Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Buckeye Girl on March 20, 2010, 19:18:09
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Hello, I Need some advice.
I have a root trainer pack that I bought reduced. As it is only one pack I would like to know which vegetable seed would benefit the most from using it? I intend to do the majority of seeding in my rolled newspaper tubes.
p.s - are parsnips as hard to grow as I fear?
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I always sow sweetcorn in them. Or climbing french beans. Things that are a bit tender to risk sowing direct but like a nice root run.
As for parsnips, I'd sow direct because they're easily damaged if you germinate them before planting, but wait until it's milder (mid-April), sow them quite thickly and thin well.
Best of luck.
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Parsnips are IMHO one of the easiest veg provided you use fresh seed, the only year I ever failed was when I used old seed. I sow very little direct for various reasons, but parsnips are so simple. Just a shallow drill, sow thinly, keep weed free for the early weeks, and then stand back. Good luck!
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The only thing I would bother to put into root trainers is parsnips.
Frankly I think that they are another over priced item we do not need.
How I still mourn the loss of Geoff Hamilton who knew how normal people did not need these gimmicky items which are produced to extract money from keen but not confident gardeners.
He did his very best to advise us all about short cuts and cost cutting ways but so many presenters, I am sure get freebies from companies who want us to believe we need their products.
Buy a roll of damp course. Cut it to size (so that it is the same as a toilet roll tube) and a bit of sellotape will make it the right shape. Cut it open when the roots show. plant them and then re-use it. Wash it out if you want to in some Jeyes fluid or use a touch of bleach in some washing up liquid and I guarantee your home made root trainers will last a life time.
A nice little job to do during our long cold winters.
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we use ours for sweetcorn, beans, sweet peas and, at the moment, leeks for the competition ;D
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Or just use loo rolls!
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I was very lucky, I found the root trainer in a reduced bin for £3. I couldn't resist giving it a try. I don't think that I could bring myself to pay the normal going rate. This being the case, I wanted to use it for something that would really benefit. This is my first season on my allotment & will not be doing sweetcorn. I'm saving that challenge for when I have more area cleared.
I had originally thought that a root veg would be more suitable but I now gather that this is not the case.
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. ;)
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Sweetcorn would work well with a new plot as you can easily plant it through black plastic. The trick is, never let it get checked.
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Bit late now but something for next year... broadies... crack them in rootrainers to about 4" tall.... all beans really but sweetcorn and popcorn especially, wouldn't bother putting parsnips in them if you've only got one set....
BTW, nice idea with the dampcourse ..... will have to do that sometime :D
chrisc
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I lashed out on root trainers for the first time last year and was disappointed. I used them for scorzonera and parsnips. I found when I opened them to plant the contents that the compost crumbled away, and the roots were as disturbed as if I had used plastic pots instead.
Maybe I should have let the plants grow on until their roots filled the space and held the compost together, but the trouble with parsnips (and scorzonera) is that the roots plunge downwards so fast that this doesn't happen until the leading root is checked and damaged.
I would much rather use loo rolls, or newspaper pots cut to size, ie extra long for parsnips - then plant the whole thing with no root disturbance at all.
Maybe plants that are not so sensitive to disturbance of their longest roots would benefit, eg all beans? Brassicas?
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Or just use loo rolls!
all my loo rolls go for sunflowers ;D
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I lashed out on root trainers for the first time last year and was disappointed. I used them for scorzonera and parsnips. I found when I opened them to plant the contents that the compost crumbled away, and the roots were as disturbed as if I had used plastic pots instead.
Maybe I should have let the plants grow on until their roots filled the space and held the compost together, but the trouble with parsnips (and scorzonera) is that the roots plunge downwards so fast that this doesn't happen until the leading root is checked and damaged.
I would much rather use loo rolls, or newspaper pots cut to size, ie extra long for parsnips - then plant the whole thing with no root disturbance at all.
Maybe plants that are not so sensitive to disturbance of their longest roots would benefit, eg all beans? Brassicas?
They really aren't meant for root veg; but for veg that need deep roots.
