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When to start to grow vegtables

• Message 1. 

  Posted by Jane (U14826668) on Saturday, 9th April 2011

  Hi there
  
  I am getting my vegtable patch ready although I need to get some compost as the soil isnt that good so hopefully that will do the soil some good.
  The only thing I am planting from seeds will be lettuce. I want to grow beetrot, runner beans, and onions - but I was going to buy these in plant form from the garden centre along with herb plants, does anyone know when the best time is to plant these? I live in the South west..
  
  Thanks

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Kleftiwallah (U13700999) on Saturday, 9th April 2011

  
  "Naaaaa". stick to seeds - far more economical. get to planting seeds thinly in seed trays, the plastic trays that supermarket mushrooms come in are just the job.
  
  By the time they are up and you have transplanted them into the cups you have got from the coffee machine (burning a hole in the bottom, as with the trays mentioned above) You will have got the soil just right. No rush, Cheers, Tony

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by koala_girl (U12702629) on Saturday, 9th April 2011

  I would definitely advise you to grow runner beans from seed. They are really easy and it is much less expensive than buying plants. You can either start them off in yoghurt pots with a bit of compost or sow them direct into the ground at the bottom of canes. I prefer to start them in yoghurt pots to keep one step ahead of the snails. I sowed my runner beans last week. BTW, I live on the Sussex coast.

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Italophile (U12516505) on Saturday, 9th April 2011

  You won't find beetroot seedlings - or at least I've never seen any - because beetroot doesn't transplant well. Best sown where they're going to grow. They're very easy to grow from seed so have a go. Sow after the last frost and when the soil has warmed up a bit. Soak the seeds overnight before planting. Each seed will produce two or three seedlings. If you want decent sized beetroot, thin out the seedlings to three or four inches apart.
  
  Beans are very easy to grow from seed, too. Soil and weather need to be warm. Don't know your exact climate but late spring, early summer would probably be best.
  
  For onions, you can either buy onion sets - miniature onions you plant, pointy end up, with the point just poking through the surface; or onion seedlings. Sets will produce mature onions earlier than seedlings. You should be getting on with the onions about now. They like cooler weather as they get established.

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by figrat (U3054696) on Sunday, 10th April 2011

  Along with other posters I agree that growing from seed is a lot cheaper than buying plants. But I can also understand that buying plants might give you a bit more confidence for this first season. You say that you live in the southwest - if you are near Ashburton, Tucker's has a wide selection of organic veg seedlings in modules, (including beetroot).

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by youngandallotmenting (U14434252) on Monday, 11th April 2011

  I think if you are new to 'growing your own' buying plants instead of growing from seed is a perfectly exceptably thing to do. It is more expensive but if your time is limited or you simply cant be bothered why not just buy them! I grow everything from seed now but when I was just starting I bought some plants as well to make it easier.
  
  With regard to timing it very much depends what you are planning to grow. Some veggy plants dont mind frosts but most do. Now you can plant potatoes, broad beans, peas etc but most other things need to wait until the risk of frosts has passed which is normally in may down south. Enjoy!!

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• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by sparklepinksunflower (U10977805) on Tuesday, 12th April 2011

  If your just starting out then things like tomato or chillis are always good to buy.
  
  Beans will do amazingly from seed and the joy of seeing a seed you have planted germinate and grow never leaves me.
  
  I have seen beetroot seedlings in Homebase before

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• Message 8

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by koala_girl (U12702629) on Thursday, 14th April 2011

  
  
  You don't need any special equipment to grow runner beans from seed. This is a photo from 2009 of my seedlings growing in yohurt pots on the landing windowsill.

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• Message 9

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by Jane (U14826668) on Sunday, 17th April 2011

  
  "Naaaaa". stick to seeds - far more economical. get to planting seeds thinly in seed trays, the plastic trays that supermarket mushrooms come in are just the job.
  
  By the time they are up and you have transplanted them into the cups you have got from the coffee machine (burning a hole in the bottom, as with the trays mentioned above) You will have got the soil just right. No rush, Cheers, Tony  Hi there,
  
  Thanks for your help I have been out and brought seeds so I am going to start my runner beans off inside, I have got some betroot seeds too which I think I can put sraight in the ground along with my onion sets. It's all fun work but I am a real novice and I feel it will all go horrible wrong!
  
  Thanks
  
  Jane

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• Message 10

  , in reply to message 8.

