A few questions !!

[mummybunny]

Hi all,

I have a few questions i thought it might be better to ask them all in one go  ;D

1) When planting seeds alot of books tell you to plant in seed tray and then pick out into 3" pots. Just wondered why this is? Could you not just plant straight into the 3" pots?

2) I'm starting my Parsnips in Loo rolls this year as seen on here  ;D Do you cut the rolls in half? (i have read that somewhere)

3) How long do runner bean seeds last? I have found some in the shed when having a clear out must be from the plot holder before me! Stored in a carrier bag! Can i use them?

4) I have just finished my planting plan for this year and have worked out which beds are going to be my brassica beds can i lime them now or is it too late?

last one  ;D

5) Anyone had any success in growing melons? I am planing on trying this year in the greenhouse  ;D

Thanks Lucy x

[mummybunny]

[Digindep]

Hope this helps...
(1)Trays...seed trays being shallow warm up quicker, therefore a better chance of germination.
(2)Parsnips...the longer the tube the better for the tap root, but if short of tubes make some paper pots.
(3)...Runner Beans....can but try them, nothing ventured and all that..realy depends on the conditions they've been kept in.
(4) Brassicas...I always add a say tablespoon full when planting on, into their final resting place, rather than cover a whole area weeks even months before.
(5)...sorry don't grow them, maybe one day.. ;)

I'm sure other will be along soon to help you out, and for sure with many other and different answers.... ;) Happy planting.........

[Tee Gee]

1) When planting seeds alot of books tell you to plant in seed tray and then pick out into 3" pots. Just wondered why this is? Could you not just plant straight into the 3" pots?

Well firstly the compost is one reason;

It is recommended to sow in to a seed compost which is virtually fertliser free ( at least my lot is) meaning that the seedlings have no sustenace to keep them going until planting out time.

Sowing a few seeds in a pot or quarter tray takes up a lot less space in the propagator!

If you sow into a potting compost and any of your seeds fail it means you have used compost that you could have put to a better use!

and I am sure there are a few other reasons!

2) I'm starting my Parsnips in Loo rolls this year as seen on here  Grin Do you cut the rolls in half? (i have read that somewhere)

I never do it this way but I see no reason why you cant half them.

One reason I don't use them is ........I would have a very sore bum by the time I got around to the number of rolls I would need for my crop.

In order to sit more comfortably I do mine this way; http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Parsnip/Parsnips%20prop/parsnips%20prop.html

3) How long do runner bean seeds last? I have found some in the shed when having a clear out must be from the plot holder before me! Stored in a carrier bag! Can i use them?

Depends very much upon how they have been kept!

Try a viability test and sow two or three to see how they go on!

4) I have just finished my planting plan for this year and have worked out which beds are going to be my brassica beds can i lime them now or is it too late?

I lime at planting out time! see here; http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Brassica%20planting/brassica%20planting.html

5) Anyone had any success in growing melons? I am planing on trying this year in the greenhouse  Grin

Pollination is critical, you will find that this is best done 'manually' as under glass there is often insufficient pollinators about.

When you do it is also a critical thing ..you want to do it when the sun is at its highest which ! as I found is not always practical if you are at work all day!

I hope that answers your question/s

[mummybunny]

Thanks Digindep and Tee Gee

Questions answered and some great tips too thankyou

;D

Lucy x

[Buster54]

1. I use seed trays and then transplant because if my seedlings get a bit leggy I can drop them a little deeper when re potting not only that  not every seed will germinate

2. Parsnip roots(taproot) grow very quickly and if the taproot hits anything before it is planted it could end up  producing forked and ill shaped Parsnips I would use a full one and be very vigilant

3. Only way to find out is plant some,my allotment neighbour planted some 5 years old and got a crop of them

4. When I plant my Brassicas I use a bulb planter and sprinkle  2 good teaspoons of lime in the hole,never done the whole bed

5. Never grown any Melons

[saddad]

Don't mention Melons to DebP...  ;D

[Chrispy]

2) I'm starting my Parsnips in Loo rolls this year as seen on here  Grin Do you cut the rolls in half? (i have read that somewhere)

In order to sit more comfortably I do mine this way; http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Parsnip/Parsnips%20prop/parsnips%20prop.html
[/quote]
Does this work? I start my beetroot this way with great success, but I thought with parsnips the tap root would quickly reach the bottom and come to a halt, resulting in very short nips.

[Digeroo]

I put parsnip on damp kitchen paper and cover with clear plastic and put on a cool windowsill.  Then I sow them directly into the ground at the first signs of a tiny root.  This can be frustrating becuase nothing seems to happen for ages and then suddenly you forget about them and the roots are already getting too long.  I always have great germination, though I am not aiming for huge roots.

I sow a lot of things singly into yogurt pots cannot be bothered with the transplanting.  Any empty pots just get some thing else added, though sometimes the original pops up so it is best to put in something totally different so there is no confusion.  If you put in half full of compost you can top it up later but I do not bother.

I also quite like the little plug trays as it is much easier to transplant them.

[Tee Gee]

Does this work?

Yes! But it is all down to timing!!

Do not sow until you are sure you can get them planted out!

Basically it is not much different from planting out 'insitu' except for the benefit of quicker germination, and that you can plant out the successful plugs thus avoiding gaps in the row caused by poor germination rates.

[Deb P]

Don't mention Melons to DebP...  ;D

Ah yes, my ongoing struggle trying to grow melons to a decent size is well documented on this site........sigh!  ::)

Still, I am thinking of constructing a special little melon house on my lottie, OH has come by some double walled plastic sheeting so we shall see if that makes a jot of difference this year! ;D

[manicscousers]

our melons are much better when hand pollinated, in fact, I pollinated too many and had to thin them, this was in the polytunnel  ;D

[Deb P]

Yeah yeah, done all of that.... different varieties, hand pollination, feeding, mollycoddling, bribing, threatening, indoor/outdoors, under cloches etc etc.......they just plainly don't like me and refuse to flourish! I can grow other stuff honest, but melons are my nemesis!

[InfraDig]

Vaguely on topic, do you remember the scene in Lock, Stock and...(?) , in the piggery where the gangster explains what nemesis means. Makes me laugh every time!!

[Tin Shed]

 A question for those people who lime when planting their brassicas - did you manure the land before hand and when?
Thank you :D

[Digindep]

Tin Shed.....My brassica bed was lightly manured way back last Oct/Nov'ish...
with well rotted manure, 2yr old or more, other than having done that, use a bed that was manured the previous year.
Thats the easiest way, tatties year one, following year brassicas.
What ever you do, don't mix manure and lime....especially with tatties...cheers..

[Tee Gee]

did you manure the land before hand and when?

Yes!

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Slide%20Shows/Soil%20preparation%20ss/soil%20preparation%20ss.html

[Deb P]

Vaguely on topic, do you remember the scene in Lock, Stock and...(?) , in the piggery where the gangster explains what nemesis means. Makes me laugh every time!!

S'not Lock Stock & 2 smoking Barrels, it's the follow up 'Snatch'.....see, as a South London girlie I know me London based villain films..... ;D Rude but funny though! ;D

[mummybunny]

Deb P sounds like i may have a struggle on my hands then  ;D It was an impulse buy I'm afraid to say looked so pretty on the packet  :-[ They are called tiger melons have you tried them? I will be extremely chuffed if i manage to grow some  ;D

[Deb P]

Yes I've tried those, got them to about the size of a tennis ball! Don't be put off by my efforts though, I'm sure it's just me! ::)

[InfraDig]

Deb P, as I was pulling up the last of my parsnips I thought, "Wrong film! " Or perhaps I was just telepathetic!!