12 weeks.
How to Harvest: Pull off individual leaves as required.

Completed Project Picture:

Slideshow:
Click here to view my Chard slide show from seed to plants.

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How to Grow Chicory

Description: Chicory is mainly grown in winter for salad leaves. It has a bitter taste raw and needs to be blnched to take away its bitterness. There are a few types of chicory: sugar loaf, radicchio (red) and whitloof forcing chicory. Chicory is high in Vitamin A and potassium.

What month do I sow?:
Witloof varieties sow June-July for October harvest. Sugar Loaf and Radicchio varieties sow June - August and harvest Sept - November.

Varieties:
Witloof types - Witloof Zoom F1.
Sugar Loaf types - Pain de sucre, Frisee Glory.
Radicchio Types - Augusto.

What growing conditions does chicory like?: Chicory likes and open site with well drained and fertile soil but not freshly manured.

Instructions:
1. Refer to your own seed packet or take these instructions as a guide only.
2. With your trowel or dibber, draw a row or line in the raised bed soil that is no more than 1.5cm or half inch deep.
4. Then keep moist.
5. When the seedlings have two or more leaves thin them to 10cm apart for larger leaves.
6. Water well until established.

Tips on Growing: The wet cold weather may cause leaves and stump to rot. Remove any decayed leaves as they may be food for slugs.

Approx No of Weeks til Harvest: 13 weeks.

How to Harvest: Pull off individual leaves as required or cut the stem at its base.

Completed Project Picture

Slideshow:
Click here to view my Chicory slide show from seed to plants.

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How to Grow Kale

Description:
Kale is a form of cabbage and comes in red or green vareties. Kale is a very hardy vegetable and can withstand neglect and drought quite well. It rarely suffers pests and diseases and is one of the heathiest vegetables being high in b-carotene, Vitamin K, A and C and rich in calcium and antioxidants.

What month do I sow?: March - May and harvest September - March

Varieties: Redbor F1 (red kale), Starbor F1 (green).
What growing conditions does Kale like?: Kale grows in any soils with good drainage.

Instructions:
1. Refer to your own seed packet or take these instructions as a guide only.
2. With your trowel or dibber, draw a row or line in the raised bed soil that is no more than 1.5cm, or half inch deep.
3. Sow thinly so they have enough room to establish.
4. Then keep moist.
5. Thin and plant seedlings in firmly and water well until established.

Tips on Growing: Kale freezes well and some say tastes better if is affected by the frost.
Potential Pests & Diseases to look out for: Very rarely attacked by pests or diseases.
Approx No of Weeks til Harvest: 28 - 32 weeks.
How to Harvest: Cut off the inner leaves to steam or stir-fry.

Completed Project Picture

Slideshow:
Click here to view my Kale slide show from seed to plants.

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How to Grow Mini Leek

What month do I sow?:
Mini Leeks sow outdoors March to July then harvest July - December for mini veg. Mature leeks can overwinter until April.

Varieties: Mini Leek ‘Armour’. A vigorous hardy variety ideal for use for mini veg.
What growing conditions do Mini leeks like?: Well cultivated and free draining soil.

Instructions:
1. Refer to your own seed packet or take these instructions as a guide only.
2. With your trowel or dibber, draw a row or line in the raised bed soil that is no more than 1.5cm, or half inch deep.
3. Sow thinly so they have enough room to establish.
4. Then keep moist.
5. Thin and water well until established.

Tips on Growing: Use the first thinnings as small spring onions, use them in salad.
Approx No of Weeks til Harvest: Mini Veg 16-20 weeks.
How to Harvest: Pull by the base of the leaves.

Completed Project Picture

Slideshow
Click here to view my Mini Leek slide show from seed to plants.

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How to Grow Spring Onions

Description:
Spring Onions are part of the allium genus and have a milder flavour than normal onions. They are usually used in stirfrys, salads or steamed.

What month do I sow?: February - July.
What month do I Harvest?:June to October.

Varieties:White Lisbon, North Holland Blood Red.
What growing conditions do Spring Onions like?: They require a light and sunny position.

Instructions:
1. Refer to your own seed packet or take these instructions as a guide only.
2. With your trowel or dibber, draw a row or line in the raised bed soil that is no more than 1.5cm, or half inch deep.
3. Sow thinly so they have enough room to establish.
4. Then keep moist.
5. Thin if necessary to 1.5cm apart and water well until established.

Tips on Growing:Sow at 2-3 week intervals for continuus supply.
Approx No of Weeks til Harvest: 17 - 19 weeks.
How to Harvest: Pull up onions from ground.

Completed Project Picture

Slideshow:
Click here to view my Spring Onion slide show from seed to plants.

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How to pot on or transplant Tomato, Cucumber or Pepper Seedlings.

Tools Required:

• Shuttle Trays with 9cm pots, (I bought mine from Poundstretcher/Instore for £1.99 per tray) or similar,
• Multi-purpose compost
• Sieve,
• Dibber and Widger,
• Watering Can,
• Plant Labels and Pen.

Method:

1. Fill the 9cm pots with multi-purpose compost (sieving if necessary),
2. Lightly water the compost ready so it is ready for transplanting seedlings,
3. Use the dibber the make a hole in the centre of the pot of compost,
4. Use the widger or alternatively a pencil to gently ease out your seedling from the seed or cell tray, use your fingers to gently hold the leaves to transplant it and do not the hold the delicate stem,
5. Put the seedling’s roots in the hole in the compost and back fill the rest of the hole with the compost surrounding the seedling. Gently firm the seedling into the pot. Add a sprinkling of compost if needed to the top of the pot,
6. Label and water well and place pots/tray back into mini greenhouse until frost has passed.

Completed Project Picture

How To Slideshow Video:
To stop the slide show on a picture, click on the Square button in the top centre of the slideshow. To scroll through the pictures at your own speed, click on the arrows next to the stop button.

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How to Recycle a BBQ and convert it into a Plant Stand.

What you will need is:

• An old rusty BBQ,
• Some terra-cotta or plastic plant pots,
• Lots of stones from the garden (ours has more than its fair share!),
• Compost,
• Cheap Plants from the market or local garden centre i.e. violas, ivy, dianthus, herbs.

Method:

1. Move the BBQ to its desired location,
2. Pot up the plants into the plant pots with the compost, add stones to the bottom of the pot for drainage.
3. Arrange the pots on the BBQ to hide the rust and to hang down over the sides,
4. Place the stones around the pots to build up a pebble beach effect.

Completed Project Picture



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