kiz does veg

[kizkiz]

I nearly typed the title as "kiz does ledge!"

Finally got myself going on the veg path.
Have a few raised beds planted up with carrots, potatoes, garlic and onion.
Greenhouse is up after buying it in november ...but has no veg in it, just cacti and primroses right now (I did only build the staging today tbf)

Soooo, photo time

Before photos for the main two areas. Didn't take too long to get all the shrubs out

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We dug out the entire border and built up a raised border due to a couple of trre stumps i couldn't be arsed to move. Barrowed in tonnes of effing compost and soil!

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And this is how it ended up looking

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[kizkiz]

Greenhouse next
Everything i read made me think i should get the biggest one i could reasonably afford and get in the garden. You'll always want more space!
So, kept looking around at ebay, freecycle etc and found this one on ebay for £300 buy it now.
12' x 8', less than a year old, perfect condition, spare panes of glass, guttering, two water butts, auto opener and staging.
Went to see it and used his laptop to buy it there and then ...Bargain!
Had to hire a van and spent the day with the missus taking it apart. It then spent the next 4 months in the garden inpieces after winter hit
Eventually had to get a mate in to build a proper foundation, then the two of us built and glazed it in two days....only lost 3 panes of glass in the move

The space after removing turf

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The base fully done

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The finished article

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[kizkiz]

This is how it looks now.
Veg going well, especially the potatoes
Greenhouse looking a bit bare, but only got this far today

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[kizkiz]

Plans:
This year is mostly getting the infrastructure in place and having a go at a few bits and bobs
Should get tomatoes, cucumbers and various salad leaves going soon
The middle of the raised border will have another bed and that fence behind them will have fruit trees along it, blackberries, raspberries etc.
I also have this space next to the greenhouse to dig out for another large bed

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The plan is to get this dug out and see if it's worth planting anything this year. May just cover and leave till next year.

[Bunners]

bloody hell mate youv done loads

you sure tesco* wouldnt have been cheaper

Looks good though mate, im only allowed a small raised bed at the back of the garden, and borders in the front.

Strawberries just starting to ripen (though have to keep the birds off them) and potatoes are growing like weeds, fablulous







*other retailers clearly are also available.

[shogun]

Is that a cucumber plant in the greenhouse that looks like its going to break through the roof.

[Surprised]

Greenhouses never look they are strong enough to survive a big gust of wind.

[Stick]

lovin ur work sunshine!

greenhouse looks smart sitting on the slab base, i just sat mine on a frame of bricks but it doesnt look half as smart...

most of my veg is still in trays in the ghouse, its gettin planted thie weekend if the rain stays off

[Knulpuk]

Looks excellent Kiz - nice work.

[kizkiz]

Is that a cucumber plant in the greenhouse that looks like its going to break through the roof.

It's a cactus
I'm gonna have to do something about it as it isn't far off the ceiling when it comes back into the house over winter!

[Spinynorman]

All looks fantastic. Good luck with all of your veg. Cracking looking bit of slab laying by the way.

[kizkiz]

Ok, so time for the june update

Greenhouse currently looks like this....

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Really proud of bodging the water butt together

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There is now a border dug around the front two sides fo the greenhouse for bedding plants. This includes all the primroses that were grown from plug plants, and hopefully we can grow the whole lot from seed next year.
You can also see the large pots on the left hand side with various herbs going great guns, and have 10 pots of mixed salad leaves growing too. I think we'll use the edge of the paving for salad, herbs and sundry veg.
You can also just about see the start of the new ploti've barely started digging

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And the best for last.....my first pepper

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[kizkiz]

Oh, and the first spuds and carrots.
A very good example of why you should thin out carrots

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[Surprised]

Might take a while to dig the new plot with that little yellow truck

[sted]

Very nice mate.

I'd have the water butt 'fed' from your main roof rather than the greenhouse.

You'll get more water that way.

The cactus is monster.

[kizkiz]

Very nice mate.

I'd have the water butt 'fed' from your main roof rather than the greenhouse.

