Simple sugestions, please . . .

[CJS]

Enough to make you cry . . . I'm not into super neat at the moment, as I say, my gardening genes are very rusty. However, this is the 'land' at CJS Towers. The boarder along the left fence is given over to compost heap, a few rows of simple salad, and my Runner beans, I did dig a bean trench, I learnt that much from my Father and Grandfather.



The planters on the right have my Sungold Tomatoes, and the ones along the right side has nothing in there, waiting for inspiration!!

The thinking is to dig down the right hand fence, creating an 18ft (three fence panels) X 5 or 6ft vegetable patch out of the lawn. Do that this summer, dig the compost heap in to it + horse manure. But what to grow for the winter 2009-10? or best left fallow until Feb?

And this is the green house!!! Sorry will be my green house, its at 'phase one' clean up stage, just usable. The staging, there is staging there, is going to be cleared, most of what is there will be off to the local boot sale next week. Its amazing how mentally freeing the clear out has been, for 12 + years I have fought with 26 years worth of happy married memories . . . but life finally does go on



The seed trays contain Sweet Williams, a magazine freebie. The other tray is 2 dozen Aubergine seedlings. As I say, no idea what I'm doing, I suspect I have missed the window for the Aubergines?? Thought I'd put some in the empty planters out side??? and a few in grow bags on the soil in the green house, see what happens.

Soil in the green house, its very dusty, but the vine seems to like it OK. Vine, its a 'Triffid' takes over every year, frankly a pain, I have already cut load off this year, so that I could get to do the clear out! Plan; dig it out??? or will it grow whilst I revitalise the soil, then again a friend says ring culture??

See what I mean, I'm in a terrible mess. I need suggestions, of the simplest kind, please.

CJS

[macmac]

Wow CJS what a fab greenhouse wonderful potential.I don't know the correct answers to your questions but my gut feeling is plant over the winter, leeks, sprouts etc.Some of the experts (and i say that respectfully)may say otherwise but i'd fill it.Only one piece of sound advice grow what you like,or what your friends and family like.We've got to know more of our neighbours in the last few years(we've lived here since 1982) by handing out punnets of soft fruit and runner beans....
After a long happy marriage memories will always keep you company

[Primrose]

Gosh - what a wonderful greenhouse. I think when it's cleared you'll be able to see the wood for the trees in deciding what you grow to extend your season. How many people are you going to feed with your two dozen aubergines? If we have a hot summer, which they like, you'll have plenty to give away. Can't figure out which way your right hand fence faces - is it south? In which case everything you plant there should thrive in a sunny position. Maybe it would be better to concentrate this year on digging out your new vegetable patch and clearing the greenhouse. That could take a lot of time, but planting a few leeks, winter greens such as Swiss Chard would help tide you over until next year's season starts. As for your grape vine, we have an outdoor one on very stoney dry soil which it seems to like so perhaps a little well rotted manure dug in around the roots is all that is needed. If it's a mature plant it seems a same to try and dig it up - you may kill it, especially if you try to do anything at this time of year now it's in growth again. One step at a time would seem to be the best move so you don't feel overwhelmed by the task.

[Tigger]

Vines don't like rich soil so it will be happy in poor earth. As for the aubergines - they need to stay in the greenhouse unless we really do get a tropical summer. You could grow a few cucumbers and melons. They don't need a lot of attention. It's probably a bit late to sow them, although you might get away with it, but I've noticed a lot of garden centres are selling them this year.

[CJS]

The garden faces west, so yes the right hand fence is South facing. I have planted some chard, no idea what it was, looks pretty in the picture, and the packet says eat leaves like spinach, steam storks, I suppose ad butter or olive oil to taste?

I'm having problems in my mind re the grape vine. We dont eat the grapes, although it produces load of small, sweet fruit, with seeds!!! I dont thin the bunches, just hack at it as it gets out of hand!!!

If I want to grow produce in the green house soil, I will have to improve the soil . . . the vine wont like that? However I can see a use for the vine as shade in its guise as a triffid And I could put some TLC into it by thinning the bunches, bigger fruits, make the seeds more tolerable?

Or would ring culture be practical?? . . . 'I now noting' . . . I hear it talked about, remember my Aunty Ivy growing 'Money Maker' toms in her green house in the 50's, something magical about ring culture in those days? and about the tomatoes she used to grow

Or is it best to dig the vine out and be done with it? Then improve the soil? is it practical to grow in the same soil, year after year? The head is beginning to hurt??? No wonder I have steared clear for so long . . .

There is some history about the 'GH', an original wood/glass structure, thought to be of Victorian origin? was blown down in the gales of 1986. The new 10'x20' replaced it on the original foundation, which still houses a steam boiler (very defunked) in a small cellar below the entrance. The cottage dates back to 1882, built be a retired Navy admiral and cost £42, for which the bank granted a 100% mortgage . . . if only that were true these days

[Smurfy]

Hi CJS and welcome to the forum.

I'm not sure i'm qualified to answer any of your specific questions. i've only been growing for 3 years but just wanted to pass on a bit of advice which was given to me by a neighbour in my first year of growing.

Read the packets, plant what you like and don't dwell on the failures. If you do this you'll gradually build up your own bank of knowldge about what grows well in your soil and then feel more able to experiment.

In my first year i just put lots of seeds in the ground to see what happened. it wasn't very scientific but i was so proud of the veg that it got me hooked. The guys on here will help you out but don't see it as a test, enjoy it and see what happens. Each year i see improvements in my own abilities but given that some of these guys have been gardening for 60 years and ocasionally get caught out i never feel too bad, and even better whatever happens i know i'll have some great tasting veg to eat!

