Author Topic: In or out?  (Read 1821 times)

AnnieD

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In or out?
« on: March 15, 2017, 09:02:40 »
I'm a beginner at this. Been reading loads of stuff and it's so easy to get overloaded with info.

I don't have a greenhouse and limited space in the house for growing stuff.
So would welcome some advice from those of you h=who have experience.

Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, runner beans, leeks, sweetcorn. Which of these really should be started off indoors, and which will be ok if I plant them straight in the ground at the appropriate time? thanks
Located in Royston, North Herts.

squeezyjohn

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Re: In or out?
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2017, 09:25:13 »
Hi Annie,

My experience is that it's far easier to get germination and protect the seedlings if you sow in to modules or small pots rather than sowing the seeds in-situ.  Whether that's inside or out depends on the seed and the temperatures they need to germinate.  There are exceptions for things like carrots, radishes and parsnips which don't enjoy being transplanted and are better off sown direct when the soil has warmed up.  For things like the ones you mention, you can start them on a windowsill and then move them to a sheltered place outdoors to grow on if you don't have a greenhouse.

In terms of timings you'll need to look at your packets for suggested sowing times.  Broccolli, brussells sprouts and all the summer brassicas can be sown now and will come up.  If you're sowing leeks from seed they need sowing now too - I sow mine fairly thickly in a big deep pot so they come up like a lawn and let them grow like that until they've become nice and big in May when they can be planted out.  Things like tomatoes need sowing indoors about now too - but they can't go outside and will need to stay on the windowsill until the risk of frost is passed.

Things like sweetcorn, runner beans and squash family shouldn't be sown until at least mid-April and could be as late as May - if you wait until the threat of frost has passed you can sow these directly, but I've had much more success with doing these a bit earlier in pots to get a head start.

Cheers

Squeezy

Beersmith

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Re: In or out?
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2017, 13:36:59 »
I agree with the previous comment. Starting in a greenhouse or at home provides protection and a more stable environment to get things going. But if you simply do not have the space do not despair as pretty much everything you listed can be started outdoors.  But you will need to consider a number of key issues.

Firstly is timing. March April and May are key months for sowing, but do your research and make sure you are not too early for tender stuff like sweet corn and runner beans. Secondly is preparation. Rake until you have a fine tilth. It will help a lot. Sowing fine seed into rough soil will probably disappoint.  Thirdly think about protection. Many seedlings will need covers to keep off pigeons, and slug protection or barriers are almost certainly going to be needed.  Finally be a bit more generous with seed quantities, but still sow thinly if that makes sense. Pop in two runner beans per station and thin the weaker or sow a few extra and transplant to fill any gaps.

Remember too that most brassicas transplant quite happily, so you only need to get a set number to an appropriate size. It doesn't matter if you lose quite a few provided you get the dozen sturdy little cabbages or however many you need to grow on to full size. Much the same for leeks.

I don't have a greenhouse, but used to start a lot of things in a conservatory. However, I rather overdid it one year and Mrs Beersmith blew a fuse. So now I start most things outdoors. It is worth trying to find space inside for a few things, especially tomatoes but don't feel you are at a major disadvantage.
Not mad, just out to mulch!

galina

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Re: In or out?
« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2017, 13:45:15 »
If you can rig up a cold-frame you can have a half-way house.  A bit of wood and a window from a skip and a bit of diy could give you a serviceable seed starting cold frame.   :wave:

Tee Gee

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Re: In or out?
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2017, 14:18:03 »
I agree with the others, let me suggest you have a look at the following pages on my website  ( saves me typing it all here)

Sowing Seeds indoors

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Seed%20sowing-indoors/Seed%20Sowing%20-%20Indoors.htm

Sowing outdoors:

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Seed%20sowing-outdoors/Seed%20Sowing%20-%20Outdoors.htm

I would add place cloches over the seed beds will help!

Coldframes:

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Coldframe/Coldframe.htm


If you look at the alphabetical section on this page you will find details on each of the seed types you mention:


http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Indexes/index.htm

As a rule of thumb: if you look on the seed packet  for the germinating temperature I find that if the temp required is 12°C (54°F) or lower you can usually sow these outdoors under cloches or some such protection.

This link might help also:

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Planners/Fruit%20&%20Veg%20planner.htm

I hope this helps.


ancellsfarmer

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Re: In or out?
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2017, 19:20:52 »
Agree with most of above but would add that making use of freely available* boxes/trays( such as mushrooms and peppers are distributed in ), even cardboard boxes (on boards helps transport) would suit beans and sweet corn and allow a deeper bed to encourage root development. Key to success is to arrive at safe planting out time just before they have rooted into each other so time things as well as seasons weather is predictable. It would also be possible to construct wooden trays using B&Qs scrap off cuts to get a tray perhaps 450x300x80mm if you have "handy" in the family.
Any of these will warm up quicker than the ground, and drain freely.They can also be moved to achieve even growth.
*Ask at your local takeaways, language permitting, and at street market fruit n veg stalls. A little "cheek" gets me most materials-ha!
Freelance cultivator qualified within the University of Life.

AnnieD

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Re: In or out?
« Reply #6 on: March 15, 2017, 19:28:08 »
Thanks everyone :)
Located in Royston, North Herts.

sunloving

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Re: In or out?
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2017, 08:42:34 »
Good luck mrs, I find building shelves or stacking those clear plastic boxes gives you a bit more space. As above only the sweet corn and runners need to be in.

My tip when you dib the hole for your sweet corn seed pop it in but don't fill it as the need light to germinate. And you can use clear plastic fruit trays as mini greenhouses if you've got to germinate things outside but don't forget to water! X sunloving

Paulines7

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Re: In or out?
« Reply #8 on: March 16, 2017, 09:56:18 »
Tee Gee, the information on your website is brilliant, well written and easy to understand.  Well done!

brownthumb2

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Re: In or out?
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2017, 15:09:30 »
I' never knew  sweet corn needed light to germinate,  i`ve always covered my sweet corn seed and always had a hundred % germination

Vinlander

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Re: In or out?
« Reply #10 on: March 23, 2017, 19:37:39 »
Cloches are great, but for widely spaced plants simply putting a bottomless 2L bottle over each one  is a lot cheaper and easier. If you are planting very early leave the tops on until it warms up. When they outgrow 2L then putting 5L ones over the most precocious is an option.

Sweet corn can be encouraged with almost  any size as long as you remove them before they grow through the top.
Actually they can be left in the short 1/2L ones with the wider top (or indeed milk containers) because all the leaves will end up outside (with a bit of help sometimes) and that seems to deter the slugs & snails (& mice).

Cheers.
With a microholding you always get too much or bugger-all. (I'm fed up calling it an allotment garden - it just encourages the tidy-police).

The simple/complex split is more & more important: Simple fertilisers Poor, complex ones Good. Simple (old) poisons predictable, others (new) the opposite.

 

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