  Posted by Jane (U14826668) on Sunday, 17th April 2011

  
  
  You don't need any special equipment to grow runner beans from seed. This is a photo from 2009 of my seedlings growing in yohurt pots on the landing windowsill.  Hi there,
  
  Thanks for your message - I have been and brought my runner bean seeds so I am going to plant them in small pots today and keep them in my kitchen..
  
  Thanks again
  
  Jane

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• Message 11

  , in reply to message 7.

  Posted by Jane (U14826668) on Sunday, 17th April 2011

  If your just starting out then things like tomato or chillis are always good to buy.
  
  Beans will do amazingly from seed and the joy of seeing a seed you have planted germinate and grow never leaves me.
  
  I have seen beetroot seedlings in Homebase before  Hi there,
  
  Thanks for your message - I have been and brought runner beans seeds and I am going to get them going indoors first and then plant them in the ground...
  
  I have a pop up greenhouse which I'm going to grow tomotoe's and hopefully cucumbers and maybe some chiilies...
  
  I've also brought beetroot seeds so I am going to plant those straight in the ground..
  
  Thanks
  
  Jane

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• Message 12

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by Jane (U14826668) on Sunday, 17th April 2011

  I would definitely advise you to grow runner beans from seed. They are really easy and it is much less expensive than buying plants. You can either start them off in yoghurt pots with a bit of compost or sow them direct into the ground at the bottom of canes. I prefer to start them in yoghurt pots to keep one step ahead of the snails. I sowed my runner beans last week. BTW, I live on the Sussex coast.  Hi there,
  
  Thanks for your message I have been and brought my runner beans from seed and I am going to start them of in tubs in the kichen before I plant them outside with canes - hopefully I wont destroy them beforehand....Have you sown your's outside? I hope I'm not too late...
  I live In Berkshire so the weather is now warming up slightly...
  
  Thanks again
  
  Jane

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• Message 13

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by Jane (U14826668) on Sunday, 17th April 2011

  Along with other posters I agree that growing from seed is a lot cheaper than buying plants. But I can also understand that buying plants might give you a bit more confidence for this first season. You say that you live in the southwest - if you are near Ashburton, Tucker's has a wide selection of organic veg seedlings in modules, (including beetroot).  Hi there,
  
  Thanks for your message - I have actually now been and brought my seeds for runnerbeans and beetroot too... I think I can sow the beetroot now and I'm going to start of my beans from pots inside the house and then transfer them out into my veg patch...
  
  Thanks
  Jane

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• Message 14

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by Jane (U14826668) on Sunday, 17th April 2011

  I think if you are new to 'growing your own' buying plants instead of growing from seed is a perfectly exceptably thing to do. It is more expensive but if your time is limited or you simply cant be bothered why not just buy them! I grow everything from seed now but when I was just starting I bought some plants as well to make it easier.
  
  With regard to timing it very much depends what you are planning to grow. Some veggy plants dont mind frosts but most do. Now you can plant potatoes, broad beans, peas etc but most other things need to wait until the risk of frosts has passed which is normally in may down south. Enjoy!!  Hi there,
  
  Thanks for your message - I have been out and brought runnerbean seeds and beetroot seeds I'm going to plant the beans seeds in the pots and keep in my window of the kitchen and then I will transfer out to my veg patch... I'm going to plant my beetroot seeds straight in the ground... I'm going in at the deep end!! it will probably go horribly wrong! I have brought some onion sets so they can go in too and I've got my potato planter sack so I can get on and plant them too, I believe you have to put compost in at the bottom and then when they start sprouting you cover them in more compost? put then I'm not to sure how you know when there ready to harvest, can you help?
  
  Thanks again
  
  Jane

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• Message 15

  , in reply to message 11.

  Posted by 4smilingcat6 (U14338727) on Sunday, 17th April 2011

  Grow from seed is my motto-but if anyone wishes to buy plants then look for local growers.
  
  Us little folk sell to cover our costs and make a few shillings we are cheaper than GCs and grow for the love of it.
  
  But do not confuse local growers with some who trade at car boots/market stalls-some are OK but many are rubbish. Ask questions if you are buying-variety? grown in commercial grade compost?(NEVER buy anything in what looks like garden soil-that`s a road to disease)
  
  Smiling Cat-him what grows tomato plants for his discerning customers-if you want Money Maker don`t come to my door

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