Grow your own produce

[Stephanie]

Hiya everyone,

As some of you know, I love to grow fruit in my back garden, and often get some fantastic tips from members of our community here. 

Depending on where you are in the world, you’ll have better conditions for certain produce. In England, it’s quite easy to grow strawberries, tomatoes and some fruit trees. In fact, strawberries can become a bit of a delicious nuisance. 

Here’s a couple of pointers I’ve picked up about the produce I’ve got growing right now:

• Tomatoes - start them off in a pot; inside your property, if you can. They like a bit of warmth and daily watering. Stake the soil so they have something to grow up else they’ll get a bit bendy. Before you know it, they will want a lot more space - they won’t produce fruit if they don’t have enough room! You can pot them up or pot them out, depending on your set up. You can also take some leaves off so the plant focuses on the fruit production but don’t get carried away. Sadly, your plant won’t come back next year but you can always start again with some seeds from your first crop.

• Strawberries - they don’t need much and even come back after an accidental mowing (gift of experience). Strawbs like regular watering but not too much. You don’t want to attract the slimy devourers; slugs and snails. Strawberries often get chomped by the birds too so keep an eye out! You don’t really want them in direct sunlight as they start to rot on the plant, so a nice shady spot with a few hours of sunlight each day is a good shout. And they prefer to be outside, in the earth or a grow bag rather than in a pot. 

I don’t want to rabbit on too much because I really want to hear from all of you!

What are your best produce growing and sustaining tips?

Thanks,

Stephanie

[Rachel367]

I grow my own fruit and veggies since years in my garden. Since the growing season is very short in Finland I now even have a green house on the property, where the guest can sit and enjoy a cup of tea/coffee while its raining or cold out side. Inside temperature is about 24 degrees Celsius. I also encourage guests to serve them selves with tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchinis and more ,-)

[Stephanie]

@Rachel367 , I've always wanted a mini greenhouse but this is the first time I've owned my own space to do so. Sounds like something to add to the shopping list!

My brother-in-law has one with tomatoes in - last year it got so hot the tomatoes boiled on the vine!

Thanks,

Stephanie

[Robbie54]

They're not that expensive and a perfect way to grow tomatoes, chillies, cucumbers etc. They come in all types of sizes and materials, whatever suits your situation best. However, like you said, they can get very hot on hot sunny days, enough to wilt the plants very quickly. Try and get as much air in them as possible on those type of days, or better still place them outside the greenhouse during the day, if it's possible. And I know this is a given but remember to water the plants, sometimes twice a say on hot days. Once at the start of the day and once at the very end, watering them during the day makes the water evaporate quicker. 

[Stephanie]

Great advice @Robbie54 

Looks like my local garden center has reopened already (that's a little suspect in my opinion...) I'm not overly keen to do what isn't essential shopping just yet.

https://britishgardencentres.com/hemel-hempstead-garden-centre

Thanks

[Robbie54]

I ordered 3 types of clematis online and they turned up in perfect condition and are doing very well. Like you I'm wary of going to places like B & Q for the time being, so online shopping for my garden is the only way to do it and it seems to be working well. 

[Cathie19]

Plants for pest control: Marigolds! 

Hi @Stephanie  & @Rachel367 .

I nearly forgot that during the last Airbnb social meetup on Friday 15th, vegetable growing and marigolds were a consensus. When I mentioned it, others said they plant marigolds for colour and vegetable protection. As a beginner with vegetable growing, I need all the help I can get! 

For anyone else interested in some basic information, here are a few links. I’m sure everyone can find similar from their local areas. 

So here’s to marigolds for sunshine, good insects and decoy crops! 

Any other assistance will will be gratefully accepted!   🙂 

https://www.abc.net.au/gardening/factsheets/pest-control/9433232

https://www.thespruce.com/flowers-for-the-vegetable-garden-1403383

https://www.imperfectlyhappy.com/marigolds-in-the-vegetable-garden/

https://growfoodguide.com/vegetable-garden/marigolds-in-vegetable-garden/

https://toadstoolponds.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/why-plant-marigolds-in-your-vegetable-garden/

https://littleveggiepatchco.com.au/blogs/news/companion-planting-in-small-spaces

[Stephanie]

Lovely stuff @Cathie19 ! A nice benefit of marigolds is that they are perennial (they'll come back each year if the conditions are right.)

I can't wait for B&Q to reopen so I can get some gardening goodies.

Thanks 

[Cathie19]

@Stephanie , I absolutely know how you feel. Our local hardware is Bunnings, which is a national chain, that has stayed open through the lockdowns. Plants and projects have been a big thing here.

However, they have restricted times for tradies only, which is first off in the mornings, which is absolutely fair enough! 

You’ve got to pick your time, as Saturday’s are a drive to and I’m leaving, because of the long social distancing line ups to get in! Weekdays are fine.....   🙂

[Stephanie]

In UK ours aren't reopening until June 1st earliest. We used to have a Bunnings in Hemel Hempstead for about 1 year before it closed down, it was spectacular. Huge garden area and a cafe! But it was next to a Homebase so it was always going to struggle @Cathie19 .

Our Aldi shops have some plants but it's not the same as picking up some feature pieces from a garden center!

[Stephanie]

@Cathie19 

I was talking to my younger sister this morning and she uses Yarrow to repel pest bugs. She says the bees are loving it too.

Have you tried that out before?

[Dimitar27]

I have a cherry tree, sour cherries, 3-4 different kinds of plums,  pear and  wild pear (near 150y. old tree), some grapes, two quince trees and some bushes- raspberries, black and red currant.

Unfortunately, no time for tomatoes, strawberries, potatoes and flowers. They need a lot of time and care. I've tried the "pipe" method of growing strawberries, couple of years ago. Good results, but the amount of work is the same. Our villa is far from the city-half an hour driving and I can go there only once or twice a week for a couple of hours.

At home, on the balcony- only some cherry tomatoes and every year-two pumpkins. Pumpkins are excellent shade-keepers.

[Sally221]

In my overflowing garden I have 2 apple trees, 3 fig trees, only one has been successful but ya never know, 2 tangerines, an apricot, an Afghan quince,  2 grapevines, one for fruit- a local sport called Emeryville pink & a cardinal that has never fruited but the  young leaves make great dolmas, an avocado tree that re sprouted from a killing frost decades ago, a bunch of blueberry plants, strawberry plants, a thorn less blackberry that's the bomb, and a ton of greens that are semi naturalized in a far corner, I also have a lemon tree,& a pink lemon, Buddha's hand & Australian lime the last 3 kind of aspirational but so was the fig tree when I planted it.

I'm growing tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini & green beans that may or may not prosper, our weather has been Wildly unpredictable, it's raining on & off at the moment & that's just wrong for May in our Mediterranean climate!. I also grow all sorts of quick growing greens, including some radishes that came from 20 year old seeds(wow) and a plethora of herbs. My olive tree is flowering for the first time, exciting! I'm trying to do pictures - issues all on my side ancient stack Acer computer that "someone" spent $$ on right before shut down getting fixed, ha!