I have about 8 sets and they are in use all year round; this time of year it will be beans and peas, later on my rare french beans and sweetcorn; I use them to grow good root systems on shallots, garlics and onion sets before they get planted out, for overwintering peas and beans; and anything else that likes a good root system
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Many thanks to all. I understand a bit more now.
I'm thinking that I will experiment with the parsnips, maybe do a few in long rolled newspaper tubes and the rest normally.
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My two cents worth: the parsnips I planted directly were eaten by slugs. The ones in loo rolls weren't.
Now if I'm down to a few special seeds (of anything) I'd sorely hate to lose to slugs, I plant 'em in loo rolls.
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I bought a load of second hand roottrainers from eBay, they are good quality thick plastic and very sturdy. I use them for: sweet peas, sweetcorn, all peas and beans (especially the heritage ones where I usually only have a few seeds and can't afford to lose any).
I find the main disadvantage of them is the amount of compost it takes to fill them up! (mine are all the longer type). But I have had excellent results with them, the root growth is air pruned and i wait until they are showing out of the bottom before planting out, it give peas and beans a good start. I also tried sunflowers in some last year, but they did not do so well, I'm not sure why. ???
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Deb's not wrong about the deep ones eating compost :D.... bit of a shock the first time you see it but if I didn't do broadies in them I'm guessin git would be in 5 or 6" pots with half a dozen seeds per pot.... effect would be the same...
chrisc
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Loo rolls, Paper pots....who needs root trainers?....
Cardboard tubes from wrapping paper...tubes from kitchen roll....
they are there....decompose naturally..no root disturbance...dig or dibble a hole..
bung it in, pot an' all....And as free (£'s wise ) as you can get, after the initial purchace of said product.
Why buy something made from plastic waste, then you gotta wash them.. that in time will go brittle and break up...? Huh!!...
Happy planting ...enjoy ... ;) ;)
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It's far quicker to wash roottrainers than it is to make up the equivalent paper rolls. My oldest are now 5 years old and only just starting to get to the point where some of the cells could do with replacing.
Mine will be in use from now (early peas) through to late July (second crop french beans). Like a lot of the other posters mine are used for beans(runner and french) and peas - I got lazy with sweetcorn and use a deep margerine tub before pricking out into vending machine cups recycled from work.
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Well would not be without mine !!!
Our Broadbeans are heads above all others on site and i use them for all beans and sweetpeas and there is no problems with dampingoff or moulds on loo rolls ect and mine have lasted 4 years now and we get replacment inners at 28p each when needed.
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I love my root trainers. Ideal for anything that needs long strong roots such as beans & sweetcorn. Consider starting your carrots & parsnips in old guttering. I have dreadful germination problems but success with guttering. They can go a bit fangy if you don't slide them into a bed as soon as germinated.
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Well would not be without mine !!!
Our Broadbeans are heads above all others on site and i use them for all beans and sweetpeas and there is no problems with dampingoff or moulds on loo rolls ect and mine have lasted 4 years now and we get replacment inners at 28p each when needed.
28p ?????? Oh do tell please !
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Don't let parsnips frighten you. Be sure to use fresh seed, get the bed ready ahead of time, put some potting soil in the row they are going in so it is soft,I grow in raised beds made with potting soil and sand as they are not very strong seedlings and have a hard time pushing through. Then germinate them in advance, I use a large plastic shallow Tupperware type box about 12" x5" something like that..put several layers of paper towel flat in the bottom, damp it well then put your seeds in, make sure they are separated ,pop the lid on to keep them moist then pop the box in an airing cupboard if you have one or other warm place, look at them daily and watch till you see a tiny shoot, then plant then as soon as you can, don't put them too close, they have already germinated so you will have less duds.
I remember one year doing this , the weather was lovely, but the day they popped it was raining , same next few days, eventually i had no choice but to plant them in poring ,really soaking rain, I was frozen but the snips came up.
