Bad winter

[lucysmum]

Hi.
I'm new to this forum, new to KG mag & realtively new to gardening!! Help.
I thought I was well prepared for 2010. Last autumn I planted winter lettuce in the green house, aqualdulce broad beans in pots out side. They're all dead! What did I do wrong?
The lettuces went mouldy & died.
The beans drooped in the frost so I moved them into the (unheated) green house. At first they perked up, but then flopped again, went black & I guess they're very dead now.
It was very cold here (Cheshire) Down to -17 some nights.
Any advice greatly received to a keen but disheartened newby veg grower.

[Nature's Babe]

Hi Lucysmum, welcome, it's not your fault, down to the -17 temperatures I think, I have overwintered broad beans, greens, spinach, onions garlic and lettuce with no problems every year till now, this year only the garlic and some onions survived, and the greens look pretty pathetic and we are in the south east. I had to replant the broad beans, used loo rolls filled with compost, then after hardening off I should be able to plant as soon as the weather warms up a bit. Next year i think I will try a hardy Kale which might survive better. Cheer up though hopefully when spring comes you will have the pleasure of growing your own tasty fresh veg and advice on tap from the seasoned gardeners here. Good luck

[oldherbaceous]

A very warm welcome to the forum Lucysmum.

I wouldn't be to despondant about the lettuce and bean failures, it has been an exceptionally long and cold winter.
I would just start afresh when the weather warms up a little, you will soon be back on your way to be getting some vegetables for your table again.

[richard p]

i dont plant broad beans in autumn, if the weather dont get them something will eat them..pigeons, pheasants, whatever... i wait till spring start the beans in trays then plant out when the worst of the weather is over and the wildlife has pleanty of wild stuff to eat... ive only sown the first batch of beanns this week... in trays... in plastic boxes with glass over the top to keep the mice out.
the chinese salad stuff, mizuma , pak choi etc has survived the winter in the poly tunnel ..
even got a dandelion in flower so i guess its time to get sowing

[lucysmum]

Hi.
Thank you all for replying.
I'm having another go with broad beans now and have lots of seeds to get other things going soon. Its good to know I didn't do something daft.
Another thing I've done that now I'm too sure was a good idea, is to put different seeds in the same single cell propagator. The propagator was a freebie when I subscribed to KG mag!!I put rows of tomatoes,cauliflowers,chard,& 3 types of peppers. All but the peppers are through & looking good. Is it best in future to keep just 1 type at once?

Natures Babe - when you plant in loo rolls, do you leave the cardboard on & just plant the whole thing out? Cheaper than those root trainers I've seen. I put mine in the compost, maybe I should start saving them.

[Primrose]

Welcome lucy'smum. You plant the whole toilet roll with the compost and the seedling. Once in the ground the cardboard will eventually disintegrate.

[Elaine]

Hello Lucysmum. Welcome from me too.
I put different seeds together in my propagator, but in separate pots, as they will all have different germination times...just remember the labels! (I didn't remember one year..which was good fun ) Usually, I put seeds which require similar temperatures in together, like sweet pepper and tomato, as it is a heated propagator.
Good luck with your gardening. You will enjoy being part of this forum as it is good fun and there are many extremely knowledgeable folks on here to give you sound advice.
Cheers.

[Nature's Babe]

Your question answered by Elaine re loo rolls, but if you have none saved, beg some newspapers roll several layers around the base of a glass, leaving an inch or two overlapping the glass opening, fold that inside the glass, take out the glass then bring the folded in part down to make the base of your pot, and you have made a recycled free degradeable pot, any size depending on what you wrap it around.