Lavenders_Blue Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 OH has been busy building a couple of small raised beds in the garden, and a couple of weeks ago I ordered some veg seeds. We have fancied growing veg for a few years, but this is the first year we have had the space so it's all very exciting! We are treating this year as an experiment to see what works, and what doesn't. We have ordered the following seeds: Leeks Spring onion Rainbow chard Tomato Chillies Herbs (Parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, basil) Lettuce Squash Mangetout So hopefully out of that lot we should get something! My dad also ordered us a patio potato growing kit - apparently it was supposed to be a surprise but he was completely hopeless and told us after 24 hours! No doubt I will be dipping in and out of this forum for plenty of veg growing advice as I get to grips with the world of growing our own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Have fun, it is so satifying to pop into the garden and come back with some salad leaves and herbs etc. Don't expect everything to be perfect, watch out for slugs, but most of all enjoy the experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted February 24, 2010 Author Share Posted February 24, 2010 Thanks chickencam, I am trying to prepare myself for the inevitable attack from slugs, snails, aphids, caterpillars, hens etc etc! I've bought the River Cottage veg patch book which I hope will be arriving any day from Amazon. I'd like to pick up a few ideas for controlling pests without spraying everything will gallons of insecticide. I can live with sharing my veg with a few bugs as long as they don't completely ravage it! Once we've got to the end of the year we hope to make an assessment of what grew well, what didn't, and what we need to do differently. This year we are approaching our veg growing more in hope than expectation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Keep a diary note of significant events, we find this helps when remembering varieties and sowing times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy chickens! Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Can you let the chickens on before planting as pre-emptive strike against slugs snails? Happy growing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 Can you let the chickens on before planting as pre-emptive strike against slugs snails? Happy growing! We seem to be slug and snail free in the garden... so far. That's probably because there is absouktely nothing for them to eat at the moment. Not even a pot plant I am sure this will change once we plant out our veggies! (And the hens will be welcome to them) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 My hens are having a reat time in the veg patch - they are getting all the snails eggs and other nasties in the soil. Well worth it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 Have fun and good luck. I first started to properly grow vegetables a 3 years ago and you learn so much from what goes wrong as well as what goes right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara.F Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 We seem to be slug and snail free in the garden... so far. They're just hibernating...and their eggs are waiting just below the surface to hatch and cause mayhem with all your lovely tender seedlings!!! Get your hens on there....they do such a wonderful job of scratching up eggs that they really make a big dent in the slug population! A couple of days at this time of year and they can decimate a whole slug generation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 My hens love this time of year as I let them into the veggie garden for a rootle around! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