When you do your corn remember this tip, you have to start in advance to get a jump on the weather, no direct seeding in the UK ,but only three weeks..no more it will not be a benefit to sow them any earlier than that, they don't like to be moved, I start in 3 in pots, if you leave then too long in the pots,they have a memory, when you move them on they go dormant and sulk, so don't do them too soon and give them some room when you seed them. I never have a problem with corn that way.
I have seriously thought about root trainers for some things so you just enjoy them. XX Jeannine
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I'm going to have a crack at making some of my own.... I reckon thinnish plywood, well varnished with yacting varnish in a frame should allow me to make them fairly cheaply....
chrisc
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When you do your corn remember this tip, you have to start in advance to get a jump on the weather, no direct seeding in the UK
XX Jeannine
Do you mean no direct sowing if so why not? I direct sow my sweetconr no problems.
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Yes that is what I mean, in the Uk you cannot rely on the weather being warm enough when you need to sow, you need soil temp of at least 65F for untreated seed so insurance is to start off in pots, a transplant will go out better than a seed if the weather is not right, this is especially important if you use Supersweet varieties which need at least 5F more heat than all the others, the seed will rot in cold damp soils, whereas a plant that has already germinated is safe and if the weather is a bit cool you can protect your seedlings with row cover , you can do very little for a seed that is in cold soil.
XX Jeannine
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Intersting theory. Ive sown direct 4 different varieties last few years and not had any failures. I have sweetcorn down as one of the easiest direct sow seeds.
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Then you are extraordinarily lucky as it not a theory but a recognised fact , the temperatures are very well posted on line and in most seedsmans catalogues. To wait for the required temps in the UK unless you are in a very small minority hot area or sowing in the occasional hot summer would be a waste of a season for me. Even using the very short season varieties like Fleet and sowing late would be a gamble to get good full ears of corn.Personally I wouldn't gamble if I didn't need to nor would I advise a newbie to do so either.
XX Jeannine
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I am not getting enough toilet roll tubes for all my jobs but there are lots of ways of making the same thing if you have the time to cut up newspaper pages and either staple or tape them into the right shape.
I would certainly use root trainers if I were to be given any but find pots do the job very well, the trick is not to water before you get them out of the pots so that they are mushy. I know we are told to water first but a good double dousing when in situ works equally well.
A roll of damp proof course is an excellent idea too.
These are all ways of getting a good start to growing, but some people get excellent results waiting and planting directly into the ground later on because in truth plants will catch up, often planting weeks ahead only gets harvesting a few days sooner.
We are hobby gardeners and the need for 'something to do' instead of just waiting means we are vulnerable to buying all sorts of thingamejigs to give us that something.
On days when we are not able to garden we shop for things for the garden. Then because we have spent money on them, we are gonna use them and to be sure we are not going to admit we were fleeced. Every buy is a good bye (to money).
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Then you are extraordinarily lucky
XX Jeannine
Ive only got vey limited space to start things inside so everything gets sown direct unless its something Ive noit been able to get decent germination by sowing direct. Ive always got good germination from sweetcorn so thats why I do it. Im in very light soil and a warmer part of the country which probably helps. Its probably differnt in heavy clay in the north. But not much in gardening is black and white so always worth experimenting .
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I absolutely agree with Jeannine. My only success with sweetcorn was last year,when I followed her instructions to the letter. If you have wonderful deep, warm, fine soil, and a lucky year, I suppose you can get away with direct sowing, but not for me any more.
It is SO easy to germinate the corn in damp paper, pop it into a loo or newspaper roll, then bury the whole thing when the time is right. Consistent temperature and never checking the growth EVER seem to be the secrets.
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If you have wonderful deep, warm, fine soil, and a lucky year, I suppose you can get away with direct sowing, but not for me any more.
It is SO easy to germinate the corn in damp paper, pop it into a loo or newspaper roll, then bury the whole thing when the time is right. Consistent temperature and never checking the growth EVER seem to be the secrets.
I wouldnt describe my soil as being that good and the weather the last few summers hasnt been brilliant but it still worked. For me its not about being easy to do it indoors its baout not having room and with direct sowing you dont have to worry about growth being checked at all.