You'll get more water that way.

The cactus is monster.

That butt is full and overflowing right now after the last week of rain
I have another, and think that may get put off the house downpipe

[shogun]

What did you make the carrots in. Shouldn't you use sornoff drain pipe, one in each and allow them to grow? What are the panzies for? Can you eat them, garnish?

[Pasty]

Very nice set up Kiz, very very jealous Any chilis on the go (i see the pepper pic, looks like a bell pepper?)? I could do with a greenhouse meself, got 12 2foot chillis in the house at the moment Its a bit late in the season for planting any from seed/ling but if you want I can send you some seeds later on this year if you have any space. Got a few superhot varieties and a couple of ornamentals.

Now i see why you bought 20 years worth of Tomato feed from Te$co

[Jonathan]

Impressive stuff. Always great to take pictures of gardens as they change and mature. You will need to check out some farmers markets to sell your goods!

[The Ledge]

Surprised I hadn't replied on this thread yet kiz!

I have to admit to being hugely jealous of your massive greenhouse - mine's Pontipine size in comparison. Good luck in everything you grow and it's all one big learning curve.

I think I should take some pics and get my thread updated in the next couple of days... lazy b@stard that I am

[kizkiz]

Pasty, i'll take you up on that offer

[kizkiz]

No photos tonight, but a quick update

The greenhouse has more staging, and things inside going well
The one pepper plant has dozens growing now.
One chilli has loads of chillis coming on now, and the other is beginning to flower.
The only thing i haven't sussed is the tomatoes. Have read about not having too many trusses now, and may have attacked them a bit aggressively

First bed of potatoes all picked now and replanted with some bargainous sweet potatoes (Jamie Oliver ones from homebase. £7.99 reduced to 20p )
Also blagged some raspberries and rhubarb from the grandparents who are moving house

[kizkiz]

Large bed is now dug, but need to get rid of all the earth still.
Think i'll be adding manure and covering until next year

Chilli plant going great guns and they are beginning to turn red

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And the slower scotch bonnets

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My first tomato to turn red is a complete mutant!!

[shogun]

You didn't put down radioactive horse manure in the veg did you?

[The Ledge]

Great to see some more photos Kiz... I should really follow suit sometime

This year's been pretty slow for me; the tomatoes are taking an age to do anything, the cucumbers are non-existant and my chillies and peppers are behind yours. Great to see the comparisons though.

[Jonathan]

My mum's tomatoes, cumcumbers (as my nephew used to call them!), and marrows have done absolutely nothing. In fact, some of the seedlings are still seedings. Weird because she has proper green fingers, usually.

[kizkiz]

The last couple of days of scorching sun has made a massive difference.
The chillis are rapidly turning red and now a couple of the sweet peppers are turning too.
Toms have been very slow, but i do have a few trusses and on one plant they are getting pretty big now. Just waiting for them to ripen.

Leg, we need some photos!
Shogun - I have no idea what has happened to that one tomato. The rest are all normal

[kizkiz]

Toms - Had two plants. One was a large beef tomato and one was much smaller. both grew really well eventually and had loads of fruit.
Chillis - Again, two plants, cayenne type and scotch bonnets. the cayenne went crazy and fruited loads. Scotch bonnet has some large fruits that still need ripening.
Peppers - One plant, grew fairly well and had a decent amount of fruit
Potatoes - still going, loads! Have learned what earthing up is for next year.
Carrots- Again, loads. Need to remember to thin them out
Onions - Gre really well. Same again next year.

So, what should i be planting now?
I know winter onion sets are around.
Still have sweet potatoes in the ground,although they were planted very late.

[kizkiz]

Bumping this for the new year

Chilli seeds are in the prop and some are already potted on
Will get some photos this week
Expecting 85 paving slabs tomorrow for the new patio

[kizkiz]

Right, a few before pics. The patio should be laid this weekend.
I then need to truck in loads of soil and compost to extend the border to meet the patio.
It'll look fantastic when done, but a huge mess right now

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This bit will get cleared once the patio is down.

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