[pongeroon]

Welcome CJS.

I'm with Smurfy on this one, read the packets; experiment a bit (as in 'is it too late to sow this? What the hell, have a go!') and your knowledge will build with your experience. Have fun, and don't worry about stuff that doesn't do so well.

My Fine Young Man and I won the Best in Show cup at the local produce show with our red onions last year, and we thought it was hilarious because we are soooo inexperienced compared to the other competitors. We just got lucky

Don't want to give the cup back though!

[richard p]

i was in our local veggie shop this morning getting a few tomatoes, raspberries were £1.25 for a small pack, must have been near 5 pence each.
im tempted to say forget the normal veg, concentrate on salad crops and soft fruit. once established blackcurrant bushes and raspberry canes dont take a lot of work. the greenhouse is ideal for strawberries , tomatoes and peppers, why not try a melon, if your near a boot sale it should be possible to pick up a few , peppers , tomatoes, melon, etc ready for planting out now.
as for the grape, while your at the boot sale look for a couple of demijons and start wine making, its not difficult and the pips get strained out and thrown away

[CJS]

Thanks all, for the replies and encouragement Its a great feeling, a whole new world is at my 'finger tips' Wasted all those years . . .

Well now, I have been out this afternoon, supposed to be tomorrow, but could not wait Picked up 2 green pepper plants, one yellow, two courgette plants and a couple of large Aubergine plants . . . I know I have a tray full of aubergine seedlings, but they are just that seedlings. The aubergines I found this pm are 7 or 8 inches high, and look very 'buch'! I will preserver with the seedlings and I have a comparison to
put down to experience.

Next problem, I want to grow today's plants in the green house. As the soil is so poor, I presume its got to be ring culture or grow bags, B&Q G/bags seem value at £1.49? Any one got any ideas about 'ring culture' where I can get 'rings', obviously I'm going to need something fairly quickly!

I'm warming to the idea of using the vine as shade, (is this practical?) TLC work on the fruits for size and quality. Wine? how much will one mature vine make? And a mellon? how much faffing about is needed . . . if any? will it fit in with what I'm heading for at the moment?

I'm getting excited . . . CJS

[donedigging]

Good evening CJS,

Welcome to the forum,
for free ring cultures, go to the local supermarket and ask for the empty buckets they sell the flowers in, cut off the base and hey presto, free ring cultures.
On your profile, you don't say were you are, as this does help with answers to questions.

[CJS]

OK thanks for the tip, I will pop down to Morrisons in the morning.

Profile? did not, do not know there was one????

I live in Ipswich, soil is free draining, I suspect, to free draining! One advantad, digging is like building sand castles.

CJS

[PLUMPUDDING]

Regarding the grape vine - vines are usually planted with their roots outside the greenhouse and the vine brought under or through the wall to the inside. Can you see where it's roots are actually growing? If they are outside then they won't be depleting the soil inside the greenhouse.

You can prune the vine hard back when it is dormant - it will "bleed" badly if it is in leaf. If you choose spurs (the bits where the buds grow from) low down or at a height you think is right and just keep a few of these buds to grow, you can control how much space it takes up. Grapes fruit on their new growth, so you can do this every year. You can also take out the tops of the shoots at about four feet so they don't take all the light and it helps the fruits to swell and ripen.

[CJS]

Regarding the grape vine - vines are usually planted with their roots outside the greenhouse and the vine brought under or through the wall to the inside. Can you see where it's roots are actually growing? If they are outside then they won't be depleting the soil inside the greenhouse.

You can prune the vine hard back when it is dormant - it will "bleed" badly if it is in leaf. If you choose spurs (the bits where the buds grow from) low down or at a height you think is right and just keep a few of these buds to grow, you can control how much space it takes up. Grapes fruit on their new growth, so you can do this every year. You can also take out the tops of the shoots at about four feet so they don't take all the light and it helps the fruits to swell and ripen.

Thanks for that Plumpudding. Here are a couple of pics of the vine trunk? is it called a trunk?





It looks to me as though the roots are in the greenhouse soil? Just my luck, about the only thing of interest to me is 'my Fathers old Spear & Jackson fork'. I see the vine messing things up if I dont have it out very soon?? See how things go this summer first though

Had a bad day today!! and when I came home, the dog had been on the garden and scratched up all my new young cabbage plants!!! A friend gave me them over the weekend . . . do I have time to put some seeds in pots in the green house??? or may be have to buy some plants at the weekend, when I'm looking for a melon plant . . . flat or what?

CJS

[PLUMPUDDING]

Oh dear, it does look a bit of a beast. Are you sure there is nothing showing that could be trunk outside? If not and you don't want grapes, then it looks like it will have to go.

[CJS]

Oh dear, it does look a bit of a beast. Are you sure there is nothing showing that could be trunk outside? If not and you don't want grapes, then it looks like it will have to go.

As I say, I think its best to wait till the end of summer, got lots to plant and no time to work the soil, so temporary 'growing rings', see how the various plants fair in that situation? then re-appraiser. Do you think thats a good plan Plumpudding?

In fact, it may be the only plan. My energy burnes out very quickly these days, especially in the heat, (diabetic) so root dig out will need to be over a few weekends, thats assuming the root habit is fairly roaming? No idea how vine roots grow?

The other option might be a systemic weed killer, on the vine, now, whilst in full growth, nothing in the green house I cant move out temporarily, do the plant and roots??? The dead root will dig out enough in bits as I dig to work the soil???

I just have this idea in the back of my mind, 'natural shade' grapes as a bonus? . . . Oh dear, decisions, decisions . . . . . . . .

CJS